Blessed Christmas: Mary, Did You Know?

 

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Africa Mercy - It's Over Now: One Nurse's Journey

Hi....this is Marilyn's parting post, ending her service as a volunteer nurse on the Africa Mercy, which takes place a week from now. Thank you for stopping by when you could and for all your comments. I for one will miss her adventure but look forward to seeing her again. Hopefully she'll wander up my way from Boise after she gets settled. I include her email at the end in case any of you wish to send a personal message.
Sharon
 

"It's Over Now"
14 March 2015

Yesterday, we did our last cataract surgeries for the year. Next field service, the ship will return to Madagascar, but they won't be doing cataract surgeries. For Madagascar, the program is finished. It has been a difficult year, trying to find the patients that God would bring to us, but somehow, more than 300 people received the gift of sight. I am pleased for them, and only wish we could have done more.

My patient for the week, the one that lingers in my mind, is a diminutive 72 year old lady who had light perception, but no vision, in both eyes. Usually, we only operate on one eye at a time, but for her, the surgeon did both eyes at the same time. Coming out of surgery with both eyes patched and eye shields in place, she looked like a very happy bumblebee, or one of those insects with big, multi-faceted, protruding eyes. Being completely blind for the day was not a big change for her, though, and the anticipation of vision to come lit her face with smiles.

When the patches came off the next day, she could see 6/12 in both eyes--almost perfect vision. Can you imagine what that would be like, after years of blindness?

I will be headed home a little over a week from now. We'll spend this last work week doing data entry, pack-up, and whatever we can to leave the eye program neat and tidy for the next team, in whatever country comes after Madagascar in the fall of 2016. It feels a little like writing your last will and testament, leaving your treasures to your successors, whoever they might be. I want to do a good job--but it is a little sad, this letting go of something so precious that I have been doing for two years.

What lies ahead for me personally? I don't know. I plan to move to Boise to live with my friends Deb and Dave. I'll need to buy a car, pay my taxes, sort through a year's worth of mail, and...well, I don't know what I'll find to do to stay out of mischief. I've faced these times of "the great abyss" before, and eventually, the Lord opens another door to a new adventure...or at least, he has, so far. What will it be this time?

It has been a wonderful two years, working with Mercy Ships--not
always easy, but wonderful. This past week was pretty stressful for
various reasons, and I had some days of discouragement and feeling totally inadequate to the challenges. One of my stress relievers is to watch the lights of the harbor dancing on the waters, sometimes scintillating sparkles, sometimes swirling little streaks darting in and out of the swath of light, sometimes a smooth patch that looks like a quilted, rumpled blanket. So, I was watching the lights, half apologizing to the Lord for mucking up his work here, half asking why he didn't just send someone more qualified instead of me. He brought several Scriptures to mind, including:

1 Cor 3:7 “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes it grow.”

2 Cor 4:1 “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ..for we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord... we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

2 Cor 12:8 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

In other words, it's not about me. He does his work through broken, weak, inadequate people--and he's doing it just fine, thank you. At Mercy Ships, the lame walk, the blind see, and many people encounter a God who loves them enough to get involved in the details of their healing. What an incredible privilege, that he has included me, and what a relief, that it doesn't depend on me.

Thank you all for journeying with me and for encouraging me these past two years. It has been an adventure, and a ringside seat to watch God at work, hasn't it? I have been blessed beyond all measure to be here--and my patients have also been blessed by the Lord, both directly, and indirectly through us. Thanks to those of you who have prayed for our patients--you also have a share in this great work.

Blessings to you all,

Love, Marilyn

--
Marilyn Neville
marilynneville@elitemail.org

Blessed Easter

Vintage postcards from the family's archive . . .  I do miss the Easter egg hunts, dyeing all those eggs, and filling the children's baskets with candy (no grandchildren here unfortunately), but it is always good to reflect on the real meaning of Easter.

"Easter Blessings Crown Thee"

(Postcard addressed to my grandfather Carl in Bisbee, ND from ?? in Norway)

Postcard is addressed to my great-great grandmother Beret from a sister in Norway.

(Baret Marie Carlsen was born in Sylten, Norway in 1842)

A Joyful Easter to all of you!!

(A re-post from April 2013)
(postcards from Gravseth family archive) 

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Africa Mercy - Heartwarming Stories: One Nurse's Journey

Just in time for Christmas, here are two heartwarming stories from Marilyn in the Congo. Learn more about the African people this amazing ship serves, and how faith in God is behind it all. ---Sharon


(This is a running email post written by a volunteer nurse serving on the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship that travels the African coast. In your charitable donations please remember this worthy organization).

