JUNE DELIGHTS

These are really what my roses look like.
They are almost translucent!

June IS a delight.
 Finally . . .  SUN . . .  and WARM!
 Flowers POP up suddenly after a day's rain.

COLOR greets me daily in the garden.
I breathe deep and . . . cough. . .  cough . . .
Pollen and that wonderful smell from the fields behind us remind me to hold my breath a moment longer than usual.
 That's OK.
It all reminds me that it is JUNE
I give THANKS for the delights about me.

My roses are popping and my bird house is full!

#2461-2463:: A grand Sunday of celebration and SUN and WARM!  Great bible study; surprise visit to a restaurant where we meet and chat with friends.

#2464-2466:: Birds flit about and chirp wildly at dawn; Farmer works the ground as he stirs up a new patch of something; I sit on my porch for a rare early-morning of warmth and sun . . . nice.

#2467-2469:: Baby birds in the little birdhouse are noisy with need for 'food . . .  food . . . food.'
I stop for too long and linger in the garden to drink in the sounds and smells and beauty; Pop, pop, pop go more roses as blooms become prolific.

Our little church looks dark in this photo but it is
bright and cheery.  It was packed to the gills
on Ascension Day!

#2470-2472:: Early meeting stirs our imaginations with new possibilities; Open time between meetings at church finds me fixing, cleaning and making 'nice' some ugly spaces; late ride home past Amish farms on a sunny evening is a delight.

#2473-2475:: Drip, drip, drip as soft moisture falls from the sky and lubricates hungry flowers; An early morning errand during rush hour is not as bad as I thought as I'm back home in an hour; A conference call pierces my writing time but proves good results.

#2476-2478:: Yesterday's rain brought cool breezes that are good for jogging; More blooms coming alive; packing for a conference as I prep for the big community yard sale.

One of my neighbors made this fake bird
house out of an old post and scraps.
Swarms of sparrows perched and poked
their heads into the holes. None went inside.

#2479-2481:: I am determined not to walk around the neighborhood until 7am even though I watch cars stopping at 6:15; Glorious day to walk the mile circle to see friends after a long winter; Sold out most of the hot dogs by 9:15, bought more, sold out again at 11:15! with 45 min. left of the sale.

#2482-2484:: Up too early to see (5am) to pack the car for a long day at church and then a week away; Unexpected friends visit church: lots of conversation at coffee hour . . . until 2:30.  Grab a bit and drive three hours to our first destination - easy drive with few traffic challenges.

#2485-2487:: We wake up to an ocean view and sun ready to pop through the hazy skies;  Cool ocean breezes invited us into a day of R&R as I prepare for a seminar; Architecture of this small town is amazing!

#2488-2490:: Conference time with great people I've gotten to know over the last nine months;  A few hours to enjoy the town invites us to take some wonderful pictures;

A fine hotel near where we stayed.

We amble on to our next destination.

#2491-2493:: Happy Anniversary to US! We linger in a posh place overnight and saunter to Winterthur to see the Downton Abby Exhibit and the grand gardens; hoards of others had the same idea so we linger a little longer - all good; Children's garden is fabulous - a child's delight.

#2494-2496:: Another gray day blanketed with

Recognize this?  Mary of Downton Abby
was engaged to Michael in this dress.

mist so another museum day - Brandywine and the Wyeth family; linger longer through the day until a 7pm meeting half-way home; Nice few days of exploration in an area we have not seen in decades.

#2497-2499:: Unpack and do laundry - nice to be home; pouring rain floods the garden but ohhhh the plants that are flourishing; linger longer through newspapers and mail - nice.

#2500-2502:: Bright sun and fierce winds greet the day, flag day, but too windy for ye ol flag to fly!
Enjoy words that flow from the heart as I write for tomorrow- God is so good; We are made in the image of God - his righteousness, his glory, eternal life . . .

Hubby lingers by a little house in the Children's Garden.

#2503- 2505:: Sun stings our eyes as open roads greet us ever-so-early this morning; Smooth sailing through the worship service as Amelia (two) echoes my words; Home late in the day but still love to pick the weeds out of my gardens.

#2506-2508:: Swirl through early morning chores in anticipation of lingering with a friend; a four hour gab session brought great ideas and new plans; conversation with a good friend is sometimes very restful.

#2509-2511:: HOT so early.  Love it!  Still feeling yesterdays massage - nice.  Laundry, notes, emails, lots of little tasks.

#2512-2514:: Meetings in Chester County and loads of driving on a nice HOT day; Good

Can't remember if this was at Winterthur or Longwood.
A lovely place to enjoy with hubby.

conversation, beautiful scenery and a detour that skirts completely around our destination; A fun stop at Longwood gardens.

#2515-2517:: Garden day! Cut, Cut, WEED; Five bags of forsythia branches -the garden can now breathe; One full bag of weeds - so many hidden beneath beautiful blooms.

