I'm still rolling along with my "Pic of the Day" on Facebook.  It's allowing me the opportunity to be creative, capture the highlight of my day, and practice the art of writing ... be it ever so small.

Today's "Pic of the Day" came as we sat down to eat Sunday Brunch.  The weather has "Fall" written all over it.  Onion Quiche, sauted potatoes, and a fesh salad.  Food is OK ... it's the converstaon that's follows each bite that is the most delicious.

Today, after a hiking trip through a vineyard yesterday, we talk John 15 ... God being the Master Gardener ... Jesus being the Vine ... we being the Branches.  Insights from young girls become strong women is like salt on the already good morsels being chewed ... such great stuff!

eating and being blessed,
christina

This week I called a friend. I had a request to make of her. The request wasn’t even for me … but for another friend. She declined my request and then proceeded to tell me why. Her response was so eloquent and focused that it has given me cause to reevaluate my recent weeks.

I have gotten a bit side-tracked by the recent and now finished apartment search. When I was normally cleaning or doing a spot of laundry, I was preoccupied by searching for an apartment. When I was normally helping Libby with homework, or searching for a new recipe to try on the rest of my family, I was lining up a time to look at an apartment. It totally got me out of my daily grind … and it’s shown me how much I like to be in the grind. The grind works for me. The grind works for my family. The grind keeps me grounded!

I’m now in regroup mode. Here it is the middle of fall and there were no cozy fall things in my house, there were no yummy fall recipes on the horizon, there wasn’t the annual fall tidy in preparation for this time of year. I know, I know … I’m sounding very “Leave it to Beaver” and I’m sure it’s not a far stretch of the imagination to imagine me wearing a dress and sporting a pearl necklace while vacuuming. Stay with me here … I’m just saying that all the things that have become routine and traditional have been set on the back burner. Now, it’s time to move them to the front and give them the proper attention they deserve!

Today, I’m back. I did a mini household cleaning. I made pumpkin applestruedel muffins. I brewed some homemade apple cider. I lit my fall candles. I sent Libby outside to gather some leaves and put them in a clear glass jar as decoration. I feel like a person. All this “out of whack”ness has just confirmed the purposes of my heart and what God has called me to do. No, I’m not saying God has called me to clean my toilet … but … He has called me to be a woman who invests in my family. He’s given me a husband to care for and children to make yummy fall food for. I spent too many years fighting all the things that call me and lure me back to my base! I’ve found my purpose, my design, my role in life. I love being the cog that keeps our family in motion. I love being the one who knows where the cinamon scented candles are and when the right time of year to begin setting them out is. I love hearing my girls oh and aw over the smell of the house when I bake pumpkin muffins.

I have friends who are CEO’s, teachers, and business owners - real women with real jobs who move and shake the world around them. I am not one of them. My world consists of keeping one family running. Today, as I unclogged the cog and set things back in motion, I am ever thankful for the sense of calling and purpose that God has poured into my heart for this “job” I have. It’s ordinary. It’s often thankless. It’s mundane. But … it’s mine … and I love it!

Fall Festival

Friday night at the older girls’ school they had a Fall Festival. There were “goodies” served. However, when I go to things like this, I am subtly reminded that I am in another country. Goodies: Bundt cakes, Asian noodles, apple strudel, flat bread, fruit cake, tangerines, Swiss chocolate, a host of delectable baked breads, Indian vegetable pockets … did I forget anything? You can tell right away what the Americans bring … no bake cookies and potato chips. How uncreative is that?

Fall Food

Despite the time change, more clouds, and less sun, I am gearing up for fall in Vienna. Everything is seasonal here.

Pumpkins are in season, so you can get pumpkins in every sort, size and shape. The best pumpkin soup on the planet is found in any café in Vienna.

I just saw my first Maroni vender the other day on my way to the U-Bahn (subway). Maroni (chestnuts) is sold only this time of year through the end of December. You can get them from vendors who roast them on large black kettles. You get about 6 for 2 euro … and since I just found out that they have little fat and lots of vitamins … I’m saving every penny to indulge in this seasonal treat!

Fall Holidays

Tomorrow is a catholic holiday, All Saints Day. I’m just gonna copy what the Wikipedia says about it. All Saints' Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas[1]), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November in Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honor of all the saints, known and unknown. In terms of Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Roman Catholic Church, the next day, All Souls' Day, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Christian denominations celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day because of the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory or are in heaven (the 'church penitent' and the 'church triumphant', respectively), and the 'church militant' who are the living. Different Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in very different ways.

We live in what has been a traditionally catholic country but now borders on post modernism. The lines are obscure between catholic traditions, superstitions, and untrue Biblical theology. Older people take seriously this holiday. Young people are just glad to get the day off. However, the wreaths and candles that are sold to lie on the graves of the dearly departed are as common as seeing boxes of Christmas cards at Wal-Mart.

Just another reminder that this place we call home is so blind to the freedom … even in death … of knowing a personal savior.