December 20, 2013

Greetings, my friends,

I like to share two stories with you, stories that make me smile, stories that make me grateful to God not only for my own blessings and good health, but also for the privilege of being here to help extend God's compassion to the people of Congo.

Earlier this week, our field team conducted a routine eye screening at a small out-of-the-way church in one of the residential neighborhoods of Pointe Noire. What wasn't routine, however, was the appearance of one of the first people in line. A twelve year old boy stood there with his father, his face disfigured by a large, weeping tumor covered in bandages. Nothing wrong with his eyes? Good, go home!  Next!...No, that's not how it played out.

He wasn't a candidate for cataract surgery, but he sure would have been a candidate for maxiofacial surgery, had we been screening for that. So, stop the presses. What can we do? Ask more questions.

It turns out that the boy lives far away, and they only heard about    Mercy Ships last week.  Filled with hope, father and son traveled for ten hours to reach the ship.  They couldn't find a screening for tumor surgery (that was done last September...), but undeterred, they sought us out anyway by coming to the eye screening site. How they found us at that little church, I'll never know.

It took a few phone calls, but we got clearance to bring the boy to the ship for further work-up on that very day.  He and his father rode to the ship in the eye team vehicle after the screening was done. That boy was radiant with joy, and full of hope. By the end of the day, he'd had a CAT scan and lab work done; he'll most likely have surgery sometime in January.  What a different life he'll have without that tumor on his face. What initiative and perseverence his father showed to give him that chance.

My second story concerns a young man, age 19, who has been completely blind for many years with dense cataracts.  His mother was afraid for him and refused to allow surgery by the local surgeons. (From what I have seen, she was probably wise in that decision...) Sadly, his mother died a year ago, so now he lives with his aunt. Mercy Ships came to town, and together, they decided to risk surgery. He had his first cataract surgery a week ago. He was brave, but during surgery, he called out to mama...her dreams for his future, grief, and hope all intermingled in that one word.  Well, her dreams and his hope were rewarded--he had nearly perfect vision in that eye even on the day after surgery.

A week later, we operated on his other eye. Oh, oh. According to the measurements, he needed a very different lens in that eye--four diopters different, which is huge. That's not usually the case--people's eyes tend to come in a matched set. What to do? Were the measurements wrong? Dr. Wodome, a very competent and confident surgeon, was in a dilemma over which lens to implant, one that matched the measurements, or one that matched the other eye, since that one had worked so well? The team stopped for prayer, and the surgeon chose to match the lens to the measurements. Results? Nearly perfect vision in the second eye also. His two eyeballs really were different lengths. It's good to work with a surgeon who seeks God's guidance in making decisions.

A new year is soon here, and what blessings will we find awaiting us? I feel like I'm living in a wonderful pagaent of God's grace. It reminds me of the Exodus miracles--not so dramatic, of course, but clear evidence all around me of His compassion and His active involvement in the affairs of men. I am blessed every day just by being here, in my ringside seat.

Marilyn 



[Click here to learn more about the nurses and doctors on board the Africa Mercy.]

The Tradition of Gift Giving

Stores and merchants worldwide love this time of year. For some, it is the time they break even, and most of us do our part to contribute to their well-being! I did not flood the stores on Thanksgiving day, nor did you see me in one the following day, which in America is traditionally called black Friday. I wasn't in the mood.



I'm not a scrooge or a naysayer when it comes to Christmas. I love this holiday and the reason for celebrating. It is just that this time of year often brings me to the pits of depression when once again I must deal with family living so far away. Now, don't get me wrong. My hubby and I are happy to live where we do most of the year. But . . . some days are hard. A friend knows this about me and surprised me with an early gift just before Thanksgiving, a nice potpourri of herbs.

Doesn't my new plant look great in the kitchen window?
You know who you are, my friend. Thank you!

Of course, the first gift-giving at Christmastime dates back to biblical times, when the three wise men (or Magi) brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh as baby gifts when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Gold is still valued today in the financial markets, as it was in biblical times (including its health benefits), but what about frankincense and myrrh? I always seem to forget what they were and went online searching for answers . . .

Frankincense is a fragrant resin found in certain trees (Boswellia genus). It was burned as incense by priests in biblical times. But did you know that frankincense was also used to cure skin diseases, aid digestion problems, treat arthritis and female hormonal problems, and heal wounds, and when burned, to ward off mosquitoes? Today it is mostly used in perfumes and incense, because of its sweet fragrance, but there is some scientific evidence it could be used to treat colitis, osteoarthritis, and Crohn's disease. 

