A Big Storm

“Snow is falling outside and all is peaceful and still. In such moments it is possible to believe that the world could still be good.”                                                                      ― Richard Paul Evans, Grace
      

                                                          
Today is my birthday, and I got the greatest birthday present! A blizzard. Now I know many of you think I'm crazy, but, that's ok. Sunshine and blue skies. Warm temperatures and gentle breezes. Ocean and swimming pools.

I love mountains and streams, and flowers in the valley. And a spring day is a delight. But a snow storm has its own beauty uncomparable in my eyes.

When I was a child, playing in the snow was fun. School was out. A happy time building snowman and snow castles. Snowball fights.

When I was a young woman, snow meant a free day from work. An unexpected day on the calendar to do whatever I wanted. Be lazy. Drink hot chocolate.

“Close your eyes. Hear the silent snow. Listen to your soul speak.”
― A.D. Posey

And over the years snow has an even more special attraction. It's beauty. It's sound. The description God uses to tell me my sins are as white as snow.



I've shared this poem before, but I love to read it again and again. It reminds me of a snowstorm that arrived without notice. I awoke one morning to find a blizzard outside. No warning from the weather station. I opened my back door, and then I heard it. Snow. This is how it sounded to me:

 "When I opened the back door I heard it

Snow

I was amazed at the sound

A whisper different from wind

Yet, precise; like nothing else I've ever heard

Snow falling from the heavens

My heart rested and listened

I couldn't keep away from my back door

I heard snow falling and thanked God."

Feburary 16, 2003

    Sunday morning, 7 a.m.

That image always comes up in my mind when I read God's Word about snow. Every time I ask God to forgive my sin, my mind travels to me opening the back door and seeing the blizzard in all it's glory.

There's a hymn that shares similar thoughts.

White As Snow

by Jon Foreman

"Have mercy on me, oh God  According to Your unfailing love
According to Your great compassion  Blot out my transgressions

Would You create in me a clean heart  Oh God
Restore in me  The joy of Your salvation

The sacrifices of our God  Are a broken and contrite heart
Against you and you alone have I sinned

Would You create in me a clean heart  Oh God
Restore in me  The joy of Your salvation

Wash me white as snow  And I will be made whole
Wash me white as snow

Would You create in me a clean heart  Oh God
Restore in me  The joy of Your salvation"

Isaiah 1:18

"Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land'"

If you're in the Northeast and buried under a ton of snow, take a few minutes to look at it through God's eyes. Pure. White. Clean. Sparkling. Now imagine, that's how God see's you after He washes you white as snow.

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”     ― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Thank you friends for the cards and good wishes. The joy of being a friend. And, happy birthday to me!

Cold Water and Ice Cream

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."  Ben Sweetland

I was delighted and surprised when my friend, Kathy, better know as K2 to me, started her email message with Proverbs 25:25: "Like cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a distant land."

Well, I got ice cream for a weary soul! But that's the end of the story. It started something like this . .

Yes, I am in a distant land from all my friends. And I feel that distance too. There is email, telephone and snail mail (which I love the most), but knowing a friend is within my physical reach makes all the difference in the world.

We had an opportunity recently where I would have asked one of my friends to come by and check up on Mom. We had a distance to go and would be gone from the house a little longer than usual. But there is no one to call. No one to help.

Jerry suggested calling our new church, but I'm hesitant. I don't know anybody, and I knew Mom would feel uncomfortable having someone she doesn't know check up on her. And then there's the girls too. Everyone isn't comfortable around large dogs.

As it turned out, Mom came with us. It was a long trip, but she did ok.

Don't take for granted those who are your friends; who you depend upon, who willingly give of their time to help you. I'm a homebody and introvert and quiet to boot! so stepping out of my comfort zone and meeting people puts a weary load upon my shoulders.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am writing those notes though. And recently, the secretary of the church thanked me and told me folks love them. Now that's an encouraging word!

Yes, I am in a distant land, but I'm still on this earth and have a part to play. I can still be found.

