My Aiti
The slide show flashes by; my mom’s greatest hits, I reflect on the past with her, how could I not? A beautiful, dedicated Christian that loved all four of her children and a loving Christian husband.
She was strong with God; mentally, physically and spiritually, my mom had “Sisu”. She had to start a career after my father passed at sixty. Mom had to support a household at 51 and she did it with all the usual cooking, house chores, baking she did before.
Her genuine, slightly crocked smile, always gave me comfort. Her smile, in almost every picture of Äiti, both in the past, as it did my whole life reassured me through many illnesses. That smile was 100% genuine; it was almost like God smiling and letting you know all will be alright. Don’t fear for the Lord Jesus is near. The bags under the eyes in the Finn would fill with joy. The tell tale that a Finn is true to the Word, the Joy of Jesus.
Alli, was the best mom a child could have had. She was Christian in her soul. She was genuine, didn’t mince words and said what was on her mind. She was honest. She was a stubborn head. My mother loved everybody. Actions always stated her love accordingly, yet never aloud was the word said.She is my heart and soul. She led me to Jesus. She was the best of us.
I love you Äiti, forever and ever. My mom has gone to heaven to be with my father, Walter and our Lord Jesus.
GOD ENCAPSULATED ME
December 2019: a year since Sharon’s Cancer removal and praise GOD for; nothing, zero new growth, mostly pain free, and a healed hole in the soft palate and no outer facial disfigurement.
I thank our dentist (Dr. Ylimaki) and hygienist for the discovery; Dr Hagerty for knowing the complicated surgery should not be tried Thunder Bay and his continuing aftercare; and of course, Dr. Irish, for his skill as a surgeon and knowledge to get the proper palate orbturator to promote the healing.
A special thank you to Debi, who not only went to Toronto every time to help and comfort Sharon, but also updates and love she showed me made the whole experience tolerable. I will not forget this Debi, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. (In the worst of times you find out who your friends really are.)
God deserves all the glory and credit of Sharon’s healing. The encapsulated (surrounded, captured, enclosed) tumor had not spread past its enclosure. Thank you Jesus!
There has been a sense of healing also in the past few years going back to Bell Lake. It was where we also pondered and prayed with the first news of Sharon’s cancer. A need to escape the digital world; these trips are not just about fish. This is an adventure. The further you get from Thunder Bay, the freer one feels.
I want to explain the rigors of what a week, twice a year into Bell Lake is like. You first drive to Ignace and then up Hwy 599 to Silver dollar up North of Ignace. That’s when the fun begins! Sixteen kilometres of bush road that deteriorates the further along you go. The last half is a 4 x4 on mostly a quad road. This has not been maintained since the last logging took place in the 1990’s.
Once at the lake, it is twelve and a half miles to our campsite. There are only a few campsites left and far fewer boaters on the lake. Going in is always fairly calm as we watch the winds carefully and pick the right day to go in.
The 12 foot boat is weighed down by a weeks’ worth of equipment. The ride, to the granite rock we call home for a couple of weeks, takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Many days can go by before other boats can be seen.
Once your reach this small island about one acre all becomes clean with the spectacular sunrises and sunsets and the Hold Spirit.
White pines and loons dominate the lake. There are hundreds of loons. Birds and fish dominate; eagles to sandpipers can be seen in and amongst the granite shoreline.
Sharon is one tough lady, tougher than anyone else I’ve fished this lake with. Back in 1991 – 2001 big boats and good roads made it easy. These days are much more of an adventure. Leaving is the most difficult but we use a satellite phone and thanks to Debi, we can pick the right time to leave.
Ya gotta be a tough old girl to handle the elements but one gets rewarded with the wild life, fish, photos, videos fresh fish lunch every day and of course the love we share with each other and our Holy Father. Blessings come to those that truly trust in Him.
As long as Sharon’s willing, we will be back for many years.
If you like photos and writings by Sharon & I check out:
www.deviantart.com/rocksrose. God bless you all!