The Three Wise Men

Likewise, myrrh is a resin found in certain trees (Commiphora
genus). It was an important ingredient used in biblical times to embalm the dead. But did you know it was also used by some as a rejuvenation tonic, and for stomach pain, kidney problems, female disorders, nervous system disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and circulation problems? Today it is used in mouth washes and toothpastes (because of its anti bacterial properties) to prevent gum disease. Further, it can be found in skin ointments and creams for various skin disorders, sprains, bruises and aches.  

Traditionally, gift-giving began with the first gift, God's gift of eternal life to the world with the birth of his son Jesus. The actual practice of gift-giving dates back to the Christmas celebration in the Middle Ages. An intense celebration of parties and feasts took place that spanned a two-week period, followed by a gift exchange at the end. It is the basis of the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. But gift-giving as we know it today probably dates back to the Victorian era in the 1840s (just think of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol), although gifts were much, much simpler then. A single gift would have been a small cake, an item of clothing, or say one small toy . . . perhaps for a girl, a homemade doll. 

Cake at Christmas



 Today gift giving on Christmas day is common in most countries around the world, even in places where the birth of Christ is not celebrated. Many people in Japan, for instance, enjoy the secular aspects of Christmas. They give gifts to each other, decorate their cities with lights, and put up Christmas trees. I saw such decorations in Singapore too when there in 1995. But it's been my observation that Christians in less affluent countries focus more on the religious aspects of Christmas (as in my friend's experience in Africa). Here in America where all of us tend to overspend during this time of year, the stress level can really go up. It's easy to lose focus in our gift giving......which is really a way to show love, but it can get lost in trying to buy the perfect gift (or number of) and forgets the person . . . or if you are a Christian, the real meaning of Christmas. All of this adds up and is probably why I balk at the early season buying rush (or procrastinate :). The preference is to jump into things slowly, and avoid being caught up in what feels like a fast moving train. Do you ever feel that way?

So now that I have that off my chest, it is time to finish the shopping, write the Christmas letter, send the cards, (decorations DID go up early), and mail those packages. We are elves to six wonderful grandchildren, and I am finally in the mood!

Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl
Sources: www.frankincenseandmyrrh.net/; www.dl-uk.info/christmas-gift-sending-tradition-history-origin.html; wikipedia

Africa Mercy - Christmas and Cataracts: One Nurse's Journey

Still aboard the Africa Mercy in the Congo, Marilyn talks about Christmas in Africa and on the ship. As the crew members come from nearly 30 different nations, you can just imagine the variation in customs. Meanwhile, the eye surgeries continue . . . and she shares a typical day. ---Sharon

(This is a running email post written by a volunteer nurse serving on the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship that travels the African coast. In your charitable donations please remember this worthy organization).

Dec 7, 2013

Christmas greetings, my friends

Christmas in Africa.  What is that like?  From outward appearances, it seems like it isn't a public event here, despite the fact that this nation is overwhelmingly Christian. There are no decorations around the town. There is no Christmas music playing in stores (they're just stalls, without electricity, not proper stores). There is no blitz of advertising, urging me to shop 'til I drop. In fact, I see no evidence of preparation at all. When we ask the Congolese day crew about their plans, it sounds like most of them plan to go to church that morning and then spend the rest of the day with family, maybe have a nice meal together.

Christmas on the African Mercy. What is that like? For a while, I thought maybe it was going to be a low key event. Then, a week ago, the ship suddenly blossomed with decorations--artificial trees (we have room to store those all year???), door decorations, cloth wreaths, trimmings everywhere you look. No candles and no live evergreens--it is a ship with maritime regulations, after all, and we are in Africa. The crew comes from about 30 different nations, and it seems we've all brought our cultures and traditions with us. The Dutchies had their version of Santa Claus last night--all the children had to do a trick for Santa, and then they got treats. Other nations will have events on other nights. This evening they  had a Winter Bazaar--it seems that quite a few crew members make craft items to sell, and tonight was the carnival to show their wares. I'm told we'll have a very nice brunch on Christmas morning, and of course we have our religious celebrations throughout Advent. I even hear rumors of a candlelight service Christmas eve--on the dock, of course, fire regulations being what they are. What is pleasantly missing, however, is the constant advertising, the obsessive shopping, the obligatory parties, the secular songs that celebrate everything but Jesus, and the frantic pace that so often blurs the holiday at home. I think that I'll enjoy Christmas quite a bit this year.