#2518-2520:: A full day of meetings with PEO.  Five chapters meet together and then we have our own meeting.  Of course we must do lunch afterwards - a great turnout.  A full day of feminine fun!

One of may stones in the Winterthur
Children's Garden: nature speaks to each of us!

#2521-2523:: Catch-up day began with writing very early in the morning; A visit to a craft fair at my favorite church in our little town - haven't been there in over a year. Fertilize grass and garden so blooms will burst forth with healthy foliage.

#2524-2526:: Early rise to a cool day filled with surprises.  8am service had more than normal and 10:15 service was amazingly full for a summer Sunday; Happy faces, children giggling, a well accepted sermon, coffee hour bursting with chatter . . . then all left in a swirl to enjoy a fabulous summer day.

#2527-2529:: AC guy greets us early to make sure all is cleaned and in order; Laundry smells so good; hazy day beckons me outside but I have a few more chores to complete before we saw dead shrubs.

#2530-2432:: Digging into scripture for hours was pure delight.  Opportunity to have mulch in my garden meant four hours of messy from head to toe- a great feeling of accomplishment; the garden is GLEAMING!

A staircase at the Wintertur estate spirals upward.
Fortunately, I am just now beginning to slow
down from my own upward spiral and enjoy summer!

#2433-2435:: Early up with the sun and ready to feed the roses. Surprise arrival of more mulch helps to complete the garden. A long, heavy rain came at the perfect time - at night after too many hot days.

#2436-2438:: Catch up day enabled me to finish tasks that have been waiting for me for over a month.  Time for more study and research while I do laundry; A great conversation with my sister makes me spin with delight for her and her hubby.

#2439-2441:: A very early visit to the doctor to check out a genetic 'viking' malady  (Dupruytrens Conjecture) turns out to be true but no need for treatment yet.  Breakfast at Panera with Hubby - fun!

Found in the Wintertur Children's Garden,
It would be lovely in my own garden!

Breezy and hovering around 70 - almost too cool but NOT complaining.

#2342-2344:: Sad day as we remember Frank, a quadriplegic for eight years, who died last week but Margit is surrounded by loving friends and family; Life ebbs and flows and I see it in my beautiful garden; a wonderful shared-meal with friends and family of Frank and Margit - nice.

#2345-2347:: Cool and clear and easy drive to church; plenty of time to linger with those who come early to prepare for worship; Bible Study between services ran late due to a wonderful discussion - needless to say, worship was delayed by about one minute but no one objected.

#2348-2350:: Fresh breeze, garden puttering, birds flitting about - LOVE SUMMER! A delicious day to end the month of June

MAY JOYS

Clouds keep the hot sun from our eyes.
 A great day for a beach walk

This is the month of 'Maying' . . . a wonderful time for playing.
We begin with multiple thanks that we can take a short vacation and breathe deep.
God's blessings abound.
Taking time to warm up a bit is a huge blessing.

#2368-2370:: Walk on the beach; linger on the lanai; hubby sleeps most of the day to regain all the hours he lost over the past week.

#2371-2373:: Early wake-up to greet friends for bible and breakfast; So good to see the "girls"- all of us old ladies by now; OH JOY!

#2374-2376:: A lovely walk past popping water spouts; beautifully decorated shop windows; enjoyed touching unique fabrics.

#2377-2379:: A visit to a church which celebrated 'first communion' for 2nd graders - lovely.  Cool morning and nice breeze warms my bones.  Hubby is so dear as to endure 'hot' weather that seems mildly warm to me.

We love to walk down by the 'old' pier that has been
rebuilt numerous times.

#2380-2382:: Errands and a trip to the book store where we touch and feel the pages we turn.  Home to download a book onto the computer.  A visit with old friends . . . memories and laughter. . . until way too late in the evening - well worth it.

#2383-2385:: Up at 6:30 as usual but loved the little morning nap before visiting with a dear friend.  More chat for hours under a Banyan tree with a cool breeze.  We enjoyed our one day a year together.

These new plantings will soon be HUGE in a few months.

#2386-2388:: Chat with my friend's 90 year old mom - sharp as a tack; long lunch with my dear friend who is just now feeling better from triple bypass surgery; theology discussion that was a delight to my soul.

#2389-2391:: Fun time with hubby began with the botanical gardens; Chinese take-out for lunch- YUM! Lingering outside in the heat was a delight with the cool breeze.

#2392-2394:: Early meeting with friends I've known for seventeen years - nice. Tough chores with hubby went fast - great sense of accomplishment. A nice evening lingering  with a late sunset.

My sister took this picture a few years ago.
This is what I'd love to be doing . . .
next time we are down here.

#2395-2397:: PTL, I am alive.  Survived severe food poisoning last night - both of us. at the same time. unable to help each other lose everything; but, we feel clean inside.  A good day to rest and try to recover.