This is my birthday month. When the calendar turns over to March, I'm usually excited and planning breakfast, lunch and dinner dates with my friends. I celebrate all month!

This year will be different. There are no friends to plan a date with. But, my very best friend will never leave me. He's in a distant land too. One I'm going to one day. But He lives in my heart and I can find Him there. That's good news!

"You cannot say that you are friendless when Christ has said, 'Henceforth I call you not servants . . . but I have called you friends.'"                                                                                    Billy Graham

And this is where the ice cream comes in. After I wrote the above, my friend, Kathy, who started her email to me with the Proverbs verse, called to tell me she was coming up for my birthday! Her husband, Stephen, and her booked a room in DuBois, about 30 minutes from Brookville, for the sole purpose of coming up for girl talk and celebrating my birthday.

What a surprise and welcomed visit! Stephen went hiking while Kathy and I sat in their room and celebrated friendship. She even bought chocolate syrup to go with the ice cream just for me, and we played with our laptops so I could Messenger with her.

Yes, ice cream for a weary soul was good news indeed. Thank you, Kathy. Your visit was a sweet surprise!

And if that isn't enough, I'm celebrating more than my birthday in March! I'm 2 years cancer free. Thank you, God, and medicine.

                                 My favorite character and favorite food: Eeyore and Ice Cream!

There Really is a Sweet Pea

You may remember at the end of my last post, I talked about a book titled: Sweet Pea and Friends: The Sheepover. I had read about the book on Susan Branch's blog post, and of course, I love sheep and lamb so I had to order the book.

I was tickled when the book came, but I soon realized I had much more than a book. All of the animals in the book live on a small farm in Essex, Vermont. The owners, John and Jennifer Churchman, have used their skills of photography, painting, storytelling and writing to give voice to the stories of the animals that live on their farm.

There is a second book out titled: Brave Little Finn. And they create cards from their storybooks, and yes, I've ordered a few. There are also fine art prints, collectibles and yarn. They're also on Facebook as they tell the adventures of their barn yard. (www.sweetpeafriends.com)

                                                    How could I resist this sweet card!

I always love to read a story where people "fall into" a new career. It's worth your time to see their webpage and enjoy a few smiles. I'm sure glad I found Sweet Pea!

A few words . . .

Words. They can really affect your heart. As I go through my hymnal each morning, reading the verses, the words songwriters come up with never fails to move me. The following words  touched my heart recently.

"Like the arching of the heavens, lift my thoughts above; Turn my dreams to noble action, Ministries of love."
                                                                                                       God, Who touches Earth with Beauty
                                                                                                                        by Mary S. Edgar, verse 4

I know my actions are certainly not noble (possessing excellent qualities, especially in one's character), but I like to think sometimes they are. I recently read a sentence that went something like this: "Everyone sins, but for the Christian who is strong in faith and tries to live according to God's Word, sin is the exception. One tries very hard to do right. It is those who sin without conscience and live in their sin that reject Christ and does wrong."

"Great tranquility has he who cares neither for praise nor criticism. He will be content whose conscience is pure.  You are not more holy if you are praised; nor more worthless if you are criticized  What you are, that you are; words cannot make you greater than who you are in the sight of God." Thomas A Kempis (c. 1380-1471)

As I continue to go through boxes in the basement I uncover special memories. The other day was one of those times.

Many years ago I found the above book at Lang and it tugged at my heart. The drawing on the front expressed my feelings for friends. I was able to purchase a few of the books and gave them to special friends. There was also a figurine of the drawing on the front that I was able to gift a few of my friends with.

I haven't found my figurine yet, but hope to uncover it soon. You can buy the book on Amazon, and ebay has a number of different figurines from the Special Friends series. This figurine is of Kate & Molly! I think there were a series of Special Friends figurines.

And each day I find my new home is becoming just a little bit more like . . . home.

Everyday Life . . . with Hope

"I am grateful for the hope that steadies like an anchor . . . unwavering. The hope in your soul never diminishes and has the power to lift your spirit and bring peace to your heart."

I was out last Saturday morning driving those back roads and dirt roads and came upon this sign on a barn. It just tickled me!