 Also missing is winter weather, something that is strongly

associated with Christmas in my head.  Just after the decorations went up, a friend exclaimed, "it's snowing!" She meant it was snowing at home, of course, but for just a moment, I really expected frosty air and snow flurries outside. I was almost ready to go see for myself--and then I remembered, I'm in Africa. It is hot even when it rains, and I doubt they've ever seen frost or snow here. It's just not Christmas weather, to me.

Meanwhile, we have started cataract surgeries in earnest. This year was slow starting because we lacked surgeons for several weeks, but now we have surgeons coming nonstop through the end of field service next May.  Each surgeon comes for two or three weeks, and then we get another one.  Each surgeon has their own specifications and quirks, so it seems like we are always on a learning curve, changing things to suit them. Never a dull moment! But it is certainly rewarding work.  Each day brings 12-20 people with dense cataracts to receive life-transforming, sight-restoring  surgery. It still thrills me to think that I can play a small part in this great blessing.

Every day is different, but let me describe a "typical" day. I usually wake up before the alarm rings, which is good, because my bunkmate doesn't need to get up as early as I do. I get dressed in the dark, having carefully laid out everything I need the night before. Breakfast starts at 06:00 so I grab a quick bite, because I need to begin the work day by 06:45. Fortunately, the "commute" to work only takes a minute or two (and no scraping my windshield or shoveling my driveway...) After a quick prayer, the team goes out to the dock to fetch our patients on board.  That's no easy task! They are blind and usually old. Walking is difficult, and they need to walk up the gangway (42 steps), into an unfamiliar  environment, down two flights of stairs, and down the hall to the peri-op room. Some of them are really, really slow and need lots of help.  Once the first batch of patients arrives in the room, we get their name bands on, their eyes checked, their vital signs done, their dilating drops administered, the pre-op teaching done, and take the first three to the bathroom--all before the surgeon comes to examine patients around 0745 or 0800. It takes all five of us working at top speed to get the first patients ready for surgery on time.  I feel like I've done a day's work by 0830 or 0900, when the pace finally slows down a little.

After the initial surge, I have time to deal with the little problems that come along--the diabetic with a blood sugar of 400, the three or four people who have blood pressures of 230/120 or thereabouts, the one with a fever, the patient or two who are missing vital measurements of their eye that the surgeon uses to choose a lens. Often, it seems, there's a media team from somewhere who just have to have a story by following one or more of our patients through the whole process. They bring their big cameras and microphones and generally get in the way and slow things down. But, telling the world about what we do brings in the finances so that we can keep on doing it.

Eventually, we hit a steady state--taking patients down the hall to     the bathroom, taking them to surgery, and receiving patients back from surgery about every twenty minutes or so. Naturally, when they come out of surgery, we need to check them over, give them meds and instructions, and walk them back out to the dock, which is just as difficult as bringing them into the ship initially. Once we reach steady state, we have a little time to spare. Often, we engage the patients in singing worship songs.  The whole mood of the room mellows out. Most of the patients smile and sing along readily. You should see their delight when I get them up to dance with me while we sing!

The surgical team breaks for lunch at some point, which interrupts the steady state flow. We don't get a break, of course, because we still have a room full of patients to tend to. We need to finish with the last of the morning patients and escort them off the ship, and we need to begin the prep for the afternoon patients, to have them ready for when the surgery team gets back. We do get to eat lunch, of course, by taking turns, but it is eat and run so that the next person can go to lunch, too.   

Somewhere between 2:00 and 4:30, we get the last patients off the ship, and we're done for the day--except to prepare for tomorrow. We get the room cleaned and ready, supplies restocked, and charts checked.  Statistics, ordering more supplies, dealing with emails...all the usual stuff. I'm seriously dragging by suppertime. I tend to work to exhaustion, not realizing how tired I am until I stop moving for a moment--and then it's too late. I am trying to learn to pace myself, take proper breaks, delegate tasks appropriately, and be less of a perfectionist. I need to think like a marathon runner, not a sprinter. Well, that's the goal,    anyway.

One of the really good Christmas traditions we have, in my opinion, is the annual "Christmas letter." I look forward to hearing from many of you about your fortunes in the year gone by and your dreams for the year to come. I wish you all good health and peace as you pace yourselves through this holiday season. 

Blessings, Marilyn

[Click here to learn more about the nurses and doctors on board the Africa Mercy.]
 

