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

Friends

Friends...are a gift from above. Can you hear the song? If you are a Petra fan you'll know it...I love Petra, I love the depth and scriptural truth in their songs.

Well, Petra isn't what I was writing about (rabbit trail) I was just praising God for the women He has put in my life. The variety of people and different connections for different needs. He has gifted us each differently for building the one another up.

We have been adding on to our church. We are in the finishing stages, which is where my part comes in. I have been called on for color selection, lighting, knobs for doors and cabinets, etc. We have a pretty small congregation and I was ending up alone on alot of these decisions, when the Lord sent a friend who enthusiastically said "I'd love to help" and I jumped (for joy). What fun it has been to brainstorm together.

Yesterday we spent a few hours together. First we had lunch and then we went and added stripes to our new youth room. We have an orange wall, & a turquois wall on each end of the large room and the long wall facing the door is a warm tan on the top and a sepia color on the bottom. We added a turquois stripe at chair rail level, and then an orange stripe a ways below that (with a couple of inches of sepia in between) It was so fun to get to know each other better and accomplish such a fun project at the same time. We have lots more to do, and are looking forward to it.

Friends...isn't it heartwarming when you phone a friend, and you hear "I have been thinking of you today and praying for you." What a blast of love. Or how about recieving cards? Or when one seeks you out of a crowd of people with enthusiasm? All of these things point me toward our Friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Prov. 18:34) My friends give me a glimpse of His love. Then knowing His is perfect, beyond human ability...I stand in Awe!!

Lord, Please make me to be a friend like you. To enthusiastically and lavishly love those you have given to me. To magnify your love to others. Make me a light. Make me more like you.