Hate Waking Up?

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Eph.5:14

Don't worry, she'll be fine as soon as she gets her first cup of coffee! Seriously, though, do you hate to wake up? This is our little friend Ella, just waking up. She hates going to sleep, waking up, and everything in between. It takes her a long time to get to sleep and a long time to wake up. Kind of like many of us. It's New Year's Eve as I'm writing this, and I must say there's an awful lot of hoopla going on what with Dick Clark, the lowering of the ball, and all the parties. New Year's Eve is all well and good, but for me, forget about a new year, I'm just happy to wake up to a new morning every day! Seriously, I think that each morning is like a tiny new year. Think of it; we start a whole new day with a blank slate and new chances to make things right that weren't, and also to help others. If you hate waking up, just think of the endless choices and possibilities of a new day. We can start over every day, and we can also be forgiven every day, because of the wonderful love and gift of our Lord. A new morning is just as much a gift as a new year. Even better, because we get so many more. So as I toddle off to bed, I wish you a Happy New Day!!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam. 3:22

Under His Wings

Under His wings I am safely abiding;

though the night deepens and tempests are wild

Still I can trust him; I know He will keep me

He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

A few weeks ago, we went to The Fesitval Of Lights in a nearby city. This was the first exhibit at the entrance, and it totally enchanted me. We drove past it more than once, and I took many pictures. These are just a few. The image made me think of this bible verse:

"He will cover you with His feathers, his faithfullness will be your shield and rampart; you will not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day..." Psalm 91:4

The Cloud That Fell To Earth

"The fog comes on little cat feet.

It sits looking over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on."

Carl Sandburg 1916 "Fog"

On Saturday, we went to Roanoke for the day. The trip was filled with wonderous things, which I will have several future posts about. The first exciting thing to happen was truly wonderous, but in a rather frightening way. See the first picture? See the white stuff under the mountains, and us driving on the interstate down below? I looked up and thought it was snow. WRONG! It was a cloud that had settled down at the base of the mountain. I've never seen it in a more dramatic way. My camera was with me, so I started to snap. This actually helped with my nerves. I had thought it was way in the distance and of no consequence. WRONG again! We drove right through it. These pictures detail our journey into and out of it. Who'd have thought there could be fog with over a foot of snow on the ground? Doesn't fog need some warmth? Apparently not. I just looked up fog on Wikipedia and got an interesting definition: Fog is a cloud that is in contact with the ground. Fog and mist are different only by their density. Since then, we've had quite a bit of fog around here, but never again have I seen a fallen cloud and driven through it.

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." Isaiah 44:22

An Award To Remember

Most of you know that my husband teaches chess at a local elementary school, and our son is the assistant teacher. It's an afterschool class that only meets a few times a month, but the children are so enthusiastic, and it's a real fun project. I made the students cool membership cards, there are challenges with prizes, and there will be tournaments in the future. Last night he got a wonderful Christmas gift from his class that their regular teacher had made. It was her idea. It's an inlaid wooden chess plaque and a card signed by all the students. We were just totally stunned! It's always so wonderful to know that what you do is appreciated! Who do we want to appereciate us the very most? For me, the answer is God. I'm sure all of us do good deeds, at times while sacrificing things, and never get recognized for it or thanked. That's too bad, but it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that we have pleased God. Doing good things for others and lifting them up is what we were made for. I like to think of how amazing it would be to actually make my creator smile, maybe even telling the angels He is pleased with me, and I imagine the angels all rooting for me and clapping. I know this is fanciful, but maybe not too far off the mark. A long time ago, a beloved pastor told me that NOTHING we do for God is ever forgotten by him. We may not see appreciation from people in this life, but just wait till we get our rewards. Imagine what God would say to us. A reward from someone is great, but the best reward of all is the one that will come when we know we have pleased God.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:10

The Beautiful And The Bizarre

Lovely Santa Bushes in a snowstorm

Have a very carbonated Christmas!!

North Pole has a V.W. now; sleigh broke down?

Christmas Cat,see his little gold mouse?

Bamboo Christmas Tree

Christmas Flamingo

The Baby Seal Of Christmas

Driving around town this month, we've seen some pretty strange things, that's for sure. Like Christmas decorations that aren't exactly Christmasy. And I still can't figure them out. Just to prove that I have not had too much eggnog or rum balls, I have pictures to prove it! The first picture is a lovely shot that I took in a blizzard in a neighbor's yard. A beautiful image. The rest are doubtful at best. A giant lighted coke bottle in one front yard, a decorated V.W., a large cat with a little mouse, a bamboo Christmas Tree, pink flamingo wearing a Santa hat, and a baby seal. Do these strange things have any meaning? No matter, they are whimsical, goofy, and fun. They gave me pause, made me think, then laugh. so I salute these people for their offbeat sense of humor and hope I see more next year. Enjoy the strangeness.

"Do not gaze at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup...your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things." Proverbs 23:31

A First Time For Everything-Christmas Day 2009

First "Big Girl" bike!