Little Drummer Boy - Cool Version by Pentatonix

This song really inspired me today. I have a new part-time editing job and it is only 10 hours a week, but I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all I normally do this time of year. Received this link in Facebook and now passing on to you. Some of the talent out there is pretty awesome. My thanks to Pentatonix for making this available online to share. I hope you enjoy!

Interested in the song's history? Read on . . .

"The Little Drummer Boy" was written by Americian composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941, and was first called "Carol of the Drum." Apparently, Davis also published the song under the name, C.R.W. Robinson. In 1955 the Austrian von Trapp Family Singers recorded it as "The Little Drummer Boy" for the first time, and it has been a Christmas song icon ever since, recorded many times over. But who would have guessed it was first popularized by the von Trapp family . . . the same family depicted in Rogers and Hammerstein's musical, The Sound of Music? This comes as a surprise. 

The first version, "Carol of the Drum," was based on a traditional Czech carol, a 20th century Czech lullaby, but the actual title and origin are unknown. It has been suggested that the song lyrics reflect a 12th century Czech legend as well. The song was enormously popular in America between 1958 and 1962, when recorded on an album by the Harry Simeone Chorale. Today, the song continues to delight listeners around the world. There are over 220 versions in seven languages, as well as a number of movie editions in animated film. Did you ever guess there were so many?


Keeping this up for the Celebrate the Small Things post on Friday. It fits so well . . .

Have a great weekend!!








*Source: Wikipedia

Happy Thanksgiving: A Surprise Blessing

I am so proud of our son this week. He has published his first piece of music. The title is "The Light Shines in the Darkness" by Chadwick Himsl. Chad started playing piano at the age of four. Unlike most kids, he seldom neglected his practice sessions. Honest, I am not just bragging. He loved playing the piano, and when he occasionally turned lazy in this pursuit, I would threaten to not pay for his lessons. It was so easy.

He actually wore out the internal mechanisms that move the keys. I finally sold the piano to a woman who had lost her piano in a house fire. She didn't care if the keys were permanently out of tune without major repair. It reminded her of her old piano. Today Chad is married and has three young children. Where he found the time to compose, record and publish this piece just boggles the mind. Chad shares his motivations and the tune's background in the link above. You can also purchase a copy if you like. ~Sigh~ A proud week in the Himsl household.

I thank God for all my blessings this week, for the love of family and the joy they bring, a small group of friends who enrich my life in large ways, my church family and pastor who inspire, instruct and pray with me, a blog and an online community that continue to surprise and bless me, our lovely home in the beautiful Palouse region where we reside, zero balance credit cards (hoping they stay that way), food in the pantry, a safe water supply and no civil wars out my back door (unlike some in the world), improved health (losing those extra pounds helped (!) and so much more. 

God's mercy, grace, and protection over the years goes without saying. God has a way of getting through to me when I put up walls and forget how much our father in heaven through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit cares for me (and you) . . . even in the hard times. There really is light in a dark world.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Ever wonder why we pinch each other on St. Patrick's Day if someone forgets to wear green? Oops, did you forget? The pinching tradition was started in America in the 1700s by Irish immigrants. They claimed that wearing green made them invisible and kept the leprechauns away. Leprechauns were mischievous fairies who liked to play practical jokes on people.

History shows that the original color associated with this Roman Catholic 4th century saint was really blue. St. Patrick is believed to have used the green shamrock as a teaching tool to explain the holy trinity to Irish Catholics, which may be why people started wearing green when celebrating his memory. Celebration of St. Patrick's Day in Ireland predates the 1600s and became a holiday in America in the 1700s. 

 St. Patrick (Patricius) was born to a rich landowning family in Britain near the end of the 4th century, where exactly is unknown. During a raid of his family's land by Irish pirates, he was captured at the age of fifteen and taken to Ireland, where he was enslaved for six years. After hearing a voice in a dream, telling him how to escape, Patricius managed to flee his captors and return home. It was the basis of his religious conversion to Christianity. St. Patrick then returned to Ireland as a priest and missionary around 430 A.D., where he stayed for many years spreading Christianity everywhere he went. Tens of thousands were baptized and hundreds of churches were established all over Ireland.

St. Patrick's Day is still celebrated in Ireland with parades and family gatherings, and to some degree in the U.S. Parades are held in larger cities here and most of the stores stock up on corn beef and cabbage (not my favorite). Senior centers and similar places serve Irish Stew on the menu. I happened to be in Spokane yesterday attending a writers' workshop. Streets were barricaded and people (some in green costumes--mostly kids) were lining up, waiting for the big parade.

