FABULOUS FEBRUARY

I've loved this little pillow for years!  My Winter Heart!

Hooray!  It's February!
I was so oblivious to this wonderful month that I just kept writing my THANKSGIVINGS in January.

Today I realized that we move into more light and longer days.  I feel Spring is not so far away.  My HEART skips a beat as I think of all the love that is passed around this month.  Every month is filled with heart felt caring if we remain intentional about spreading our THANKS to others every day.

I love this little pillow that is so wintery with its wool and velvet patches.  It brightens my chair and brings a bit of sparkle to each day.

#3454-3456:: Words on paper as I

Nostalgia reigns.  We call this a Grandma Pearl because, as a grandma,
 she painted pictures from her heart.  My first home so many years ago.

think about what to share with others.  Authority with humility - Jesus' example for us.  Holy Boldness with common sense might be words for us today.  Do we share with boldness our joy in Christ?  Do we understand the power and authority of simply saying the name, "Jesus?"

#3457-3459:: Silence, lingering, watching wet snow drip from eves as temperatures rise.  Slushy, drippy drifts of snow become smaller through the day.  Nice!  I sit, ponder, reflect, take time to nurture my soul. Wonderful!

These are dad's grandkids.  See the T-shirt to the right?  Everyone calls him the Big O!

#3460-3462:: A sliver of purple cuts between earth and sky as sun tries to peak through heavy clouds.  Before I know it, bright sunlight bounces off snow laden meadows.  Quiet, silent, birds and animals hiding from the crispy-cold day.  I shuffle reams of paper and type all day as year end reports for my women's group are due tomorrow.  Another wonderful INSIDE day.  Love it!

This is dad's third party in three days and he is still going strong!

#3463-3465:: Up early to prepare for a fun-packed day.  Luncheon with Christian women in the county, sharing with dear friends, prepare for an information packed meeting at night.  Two completely different groups that are totally different from work.  Nice change.

#3466-3468:: Robins eat our berries to stay warm and sit on neighbor's roof until strips of wind ruffled feathers a little too much.  Sun makes snow WHITE and bounces light through our windows. HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY TO DAD!!!   We pack for our trip to his birthday party.  HOORAY!

#3469-3471:: How can our weather be any worse than Minnesota!  We'll find out.  We packed mittens and hats and an extra layer of clothing just in case.  Off we go into the wild windy yonder!

#3472-3474:: We arrive late and find clear roads, no snow and not-too-cold weather.  What a celebration with a huge family gathering from all over the United States.  Six hours of giving

Fire Works at 100!  He deserves it!

dad special moments from each of us while dining and chatting among ourselves.  A GRAND 100th!

#3475-3477:: Early morning visits with nieces and nephews before they catch their flights home.  Lunch with a dear friend I haven't seen in 50 years!
Dinner with dad and his close friends.  A glimpse at our old neighborhood was great.  So much change yet so much the same.

#3478-3480:: Early up, wind through dark streets, transit on two airplanes, home sweet home.  A truck load of memories are packed into my heart.  So many promises to 'keep in touch.'

#3481-3483:: Catch-up day is a good time to re-focus on the 'daily' and set time aside to
 B R E A T H E as we catch up on 'down' time.  So many 'thanksgivings' in my heart. God is so good.

This is one of dozens of  Minneapolis Skyways
Here we see from the outside - a simple shape but look below.

#3484-3486:: Upload pictures for family, smile, remember, dream a bit, linger, enjoy each moment remembered.  Nice.  Lovely day but I'm still boycotting winter.  I'm a "summer" girl through and through.  Love nestling inside for now.

#3487-3489:: Words come fresh from the heart as I write about next week's Ash Wednesday; ash to ash, dust to dust . . . we shall return.  Life is but a flicker, like the sparkler on dad's cake.  I praise God that I have the opportunity to make the most of each day as I upload scads of photos for the next family album for all to share on shutter fly.

Here is the 'above' skyway from the inside.
Beauty in architecture and colored glass is
a wonderful bonus.

#3490-3492:: Crispy white sparkles through the house as sun bounces off of snow.  It's like Spring!
My heart soars knowing that we are just a few months away from spring and warmer days.

