Friday, November 30, 2012

Tiny Lights

It's been quite a day.  We got a new tivo and had to get it connected to cable, and things are not going well.  I've been on the phone back and forth between the two companies all day and just can't seem to get this problem resolved.  When the room started to darken, I realized I needed to write my blog, but how could I do that when the day consisted mostly of frustration?  I laid my head back, closed my eyes, and started praying.  When I opened them the room was darker still, and what stood out like little bits of hope were the tiny colored lights on our Christmas tree.  Just looking at them glowing made me happy, and I calmed down enough to realize this wasn't the end of the world.  I managed a work-around for the time being, and the big issue will get resolved eventually.  I never look forward to the task of Christmas decorating, but I do so enjoy the end result - this evening even more than usual.  Today, I found God in the colorful, little lights on our Christmas tree glowing in the gathering dusk.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Brilliant Moon

I woke up about 4:30 in the morning, stumbled into our bathroom, glanced up, and was almost blinded by the brightness of the moon!  We have a very high window in our bathroom, and the moon was perfectly centered in it just blazing it's light for all it was worth.  I had to squint my sleep-dilated eyes to be able to look at it.  It was a glorious sight, but I was sleepy, so I could only appreciate it for a few seconds before heading back to bed.  A couple hours later, I stepped out of the house for my walk, and there it was still shining brightly.  The sky had lightened, and the moon had moved a little farther along it's path so it wasn't quite as brilliant, but it was gorgeous all the same.  I found God today in the incredibly bright, white moon that practically lit up a whole room.  (This picture doesn't do it justice, but you can see how bright it is even in the early morning.)


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Soup and Crackers

It was my day to help out in the church office, and when I arrived there this afternoon,  I was a little tired but otherwise feeling okay.  By the time I left, it was a different story.  My stomach was queasy, I was exhausted, and generally just not feeling well.  The dinner I had prepared earlier that day just didn't appeal to me at all.  So I turned to that age old classic - soup and crackers.  I can't eat most store-bought soup because of the gluten and dairy, so I had to make my own.  I kept it simple, basically just chicken broth and rice, but oh my, it felt so good going down.  And I just found a good gluten-free cracker that's almost just like a saltine - bland, light, and crunchy.  Perfect with the soup.  It was a comforting meal that warmed me body and soul.  I found God today in that most reliable of remedies for just about anything that ails you - soup and crackers.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Cottony Clouds

The sky was gorgeous this morning.  The clouds were so thick and cottony that they looked like a comforter in the sky.  I was running errands so the only picture I got was from the Walmart parking lot, but the great thing about a beautiful sky is you get to appreciate no matter where you are.  Just look up! I found God today in the gorgeous cottony clouds that filled the sky like a warm blanket.



Monday, November 26, 2012

Glowing Leaves

It was a glorious morning - bright, clear, cold.  The air smelled so fresh.  We were in Maryland just a few days ago, and most of their fall color is gone.  We still have a few bright spots, however, and one of them stopped me in my tracks this morning.  It wasn't so much the color of the leaves - though they were a beautiful orange - as the way the sunlight was filtering through the trees, highlighting some parts while keeping others in shadow.  This one section of leaves just glowed with the light.  It's funny how God's light touches different parts of our lives at different times.  You never know when He will set something aglow in your life, but when it happens you just have to stop what you're doing and drink it in.  Today, God stopped me with those gorgeous orange leaves glowing in the morning light.  


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Homemade Decorations

We put up our Christmas decorations today.  Every year I plan to scale back, and this year I did... a little.  But the majority of our ornaments and decorations have sentimental value so it's hard to leave them in the box.  I've done a Christmas project with my kids every year since they were about five, so that means 20 years of homemade decorations.  How could I not put them up?  Once finished, our home is about as far from a "Better Homes and Gardens" designer holiday look as you can get.  But we all love it.  We laugh at some of the less successful projects and beam with pride over the ones that turned out well.  But invariably, they bring about great memories.  I had thought when my kids got older they would want to abandon the annual Christmas project, but they're more adamant than I am at this point that we do it - and they're 23 and 25!  The extensive decorating can be exhausting, but I wouldn't trade the memories wrapped up in our homemade projects for anything.  Today, I found God in every funny, beautiful, flawed decoration made by tiny hands now grown up.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

My Own Bed

Is there anything better than waking up in your own bed?  Whenever we're away, I'm reminded by the "not so comfortable" hotel bed just how special my own bed is.  It's just the right softness, just the right sheets, just the right pillow - I feel like Goldilocks!  It's soothing both physically and mentally to wake up at home.  When morning comes and it's time to face the day, it's always better when I start in my own bed.  Although, I always snuggle in for a few more minutes because it's just so hard to bring myself to climb out of it!  Today, I found God when I woke up in my own supremely comfortable bed.

Friday, November 23, 2012

"The First Noel"

We drove home from Maryland today, and our tradition is to start listening to Christmas music after Thanksgiving.  I have a huge playlist of Christmas music, and one of my all-time favorites played on the way home.  It's "The First Noel" done by Sarah McLachlan, and it's soul-stirring.  It's so different from any other version I've ever heard, and it just carries me away every time I listen to it.  I've been late getting into the Christmas spirit this year (I'm usually done my shopping by Thanksgiving, and I haven't even started!), but this song definitely got me on my way.  I found God today in this amazing version of "The First Noel".

