WINTER VIOLENCE

There are things going on out there of which we are totally unaware

Honeymoon pictures...

Here are a few photos of our honeymoon, mainly ones of our day trip to the Samaná Peninsula in the Dominican Republic. Enjoy!

This is me snorkeling in Punta Cana... it does favour me, doesn't it? A little?

Ready for adventure

Ahem... we forgot the zoom was still on from the last picture

Ah, much better.

Not the best view... Woo-hoo, this horse is a little tipsy!

Trekking the jungle with my gentlemany husband lending a hand

Fording the river. Ahhhhhhh... cool water flooding my boots... feels good to tired feet

Our destination: Catarata del Limón. See how small the people are?

Heh, heh. Can't believe we paid 5 euros for this palm leaf hat... heh, heh.

Dani doing a beautiful job with the Catamarán

Eli trying to do the same and having to concentrate real hard

Getting in touch a again with civilization... a newspaper!!

THE END

Motivació - Motivation

Soneto Anónimo

No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte
el cielo que me tienes prometido;
ni me mueve el infierno tan temido
para dejar por eso de ofenderte.

Tú me mueves, Señor; muéveme el verte
clavado en una cruz y escarnecido;
muéveme ver tu cuerpo tan herido;
muévenme tus afrentas y tu muerte.

Muéveme, en fin, tu amor, y en tal manera
que aunque no hubiera cielo, yo te amara,
y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera.

No tienes que me dar porque te quiera,
pues aunque cuanto espero no esperara,
lo mismo que te quiero te quisiera.

I am not moved, my God, to give you love
by thoughts of heaven that you've promised me;
nor am I moved by thoughts of dreaded hell
for that alone, to cease offending thee.

You are what moves me, Lord; I'm moved to see
you on a cross and mocked with every breath;
I'm moved to see your body racked with wounds;
I'm moved by your affronts and by your death.

I'm moved, in sum, by love from you so great
that I would love you were not heaven there,
and I would fear you, if there were no hell.

You need give me no prize to love you thus,
for even if what I hope I hoped not,
as I now love you I would love you still.

(©Alix Ingber, 1995)

God Holds the Key

God holds the key of all unknown,
And I am glad;
If other hands should hold the key,
Or if He trusted it to me,
I might be sad.

What if tomorrow’s cares were here
Without its rest?
I’d rather He unlocked the day;
And, as the hours swing open, say,
"My will is best."

The very dimness of my sight
Makes me secure;
For, groping in my misty way,
I feel His hand; I hear Him say,
“My help is sure.”

I cannot read His future plans;
But this I know;
I have the smiling of His face,
And all the refuge of His grace,
While here below.

Enough! this covers all my want,
And so I rest -
For what I cannot, He can see,
And in His care I safe shall be,
Forever blest.

Jo­seph Park­er (1830-1902)

Felicitat, i altres coses

Mare meva, estic tant ocupada actualitzant el blog de la Lara que no tinc temps pel meu!!

Aquesta entrada és només per comunicar-vos, a tots els meus "co-bloggers" (s'ha de dir que ens hem muntat una comunitat ben maca, no? algun comentari al respecte, Adasa, Lsep, Gem, Ricky, Rachel, Anders Viking, MarcDaniel, Villamilita, i perdó si em deixo algú?) que torno a estar per tots vosaltres, i he intentat posar-me una mica al dia amb els vostres respectius blogs. S'ha de dir que algunes conversacions dels Cboxes m'han deixat una mica desconcertada, al no saber de què anava el tema, però bueno, tot sigui per una bona causa, no? :-) Ai, Lara Elena, com t'estimem... avui he plorat de felicitat i tot. Que sí, i si no pregunteu-li a la llagrimeta que m'ha baixat fins a la punta del nas (un llarg camí, he sentit a algú dir?) Ah, no sé, ara de repent he pensat en la tràgica i tendra història de Cyrano de Bergerac... Us recomano que la llegiu en versió original, si podeu. Jo ho estic fent, quan puc, gràcies a la Lsep que m'ha deixat el llibre.... i la película és magnífica, amb una banda sonora que et parteix el cor i aconsegueix reunir en una melodia ben orquestrada tota la noblesa, tendresa, tragèdia i amor que destil·la aquest relat.

Bé, prou d'enrollar-me. Us deixo a tots amb una abraçada ben forta, i fins aviat!!



He pensat que us faria gràcia veure la meva cara el primer dia que vam tenir els pares a casa després de casar-nos... jejeje.