#3493-3495:: My mind swirls as I place myself on the mountain with Jesus at His transfiguration. Like Peter, I want to take a 'shot' of the moment but the moment cannot be placed on a one dimensional piece paper.  The moment is stored in my heart . . . much like our moments with dad.
6 degrees and winds so fierce that wind chill is -20.  Had to cancel the first service but we had a good crowd for the second service with lunch afterwards.  God is Good!

#3496-3498:: Up early and into the chill air - colder than yesterday!  Appointments can't wait but hubby is the driver and drops me at the door.  Nice!  We cancel unnecessary errands and find shelter near our lovely fire place.  Loads of work to do on my computer before tomorrow.

#3499-3501:: Fashnacht day up here in 'german' country. Never heard of one before we moved here.  I stride over to the community center for my annual 'donut' and enjoy chat with friends I do not see as often as I should.  It's Shrove Tuesday: to shrive, confess and seek absolution.

A quiet space at church reminds me of
God's sacrifice for me, His only
begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

As I consider not eating fancy foods for the next forty days, I strive to cleanse my soul of unnecessary wants.  Eggs, rich oils, butter  and meat were considered extravagant and were eliminated from the diet during this season of Lent.  The protestant tradition is to give to others and to  take extra time to meditate, pray and find ways to embrace a closer relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

#3502-3504::  Crisp, sunny day for the long drive to church early in the day.  Meetings, noon service, more meetings, night service.  Ash Wednesday: Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return. . . is said as ashes are placed on the forehead.  We read that we should not show the world we are in deep, penitent prayer but we leave with those ashes, seen by anyone who walks near us.  It's a great way to show others that we do not fear showing our penitent heart, that we are Christians, dedicated to pleasing God, though His Son, Jesus Christ.

#3505-3507:: I begin my Lenten commitment with new resolve.  Forty days of prayer and . . .  don't know what else I'll do.  A wonderful day of contemplation between loads of laundry.  Wind slices through icy fields as temps dip lower and lower.  I snuggle closer to the fire.

I took this shot from a Mpls. Skywalk.  I thought the advertising
was quite clever.  The closest thing we would have to this in our
neighborhood is a rack of ties in the local hardware/everything store.

Nice.

#3508-3509:: So many pictures of the 100th birthday 'event' continue to enter my mailbox.  Memories flood back to great moments.  I wonder and wander through some childhood memories with dear friends.

#3510-3512:: Little wind as snowflakes blanket us, light, not too deep.  Quiet stillness gives rest to my soul.  Not so cold beauty moves me to think winter is not so bad after all.

#3513-3515::Another early service cancelled as ice piles high on snow.  We got a late start but it

An incredible full moon on a clear night was seen in our back yard
so clearly it looks like the sun on a cloudy day.
I can tell it is winter because we most always see the moon from the
front yard in summer.

was a wonderfully sunny, melty, day.  My heart wishes more were brave enough to venture into God's house for soul refreshing.  Dear friends traveled an hour to church for the healing service.

#3516-3518:: Stark white under pale blue skies with farm houses popping out of the great expanse.  A picture of beauty as wind streaks through open space while picking up swirls of snow.  A great day to catch up on piles of work.

#3519-3521:: Notes piled high, messages fill sticky notes, my quick outline blooms to pages as I write down my weekly/monthly agenda.  Birds sing and tweet in this 16 degree weather.  Everyone is happy!

Hope springs eternal: Spring will pop up soon.

#3522-3524:: Blue skies, Children slide down the long backyard hill on shimmering ice.  Wheeeee!  The slippery climb back up makes everyone laugh so hard they slide back to the bottom. LOL

#3525-3527:: It's melting!  It's melting!  Icy slopes turn to slush as temps go above freezing.  Oh JOY!  Flakes fly but melt quickly and fade away.  My hopeful heart waits for warmer days.

#3528-3530:: Discussion, decisions, vision, planning, good people, great day, much to think about.

#3531-3533:: Silence, study, seeking, praying, placing words paper, speaking from my heart.  Good.