#2398-2400:: This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad . . . even if we both feel really weak.  A wonderful Mother's Day will slip through the cracks this year but that's OK.  God embraces us with His love as we try to put something in our tummies.

#2401-2403:: Morning packing for our trip home.  LOVED the warm weather AND the rest.  We did very little and accomplished even less - WONDERFUL!

#2404-2406:: Only two weeks away and everything seems different; Gathering with the gals to explore scripture; A flip-flop day! . . .  sort of . . .  I am determined.

Our Hosta this year is blooming in grandeur.

#2407-2409:: One more load of laundry; GREEN and blooms and growth - everything grew so fast while we were gone.  A Looooooong meeting tonight but accomplished much.

#2410-2412:: Torrents of rain and dropping temps invite me to nap between work sessions.  Nice.  Great sense of accomplishment as I complete reams of documents.  Sun shines at the end of the day.

#2413-2415:: Rain brings blooms and some blooms need to be plucked - a GREAT day for plucking; Sun shimmers on a mini lake left to us by yesterday's rain; I finally saw some birds flitting in and out of our bird house - nice.

Each time we see this barn we know we are almost home.
Amazing way to show off the business.

#2416-2418:: Warmth comes late in the day but the sun lingers longer and makes each day longer; Clean clothes; hope for summer soon.

#2419-2421:: We blessed the children and the teacher who gave their time teaching the children. The boys, especially, loved getting sprinkled with holy water. It was nice to be back our our little church and linger a little longer with everyone before the town's memorial day parade.

#2422-2424:: The fire in the fire place takes the chill off of the early morning hours; Nice time digging into Leviticus - love the feast details.  Early wake-up to a sunny day.

Harsh winter, late spring, pansies spring forth.

#2425-2427:: A beautiful day to run errands with hubby; We push the envelope as we do 'one more thing' . . . fun; our simple salad and fish for dinner is so healthy.

#2428-2430:: The rain lets up for our travel to the east side of the state; Good meetings; A surprise offer from a neighbor church to take part in our Ascension Day service.



#2431-2433:: I love lingering in God's word for hours; clean laundry smells so fresh; A trip to pick up herbs for the garden - fun!

The Allium came up this year.
Perhaps the harsh winter stimulated
new growth.  We had none last year.

#2434-2436:: Purchase a few more veges and my garden will be complete; planted everything so that empty spaces will soon become full; my little porch has life with my chair and a table.

#2437-2439:: Reams of work becoming a small pile; Dust bunnies in the house were conquered for another few days; New plantings are intact so perhaps no bunnies in my garden - yet.

#2440-2442:: Words for today hard to grapple with as we focus on Memorial Day remembrance; Warriors and first responders' Blood shed for our freedom and Christ's blood shed for our salvation; Two flags (Christian and U.S.) side by side, inseparable, just as our life in Christ is inseparable from choices we must make as we live in this nation of so much freedom to do as we choose.

#2443-2445:: Flags flying high; Memories of those who died so that we have amazing freedoms; Sun-filled day with gardens bursting with color like fireworks.

#2446-2448:: Fast paced day with a list a mile long - and we

Notice all the purple that blooms in Spring?
These are going WILD with happiness.

finished it all!  A special meal at our favorite dive; FINALLY we got some rain with a swift passing thunder storm - plants are now happy!

#2449-2451:: Humid and warm and just the way I love summer; Lunch with the Bible group to celebrate a wonderful year together; sounds of chat were deafening but oh what fun!

#2452-2454:: Ascension Day! COLD but not raining yet; Storm than clearing then a fabulous Ascension Celebration with three other churches.  We Celebrate . . .  and eat a delicious meal together.

Finally, some BLUE . . . just now popping up.
I so love my french iris.  The cool days may keep my
favorit bloom fresh for longer than usual.

#2455-2457:: Sun sneaked out from behind the gray morning; My first Blue Bird sighting of the year! Read, rest, relax - to keep a sore throat from turning into more.

#2458-2460:: Linger longer, says my heart.  Another month has flown by too fast to catch more snippets of time. I finally write in my other blog before time/thyme creeps into unknown crevices and disappears.

APRIL ASSENTS

Oh to see through this window from the inside.
What beauty in the shape much less in what we see.

Assent means to approve or accept as in positive words for each day.  I give my 'assent' to seeing everything in a positive light and relating it to anyone curious enough to be looking a these notes.

APRIL is such a divided month, filled with hope of better weather, jonquils popping up amid sleet storms and warm weather woven through drastic changes in temperature.  It's a month of adventure as I venture outside to take shots of beauty that do not happen in a garden - yet.

#2278-2280:: Sun shines with hope of warmth; Our long drive today is filled with new sights before trees begin to bud-nice; I'm open to FOOLISH things on this day of crazy pranks.

#2281-2283:: Puddles dry up as a scant piece of sun sneaks through the clouds; WARMER! A very nice night for going to another meeting.

