Do You See What I See?

Snow! The snow postponed our plans to see family this weekend, but it’s been delightful otherwise. Days like this remind me of snuggling in for a day with family or sledding and snowmen. Today I think I will do some cleaning and baking! Hope you’re keeping warm wherever you are.

Here Am I

1 comment

A few days ago, we caught a glimpse of a big beautiful woodpecker in our front yard. He created quite a stir in our house, but despite my best efforts, I couldn’t capture him with my camera. I was really disappointed! I studied ornithology in college and thought I remembered it being a Pileated Woodpecker. A quick online search confirmed it.

This morning, a pair of the woodpeckers returned to our yard and were patient enough for me to attach my zoom lens. I was delighted to get this shot.

I was thinking that God comes to us the way this woodpecker did. I certainly wasn’t looking for him. But there he was, creating in me a longing for more.  In the book of Isaiah, God tells us: "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’" May the Lord reveal Himself to you this Christmas in beautiful, unexpected ways.

Get the Big Picture

1 comment

Several years ago I became enamored with Simple Scrapbooks magazine and with its founding editor, Stacy Julian. The Simple philosophy saved me from the stress of thinking I had to scrapbook every decent picture. I always felt hopelessly behind!

Today I scrapbook what I want, when I want, and that includes doing some digital scrapbooking. I took an online class from Stacy Julian’s website, www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com and unfortunately I was disappointed. I wrote asking for a refund and got the nicest response back from Stacy Julian herself! I was so impressed that I gave them another try. This page is the result of my first lesson! I’m delighted. If you’d like to learn more about the delightful craft of scrapbooking (paper or digital), get the big picture and sign up today.

The Little Christmas Tree

1 comment

Tonight I read one of my favorite childhood fairy tales to the youngest kids. If you’re not familiar with the story, I’ll give you the short version. A beautiful fir tree is growing in the forest. Though he is lovely and surrounded by the wind, the sun, the birds and more, he longs to be taller. He notices that other trees are being chopped down and he, too, longs to leave the forest. The birds tell him of the beautiful decorations that are put on some trees taken into homes and it is the tree’s dream to be glorified this way. One winter season, he is cut down and taken away. For the first time, he feels a little sad about leaving his forest friends. But when he experiences the excitement of the lights and decorations on his branches and the children dancing around him, he feels he has never been happier.

The next day the tree imagines he will be the center of attention once again. He is sure life will be even better! But alas, he is shoved into an attic for months. Still, he believes that he will one day return to the forest. When he is pulled from the attic and taken to the garden, he is certain his life is starting over. Instead, he is set on fire.

Yes, this is a depressing tale for a child! Kind of like Bambi’s mother being shot, isn’t it? I must admit I never got the deeper message of the story as a child, but tonight I got it loud and clear. I’m done wishing to be taller, but I still catch myself believing that life will be better for me the next season. I feel stuck instead of acknowledging how I’m growing. I live for the moments of glory, rather than glorying in the moments. I need to be like the apostle Paul, content to be rooted in Christ.

A Tree Half-Lit

1 comment

My tree is up, but I have a problem. The bottom lights keep going out. If you wiggle and jiggle long enough, they’ll come back on. To top it off (literally), my star is crooked.

I’ve been thinking that this tree is a lot like me this Christmas. At my foundation, I don’t have enough of the Lord’s light. I’m so concerned with the what’s, when’s, and where’s of Christmas that I’ve forgotten about the Who! As a result, my spirits are a little dimmer than usual. My star is crooked, too. I’m cranky!

If the what’s, when’s, and where’s of Christmas have your spirit shorting out, listen to what the Apostle Paul has to say in Philippians 2:14-16:

Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

I may not be able to get my lights to work or my star on straight, but I want His light to shine through me this Christmas. I want to be sure to get plugged into the Super Power every morning! How are you going to keep the Who of Christmas alive in your heart this season?

Terrific at Two

3 comments

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since you were born. I cherish every one of those 700+ days. Days of nursing you, changing you, bathing you, rocking you, singing to you, reading to you, playing with you, correcting you, listening to you, teaching you, praying with you, talking to you, laughing with you, crying with you, watching you, delighting in you. 

At two you are still a bear-toting, thumb-sucking, mostly milk-drinking, diaper-wearing, no-talking, no-kissing kinda guy. But you’re growing up. You help with chores, "read" books, watch a bit of TV, color, say "brudder," get thrown on the bed and swing on the swing without fear. For two years I have carried you, but now you walk beside me holding my hand. Two with you is terrific.