Xanga

These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life,

homeowner improvements to your standard of living.

They are foundational words,

words to build a life on. 

Matthew 7:24 (The Message)

Saturday

More snow!

This has been an unusual few days – with snow coming down in beautiful, large flakes everyday. 

Our daughter-in-law called the other day, asking if I would take a family photo for Ian (center in red jacket).  He wants a picture of his family to put in his pencil box at school.  It was very cold, so we didn’t spent a long time outside.

We took a few more shots next to our propane fireplace.  Abigail (left) our granddaughter from Maine, continues to be their live-in nanny.)

Kristen and Jere (our son) and their five children – Jared, Josh, Jesse, Ian, and Jana.

While I was taking pictures, Cerwin and our grandson Nate were building storage shelves for our daughter Deb.

Tonight we went to a Fortieth Wedding Anniversary Celebration for our friends Orpha and Gary Stevens.

I love celebrating long-lasting marriages.

Let the Word of Christ

—the Message—

have the run of the house.

Give it plenty of room in your lives.

Colossians 3:13 (The Message)

Snow & Social Security

We woke up to snow again today, and this snowfall was a more serious storm than yesterday’s.

Our Dusty Millers were more than dusted with snow.

But I didn’t have time to take lots of pictures, as we had to get on the road.  We had a mission to accomplish by 9:00 a.m.

Pretty weeds next to a traffic light.

The leaf-picker-upper must be coming by soon.

Approaching Route 30.

Nearing our destination.

There were already a dozen people waiting in the cold when we got to the Social Security office at 8:40 a.m. – and it doesn’t open until 9:00.  This was my day to apply for Social Security benefits.  I can’t believe that I will qualify for Medicare in a few months.   

On the way home, Cerwin noticed that our CRV was ready to turn over 66,000 miles. 

Approaching a small bridge as we travel through our hometown.

A corn field directly ahead of the drive-through at our local CVS pharmacy.

It was so pretty and wintry-looking today.

Back at the house, the melting snow and ice was…

…making bare branches glitter…

…and adding beauty to end-of-season leaves.

Our stone turtle didn’t look thrilled to be covered with snow and ice in the birdbath.

This small snow-covered rose reminded me of the quote, “Bloom where you are planted.”  (Jeff, this is a rose you gave me for Mothers’ Day the other year.)

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ,

act like it.

Pursue the things over which Christ presides.

Don’t shuffle along,

eyes to the ground,

absorbed with the things right in front of you.

Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—

that’s where the action is.

See things from his perspective.

Colossians 3:1-2  (The Message)

Snow ~ White Oak Tree ~ Field Mouse

This morning’s light snow squall gave me opportunity for a few pretty photos.

A bit later – after most of the snow was gone – I walked to the southeast corner of our yard to see what was happening with the large White Oak tree that our Amish neighbor Eli had cut down a few minutes earlier.

I’m always sad to see one of our large trees succumb to a storm or disease.

As I got closer, I noticed my brother Clair (owner of the tree), Eli’s daughter, our neighbor Brian, and Eli looking at something.

It was a long-tailed field mouse.

  It seemed dazed, maybe from the fall, or it could have been in a dormant state.  I read that field mice do not hibernate, but they nest and become torpid during cold weather.

This rot or disease was what caused the top part of the tree to die.

However, the bottom section appeared healthy.

Clair was able to salvage a twenty-foot part of the trunk for lumber.   He said the diameter at the base of the trunk is thirty-six inches, and the smaller section nearer the top is twenty inches across.  Clair told me that Eli counted seventy-five rings – meaning that was its age.

Eli’s wagon was waiting in the field to be loaded with firewood.  Brian also got some firewood.

This afternoon I noticed Eli loading his wagon.

He wasn’t the only one getting exercise on this cold, windy afternoon.  The brave walker is our granddaughter Abigail.  She has a two-mile (plus) walk  when she goes around “the block” – and still has a mile to go when she gets to our house. 

I admire people who walk on wintery days.  (That’s when I walk on our Air Stepper – inside our warm living room.)   

Bow down and worship the LORD our Creator!

Psalm 95:6 (Contemporary English Version)

A Leaf and A Sunset

Remember when we had lots of beautifully-colored leaves a few weeks ago?  Now there are just a few – hanging on for dear life!

There was another beautiful sunset last night. 

~~~

Can you tell that I am busy in the office, without a lot of time to take photos?  

TFC’s staff chaplains are writing end-of-year newsletters, plus I just finished our own.  I have half a dozen newsletters, and a flyer in my office – in a variety of stages of setup, proofing, and mailing, and understand there are a few more coming in very soon.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing.

Philippians 2:14-15 (Contemporary English Version)

A Small Nest

Now that the leaves are off the trees, I can see this small nest.

At first I thought it belonged to a hummingbird, but it is too large and not the right style.

Does anyone know what kind of bird builds a small nest like this?