Life returns

For a long time, one of the safe spots for this countries weather and coastal reports, was this light house on the island that is within the realms of our parish! An elderly couple and their son tended to the light house and called in the figures for the reports. They no longer do that but the light house is going!!

Good evening!

The week that now is almost gone have for certain been a busy one. And it had all the ingredients of a lifetime actually. My husband have been travelling to his hometown to take care of practical matters.
We have both been working as well and then trying to prepare mentally for the funeral.
It was held in his fathers native church,  almost every important event have taken place in that particular church. Last time we gathered there was for my mother in law.
It was a quiet and seren service, held by a female minister that I don't know personally. We were but a few people there. The day was quiet and sunny. 
So we could say goodbye, sing and pray. Only memories left. He was a man with great interest in everything moving, books all over, maps, records, theaterprograms, photos etc. 

This week have also been busy because I work alone and summertime is filled to the brim with things to do. Children to baptize, parents to talk to, couples to meet and hold weddings for, funerals to plan and other services to plan and hold. Friday also contained a visit at Walters place, he turned 95 you see and I was there a couple of years ago when his wife Ella turned 90. They built their house in 1945, close to the church, with a gigantic garden with fruittrees, berries and vegetables.
So we talked and she had been baking and her daughter in law hade made a strawberry layercake with cream.

This is a film from the dioces, here you can learn about our second church, actually our oldest and smallest!!! I posted the other one some time ago. Next week will be busy in this church, we have something called Road Church. It means the church is open , guiding every day, service every day, music and singing every day, coffee and home baked every day. Plenty of ladies keeping this tradition going. And people comes back year after year. All over the country you can find this!

The real treat this week was actually that my sister, halfsister that is, came to visit. She lives up north east in the US with her husband, an american, really very nice man,  that she met ages ago. They have lived both in Sweden and in the US but as for now, she has stayed more years abroad than in Sweden.  She is an adventurous type and has travelled a lot and worked abroad as well. They have two girls, a few years older than ours. She visits Sweden every second year but lately it has been more often.
We never grew up together and had no idea about one another until some years ago, but now we are best friends and I enjoy her visits very much!! She is beautiful, wise and great fun!

Another thing about this week was the annual service at the island in our parish, they have some annual festivities since 1996 and at the island you can find an english graveyard, small one, because of the visits made by the british fleet in the 18th century. They return every now and then to visit the graveyard and pay respect. There are also some graves left that tells the story of the plague in this area. Up on our small mountain more of that can be found.
Anyway, this means going by boat.....BBBBBOOAT!!!!! Boat means waves means seasick!

We've had much worse trips!!

It may look calm at first but soon the waves are rolling

Here is the place were the service is held, out in the open. Often with birds hovering and deers andering about. I think there was about 30-35 people there. It was a very nice moment, praying and singing with the total view of the sea and the sun shining. First we raise the islands own flag.  After the service everybody go down to the small canons making a grand salutation, executed by some honored guest. I did it once!  There are two more of these small canons, they are placed in a South African harbour, for reasons unknown to me.

You must now that many other activities are taking place at the same time, flea sale, waffels, chocolate wheel, throw balls and win a price,  exhibits from local artists and so on. In the county house they serve a delicious lunch with homemade pickled herring, salmon, pies and sallads. The island holds about 8 people all year round, but in the summertime the hostel opens and the restaurant opens and the grocery store opens. There where people everywhere!!

We have a great bunch of sea rescuers and to their help they have the boys flying the coast guards helicopter. They stopped by for a visit, with two boats and this!  

The chapel, one of the two left in our parish. 

We watched the firing from a distance.

"God is our safe haven", we use the chapel at least twice a year. I've had a couple of christenings here and sometimes there are weddings, every Advent and Easter we have a service here.

Going back to the mainland and solid ground.  Shortly after that I headed for another of our villages to attend a christeningservice. Lovely scenery and nice people. The day closed with a meeting with a couple that will be married in september.  After that, the bells were ringing in the sunday rest and the saturday evening was spent with the family. The sunday service went well, and so did the christening . Two girls this weekend, two more angels for our tree, two more disciples and siblings in the worldwide church of Christ our Lord!!! Joyful!

And this weeks happy news was about the retired nurse that decided she had more to give so she joined an organization called Operation Smile.  A simple form of surgery that gives children a future, being able to eat, speak and smile normally!! Together with other organisations that works with volonteers for poor peoples health all over the world, they bring so much hope and strenght to people. Blessed are they!!!
I bid you goodnight and God bless!!