The Gift that Keeps on Giving

What’s that gift?  Who brings it?  No, it’s not Santa.  It’s not decked with lights.  It’s not under our decorated hearth.  It can’t be cracked or broken by the toughest teeth or hardest heart.  It’s the spice of life…beyond what any shaker could hold.  I can’t be concealed under a bushel nor held in a man made container…no matter how artsy it may be.  It’s brighter than any light and burns brighter than any candle.  It can’t be wrapped nor decorated.  It’s bigger than the borders of any one country.  What is this you may ask…well, it’s the love of God for each and every one of us.  Beyond the trimmings and foods of the season…I’m thankful for God and HIs enormous love for us.  I’m thankful for you dear reader for without God’s purpose you would not be here on this earth.  Happy Thanksgiving!

It Ain’t Pretty

It really isn’t.  The cold front swept down on us like most everyone else but brought only trace amounts of snow and  a whole lot of cold.  Now the temperatures are up enough to melt the snow and it’s…well, ugly.  The skies are partly cloudy and the trees naked.  Wind came with the passing fronts…so the melting snow captured some dead leaves.  I didn’t put out the welcome mat for this weather but it came anyway.  I wonder if it will all melt before our next go around.  Wind blowing and soft dripping is all there is to hear outside.  Hopefully none of this will remain as ice under the next storm.  This leaf is like a cry for help, trapped under snow.  No matter your weather, I welcome you today and pray all is well with you.

Sunsets ‘n Snowflakes

That’s just what we had.  The last hurrah of fall was awesome.  This is the glorious moment before winter’s hammer comes down…in this game of chess…winter is winning by the bucket-full.  Old Man Winter has set the table nowand the scenery is blanketed in white.  I see a pattern developing here.  The leaves can run but they cannot hide.  The deck now has a 5 o’clock shadow.  Winter’s waves crash against our rocks and our prairie sports its new Christmas sweater.  This is a scene from “A Christmas Story”.  It’s winter now like it or we’ve a long road to shovel now.  Us versus winter in a cage match.  Take a lesson from the Evergreens:  face the winter with no whining.  Come what may we’re never alone without God.  So drink from winter’s cup and enjoy what you can.

Barren

The weather has been stunning…best I’ve seen in November in years.  It’s always surprising to me that no matter the warmth our trees know fall is winding down.  There is snow possible ahead and I’d say the trees are ready.  The leaves are all brown and crispy now.  The trees are mostly barren so snow won’t bog them down.  There’s some hangers on still but not many.  Our evergreen has new cones on it surprisingly…then again what’s winter to an evergreen?  The irrigation ditch is drained…the field is winter prepped.  Now just sit and watch what’s to come.  Now the sun is peeking through some clouds and it’s warm.  No matter which way it goes the climate at my desk is stable.