Oh, Snow!

We received even more snow this weekend on top of the several inches

we already had, with the total for November being 21.6 inches, so far!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It is a soft, white world out there!

I didn't have to go anywhere today except to the dentist, so I walked the 4 blocks,

and most of the sidewalks did not look like this...

 ... but where covered in knee-deep snow. It was a very good, heart-pumping walk!

Temps are in the upper 20s and it isn't windy.

 Many loved ones, including Lauren, had to drive to work on the

snow packed roads, but all made it there okay. I love the snow but

I do not like to drive in it. They seldom call of school in Montana; in fact, the last time

school was called off (and the only time since we moved here 30 years ago)

was probably 20 years ago and all of the schools in the state we closed due to the

extremely cold weather and abundance of snow and blowing wind.

It is a very good day to decorate the Christmas tree and

read the new book I've started, Jan Karon's In the Company of Others,

which has been enticing me to sip a lot of tea, bake warm goodies, and think in

an Irish accent, since it is set in Ireland!

An Irish Christmas Blessing

The light of the Christmas star to you
The warmth of home and hearth to you
The cheer and good will of friends to you
The hope of a childlike heart to you
The joy of a thousand angels to you
The love of the Son and God's peace to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What is home?

Home is the place you want to return to over and over.

(Just a few cozy snapshots from my tumblr blog,

My Heart's Home and Garden. All sources listed there.)

Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings

than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.

 ~A.W. Tozer

Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, LORD, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all. 

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.
                                         1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (NIV)

Our First Big Snowfall

Like many of you, we have had a lot of snow the past few days, and as far as I can tell,

our area got anywhere from 8-12". The snow is beautiful but the streets are very

icy underneath, so travel is difficult. We were out for a while today, as our church family

 had a worship time and Thanksgiving dinner together, and it was such a blessing to spend

this time together, with many sharing how thankful they are for the things

God has done for them this past year.

The JEMs (grandkids) love the snow, and their parents have been scurrying

 to make sure boots, coats, mittens and gloves fit or are replaced. 

They adapt to the snow and

cold temperatures much easier than I do!

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

Proverbs 31:21

 I recently watched the video The Snowman with Maya after having read

 the book with her at her house a few days ago. I love this music, and the book

 was a favorite of our 2 daughters when they were young.

(photo)

(You Tube)

If it is choppy here, click on the You Tube connection.

I am often reminded, when the first big snow covers everything outside,

of how our Lord Jesus came to take away our sins and to wash us whiter than snow.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:7

Before it snowed, things outdoors were beginning to turn brown and the trees were now
bare of leaves. The temperatures just 2 weeks ago were in the 60s, so the grass wasn't
 brown yet. But everyting looked bare in our backyard, with the outdoor furniture
put away and the vegetable and flowerbeds cleared and tucked in for winter.

And then, it snowed,

and everything has been transformed.

(photo of Jack in his backyard)

We, too, may be transformed, and like the first beautiful snowfall,

our sins are washed clean, 

forgiven,

whiter than snow,

through the Lord Jesus.

We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

and for each and every day.

Even for big snowfalls!

 

Happy Birthday, Jack!

Our grandson, Jack, turned 7 on Monday, and his parents had a party for him
with his classmates from school. It was a wonderful time, especially since they live
near us now and we both were able to celebrate his birthday with him.
His cake was decorated with a soccer ball. Jack is on the left in the white t-shirt.

The house rang with the gleeful sounds of 8 boys and 3 girls running amok through the house,

along with little Eli and Maya doing their best to keep up.  My photography is even worse than usual, because these little guys move fast!

One thing he wanted for his birthday was a Build-a-Bear, so on Saturday, Lauren and I
took him to the mall and he picked out a bear. Of course, I had a camera in my purse,
 but I forgot all about it as I got all caught up in the fun of Jack choosing a bear!

Jack and his new friend,  Jake - I think it is so great that this seven-year-old boy

loves his bear as much as Star Wars and Legos!

Jake came home with a Star Wars outfit and a skateboard - he is a very multi-faceted bear!

Happy Birthday to you, Jack!