#2284-2286:: So nice to get my hair cut and washed; Fun gathering with church women to decorate hats for Easter - who knows if we'll wear them; As I breathe deep I embrace the possibility of buds on rose bushes very soon.

The long lost art of beauty in glass is a
wonder for us passersby to enjoy.

#2287-2289:: Gray and quiet lead me to introspection and contemplation today, which I enjoy; The Spring newsletter for church means lots of writing today; I breathe deep as I think of Jesus' life that he gave just so that I might live eternally - I'm in awe.

#2290-2292:: Saturday is relaxing; Snug inside as chill winds blow; Words for tomorrow show that the impossible is possible with Christ Jesus, our Lord.

#2293-2295:: Sun for Sunday and hope in the Cross; A glorious day to fertilize the yard; Through Christ's example, the impossible become possible.

#2296-2298:: A warm drizzle soothes the soul as I sit inside and spin with God; I remember to b r e a t h e; Two weeks of 'crazy' and I can linger longer in a sunny spot.

We had never seen a Coptic church.
This church had beautiful artwork on
its facade.  The wonders of exploring.

#2299-2301:: Up early for a long ride but friends and good conversation are at the end of this journey; A meeting that assures us that we are well balanced in our retirement; Spring pops up all around us as we see more green and even a few blooms!

#2302-2304:: Attending a study on Worship invigorates the soul; A quiet space in a very hectic time of year; Hubby's health is good

#2305-2307:: Breathe . in . out . slow . and . even; Prepare for possibilities in late afternoon and evening meetings; I feel a bit of warmth in between the blusters of wind.

#2308-2310:: "Be prepared" turns to "Prepare to BE." Overwhelmed by God's love; Embraced by the precious Present.

A rugged winter brings vibrant life, green meadows and rain.

#2311-2313:: Steamy pains of glass melt with the early morning sunshine; Green and buds and hope of new life explodes in the garden; Preparation for Jesus' entrance into the royal city places me in a quiet, thought-filled place.

#2314-2316:: What a beautiful procession to main street and back to the church as we celebrate our 'entrance into Jerusalem' waving our palms; Smells and bells and choir sounds lift us high at the beginning of the service; Triumph turns to tragedy as we all take part in the reading of the Passion according to Matthew and feel strong emotions when the Music Director plays "Via Dolorosa."

Sunday mornings are AMAZING!

#2317-2319:: Bold orange sun greets me at 6:30am as warm breezes gust into my kitchen through the window; Gray clouds pressing into the wind invite me into the still-warm day; preparations for Holy Week make me mindful of every minute.

#2320-2322:: Our jaunt to Philadelphia in pouring rain is still a lovely journey; The cathedral was filled with art that tugged at the heart as we walk the Stations of the Cross; So happy to be home after being swept up in soggy splash for two hours each way.

#2323-2325:: Lingering longer with God's Word

Jesus poured out His life for us.
I think of this as I linger by this
lovely waterfall.

as I ponder on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday lessons; Jesus took the brunt of all my burdens and cares and hurts and pain so that I don't have to feel half of what I should; Sighs too deep for words . . . all day.

#2326-2328:: Softly I tread today, as I ponder on Jesus' last Passover; Quiet envelopes me as I walk slowly through the day; I want to stand still and not move for the rest of the day but I am called into the presence of the Lord for sermon, foot washing and clearing of the church of any sign of our Lord's presence.

#2329-2331:: Good Friday, or God Friday, better known as Holy Friday is for us so perhaps Jesus's death is for our 'good.' We walk the stations of the Cross as we walk with Jesus to his crucifixion - hard on the soul yet I feel a peace.
Two services and so many involved makes my heart soar.

#2332-2334:: The church is empty, save for a huge, rough cross draped in purple with a crown of thorns on top.  Later in the day we see the emptiness of death turns to new life

He is Risen!

with lilies and tulips and hydrangeas placed around the church for all to see.  Oh JOY, we celebrate the New LIGHT tonight - the Light that pierces the darkness and brings new life.

#2335-2337:: ALLELUIA CHRIST IS RISEN!  The Lord is risen indeed! As the sun rises in the East so does my excitement as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ Jesus.  A church full of lilies and so many other scented flowers, incense, gold and white, choir anthem and congregation singing.  Taste and see that the Lord is Good!

#2338-2340:: This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice!  A great way to begin the Easter season is to be so awake at 3am that I write and read.  Now to spend some quiet moments lingering in the garden on a sunny day.  Roses and acid plants are fed for a few months.  Now to see them grow!

Forsythia blooms: time to feed the roses.
. . . and acid loving plants that I forgot last Fall.

#2341-2343:: A gorgeous sunrise; pictures of forsythia; Although many plants and shrubs died over this harsh winter, I see buds and new growth in most of my garden. Hooray!