THE CROSS - TRANSFORMING GLORY

Hanging from the rough-hewn cross of hatred,
Piercing torture stretching every nerve,
Christ, the spotless Lamb of God most sacred
Died the dreadful death which I deserved.
Stretch, Oh Lord, my soul with that same tension -
Rend apart my pride and self from me.
Tune my voice to sing the full dimension
Measured by Thy dying agony.

Hands that held the helpless hands of creatures
Needing hope for hopeless flesh and souls,
Hands of Master, King, Messiah, Teacher -
Shattered by inhuman, savage blows.
Grasp, Oh Lord, my hands with both Thine, bleeding,
Bind me to Thy cross and make me free.
Hold me, for Thy wounds become my healing,
Lost in all, I find my all in Thee.

Crushed beneath the weight of my transgression
Open wide His loving heart outbroke,
Streaming blood, each drop the full expression
Of the boundless love God's grace awoke.
Break, Oh Lord, my heart with that same pressure,
Make my heart the channel of Thy grace:
Breaking every moment for Thy pleasure,
Broken so each pulse would sound Thy praise.

Daniel Valcárcel Lillie - 2001

HE LEADETH ME

We can truly say that the Lord has been leading us, these last months, through pastures green and still waters... This poem, nevertheless, reminds us that even "though the path be rough and rugged, though the trail be dark and steep, still the gentle Shepherd watches o're His sheep..." This has been a comfort and encouragement to me at times when the path has indeed been rugged, and I hope you will be blessed by it as well, and pass it on.

HE LEADETH ME
"In pastures green?" - Not always. Sometimes
He, who knoweth best, in kindness leadeth me
In weary ways, where heavy shadows be;
Out of the sunshine warm and soft and bright,
Out of the sunshine into the darkest night;
I oft would faint with sorrow and affright
Only for this - I know He holds my hand;
So whether led in green or desert land
I trust, although I may not understand.

"And by still waters"? - No, not always so.
Oftimes the heavy tempests round me blow,
And o'er my soul the waves and billows go.
But when the storm beats loudest, and I cry
Aloud for help, the Master standeth by,
And whispers to my soul, "Lo, it is I!"
Above the tempest wild I hear Him say
"Beyond the darkness lies the perfect day;
In every path of thine I lead the way."

So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys where
The shadows lie, - what matter? He is there;
And more than this: where'er the pathway
Lead He gives to me no helpless broken reed,
But His own hand, sufficient for my need.
So where He leadeth I can safely go;
And in the blest hereafter I shall know
Why, in His wisdom, He hath led me so.

Anonymous

Hola noies!! Al final un NOU POOOOOOOOOOST!!

Fale... este blog os lo dedico a vosotras, que ya os daréis por aludidas, supongo.

Ah, la foto de l'esquerra és una molt cuca del meu germanet Albert i jo, fent de mama. Perquè vegeu que tinc experiència.

Primero, decir que no toco el ordenador desde hace semanas, y estos últimos días he estado en el campamento Eben-Ezer, donde no hay conexión de Internet y apenas cobertura de móvil...

Segon, que dóna gust tornar a postejar quelcom en el meu blog, i si no ho he fet abans no ha estat per vagància, creieu-me. M'ho he passat molt bé llegint tota la activitat que hi ha hagut al meu Cbox durant la meva absència i val a dir que dóna bastanta satisfacció que no se m'ha mort l'espai encara que no he postejat en tant de temps!!

And thirdly... well, I thought I'd give a little update on what our activities have been during these past days. As I've said before, we were at family camp for five days, and had a very refreshing time both figuratively and literally speaking, as we were able to have warm fellowship with dear friends, study the Bible together and hold interesting conversations, as well as... have at least two turns at the swimming-pool and eat about three ice-creams a day!! Larawinche enjoyed herself a lot (by the way... our little buckaroo is officially Lara Elena, in case someone didn't know... do you like it?) and I think she likes the swimming-pool immensely, especially when Mommy goes down the slide (well, she only did it once, and then decided against it por si las moscas).