Now where is that snow! We're almost through February and the pickings have been few. I even bought long underwear before we moved anticipating the cold and snow, but it still sits in my dresser drawer.

And I've noticed there's a lot of mud around here because the ground is always wet. There isn't a walk or driveway up to our front door. The parking area is about 45 feet from the house. By the time we reach the front door or go down to the car, a lot of mud follows. When the ground dries in the spring, we're having a walk and driveway put in up to the front of the house. Until then, ugh.

Last week I had a problem with my tablet that I couldn't fix. After a few hours on the telephone with Comcast I was ready to let it go. My friend, Cindy, who suggested I get a tablet when I was going through treatment, suggested I might want to get a laptop.

So I've bought a laptop! I'm patiently waiting for it's arrival. I will probably call a computer geek to come get it hooked up. I'm not taking any chances of trying to set it up myself.

And my phone died too. We dreaded going to the phone store. Past experiences haven't been good. But I was able to get another old fashion flip phone and all my numbers were transferred. (At least I think they were. Jerry lost a few of his.) Maybe next time I'll get a smart phone. Can't move to quickly with new gadgets.

But no matter what concerns and problems are going on in my life, the hope I carry in my heart steadies like an anchor . . . unwavering. I can't imagine going through life without the hope of God.

"O hope! Dazzling, radiant hope! What a change thou bringest to the hopeless; brightening the darkened paths, and cheering the lonely way." Aimee Semple Mcpherson (1890-1944)

A few more of the bookmark I created with "hope."

 

 

And I'll leave you with this adorable picture! I was reading Susan Branch's most recent blog post
(www.susanbranch.com) about her trip to Vermont, and she shared visiting the Warren Store in Warren, Vermont. Among many other things, they have a cute children's book called: Sweet Pea &
Friends: The SheepOver. It is irresistible! I've placed my order and can't wait until it gets here. How can you resist this little face!

"Hope" Goes a Long Way

"Hope is one of the greatest gifts we have been given by our heavenly Father. It carries no price tag but its value is priceless. We cling to it when the future looks uncertain and praise it when things turn out better than we could have ever imagined. Hope is the foundation on which we build our dreams and aspirations. It has been the cornerstone upon which ordinary people have accomplished extraordinary things. Hope will always endure." Sandy Lynan Clough, Hope

The last several days I've been in a creating mode. I've been creating new bookmarks with the word "hope," one of my favorite words! Not having made any friends yet, most of my note writing will be to people I don't know. I want to put something inside my notes that will make them smile.

"Hope not only bears up the mind under sufferings but makes her rejoice in them." G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

"There is a story of an old man who carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went, and if he passed through a door that squeaked, he poured a little oil on the hinges. If a gate was hard to open, he oiled the latch. And thus he passed through life lubricating all hard places and making it easier for those who came after him. People called him eccentric, queer, and cranky; but the old man went steadily on refilling his can of oil when it became empty, and oiled the hard places he found." Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, Streams in the Desert

He was bringing a little sunshine into the lives of others by doing his part. Bringing sunshine is a lot like giving hope. The oil of good cheer to the downhearted is bringing sunshine into their life. It's giving hope to one who's hopeless, that needs a little help.

"Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, Through showers the sunbeams fall;

For God, who loveth all his works Has left his hope with all!" John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)

"The word which God has written on the brow of every man is hope." Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

"The word hope I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith." John Calvin (1509-1564)

What extraordinary thing will you accomplish today by giving hope to another! "Hope" goes a long way.

He is Always Close

                  These two doves were pretty puffed up as they sat on the branch passing the day.

"To increase your happiness . . . randomly wish for somebody else to be happy." Chade-meng Tan

I received a letter from a woman I worked with back in the 80s. We had lost touch a few years when she moved to Delaware. I sent her a birthday card and asked her to write. I was thrilled when the thick envelope arrived with her handwriting.

                 Passed a nice red barn in my drive around on snowy lanes the other morning.