#2344-2346:: Women's bible study looks at 'Tough Questions' which I LOVE to discuss; Almost May but Spring is just beginning - heavy winds today; A great phone meeting with much accomplished.

#2347-2349:: Almost blew off the sidewalk but nice to work inside today; A tough meeting went well; Goods for the church 'yard' sale (everything inside) look fabulous! but I am not tempted to purchase any . . . I really am but I am determined to look the other way.  I'm trying to give things away!

#2350-2352:: Nice to go with hubby to the doc to check a well used knee; Click, click, click with my new camera.  I will have new pictures as soon as I figure out how it works.

Still great sunsets at our favorite dock.

#2353-2355::  Off to the church yard sale to help sell, sell, sell; Gorgeous day to be outside connecting with others; I did not buy one thing although I was tempted - except food. . . a good way to give my support to the church.

#2356-2358:: A Glorious day to worship the Lord; Celebration, Blessing and rejoicing this second Sunday of Easter; Meetings and tying up loose ends before a bit of time away.

#2359-2361:: Great phone conversations to tie up loose ends; Packing and thinking and taking breaks-oh my!  All ready for a full day of travel.

I love this house right on the beach.

#2362-2364:: HOT! So nice after being semi-frozen for six months.  Breathe, relax, drink in the humidity - love it.  Some changes and some things still the same - like being back home.

#2365-2367::  Shop tip we drop as we pick up supplies, visit some great food stores and enjoy new sights.  A great way to end the month.

MARCH MARVELS

Hard to find something green this time of year.
These are tomatoes from my garden that soon
turned bright red-orange - yum!

Amazing March is soooo cold and windy and still bringing snow.
 Just when we think we have relief there is more - more cold, more snow, more gray days.

But daylight savings time is just around the corner and light peaks through the darkness just a bit more each day.
So I MARCH FORTH with marvelous mention of my observations of God massive blessings each and every day.

#2185-2187:: Thanksgiving for a quiet beginning to March; Time to put vinegar in all our drains; Nice preparation for tomorrow, Sunday.

A treat from Pennsylvania Dutch recipes.
 Made with potatoes and without holes.
Nice to have on Shrove Tuesday.

#2188-2190:: Clear skies, crisp air and a Sunday focused on Transfiguration, family time and fun food.
#2191-2193:: COLD but almost none of the predicted 12 inches of snow! Sunny day with Canadian Geese flying about; A nice 'inside' day!

#2194-2196:: Thankful for a cancelled meeting; Get to enjoy Fasnachts (German for "fast night") with friends; Using up all the eggs, fats and delicious things that I will lay aside during Lent; Shrove Tuesday Pancake night.

#2197-2199:: A quiet day of meditation between meetings; As we receive ashes we "Remember we are dust and to dust we shall return." The beginning of our 'desert' time as we empty ourselves out as Jesus Christ did for us.

#2200-2202:: Thankful to be invited to a talk by Lisa Landis, a local radio DJ who WON her fight with a rare skin eating disease;  GREAT news from a friend on the other coast who has done well after 32 radiation sessions for throat cancer; A SUNNY DAY! brings hope for all of us that there are few snowstorms before the end of winter.

#2203-2205:: Time to clean the photo album on my computer; Words for Sunday drift freely from my heart; Hubby brings home PIZZA - a very rare treat.

#2206-2208:: So many thanks for volunteers who give time and energy to help the church run efficiently; Blessed with computer communication which makes my job sooooooo much easier; Taking time out to sew hubby's 'costume' for tomorrow's story-time with the children.

#2209-2211:: Thanksgiving for good weather so that the loss of one hour with the time change did not discourage people from coming to church; Thanks for this first Sunday in Lent and our fifth day of walking in the desert with Christ; Thanks for positive feedback from fellow leaders.

#2212-2214:: Waking one hour earlier was not too bad today; A great meeting filled with the motivation to motivate others; Sunny skies for completing tasks.

#2215-2217:: A nice trek to Philly for an all day meeting; Warmer weather helped us run lots of errands into the evening; Driving around farms is always a JOY.

#2218-2220:: A positive spin on guilt: making us look inside ourselves is not to bad during Lent; Two wonderful gatherings with women - each with a different focus; Rain drops on my car turned to ICE as a storm moved in after my last meeting.... sort of neat.

#2221-2223:: Piercing, chilly winds makes me love being by the fire this morning; Telephone conversations and getting organized feels good; A wonderful opportunity to bundle in my thick winter sweater again as I prepare for tonight's meetings.

#2224-2226:: A bit of rest to sooth the aching bones; Nice to work on getting organized; A sense of stillness in my soul as the winds howl and the temperatures drop again.

It's all I could find with a little bit of green.
It's a simple wooden cupboard painted
to look elegant and bring a little color into
 a cold, gray, winter day.

#2227-2229:: Spring in the air as we see a glimmer of sunshine melting the ice peaks; Spring seems hopeful in a couple months? Savory stew smells delicious and so good to eat.