I ahir per la tarda vaig estar "cangurejant" a dos nens, la Maria i el Lluis (fills de la Pilar Vives i el Toni) durant dues hores, al mateix temps que els donava una espècie de classe (molt informal) d'anglès. Es clar, només parlant en anglès, i vam fer una mica de tot: llegir un llibre de Noddy de forma mig escenificada (tinc un nino de Noddy molt mono), fer una mica de writing i reading, etc... i és clar, jugar molt. Ho farem dos dies a la setmana dos hores cada dia, fins que jo vegi que em canso massa o neixi la Lara, i llavors, passats un parell de mesos i quan hagim establert una rutina amb la pequeñaja, tornar a agafar-ho. La cosa és que la Pilar i el Toni ens han regalat el bressol i la calaixera per l'habitació de la baby, i ara ja està tot muntadet... amb els quadros, la sanefa, la robeta tota desada, els ninos de peluche sobre les estanteries, el moisès en un cantó, balancí, etc... Queda tant bé!! El Dani i jo ens quedem mirant l'habitació embobats cada cop que passem pel davant... Quin riure.

Y bueno, hoy hemos tenido a Yaya para cenar, y ahora Dani se ha ido a llevarla a casa (por qué os creeis que estoy al ordenador??? Juaajajajaja). Hoy me lo he tomado más con calma, me he permitido el lujo de dos siestitas y una siesturra, así que por esto puedo estar a casi las once de la noche bloggeando.

Ah!! I almost forgot!! The last day we were at camp, guess what happened! The women and young girls there threw me a surprise baby shower!!! It was so cute... tuvimos algun que otro juego gracioso (tuve que competir con mi madre a ver quién ponía pañales más rápido a unos peluches, por ejemplo, jeje), luego el tiempo de regalitos, luego un momento más serio en que hubo consejos muy sabios por parte de las madres y un tiempo de meditación en unos pasajes de la Biblia. Fue muy especial y quiero dar gracias sobretodo a "las cerebras" de la operación: Mama, Mom, Rebeca y Marta Egea!!

Doncs ara sí que me'n vaig al llit, que fa uns cinc minuts m'està pululant la imatge davant dels ulls d'un coixí tou, tovet. Hala, no os podéis quejar, eh? Escrit en tres llenguatges, at nearly midnight, y justo cuando tengo mas sueño...

Un beso a todas!! Leave some comments!! :-) Ens veiem aviat!!

This blog entry is dedicated to "la fille de la mer"...

SEA FEVER

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sails shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trip's over.

John Masefield

Poem by F.R. Havergal

Please read on to the end... it is well worth it. Beautifully expressed, beautiful truths that are a solace to the heart and a balm to the spirit. Enjoy.

COMPENSATION

Oh, the compensating springs! Oh, the balance-wheels of life,
Hidden away in the workings under the seeming strife!
Slowing the fret and the friction, weighting the whirl and the force,
Evolving the truest power from each unconscious source.

How shall we gauge the whole, who can only guess a part?
How can we read the life, when we cannot spell the heart?
How shall we measure another, we who can never know
From the juttings above the surface the depth of the vein below?

Even our present way is known to ourselves alone,
Height and abyss and torrent, flower and thorn and stone;
But we gaze on another's path as a far-off mountain scene,
Scanning the outlined hills, but never the vales between.

How shall we judge their present, we who have never seen
That which is past for ever, and that which might have been?
Measuring by ourselves, unwise indeed are we,
Measuring what we know by what we can hardly see.

Ah! if we knew it all, we should surely understand
That the balance of sorrow and joy is held with an even hand;
That the scale of success or loss shall never overflow,
And that compensation is twined with the lot of high and low.

The easy path in the lowland hath little of grand or new,
But a toilsome ascent leads on to a wide and glorious view;
Peopled and warm is the valley, lonely and chill the height,
But the peak that is nearer the storm-cloud is nearer the stars of light.

Launch on the foaming stream that bears you along like a dart, –
There is danger of rapid and rock, there is tension of muscle and heart;
Glide on the easy current, monotonous, calm, and slow.
You are spared the quiver and strain in the safe and quiet flow.

Oh, the sweetness that dwells in a harp of many strings,
While each, all vocal with love, in tuneful harmony rings!
But oh, the wail and the discord, when one and another is rent,
Tensionless, broken, or lost, from the cherished instrument.

For rapture of love is linked with the pain or fear of loss,
And the hand that takes the crown must ache with many a cross;
Yet he who hath never a conflict hath never a victor's palm,
And only the toilers know the sweetness of rest and calm.

Only between the storms can the Alpine traveler know
Transcendent glory of clearness, marvels of gleam and glow;
Had he the brightness unbroken of cloudless summer days,
This had been dimmed by the dust and the veil of a brooding haze.

Who would dare the choice, neither or both to know,
The finest quiver of joy or the agony-thrill of woe?
Never the exquisite pain, then never the exquisite bliss,
For the heart that is dull to that can never be strung to this.

