Lilley of the field

We awoke to a thick, glorious blanket of snow on the ground this Thursday morning. Knowing school was already cancelled, I proceeded to make a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast because while everyone was picking up milk and bread at the store yesterday before the storm, what was I getting? Bacon. Snow storms call for it. While eating breakfast, the sun cracked open the morning spilling sparkling light all over the white lawn. It was calling my name. Walking in the snow by myself is like entering this glorious secret that very few know about. Just me and God out there. Except of course it was me, God, Clark, our new dog, and Luna, our old dog. I have since forgiven our new dog for making me chase him into our neighbors yard and break my finger last week. I have since then also gotten creative at accomplishing many mundane, daily tasks. One being walking the dogs. I double Clark's leash and loop it around my right elbow. Then I put the end of Luna's leash ...

I tap and type away here with 7 fingers. Two are bandaged together on my dominant hand rendering my pinky useless while typing. Slow and thoughtful goes my typing and slow and thoughtful goes my heart. Yesterday marks the first day of Lent and with that we marked our foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross. This day snuck up on us this year. The past few years, I have thoughtfully prayed and chosen a way to embrace Lent either through the giving up of something (like food) or the taking on of something (like silence) in order to draw closer to God, to remember the sacrifice of Christ, and to make room for the Holy Spirit to speak. But I found myself coming up empty handed this year. Last night, we sang songs, lit candles, laughed, confessed, and reflected in our warm living room- a haven from the whipping wind and icy temperatures. We wrote out confessions on paper and burned them together in a bucket, slowly mixing water into it to make the ashes with which we marked...

Wow, it's been quiet here for a while. Like say since last August?! Oh well... no time like the present to be filled with words overflowing :) - - - - - -  "Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise,   making the most of every opportunity,  because the days are evil.   Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.   Do not get drunk on wine,  which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,   speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,   always giving thanks  to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:15-20 Make the most of every opportunity. What if opportunities don't always come in a neat box with a pretty bow tied on top?  We often think of opportunities that way. The opportunity to travel overseas? Take it. The opportunity to climb the c...