#2230-2232:: The sun pierces the darkness a little before we arrive at church; Pink streaks glaze the sky as sun peaks from the clouds; A glorious time of worship in this season of Lent.

#2233-2235:: Number crunching and computer transfers and finally I am ready to get down to some real work!  A still, cloudy day with another scattering of snow that melts on the tundra but not on our little back porch; St. Patrick's Day reminds us of the Trinity and our freedom in Christ but shamrocks are not yet growing on our frozen tundra.

#2236-2238:: Sun slithers between wind gusts, nice; QUIET time - real quiet - no interruptions for two whole hours! NICE; Hubby hilarious with his new toys: weights.

#2239-2241:: Adventure in the rain that takes three hours to and from . . .  for a two hour meeting; Beautiful drive; Notice opportunities to return to the area and really explore when the weather gets nicer.

#2242-2244:: Got organized! Old files, pieces of paper, notes now in the trash; Still an inside day but nice to see some sun as the chilly March winds blow fiercely.

#2245-2247::Visiting day - chatting with elders who relish a visit from us 'young' ones.  Stations of the Cross- a wonderful journey to the Cross during Lent right in our own church.  Dry roads and rainless skies. YES!

#2248-2250:: Morning meeting where great ideas were shared - so stimulating; WARM weather for cleaning up the yard - OH JOY!
Three hours and five huge bags of garden bits brings great satisfaction- wonderful.

#2251-2253:: Clouds cover a painted sky just enough to keep the early sun from stinging our eyes as we drive to church; worship and bible study and sharing with so many and then teaching ESL to a couple great hispanic guys - what a day; home to vege out as the temps drop drastically and I snuggle in warm blankets.

#2254-2256::  COLD again but so nice and sunny; Hubby and I put a project together and lived to tell about it - actually great teamwork; slow day trying to keep a cold from getting worse.

#2257-2259:: Nice number crunching as we work on taxes; Digging thorough and cleaning up papers and projects that have piled up over the weeks; Great day for inside jobs as chill winds pierce the quiet of the day.
#2260-2262:: Great bible study on forgiveness; Spiritual and physical results from non-forgiveness became real to many who attended; Bundled in many layers as wind sweeps me down the block.

#2263-2265:: A nice chat with my 99 year old dad - he is so busy it's hard to get hold of him; follow-up with friends brings nice chat; Getting through mounds of work gives me a nice feeling.

#2266-2268:: A great day for a visit with a church member who rarely gets outside, especially in this very winter climate; Stations of the Cross- a reminder of Christ's sacrifice for ME, lil ol' me.... unexplainable; A good day to fast from things we don't need in the first place.

#2269-2271:: Chilly rain drips on the windows as I snuggle in and read notes from friends; A time of wonder and introspection as I write words for tomorrow; Clean laundry smells so good today.

#2272-2274:: We see blindness of the heart is far more debilitating than blindness of the eyes; Praise God that we can worship freely as we choose; Two new families at church - hooray!

#2275-2277:: Warmth seeps into the air above the crispy cold earth; A fruitful meeting with hope for the future of our church body; The joy of a massage gives rest to the soul and grants a wondrous end to a tumultuous month (weather wise).

FABULOUS FEBRUARY

My favorite pillow I set out each winter

As light creeps into the darkness for a few more minutes each day, we celebrate more light as well as the gift of LOVE that we share with one another - not only this month but all year long.

#2111-2113:: Thanks for the soft light that streams past fluffy clouds; temperatures that melt ice, locked onto shingles for a week, hope for a warmer winter.

#2114-2116:: Thanks for Simeon's blessing on Jesus as Old and New Covenant meet;  Thanks for more Light piercing through the darkness;  Thanks for warm temps and melting snow today.

#2117-2119:: 9 inches of snow makes for a fun day of shoveling; Joy over cleaning off a neighbor's car; Pasta dinner as a fine reward.

Look closely.  Each twig is wrapped in ice.

#2120-2122::Clear skies in the morning fade into weeping skies; Fast freeze at midnight covers everything in ICE! Winter lingers longer than we expected.

#2123-2125:: Ice skate on the front walk as we slither out to find the newspaper that could not be delivered; ice turns to inches of mush that will soon turn back to ice; Hubby bravely chisels away at chunks on the driveway as hunks of ice free fall from the roof - really pretty to look at.

#2126-2128:: Mushy streets now frozen solid before the sun comes up;  We wait for a sliver of sun to melt enough to be safe; Meetings are not cancelled for today, finally.

#2129-2131:: Streets are clear and power came back to the town where I work; Trees are slowly being cut from power lines; Ten foot tall piles of icy snow.

#2132-2134:: Cold but thankful for clear skies; Nice day to catch up on work; Salt and Light: a challenge for all disciples of Christ Jesus.

