Reformation Day!

     On this day in 1517,Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the castle church door in Wittenburg to state what he believed to be wrong in the Catholic church.
     This is the first verse of the German, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"(In this case,I know the German better than the English-usually it's the opposite):

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,

Ein gute Wehr und Waffen,

Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,

Die uns jetzt hat betroffen;

Der alte, böse Feind, 

Mit Ernst ers jetzt meint,

Groß Macht und viel List 

Sein grausam Rüstung ist,

Auf Erd ist nich seinsgleichen.  



     On the Sunday before or after Reformation Day,we prepare short biographies of our church fathers and all the confirmed children take part in the reading of them. That is my favourite part. I am always interested in history and especially like to hear how the church was established and built.

     Just a week ago,we had a surprise visitor(that is,noone knew except for our parents and some others). Our former guest from Germany! I was quite surprised,I must say,but I am happy that he is here. :) Thankfully,he is staying for a while. :)

The Weather

     The weather is going back and forth between sunny and rainy. Yesterday was like a hazy,summer day(perfect for doing laundry). Warmish with a light breeze,but,during the night,the weather changed to(what else) rain.
      We have been busy cleaning alot today and I will be glad when it's done(Yaaay!Work).

Almost Done One of my Piano Pieces!

     Well,I haven't been on for quite a while again. My piano pieces are coming along. I almost have one piece done(Chopin is quite short).   I am happy about that. It is very satisfying to learn a piece fast and well.
     I have got some Grade 12 schoolwork.  It's coming along,too.
     Yesterday,the sun came out since a long time,but this morning it was grey again. It was nice to see the sun again as most of the weather has been grey,windy(very!),and rainy. About half of the trees are pretty much or fully bare now. And the colours are diminishing. :( Unfortunately.

Snow!!!!!

     There were lots of baby pictures at work yesterday to print. I can now do film all the way from beginning to end and I am able to do alot of things on my own now. Without getting my boss for help. It has been busy again. I was running all over the place yesterday. I still had time to work on some schoolwork,though,which I am glad about...
     It snowed! Just a little bit yesterday,but it was something to get excited about. :) The temperature is getting lower and lower.

Under a Tree,With the Birds

     One Sunday,I sat under a tree and watched the birds. I didn't realize how small they are! They can fit under a regular maple leaf! It was nice to hear their songs and one little bird,whenever I whistled,looked around,"What on earth can that be!" He was really cute. :)

General Subjects. :)

     My mother told me to make supper. I must have annoyed her with how many times I came to ask her how to do things. :)  This year,everyone helped with the Thanksgiving supper,..that is except me. I had to clean the window sills,scrub the kitchen chairs,...the only time I sat down was when I practiced. Oh well,it was a good supper. And all the better because I worked hard beforehand.
     Well,I guess I can officially take passport pictures now. Yesterday,I took several. They went wrong a few times,but they were fixed soon after. One girl was very excited to have her passport picture taken. :)
    

Thanksgiving/Erntedankfest

     A standard thanksgiving hymn for us and with a joyful melody:

Für den goldnen Sonnenschein,

Für die Luft,so klar und rein,

Für den Regen auf der Au',

Für den milden Morgentau

(For the golden sunshine,for the air,so clear and pure, for the rain on the meadows,for the mild morning dew...) 



Für das Wasser und das Brot,

Für die Freunde in der Not,

Für die Arbeit und das Spiel,

Für das Lebens Zweck und Ziel

(For the water and the bread,for the friends in the not,for the work and the play,for the life's purpose and aim...)

Für die Ruhe in der Nacht,

Für die holde Sternenpracht,

Für das teure Gotteswort,

Für die bess're Heimat dort

(For the rest in the night,for the lovely star splendor,for the costly Word of God,for the better home there...)

Für die lieben Eltern mein,

Die sich meinen Glücke weih'n,

Für den Heiland Jesus Christ,

Der von Himmel kommen is,

(For the loving parents mine,that my happiness ordain,for my Saviour Jesus Christ,that from heaven came...)

Für den lieben Ruhetag,

Den so gern ich feiern mag,

Wo wir gehn zum Haus des Herrn,

Immer wieder,ach,so gern,

(For the lovely Sunday,that I gladly celebrate,where we go to the House of the Lord,always again and ever so gladly...)

chorus

Danken wir dem Herrn.

Danken wir dem Herrn.

Vater,wir danken dir

Vater,wir danken dir;

Vater im Himmel,wir danken dir!

(Thank we the Lord,thank we the Lord. Father,we thank thee,Father,we thank thee.Father in heaven,we thank thee.)

     (Some of the translations might be a little off or wrong.)

     Last year I was so happy to have made Thanksgiving supper all by myself! I cooked red beets (picked by my younger sister, MM), cooked beans (picked by me), cooked rice, made a sauce for salmon and cooked it, and made tomato salad (tomatoes picked by S, and onions picked by my oldest sister, M).  I did burn the beets, but it wasn't too bad. :)

Just About Fall.Pretty Much

     On Thursday,I watched the sun set. It was beautiful to see the sun go down,down,down and colour the sky with rainbow hues;blue,green,yellow,red...
     0 degrees outside and 16 degrees inside. It makes your fingers so cold that it's hard to play and practice. We have our fireplace going,but it only heats some things.
     Thanksgiving is on Monday. The time is going so fast,that it's hard to believe!

Music

     Good music is God-given and something to be loved and cherished.











     Yes,that comment has a good point,but for me,I mean classical and baroque music and the old hymns that were written so long ago by our church fathers.

Tag der Deutschen Einheit

     The day of German Unity is today. I guess it is like our Canada Day. The day when Germany officially united and almost a year after the Berlin Wall came down. My father says that he still remembers that day it came down.
     Yesterday,I did my first passport photo. A very nice lady whose neutral expression was also a smile. :)

Answers Again :)

     Reformation Day is October 31. I will explain more when that day comes around. It is one of the holidays that I enjoy the most,because of the history and the stories of church fathers involved in it.
     Yes,fall colours are always beautiful,...I wish I could post some pictures on here.

October Already!

     Soon Thanksgiving and then Reformation Day. It's hard to believe. The leaves are so beautiful now and soon the trees will be bare.