SNOW FINALLY COMES TO SOUTHWEST COLORADO!

While much of the country has been pounded, hammered and inundated with mountains of snow, frigid temperatures and folks are getting tired of it, we, in Southwest Colorado have been basking in our beautiful Colorado sunshine with barely a flake since early December.

We did have lots of rain in the fall, then just a bit of snow in early December . . . and then it got REALLY, REALLY cold.  It was a challenge to keep warm and our pellet stove was very busy gobbling up pellets to try to keep up.  By Christmas it had warmed up some but we still had no further snow.  January was dry, sunny and a bit warmer then usual and then we just watched our ground turn brown, bare and dry with DUSTY roads!

February comes and with it brings the blessing of snow.  Not tons and tons of it, but we now have hope and we're just praying that it makes major snow deposits in our mountains.   Last summer was a hot, dry, drought summer and we struggled to keep things irrigated.  We've all be praying this summer could be different.  Our major lakes and reservoirs are frighteningly low!

Today, we woke up to another fresh snowfall of about 4 inches with promise of more today.  For the third day in a row I've managed a "snow trudge" walk of three miles to enjoy the sweet, white stuff and give my legs a good workout.  You know that trudging through 5 or more inches of snow can be really good for your legs!  

Thank you, Lord, for the snow!!!

GRACE . . . UNDER FIRE

2 Corinthians 12:9 says "My Grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me".
It is through this time of unexpected learning and growing that I am realizing, on a more daily, even moment by moment basis, how true this is.

It is certainly a different place for me to be and I'm just thankful for my loving, supportive, encouraging husband and for my daughter, who is also my best friend, and her patience, love, friendship and stick-to-it hanging in there with me true farmgirl grit !

I truly want to be more gracious, compassionate, caring and sweet smelling than ever!  I also want to be walking closer to Him, so close that, when I can't see His Hand I can "feel" His Heart!  His Grace IS sufficient!  THANK YOU LORD!!!

BLINDSIDED . . . and SIDELINED

2013 was a year of lots of change, but by the end of the year I learned the facts about how I had been blindsided by progressive, gradual health changes.  I didn't realize what was happening along the way, I just knew I didn't understand anything about it.
In many ways, it has also sidelined me and my usual lifestyle and so I find myself learning to make some changes and trying to understand what I need to do to get through this in the best way possible and come out victorious and back to where I'd like to be. 
There is beauty, light and hope all around but it is sometimes hindered by the rocky path and stumbles and sometimes obscured by the shadows, clouds and cold. But I know it is and will be only by the grace of God!  His Grace is sufficient!

IN THE SPIRIT OF LOVE

African violet that was given to me in memory of my mother-in-law

Sharing a quote by Henry Drummond:

 "You will find as you look back upon your life, that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love".

I want to be remembered as a person who loved the Lord Jesus Christ, her family, her friends and who lived as an example of doing things in the spirit of love!

2013 is about finished and we can look forward to 2014 . . . with hope in our Lord and His plan   for us!

ANGELS ALL AROUND US

I collect angels, all kinds, shapes, sizes, styles . . . they remind me of the promises of God to protect us, to guard us, to love us and hold us close to His heart!

I also believe in the presence of angels in our lives . . . sent by God to watch over us!  I've seen real live evidence of the presence of angels in my life and I'm grateful to my God for sending them!

This folksy angel was given to me by my farmgirl friend, Debbie, who is also an angel in human form!

THANK YOU GOD . . . for ANGELS and the expression of  WHO YOU ARE  in their presence!!!

Our GOD OF CHRISTMAS . . .

. . . is a GOD OF MIRACLES!!!

This big, beautiful Colorado Blue spruce tree is planted at the end of our driveway and is about 20 years old.  We planted it as a tiny little thing about 18 inches tall in the spring of 1994.  It was badly burned in an arson fire that burned down our house in July 1994.  My hubby trimmed off the burned branches/needles and we waited until the next year to see if was still living.  It was so sadly misshapen and we just didn't know if it would make it.

Our God of Miracles gave this tree the gift of renewed life!  It grew into the most stunningly beautiful, perfectly shaped evergreen tree!   It is so tall that it's had to have the very tippy top pruned off away from the power line.

It is a constant reminder that MY GOD is GOD!  He IS the God of MIRACLES!  He cares about us and loves us to more than we can understand here on earth!

THANKS BE TO GOD!!!

I NEED A "Middle C" . . .

 . . . but more than that, I need my YAHWEH!!

As a musician I know that the "middle C" pitch/key is basically the note on which others are built.  When determining proper pitch, you start with "middle C", and typically that is the first note that is taught/learned.  No matter what is "off key", out of sync, out nof rhythm, or just unwritten or unsung, "middle C" is the same, never changing.  I can count on it as a musician.

My "YAHWEH" is the GOD who is the "I AM" . . . unchanging, never moving, never wavering. Always loving, comforting, encouraging, healing, and is the total truth!  When my life seems off key, out of sync, out of rhythm or there are no words to describe it, I'm struggling with finding the "note" to sing and can't seem to get the "pitch" for the music of my life and my heart . . . I can go to and count on the "middle C" . . . MY YAHWEH!!!

PRAISE GOD for MY YAHWEH!