I met her when I moved to another department at Bell Atlantic back in the 80s. I soon discovered we shared the love of Jesus and as friendship began, we spent many years of enjoying each other.

Her difficulties have been many during the last few years and my heart was sad that I wasn't in touch to bring a smile to her face.

Then I remembered the scripture that assured my mind God had not lost touch. "The Lord is close to the broken hearted; he rescues those whose spirit is crushed." Psalm 34:18

                                  I could drive around on snow covered lanes all day!

Our broken heart leads us to the abundant life, as we seek him to wipe away our tears. We discover infinite depths of His love as we let Him heal our sorrows.

                               A beaver (or two) did their professional work on this tree.

"I want to scale the utmost height And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I'll pray till heav'n I've found, Lord, lead me on to higher ground."

That wonderful song Higher Ground, written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922), certainly pulls your attention to living for Christ. Above is the 4th verse.

          I spotted this skunk along the roadside. When I passed by the scent was light. Thankfully!

So our God is always close by and always ready to help. But He does use our hands. Valentine's Day is next week. Can your hands be used to bring a smile to another's heart?

"To make a valentine God took two shafts of work

And on that wood in love and anguish placed his Son,

Who gave his heart that mine might

Be made new."     Eleanor Whitesides

I've written a nice, long letter to send to my friend. And I sent it in a Valentine to cheer her heart!

A Writing I Shall Go

Welcome to my "writing room." It's about 90% organized and ready. Smile with me as I give you a tour and show you some of the things in it that make me smile.

My friend, Susan, and I were talking to our friend, Molly, suggesting she create a place in her home to be her little corner of the world. A special place where she can go and find rest, peace, solitude and inspiration. Where she can pray, meditate, hope and control her thoughts and actions to help her be a Godly woman.


                 I love my new chair and ottoman, a delight I didn't have room for in Maryland.

Whether it's a chair in a corner, a small closet, a window seat or a small room, I believe you'll greatly enrich your life to hide away by yourself and fill your heart and mind in your own little corner of the world.

I'm hoping Molly took our suggestion and now has a special place of her own.

                   I have my note writing posters on the wall to remind me of my service to God.

I was fortunate to have the smallest bedroom in our home in Maryland for my writing room. And with this move, I have another room, a tad bigger, where I can go to be encouraged, write, read and create.

The baskets hold my note writing cards and matted prints. I'm surrounded by those things I enjoy doing.
                                                                             

This ten dollars was the first sale of my note writing book!

  At my desk I have my collection of Eeyore, my favorite storybook character. He and I are kindred spirits. He always makes me smile.

On the side of the bookcase where I sit at the computer is Eeyore, of course, pictures of my desk as a girl with my teddy bear and doll friends, Abby and Jo when we first got them at 12 weeks, a cartoon that says: "My therapy is quite simple; I wag my tail and lick your face until you feel good about yourself again.", two friends eating chocolate that says: "The only thing better than a good friend is a good friend with a box of chocolates.", and a picture of me with my first note writing poster holding my book.

Mom painted the doll and put hair on her; next to her is an angel of Hope, my friend, Karla's "Give Thanks" art and, of course, a fawn (not mine).

The little train I had as a young girl, and my charm bracelet of life.

Faith, Hope & Love is on the little pillow, and the cream throw was a gift from my Sunday School class and has a cross and personalized with Proverbs 11:25. That's my special scripture verse for my note writing ministry.

My friend, Kathy's, snap of a chair in her garden sitting with the hydrangea; a figurine my childhood friend, Linda, gave me when we moved, and a girl friend cupcake, and, yes, that's the birds around the mailbox I posted last week on the side of the book case right where I can see it in my new chair.

I hope you enjoyed my little tour! Now I need to meet and make friends in this new land I've been brought to. For my true happiness comes from fulfilling my gift of note writing to encourage others with the amazing and awesome love and joy that only comes through faith in Christ.

And I'm excited to say we may have found our church home. We visited a number of churches in the area and the last one seems to be the right fit!

" Sweet are the thoughts that savour of content; The quiet mind is richer than a crown." Robert Greene (1558-1592)