To Rise. To Stand. To Deliver

When I bike to work these days the world still lays in quiet darkness. These mornings have their own beauty and special feel to it. There is a privacy and intimacy connected to it which I cherish. These moments are for myself and spending them with God every morning is quite amazing.
Today it made me think of the verse in Proverbs 31 where it says: "She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls."
I personally am a big fan of Proverbs 31. It is a constant reminder of the woman I desire to be and an encouragement in daily life. If she can do it, I can do it.

But this morning this verse in particular came to mind. There is so much in rising before dawn and I love how she while it is still dark outside prepares nourishment for her household.

Now, we do live in pretty dark times and it is easy to get frustrated with a lot of things. In these dark times I believe it is important that we rise up to nourish our household. I believe this to be true in the most literal sense as in preparing food for our household because there is power in gathering but I also believe it to be true figuratively to rise up in the darkness and nourish our house, may that be family, friends, church, anything. And with nourishment I mean spiritual nourishment. We need to take stand in the darkness of the world and stand up for the lost and broken, those without a voice, those who can not stand for themselves. We might not be able to do it all, but I believe we can all do something. I believe it is our daily decisions to rise up and do something. May this be by gathering a group of friends and praying or by fundraising money or by actually reaching out a hand to the people around you.

I did a little research on this verse using a concordance and looking into the Hebrew version of the verse and the verb to rise up, to stand up actually stands for the following words: arise, assume, carry, stop, endure, establish, restore strengthen.
Then the word night has the following meanings: night, suffering and weeping, dubious, radical
And the word to give means: abandon, deliver, prevent, roar

Wow, that's all that's left to say. I want to be the kind of woman who restores and strengthens and stops and endures, the kind of woman who delivers and prevents and gives!

So as this year is ending I am starting to think of things ahead and I guess this morning my desire to rise up in darkness and be the light just grew and it is always good to have something to work on. That being said I hope you are enjoying this Advent. It is a special time. May we not forget why we celebrate Christmas.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: Some of you might have noticed that I am not doing my Calendar this year. It is not that I am not inspired every day but it wasn't time and place to do it this year. If you would like to read up on the past years you can do so here, here, here and here. Some of the video links might not work any more. My apologies.

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Movie Monday

I doesn't happen too often that I really like a comedy. Mostly because often I don't find them funny or deep enough or think they are too vulgar and I don't like the language.
So whenever I happen upon a good comedy I try to save it for all the nights when I really want to watch a comedy movie.

Last week I watched Mom's Night Out and let me tell you I laughed so much and I cried and it was the perfect end to the weekend. I thought there were parts which were pretty profound but not cheesy and parts that were so hilarious I just could not stop laughing.
I think this movie is a must for every mother. It is a christian movie which I am usually super sceptical about but this one is such an exception for me.
So, if you find yourself on somewhat of a triste day, put this movie on now!

xoxo

Ramona

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An Ode to Fall

I love all the seasons. I love how the atmosphere changes, how the things which grow and which we harvest change. But every year when fall comes around my heart skips and my morning bike rides in the crisp air become magical. It is the fog that lies deep on the ground and the sun fighting to break through. It is the air which becomes visible when I breathe and the leaves that fall from the trees as I bike through the forest.
Nature at this time is almost mystical and it feels as though in one last powerful strike shows its beauty before it gives it all up, everything that has grown only to be changed again and start to grow and flourish again in the Spring.
Fall to me is the most romantic of the seasons and I dream of blankets and candles and sipping tea and cuddling up on the sofa, of cooking warm soups and staying in bed and the smell of cinnamon and apple and coffee before the sun rises and a new day begins.


* picture via

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The good kind of chaos

It was one of those afternoons which leave a total mess and chaos in your kitchen, dining and living area that it takes you a while to sort it all out especially if you have to wash your dishes without a dish washer like me.
But it is the kind of chaos which is proof of having gathered people around your table and invited them into your home. It is proof of a shared meal and conversation. The table was covered with glasses and coffee cups and plates with crumbs from cake and drawing paper and pencils and napkins and burnt down candles.
It is the kind of chaos which cleaning up keeps you thinking about all the conversations and prayer and tears you shared with your favorite people. The people you love sharing life with.

That is how last Sunday was for me and cleaning up that kind of chaos is never work but happiness and joy and process of new built memories.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: I made this cake by local milk and it was absolutely amazing.

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