Last Days of November

It’s been all over the place in the weather so I thought I’d get out there and get some snow pictures before it was all gone…as it actually is today.  The day before the snow came along it was really fantastic out.  The sun had been so nice in the evening…kissing the top of the trees in such a beautiful wayand then it went all wintery where the sun is shiny but gives little heat.  Finally the snow began to fall heavilybut I didn’t mind because the usual awful bitter cold didn’t come with it…it was barely freezing in fact so it didn’t stick all that much but it looked delightful…it’s so nice maybe I’ll indulge in a little barbecue…or maybe not.  Our once delightfully golden tree is quite barren now but the sun provides a delightful shining Christmas ornament don’t you think?  I’ve grown really fond of this tree no matter what the season is.  The sun through this tree always brings me hope in a way I can’t quite explain.  A light snow and hard frost made things look like a scene cut from “A Christmas Story” though I didn’t have a Red Ryder B-B gun handy.  My mind was playing Dance of the Sugarplum fairies as I looked at the snow dusted rocks which reminded me of some kind of sugar plums themselves.  The field beyond had it’s winter best onthough now It’s back to its tired browns and golds.  Can anything beat the promise of a snow kissed evergreen?  I’m quite glad for our new fangled fence which can withstand just about anything nature can bring it. 

Time to turn our view to the inside don’t you think?  We’ve decorated the downstairs with a chalkboard having a countdown to Christmas for the kids to enjoy.  This tree has some unique ornaments on it like this little wooden duckand even some things we picked up in Ghana West Africa.  Other things I just like because I’ve not seen too many like it…like these little turtles for example.  Note:  yes, those are popcorn strands…my daughter makes a mean bowl of popcorn but many went to the tree this time.  We had an extra white tree so it’s near the dinning room table this year.  I thought I’d showcase some of the other nutcrackers that didn’t get any limelight last time.  Those three look down on the dinning room from on top of the cabinet for our better dishes.  This one is closest to the front door…his partner is on the other side of the hall mirror…yes he’s the rat king from “The Nutcracker”.  Some nutcrackers are not so serious…this one reminds me of my time in the tropics…he stands on top of the living room TV.  Now last but not least stands this classic next to one of the all time favorite carvings from Africa that we have.  There’s a slice of Christmas before December even begins.  The reasons for the season are so beautiful…they are priceless and eternal.  God Bless you all.

Thankfully on to Christmas

Well, Thanksgiving came up on us in a huge hurry.  I love my family and having things to be thankful for…so my title is actually kind of a play on words.  The turkey was wonderful this year.  I still remember when my wife and I first met she couldn’t even cook at all…now she not only knows various international dishes but she prepares our holiday meals.  Being home for the holidays is a blessing that in the early years of my life didn’t happen all that often.  I’ve spent several Christmases abroad…the Philippines and India in particular come to mind.  Truth be told I relish each and every time like that whether at home or abroad.  Lovely set a wonderful table for us too.  My Dad always says:  “It looks good enough to eat!”  Well, this was all that and more…good times!  We traditionally get our Christmas stuff up now so let me share some of our decorations with you.  This is our fireplace and mantleand our tree this year is near the stairs .  Note the long line of nutcrackers on the wall…it’s quite the endeavor to get them all lined up there let me tell you!  Here’s a nice basket we filled with decorations this year…isn’t that nice?  I really like it!  We have enough nut crackers now that they end up all over the living room.  They all are different and really so much fun to look at.  This one may have helped with the cooking but I can’t say for sure.  My grandfather on my Mom’s side loved ribbon candy and we still have ornaments to honor his memory.  Note the reflection of the tree in the ornament here…I love how much the kids enjoy the tree and decorate it now.  We have many ornaments that I like but this wreath always catches my eye.  This ornament is to honor both my grandfathers and my Dad all of whom have been great fishermen.  A last look at the tree where another ribbon candy ornament hangs.  I’m thankful my friends, thankful for you, our troops…too many things to mention here…even the hardships that we’ve weathered by the grace of God.  The holidays may someday be far different for us then they are but the spirit of gratitude I pray will ever remain.  God bless you all.

Remnants

Have you ever felt that you’re in a bubble that popped but somehow the effect of that is something you’re still waiting for?  I’ve had that sort of insulated feeling for some time and can’t get past the sense that all too soon now the other shoe is going to fall and when it does absolutely everything will change.  Truth is not something will align itself with you rather you must choose to align with it.  We’ve claimed to believe things but what will shine through when the smoke clears?  Will we even be the same people?  I think we’re going to find out what we’re really made of as a nation and as individual people.  As usual I find parallels to everything in life.  The weather has been wildly different from week to week.  We had a big cool down with snow one momentthings went from warm to cold and from brown to white.  It was the blink of an eye and all seemed to no longer be fall at all anymore…winter seemed to have arrived out of the blue.  I thought I’d have to get used to winter and then once again the bubble burst that had seemed so solid and warmer days came back…could this be the same world?  The snow that was looking like it would stick around was on the way out.  Now once again the sides have shifted and now winter is on the ropes again.  Just when I thought I had it all figured out the shift came again.  This is really striking to me.  The natural mind falls short and secular consideration minus spirituality fails.  Take stock in that which has value…value that is not fleeting.  We’ve thought we would remain unaffected and it’s easy to believe that but I know that I know change is coming on swift wings and what has seemed solid today could melt like the snow tomorrow.  Something think faith is not reliable but I believe it’s the most reliable thing in the world.

Bleak

It’s been a very tough week for our household.  I’ve spend about three weeks on a partial fast.  This was to help me find peace with the election whichever way it would go and now in retrospect I’m so very glad I did that.  I think we often get the impression that prayer is about getting what you want but I don’t believe that at all.  I think it’s fine to make requests to God but then faith gets involved where we trust God to answer as He sees fit.  I broke my fast to land right in the middle of the worst flu I’ve experienced in a very long time.  This swept through our house like the black plague of old leaving me now still weakened and not at all completely recovered.  What’s my point in all this?  Well, bottom line is in spite of it all I feel peace.  This must be the peace that passes all understanding…certainly mine because I don’t understand at all.  Right now we’ve got a winter storm watch and looking at the sky I can really believe it.  It’s windy and icy cold and I just don’t feel well enough to take more pictures so I hope this will suffice for now.  Let not your hearts be troubled.  Blessings to you all.

Leaf It to Me

It was supposed to be really warm today but that didn’t materialize at all…it’s only 46 and hazy outside…smells like burning leaves in fact.  This led me to do what I’ve been putting off for a few days now.  It was time to deal with the leaves.  We honestly don’t have all that many to deal with in reality.  Before raking I thought I’d do a camera run and see what there was to see.  I was surprised to find a remaining puff ball.  While there are remnants of earlier seasons the reality is the majority of things are pointing more and more to winter.  I remember when this tree was all golden and beautiful…no longer.  The gold has fallen and turned mostly to a severely rusted brown now.  Out of all the leaves I saw only one or two retained their brilliant yellow.  I actually am impressed with this tarnished transition because it’s happened so quickly.  Now I’m working on resigning myself to the next inevitable season where there are no leavesand very little color.  The remaining stragglers won’t last through the bitter winds of winter.  If you don’t think brown is that exciting for a colorthen you don’t know the long months of white here.  This may be the last week to enjoy any color I can.  How long until the other leaf (shoe) drops?  Not much longer I think.  Until later don’t forget those struggling since super storm Sandy and the elections…I know it gets old but if you refuse to vote and refuse to pray you really don’t have a right to complain right?