Icy snow remained on my pine tree for weeks.

#2135-2137:: Praise God our church cut down tall trees that would have snapped and fallen on homes and cars across the street; A sense of welcome with sidewalks shoveled; the warmth of so many people worshipping the Lord together.

#2138-2130:: Thanks for a sunny day with only a light dusting of snow; Olympics: Women's Hockey Team! Omelet and toast that is easy on a 'Timothy' tummy.

#2131-2133:: Nice jaunt to a meeting in Philly; Time to linger with friends; exploring with Hubby.

#2134-2136:: Gathering with other women as we explore prayer; praying for an hour with a friend; Late night flakes with cyclone winds makes me thankful we have heat.

#2137-2139:: Snow, snow and more snow; Shoveling for hours and knowing we will shovel again; Huddle by the fire after a long day outside.

Sun rises on our way to church- pink stripes sweep the sky.

#2140-2142:: More snow, more shoveling; helping our paraplegic neighbor by cleaning off his van; Ice clinging to gutters gives way and drops.

#2143-2145:: A time to breathe, regroup and catch up with little things; Pasta tastes so good today; More shoveling!

#2146-2148:: Sunrise is gorgeous at 6:30 when we begin our one hour drive to church; A busy day with so many brave souls who mastered 'ice dancing' as we stepped carefully on icy sidewalks; Worship and praise and joy and sharing a meal at church.

Snow melts, then dusts a bit after weeks of deep snow.

#2149-2151:: Sunshine! No Snowfall today! Snowmobile circles in the fields out back.
#2152-2154:: Slushy snow but not much; A nice day to shovel and chop through thick ice; Warmer.

#2155-2157:: Sochi and olympics during the day!  Ice skating surprises; Great meeting at night.
#2158-2160:: A trip to the 'city' to pick up treats for church; Sunny which means melting of ten foot snow-heaps; Dry roads to drive 175 miles and end with a meeting at night.

#2161-2163:: Time to restore my body with R&R; Time to digest scripture and linger over words that touch my heart; Time to breathe deep and restore my soul.
#2164-2166:: Rewrite words so I gain the true gist of what God is telling me; More time to read and reflect; created a wonderful Italian meal for hubby late in the afternoon.

Holly limbs, frozen in time, hold out their
branches to carry layers of snow.

#2167-2169:: God's paintbrush swept across the sky this morning to create pink streaks of beauty; More people were able to come to church today due to the balmy weather; Ice turns to streams in the street.
#2170-2172:: Lessons for Lent taking shape; Clean sheets that smell fresh; Hubby brought home a treat from the grocery store.

#2173-2175:: Melting snow and crunching ice as we climb over frozen ridges; Encouraging conversation; A sense of satisfaction.
#2176-2178:: Many thanks for a short snowfall and some sun; Thanks for a warm coat because the wind chill is C O L D! Thanks for the women's bible study in which "Saints Alive" will be presented today.

#2179-2181:: God reigns when there is conflict; We learn so much when we are totally open to the Lord when in strange places; Some women listened yesterday and some could not. Praise God for open hearts and minds governed by the Lord.

#2182-2184:: Thanks for a warm home as it is nearly zero degrees outside; Thanks for time to finish up my pile of work;  Thanks for this last day of February with no wind and a bit of sun.

JANUARY JOYS!

Let us RELISH the New Year!

This year I plan to write down THREE DAILY BLESSINGS free-form.
In other words, I will no longer use a template.
I will simply think outside of a pre-imagined box and see what happens.
I blaze new trails of blessings and anticipate a year filled with new adventures.
So, I begin at the beginning but continue numbering that now enters its third year.



#2120- 2122:: Cranberries and an Orange to 'relish' the New Year; Tea and ginger cookies on a cold, gray day; lingering by a warm fire.

Gas flames dance in all directions

#2123-2125:: Smile inside as the wind whips frothy, waiting for snow; Soon huge flakes whip through the air and settle in drifts; Shovel hits pavement and snow keeps coming.

#2126-2128:: Grateful that Below zero chill outside makes inside inviting; that I can Go outside bundled in down with feet sticking out like a penguin; for Hot chocolate after shoveling snow for a very short time.

#2129-2130:: Blessings for the opportunity to

Stretch by the fire on a Saturday with sun peaking form lingering clouds; Happy dancing as snow melts on streets; Preparing for tomorrow's celebration of Epiphany.

#2131-2133:: Gifts of a House Blessings for 2014; Story of the Wise Men as they were 'enlightened' by their visit with Jesus, the Light of the world; Celebration of Epiphany as we seek new insights in our walk with Christ.

#2134-2136:: Thanksgiving for the actual day of Epiphany, the 12 day of Christmas; Melting snow and clearer streets; A dental visit to keep my teeth clean and healthy.

#2137-2139:: Gracious thanks for household heat; Gas fireplace; Option to stay inside as winds blow to bring wind chill to -22.

