Green

How great is the creative power of One who can change the entire landscape's color and texture in a matter of days? Last night, Patrick directed my sight through our window to notice the newly budding trees which only days before were barren. New grasses are sprouting through last year's dead, bringing that aroma that draws me to stay outside a minute longer.

But there is work to do. Patrick installed a door so we now may enter the garage through the house and he insulated the garage too. He unloaded the snow machine that arrived on the barge today. I did the dishes. Hey, someone's got to do them. I finished up my work for the school only yesterday. I'm proud of Patrick's work ethic; somehow the blue skies and longer days have further motivated him to accomplish all sorts of things on our little forest plot.

Yesterday after church, sandwiched between Patrick & Sabbath, I rode the four wheeler to a spot on the banks the swollen Yukon River. We laid a blanket down on the muddy eroded bank and enjoyed the warmth, the peace and the temporarily bugless beauty. Sabbath found all sorts of things to play with in the water while we chatted and threw stones into the swift river.

Though it doesn't even match up to a pinky's worth of God's imagination & ingenuity, I'm thankful for the skills of subcreation He's given us to make the world a better place for each other.

Far Below, Far Beyond

An astounding peculiarity about living in Galena is that when the temperature reaches 10 below zero, everyone rejoices. When I lived in Anchorage and Bend, simply the idea of 10 below would make me shiver. But now that I've tasted 40 below for three weeks in a row, I have experienced a welcomed warmth at 10 below. And today it has reached 26 ABOVE zero.

But beyond the weather, and beyond expectations, was my 32nd birthday. Many students at GILA wished me well and the entire Dining Hall sang to me. I received phone calls from every member of my immediate family. I was deluged with hugs and smiles. And my husband escorted me to Rodger and Carole Huntington's house to pick out a lynx hat which has kept me warm during the bitter cold snap. Despite the inclemency and any other challenges, the love of those around me in both spirit and proximity far exceeds any expectation of goodness which my mind could contrive.

Blessings to you,
Karrie

Grind

Sometimes it seems I'm just gasping to get through another deluge, and other times, there's absolutely nothing like being in the moment I'm in. It's comforthing to know that I'm here for a reason... a GOOD reason. My brother reminded me of this during his recent visit here: despite the hardships, remember you're positively investing in the lives of youth for the future.

Wise words to echo across the Yukon and its barren winter lands
Kind words to offer hope for the future

Blessings to you,
Karrie

Maiden Voyage

The lonely Whirlpool finally got its chance to wash dishes this week, after we had water delivered to our now fully-functioning home. Yes, that means we have running water! Patrick also sent the washing machine on its maiden voyage, full of his fleece garments which came out soft, comfy and clean. Not long after that, Patrick constructed the shelving system that is now our pantry, and I loaded it up with libations, small appliances and miscellany. Our house is looking more and more like a home... a beautiful home. We are blessed.

Mmm, PIZZA!

It's amazing how many things one takes for granted until one finds oneself in the midst of the lack of such conveniences.

This week, Patrick did the final touches on our propane system and now we have a fully operational stove and oven! We've been using a toaster oven from Kim and Patrick's deep fryer to make meals since we moved into our new home back on October 1st. Dinners filled our tummies, so we were not in need, but it feels SO good to have a real range to utilitze. To celebrate the momentous occassion, we cooked two dressed-up DiGiorno pizzas and Patrick shot off some fireworks.

Next (and near the end of the list) will be running water. We're awaiting some parts to come in and then Patrick will set to work on that. This is one aspect of our house completion for which I've longed - we have a shower, dishwasher and washer, but no water yet to operate them. And after the water aspect is finished, Patrick will make the long-awaited pantry shelves. Even now, we have boxes of food and kitchen supplies in the middle of the floor downstairs which long for a space to call their own.

Have we been happy despite the absence of modern technology's lavish conveniences?

Absolutely.

Robin Parrish: Relentless is coming

Robin Parrish: Relentless is coming

Robin Parrish publishes a webzine of sorts called INFUSE, a terrific source for entertainment and arts reviews of all kinds. Maybe his book will be a hit as well.

My first real blog

Greetings!

Life is good here in Galena, despite the hardships. But as many of you know, I'm a gal who enjoys and rises to challenges.

Amid working at the residential school and working on our new house, I hope to get back on the song-writing bandwagon. When Patrick and I moved to Galena, I had grandiose ideas of huge pockets of free time during which I could write to my heart's content. But it's not happened. So a co-worker with experience in the music industry back east said he'd help me get back into that aspect of my art. We shall see!

Blessings to you all,

Karrie