Great is the peril or toil if the glory or gain be great;
Never an earthly gift without responsible weight;
Never a treasure without-a following shade of care;
Never a power without the lurk of a subtle snare.

For the swift is not the safe, and the sweet is not the strong;
The smooth is not the short, and the keen is not the long;
The much is not the most, and the wide is not the deep;
And the flow is never a spring, when the ebb is only neap.

Then hush! oh, hush! for the Father knows what thou knowest not,
The need and the thorn and the shadow linked with the fairest lot;
Knows the wisest exemption from many an unseen snare,
Knows what will keep thee nearest, knows what thou could'st not bear.

Hush! oh, hush! for the Father portioneth as He will
To all his beloved children, and shall they not be still?
Is not his will the wisest, is not his choice the best?
And in perfect acquiescence is there not perfect rest?

Hush! oh, hush! for the Father, whose ways are true and just,
Knoweth and careth and loveth, and waits for thy perfect trust;
The cup he is slowly filling shall soon be full to the brim,
And infinite compensations forever be found in him.

Hush, oh, hush! for the Father hath fullness of joy in store,
Treasures of power and wisdom, and pleasures for ever­ more;
Blessing and honor and glory, endless, infinite bliss; –
Child of his love and his choice, oh, cant thou not wait for this?

Frances Ridley Havergal

Our little Babyroo

Doesn't she look peaceful?

"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." Psalm 139:13-18

NESTING INSTINCT

Today I've enjoyed experimenting with all the toolbars in the control panel... it's fun!!

Yesterday we went to IKEA and got some bits and bobs for the baby's room. We had a great time looking for a nice bedroom light, and we finally chose one that has the shape of the sun, sort of flat against the ceiling, and then we also got little tiny lamps in the shape of birds with a soft blue glow for night lights... beautiful!! We found some really cute framed pictures with teddy bears and the likes (from the artist Kokinos, the one from the book "Guess how much I love you, scrumptious!!). And then we stocked up on scented candles, some with clear coloured little glasses to place on the windowsill between the kitchen and living-room, and got a corner tall lamp with a soft cream shade to put beside the sofa... it looks sooo cozy!! And of course, some sorely-needed cushions for the afore-mentioned sofa. They are a warm burgundy and purple shade, matching our sofa corner walls perfectly.

And then guess what... we arrived home at around eleven pm, and instead of going to bed like sensible people after a long day's work, Dani washed the dishes while I arranged the new stuff around (well, he also did all the hard work of bringing up three stories all the things I've mentioned before, plus two cabinets for the kitchen and four sitting-room chairs), and then while I hung the washing he started assembling the first sitting-room chair (they came in boxes ready to put together). The first thing he did when he finished was guess what? Collapse on it with an enourmous contented sigh and sit there extolling on how comfortable it was!!

As it is, we finally got into bed past one o'clock... but I tell you, it was well worth it.

Long time no see!! Hello everyone! Lsep, Gem of the Jampot, Andersvk, marcdaniel, Doulos, and whoever else might read this...

Here's a little update: I'm a seven month pregger, and right now my little buckaroo is giving me a hard time with her kicks and squirms... She thinks my liver is a punch-bag!! She's such a precious little thing already. We have great times playing kick-a-boo, and of course she likes to have her back rubbed by Mommy... she even humps it like a little kitten for more when I stop!! I never thought a belly could take on such weird shapes.

Dani painted her room a week ago, so now we're going to put a border on it, which will take a while, because we thought it was "autoadhesivo" and it turned out to be the kind you have to wet and then plaster on the wall, like wallpaper. :-( But it's a beautiful water-coloured, cuddly stuffed animals border, with teddy-bears, stuffed giraffes, rabbits, lions, elephants, kittens etc... as if they were all sitting on a shelf. They almost look like real stuffed animals!

Probably the next post will be when our little baby is five months old... so I hope you enjoyed this one! ;-)

Oh dear...

This is my first blog ever and I've already made a mistake... It's called Pixielator's Corner, which is all very well, but I've just discovered that the http address or whatever you call it is pixielatorscorner, all together, and it can be read as pixielator scorner... whoops. Oh well, once you get into the blog it does get clarified, doesn't it? Maybe when I find my way around the settings and such I'll be able to alter the name somewhat so that it doesn't come out that way.

At any rate, welcome to Pixielator's Corner, and I sincerely hope you will find here temporary relief from tedious moments or boring afternoons at work, or simply enjoy popping in now and then to wonder whether I've posted something new in the last few weeks.

Eliweski