#2140-2142:: Gifts of so many women attending the bible study today; Women gathering at night to celebrate helping others return to
school; Women, backed by loving husbands, encouraging others in need.

#2043-2045:: Led the church meeting with the Holy Spirit guiding me;  A guest brought positive insights to encourage us; Clear roads and not as cold.

#2046-2048:: Snowflakes coated our porch screen; Nice white to cover the dirty, gray, icy old snow; Almost balmy weather after the sub zero weather we had earlier in the week.


#2049-2051:: Community meeting that helped to solve some challenges; Affirmation of God's Grace when reading about the baptism of Our Lord and the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven in the form of a Dove;

#2051-2053:: Celebrate our renewal as we reflect on the Baptism of the Lord; Give thanks that the weather allowed so many more to attend church today; Blessings for good, healthy food at coffee hour.

#2054-2056:: Thanks for . . . A gorgeous, mild day so perfect for running all the errands we put off for

the past two weeks; Magic markers! Letting fresh air into the house for more than a minute.

#2057-2059:: Good news of a friend's cancer in a small, controlled mass; Rejoice that dad is back to his humorous, healthy self; that the weather is not too bad for my 1.5 hour trek to a meeting.

#2060-2062:: Discovered new towns when we drove the wrong direction; Enjoyed a 2 hour trip that turned into 4 hours; Black, moonless night with thick fog by the time we arrived home SAFE!

 #2063-2065:: Last night's full moon brought a sunny, fog less, warm day; An hour drive filled with
wonders now that dense forest is now black twig-like sticks; Spending time with hubby as we work together.

#2066-2068:: God is with me as I iron our ruffled feathers; GRACE wraps me in a warm embrace as I listen and speak and discern; Time flies as my mind winds through an interesting maze of conversation.

#2069-2071:: Writing is imperative as I did not have time yesterday; Words slip through my mind and end up as spirit-filled grace on paper; Piles of papers no longer bother me as I prepare for the next day.

#2072-2074:: Ahhhhh, to remember our baptismal vows and celebrate growth in Christ from that new

beginning; So many details for the after-church meeting all fell into place as we celebrated so many treasures of all who attend this little church; Communicate through Challenges as we Celebrate our differences and rejoice in what we have accomplished through the Lord's leading.

#2075-2077:: A time of quiet contemplation; seeking a deeper relationship with my Lord through hours of scripture meditation; Gray skies and muddy landscape waiting for more white sprinkles to cover the dirt; Knowing the Hope - who was and is and is to come - leads me every minute of the day.

This is the chain of LIFE inside
every human being from
conception.
Awesome!

#2078-2080:: The gift of SNOW! and lots of it. Oh Joy! Most of are able to stay home as roads are treacherous; Hubby shoveled three times but the drifts erased his hard work . . . he loves being outside in this stuff.

#2081-2083:: Its January 22 - a very important date of the year when we celebrate LIFE!  Ten busloads from our area went to D.C. to make a statement in spite of frigid temps; God is so good to bless us with the freedom to speak our minds, hearts . . . Life!

#2084-2086:: The gift of a fond farewell to a dear sister in Christ as we attended the service of her burial; Knowing she is with the Lord as she shared Him with others her entire life; My personal assurance that, when I die I will also be with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

#2087-2089:: The gift of GRACE as I made straight a bit of a crooked path with another precious sister in Christ; God's grace to help me process the piles of changes that need to be made at work;  Grace from hubby who drove me in snow and ice and COLD and waited patiently for me after work to bring me home.

#2090-2092:: I Thank the Lord for two new families at church as I write personal notes to them; I thank the Lord for helping me to remain patient as I process numbers for the annual report; and a HUGE thank you for taking 'self' time for a nice hair cut.

#2093-2095:: Epiphany- a time for that 'aha' experience with the Lord; the Light of Christ enters the soul as we worship; The Light fills the darkness with wonder - epiphany.

#2096-2098:: Blessings for my Brother on his birthday; Grateful that I have warm clothes to go out in this cold weather; Thanks to God for remaining in good health as so many around me are sick.
#2099-2101:: Grateful that the sun shines on this coldest day - below zero- that we are out and about; Clear highways make traveling easier once we get

out of our neighborhood, ICE puddles that are good for mini skating rinks - maybe for mice?

#2102-2104:: Thanks for meeting with community women to teach Lectio Divina; Praise for eager hearts to embrace this new form of praying through scripture; A nice quiet time to reflect and interface with God.

#2105-2107:: I could actually leave my 'down' coat at home and wear layers; A nice visit with an elderly couple who have not been able to get to church with all this snow and ice; a special meal with hubby as we celebrated warmer weather.

#2108-2110:: Thanks for the opportunity to cocoon and spend time catching up with reports and notes; a nice conversation with a dear friend who appreciated prayer; putting words from my heart on paper.