Picket Fences

The song, “I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas,” has real meaning in the Pacific Northwest. If a lawn has a snowman adorning it, it was bought at a store. Rarely does snow show up for the PNW’er unless they go up to the mountains. Except this year, the mountain doesn’t have snow like it usually does. Not even the tourist town of Leavenworth is covered with snow. Snow rarely shows up. Quite a few years ago my family faced the unexpected death of my Uncle. After his death, a group from church made their way to my Aunt’s house, and spent the day helping her with yard work. I remember her explaining that it touched her, because they “showed up.” A few thousand years ago, on a starry night, that is what God did. He “showed up.” “Immanuel” – God with us, appeared on the earth, in the form of a baby, named Jesus, God’s son. The birth of a baby is such a wonderful thing. What makes Jesus birth even more exciting, is this is not where His life started. The Bible sa...

One day, I got my daughter out of school earlier than her usual time. "I was worried you weren't coming," she said as she got in the car. "Why? I've never missed picking you up from anything, and I'm here at the time I told you I would be." "Because, I had told you that I wanted to get out earlier than this." She answered. I smiled and told her this was definitely a blog moment. How many times do I pray and wonder why God doesn't show up when and how I want Him to? I've had my moments where I've been pretty good at acting like the "God director" when I pray. I've also had my moments of frustration, while I wait for Him to answer them, when and how I wanted the prayers answered. I know I'm not the only one to do this. Over the last few years we've been praying for a prisoner in the mid-east to be freed and returned to America to be with his family. There are updates on him on the...

Thanksgiving is here already! It’s hard to believe there is just, over a month, left to 2014. I blinked and zoom it’s close to the end of the year. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for many reasons, I love this season as far as the weather goes, I love how things look outside, I love the clothes we get to wear, boots, sweaters, and scarves. Most of all, I love that this is the beginning of the time that people purpose to get together. Despite the work the  Thanksgiving meal takes, to prepare, it  is a time to really enjoy eating, and conversing with others. Typically I would be writing something, that had to do with Thanksgiving, but this year... it will be a stretch.  Maybe, what I want to write about this week in my blog, will lead people to take a moment, and think about the relationships in their own lives, before they do sit down at that Thanksgiving table.  Ephesians 4:26 “…Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” I have a...

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 1   To everything  there is  a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2  A time to be born,     And a time to die; A time to plant,     And a time to pluck  what is  planted; 3  A time to kill,     And a time to heal; A time to break down,     And a time to build up; 4  A time to weep,     And a time to laugh; A time to mourn,     And a time to dance; 5  A time to cast away stones,     And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace,     And a time to refrain from embracing; 6  A time to gain,     And a time to lose; A time to keep,     And a time to throw away; 7  A time to tear,     And a time to sew; A time to keep silence,     And a ti...

“Do these boots match?” My middle school daughter asked just before it was time to walk out the door. Good question, because a girl has to have the right boots on to complete her ensemble. She asked this question after trying on more than one outfit. A girl not only has to look just right, but feel just right. Everyone around her, can give a compliment about the way a girl looks, but if she doesn’t feel right in what she is wearing…forget it…compliment’s are worthless. Also a favorite pair of jeans one day, may feel like you’re wearing someone else’s jeans another day. I've learned not to get rid of her clothes very quick like, because she will ask me where I put the shirt or pair of pants she hated a few days prior, but now they are suddenly her favorites again. I go through the same thing. One day, I needed to get dressed to have some pictures taken... Finally…after trying on one thing after another...something not only felt right, but covered ...