Erick Rantala
Godspeed Elvie
Elvie
What she meant to me…
Elvie always welcomed me, even at the beginning. Elvie had a certain smile that showed genuineness not scripted. I was the long haired rebel. Frank & Elvie saw through the veneer; they saw me for who I was. That is the greatest compliment she could give to me. I raise my glass of wine to the greatest mother in law anyone could be blessed by God. They never questioned my motives, intent; in faith they trusted my sincerity.
Elvie’s Chipit and Butter tarts do not compare to anyone else’s ever and she always made some just for me.
Elvie was genuinely shy so I enjoyed making her laugh, she like my humour. Even in the last few months, she was a welcome change from my mother who cannot hear much. Elvie was engaging and vibrant until so close to the end. Her soul shines brilliantly in heavenly peace.
Sharon Rose was Elvie’s child and I will forever be grateful. Good bye to Elvie, we will meet and hug in heaven.
By Erick
Check Erick & Sharon’s other writing out at:
or if you haven’t seen our fishing videos:
Teaming Up at the Dig
Video by Rock's Rose Photography DA/ Rock's Rose Fishing, Faith, Forgiveness - You Tube
God Has Saved Me Yet Again!
My journey is over. The cycle of doctors, surgery, therapy, government and my career has come to an emotional end. What end you wonder? My work career ended November 2012; torn tendons in both shoulders and later knowledge of torn cartilage in both knees, sever degenerated discs in neck and spine have made the last years of work very difficult since 2008. Other afflictions; surgery on the right shoulder, being told I could never do my job again, and having constant pain in one or more body parts, added to the misery at the beginning of this year, making me doubt my worthiness as a husband and a man.
I have worked all my life. Starting at fifteen years old; those were the days of sanding drywall all summer, breathing in asbestos cement. From fifteen to fifty-five ½ , I was a dry wall taper (except for a year ½ working underground in a mine during the recession of the early 1980’s when there was no construction work). My body has paid the price for the forty years of repetitive physical work.
During last winter on some of my most depressed days, I prayed and cried and kept praying, this time, for myself. My prayers have been mostly for people other than myself but I was at my wits end. I had been turned down on my first application for disability. The depression of not earning any income for well over a year along with the physical problems and pains, forced me to pray for myself. I would only pray for myself under extreme conditions. I just found it made me feel selfish. So many people by the millions have it worse than me. I was wrong about that. It is ok to pray for yourself ~ yet I will still pray for the needy before my own needs.
I prayed to God; the Father’s love, Jesus, the forgiver, and the Holy Ghosts’ guidance. Our Lord, the Holy Trinity, does listen. God knows how much you can bear. He knows how long you can wait. God can also end suffering very quickly.
My Lord and Saviour has saved me yet again from the depression. God answered my prayer and the government has recognized my disability. God and my wife have eased my soul.
I can never thank God enough. A billion “thank yous” could not cut it. The only way I know how to thank God is to let Him into my soul, my very being, my manhood – to open up heart and soul. God has always, always been my best friend. Throughout my whole life He has been there for me and now it’s my turn to be fully open. Pray to God. Pray for yourself as well as others. But talk to God all the time. He is your Father as well as your best friend.
It is difficult to relate God’s love to others. God has gone way beyond my dreams and shown love like He only can. I am blessed and very humbled by all the love God has shown me. I will do my best to sing out His Name to those who will listen. Answer to prayers do not always come fast and easy. Sometimes the years needed for some prayers seem hard to understand. It tests your faith, your commitment, it tests your very soul. Prayer is always heard and answered. Most of the time when you pray it will not be answered when you want it to but when God deems it the right time. God knows the right time and way to resolve a situation, in the meantime, we may have to endure a little hardship to strengthen our souls and our faith in God.
So please keep praying. Keep the faith and never, ever give up. Your prayer may be answered quickly or not but God is listening. God is your friend, God will not let you down.
By Rock's Rose/ E.W.Rantala