Summer and Winter

Chilly doesn't come close to describing the weather here. It's down right bitter cold! I have the privelege of staying indoors, and enjoying the cozy delight of wood heat. The daytime high was below zero. Not sure how far, I didn't bother to pay attention, but instead browsed a few of my summer photos...like the one above. 
 FORGET ME NOTS...

How quickly I do...

Forget.

In the summer, at wind-down time, I find myself longing for the autumn chill to come, and the grass to slow down it's growing. Tired of taking the mower out every week, tired of intense labor in the garden. Of course if you have followed my 2009 journey, you know I put double effort in this summer for the September wedding in our yard.

Looking back...

I enjoyed the extra effort. It was rewarding to have a lofty goal, take the steps to reach it, and then see it come to fruition. Funny, I didn't have to deliberate very much over my to~do list (like I often do) since there were so many tasks, I had no time to mull it over. I just got up and got to work! I had to set some things aside in order to put more of myself into the task. Some things that were valuable. Like friend time. Like blogging.

But now that it has passed, I am working on restoring those things that I set aside.

And now I am reminded...

To enjoy the one I am in. I do get tired of the cold, and the sand from the icy sidewalk coming in the house on our shoes every day. Bundling up big every time I go out. Starting the car 15 minutes before leaving the driveway. Scraping ice and snow off the windshield...

But...

The snow is beautiful. I love sitting in my kitchen watching the birds on the deck fluttering from their "buffet" to the tree to eat their tiny morsel, and then back to the buffet again. I love seeing my men bundle up and do the tasks they have to do despite the weather. It is heroic to me...while I sit in the house, and have my coffee.

Ethan is running a chair lift tonight at Wild Mountain.

I always felt sorry for chair lift operators when I was skiing...as they blew on their hands to warm them, and rocked side to side to keep their blood moving...

God bless them!

I have so many rich reminders of God's goodness to me... 

I am so glad for changes of seasons!

I am so thankful for wood heat!

I am deeply grateful for my heroic men!
Supremely thankful for the beautiful day He gave us for the wedding!
Thankful.
In January.
In Wisconsin.
Only God.
*laughs*
How about you? What blessings come to your mind in January?


"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:9-11