Grandpa helping keep steady

Happy Birthday to Jesus

Grandma & Anne scooping the icing off the cake

Winning her first board game

A joyful day

Merry Christmas!!

Our Christmas Day was an amazing day of firsts! And we have been so blessed to share it. Our big gift to our three year old granddaughter, Anne, was her first "big girl" bike (with training wheels). Since we had just gotten two feet of snow, there was nowhere to ride it outside. Fortunatly, we have a large finished basemant with plenty of floor space! We had a lovely meal, after which we put a candle on a cupcake and sang "Happy Birthday"to Jesus. After the present opening, we all sat down to play "Candyland", her very first board game that her mom and dad gave her. When the game started, I asked her who she thought would win. She said "Me". And she did. No kidding! No one did a little cheating for her benefit. Our biggest gift this year was seeing these firsts in our granddaughter's life on this Holy Christmas Day. A day full of laughter and blessings.

"If you then, who, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13

Blessings On Christmas

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,Prince Of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

The Gift

I just got an unexpected Christmas gift. In the last few days I have been having quite a bit of swelling and also pain. Today the doctor diagnosed me with gout. Of all things! How silly. Gout has been called "The Disease of Kings" because it has been associated with living the high life and also drinking and eating lots of meat. I don't drink and I don't eat red meat. Nevertheless, just call me "Your Highness" from now on!! One of the treatments is elevating the foot and resting. So I look at this as my Christmas gift. I have been overdoing lots, and now I have a proper excuse to laze about! God knew just what I needed and He provided. To me, this is a message and gift from my Father that shows He continues to know what I need more than I do, and He will provide. May I suggest to all my friends that you don't wait till I did to slow down. Trying to control too many things is not letting God have total control. So put your feet up with me now, take a big breath, watch the angels laugh and dance in the snow, and then take some moments of silence to Listen for God and thank him for his wonderful promise.

"May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant." Psalm 119:76

The Aftermath

Our church Parking Lot Being cleared

We Three kings Of Orient Were

Our Car Today

Today is the first day I've been out of the house since Friday. We've been trapped inside by a historic snowfall of over two feet. Today we were able to stock up on some groceries before the next storm on Christmas Eve. We also delivered some presents and got to the post office. And along the way, I took pictures from the car. Did you know that kitty litter works very well to keep good footing if you have no rock salt? And it doesn't damage the pavement.

"He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes...Who can withstand his icy blast?" Psalm 147

A Wedding And A Son

This last weekend was a big one. Forty years ago, my wonderful husband and I were married. And thirty nine years ago, our sweet son, Mike, was born. If he had been born two and a half hours later, it would have been on our first anniversary. Unfortunatly, this weekend we were all trapped in our houses under two feet of snow with the National Guard hovering nearby. But tonight, we did manage to get together. Though not at a nice restaraunt as planned, we were all feeling well, and together, and that's what matters. My son and daughter-in-law brought us such a surprise, I'm afraid I was rather stunned the rest of the evening. They had looked at pictures of our wedding, and Melissa made an exact copy of our wedding cake!! Smaller version, of course! She works at a bakery and is quite an artist. We ate wedding cake and gave birthday presents while our granddaughter squealed with joy over our new flying saucer. Above are our wedding picture, the duplicate cake, us now, my son as a baby, and then today. Forty years later and a life still full of wonderful things. So here's to you, my beloved husband, sweet baby boy, beautiful daughter-in-law, and long awaited granddaughter.

The man said "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."

Our New Toy

We've purchashed two amazing things this month, and here's one of them. It's an actual flying saucer, and we got it on Friday. The Vectron Wave is it's name and it does not work by remote control! After we saw it on The David Letterman Show, we just had to get it. This is my husband playing with it. It goes way up high, and all over the house. Right now it's still pretty uncontrollable. You are supposed to be able to hold your palm right under it, and it will follow your hand around. But it has a mind of it's own. The first time we tried it out, it took off at a fast clip the hall, and I yelled at my husband "Did you close the bathroom do.....", but it was too late. The thing was headed for the bathroom and the open toilet at high speed! I held my breath. Fortunatly, it made a soft landing in front of the shower. Phew!! We still need to practice controlling it enough to amaze our friends. Here is one friend who was very amazed by something that flew up in the air.

"As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind...and Elisha saw him no more." 2 Kings 2:11

Ghost Town

Since Friday afternoon, we have gotten over two feet of snow! Our area of Virginia has been declared an emergency, and the National Guard has sent in 200 soldiers. I post every day, but if you shouldn't hear from me in awhile, it means that we have lost power and had to be rescued and taken somewhere. Some of our friends got stranded on a highway and had to spend the night in their van. They were rescued at 5 A.M. and taken to a shelter. We are doing well, but of course are unable to leave the house. So these are all pictures I have taken from the front and side doors. See those two big bumps? Cars are under them. I'm just glad it's cars and not us.

"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow

or seen the storehouses of the hail

which I reserve for times of trouble...

Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens

when the waters become hard as stone

when the surface of the deep is frozen?

Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?

Can you lose the cords of Orion?...

Do you know the laws of the heavens?

Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?

Job 38:22-33