I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always,

as long as I'm living

my grandson you

you'll be!

(sung to On Top of Old Smokey)

Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real

by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent  

Thomas Nelson Publisher

There have been a few books written or narratives told of a person having an experience of being in heaven, but I have been reluctant to read them while still wanting to believe that this experience was true.

In this book, Heaven is for Real, a little boy not yet 4 years old shares his time in heaven that occurred when he underwent emergency surgery for a burst appendix. I was convinced of Colton's story as he shared it with his parents in a childlike way, in bits and pieces at unlikely times, in ways that were proven to not be made up. He told of how he saw what his mother and father were doing at the time of his surgery. He shared of meeting a great grandfather he never met, and recognized him from a picture he'd never seen of "Pop" as a young man, not at the age of 61 when he died and Colton's father was just 6.

I was touched in a very personal way by what he shared about Jesus and family members he met in heaven that he had not met on earth and even one whom he had no personal knowledge of, a sister who died in miscarriage. Colton stressed often that Jesus really, really loves children, and he shared about things in the Bible that he had not yet learned from his minister father or in Sunday School.

I highly recommend this book and I believe it will serve as a reminder to us all that heaven is our true home. As Colton said when asked what he wanted people to know from his story, "I want them to know that heaven is for real."

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 .

Thankfulness

I wasn't going to post today, but I was reminded of 2 things; today is Veterans Day and it is also Thursday, and it has been quite some time since I posted on Thankful Thursday.  I have also come across 25 Days of Thanks @ The Interrupted Life blog, and I am drawn to the fact that, as I express my thankfulness to God for what He has done and continues to do in my life, my eyes are lifted up to see through the darkness that seems to permeate our nation and this world, and to see what God is doing in the lives of those who love Him.
A man from my church is now in his second tour of duty, this time in Afghanistan, and here at home are his wife, 3 children and extended family. Periodically we receive emails from him that he sends out to our church family, as well as prayer requests from his wife. As we know but perhaps cannot really fathom, it is not an easy life for those loved ones here at home and especially for those serving. Even as I read his emails about the conditions they serve under, my finite mind just cannot see or hear or smell what it is really like. But this I know, this man and many Christians like him acknowledge that they serve a mighty God, and they serve Him by living out their beliefs in Him, being His light to not only the others they serve with but also to the citizens of the country in which they are serving. 

Matthew 5:14-16 promises:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

(Heartlight)

 It is an honor to pray for this man and for the many men and women serving in the armed forces and to thank Veterans for their service to our country. So today, I thank the Lord for these men and women who have sacrificed and done their duty for the United States of America. May they know and hear the words of the Master, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!' (from Matthew 25:21)

Time with the JEMS

I've been spending a lot of time with our grandchildren,  the JEMS, (Jack, Eli and Maya),

so blogging gets a lot less of my attention theses days.

 Maya,

aka Curious George...

...keeps me company on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Eli,

aka Scooby-Doo...

takes care of me on Fridays.

And Jack,

aka Iron Man...

... in First Grade and ready to celebrate his 7th birthday in just  a few days,

keeps me in hugs and kisses whenever we get a chance to get together.

So I apologize for not visiting your blogs as often as I would like. I try to catch up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but they are also catchup-at-home days. I wouldn't trade my time with the JEMS for anything, and I know you understand, because I see your devotion to your families on your blogs. I'll do my best to visit you all when I can, and I thank you for stopping by to visit my blog when you can.

Have a great week!

Oh yes, it tried to snow this morning, so it looks like our warm fall is turning more fall-like,

with chillier and shorter days. It's been a wonderful fall!

Puppy Joy

I truly hope you have joy and contentment in your days, just as this cutie seems to!

(photo: hopscotchandgrace)

Bring joy to your servant, Lord,

for I put my trust in you.

Psalm 86:4

Word-Filled Wednesday ~ The Little Children

(The Velveteen Rabbit picture from: Rabbit Ears)

Fill your cup with the Word at the Internet Cafe!

WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY.

WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.



Vote for Principle

Welcome, November

(photo: photobucket; words: mine)