Growing up, I sort of remember someone walking through the neighborhood playing a bag pipe on this holiday. In grade school I must have cut out dozens of shamrocks with my classmates. We had fun pinching everyone who forgot to wear green, listened to our teacher read cute stories about leprechauns, and ate cookies with green frosting.  

Any other traditions out there? How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

[Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0317/St.-Patrick-s-Day-Why-do-we-wear-green; http://holydays.tripod.com/shamrock.htm; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day; St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography, 2005, Phillip Freeman] Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl

Survivors in a Sinful World

I finished the BBC TV series Survivors on Netflix last week. If you have ever wondered what would happen if there were

a repeat of the 1918 flu epidemic, only worse, this is for you. Only 1% of the population survives. As in the bubonic plague, only a handful of people accosted by the virus are immune. One survivor, Abby, actually comes down with the virus and survives it, which makes her a potential vaccine candidate. This and the central theme of Abby's search for her son moves the story forward. Each character she meets along the way, and joins up with, has some sort of past to overcome. As can be predicted, their plight in a darkened, sinful world brings out the worst and best in everyone. Unfortunately, the series drops off without a fit ending, so I would add that one warning. Nevertheless, with all the recent news about whooping cough and now the influenza outbreak, it was an interesting series to watch. 
                                                                                                                                                               
With that background in mind, I was surprised to see the following letter in the local newspaper. The letter was written by a minister my husband and I have known (and respected) for many years. His message is simple, direct, and humbling, regardless of one's religious leanings. 

[Excerpt: Jim Wilson, Moscow/Pullman Daily News, Feb. 4, 2013] 

Jim has always been gifted at connecting the present with the teachings of the bible. He goes on to offer his assistance and contact numbers. I am not surprised. He has devoted his life to teaching and ministering to others. His blog, Roots by the River, is quite popular if anyone is interested.
http://rootsbytheriver.blogspot.com/

Postcards from Christmas Past

"Waiting for Santa Claus"                                         "Happy Christmas"

My mother recently relocated and I helped with some of her packing. She had drawers and cupboards full of odds and ends, mostly junk she claimed, that I managed to organize into zip-lock bags and boxes. But some of our finds were family heirlooms: old black and white pictures of family members long since gone, a small fishing tool that my Norwegian grandfather had patented and used while fishing in Alaska, an antique  Stereoscope Viewer complete with stereoscopic cards for 3-D viewing, and a beautiful collection of postcards. Postcards, remember those? Many in our collection were mailed from Norway in the 1910s. The images are so different from any postcards I remember sending or receiving. What I find most interesting in both the postcards and 3-D cards are the stories that some obviously tell. They inspire the imagination, and one only needs to remember that television had not yet been invented to understand why. Many of the 3-D cards are hilarious, if not a little risque' for the time. I plan to share cards from both collections over the coming months. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I would love to hear your impressions . . .

                               (To Marie from Mrs. Kershaw)                                             (To Carl from Amanda?) 

                     (1918; to Carl, Cecil, North Dakota)                                      (1922; from Mervin Clyde)                                                                

                          
                    

Copyright 2012 © Sharon Himsl

[Postcards from Gravseth family archive]

Happy Thanksgiving

A single grateful thought toward heaven is the most complete prayer.

-Gotthold Lessing

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Scenes of Christmas

                Copyright 2011 © Sharon Himsl

Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

Insight by Diana Greenwood: Book Review

Insight
Author: Diana Greenwood
Publisher: Zondervan, 2011
Reviewer: Sharon M. Himsl
Age: 15 up, Young Adult fiction

Until now I have never reviewed a book, but I would like to make an exception with Diana Greenwood's debut young adult novel Insight. I recently met Diana at a writers' conference last spring and just now got around to reading her book. What a delight, I couldn't put it down once I got started. As a history buff, I was tickled to travel down the road in the 1940s in a beat up old truck with the family's main character Elvira on a crowded road trip, complete with campgrounds and a seedy motel, from remote Wisconsin to the shores of California. But it was this young teenager's coming to terms with her father's disappearance in the war that I found so compelling. Added to this mix, Elvira is faced with a distant mother, a cantankerous grandmother, and a little sister who has a strange ability to see the future, along with a kind pastor (their driver) who offers a new perspective on faith. This is published by a Christian publisher, but there are other good reasons to read this coming of age novel. Elvira's struggles in a difficult setting would resonate with young adults anywhere, and there is a heartwarming surprise at the end.


Copyright 2011 © Sharon M. Himsl