The First Noel by Sarah McLachlan

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are no presents, not much in the way of decorating, no cards; it's just about food and family. At our table today we had vegans, vegetarians, me with my gluten and dairy free diet, and of course all the "normal" people. We have differing views on some things, and we think alike on others. But we all come together on this day for no other reason than to be together and to eat good food. It warms my heart. Sitting back at the table filled to bursting, I think how truly blessed we are to have such abundance, and not just of food but of family and love. Today, I found God in the obvious - a Thanksgiving filled with so much that I'm thankful for.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The Hamburger

Eating gluten and dairy free at home really isn't too difficult. Eating out is another story. I have to bring a lot of food with me because there just aren't that many options. So for our trip up to Maryland today I had lots of food packed to eat on the way. It's a good thing too because the drive was horrendous! There was just so much traffic on the road. We had decided to try and eat dinner out so my mother-in-law didn't have to cook because she's cooking the big meal tomorrow. After some internet searching we discovered that Red Robin was fairly allergen friendly so that's where we decided to go. Well guess what? I had a hamburger on a bun for the first time in about four years! I was so excited! After such a long day, it was a special treat to be able to eat like everybody else. I came away very full and happy. Today, I found God in my gluten free hamburger at Red Robin.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Stillness

It was another crazy day.  We're going to Maryland for Thanksgiving, so I'm packing, making food to take up, and just doing the usual running around.  Jeff had an appointment this afternoon, Marlayna is at work, and I finally quit moving and sat down to write my blog.  I took a deep breath to calm down and that's when I noticed it.  The stillness was palpable.  It was quiet, and the room was darkening so all the sharp edges were blurred in the greying light.  The whole atmosphere in the room felt soft and peaceful.  It only takes a moment.  When you stop, and breathe, and let God in, peace will fill you if you let it.  What a blessing.  Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God." Oh, yes. I found Him today in that stillness that I could almost touch.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Successful Search

What a hectic day!  Jeff and I both hit the ground running and haven't stopped.  One of the many chores I had to do today was to run down to the Charter office in Nags Head and switch out our cable box.  I had called ahead to make sure the new box would be compatible with everything we had and they assured me it would.  Well it was compatible with our tv, but not with our tivo.  We needed one more cable.  We've had this tivo box for about seven years now so we were trying to hook up old stuff with new stuff - you know how it is.  So I dug out the tivo instructions, figured out that the cable we needed had been included with everything else seven years ago, and the hunt was on.  I don't know about you, but I save almost all the various cables that come with stuff because you never know when you're going to need them.  I went digging through a huge tangle of cables that I've saved but to no avail.  I looked everywhere I might have put it and nothing.  Finally I noticed something way back on a shelf in the laundry room - I don't know why I would have put it there - and lo and behold, there it was!  Woohoo!!  We hooked it up and everything worked perfectly!  Out of all the craziness today, finding that cable was a huge bright spot.  Things stayed hectic for a while after that, but the elation I felt from finding something I was searching for stayed with me.  It's the little things that carry us through, and I found God today in my successful search for that cable.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Pumpkin Pie

I love pumpkin pie.  But traditional pumpkin pie has gluten in the crust and dairy in the pie filling so I can't eat it anymore.  Last year, I got the filling right but the crust wasn't too good.  Earlier this year, I figured out how to make a good crust.  Today, I put them together for the first time in an awesome gluten and dairy free pumpkin pie.  Yummm!!!  It smelled amazing while it was baking - the scent of pumpkin and spices filling the house.  I could hardly wait for it to cool enough to be able to eat it.  I took my first bite, and oh yeah, that's the stuff I was missing.  I found God today in my delectable gluten and dairy free pumpkin pie.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

All The Good People

Jeff and I helped out at the bake table at Holly Days today, and I was reminded again of the goodness in people.  So many people today told us to keep the change when purchasing their goodies.  So many people volunteered their time, effort, and talents to make our Christmas Bazaar a success.  It felt so good to be a part of it.  I know there's a lot of bad stuff going on in the world, and it's easy to succumb to those negative forces and start to look at the world as mostly bad.  But days like today serve as a reminder that the world is mostly good - people are mostly good.  It's all a matter of where you put your focus.  You can focus on "all the bad", or on the little bits of good.  I like to think of those bits of good like grains of sand.  Tiny little things that altogether can sometimes hold back an ocean.  And even when they're overcome, they're not lost - just spread out and waiting to re-group.  (Or in our case here on the Outer Banks, to "re-dune"!)  Well, today I put my focus on Holly Days - a giant sand dune of goodness - and I found God in all the good people there.

Friday, November 16, 2012

The White Feather

Today was the first day of "Holly Days" - a two day Christmas bazaar that our church does every year. Jeff and I are helping out tomorrow, but he had to work today so I walked up to look around for a while.  (Our church is right up the street so it's not a very long walk.)  I talked to a lot of people (very talented people!), saw a lot of really cool stuff, and then headed home.  As I was walking down the street, I noticed something small and white circling in the road up ahead.  I didn't have my glasses on so I had to get right up on it to see what it was.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  It was a small white feather skating across the surface of a puddle of water in the road.  It was tilted up on its side and somehow the wind was causing it to circle around and around.  It didn't blow away, it didn't tip over, and it didn't sink.  It looked like a magic trick!  Actually, it looked like one of those children's novelty toys where the little magnetized people skate around on a mirror meant to look like a pond.  But there were no magnets, no mirrors, nothing up any sleeves - just another of God's little wonders.  I stood there watching it for a few minutes, entranced and delighted.  I seem to have a trend going with feathers lately, because I found God in that pure white feather performing magic on a puddle of water in the road.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Colorful Grey Day

It's been overcast a lot lately, but on my walk today, I saw so many beautiful fall colors that couldn't be dimmed by the grey skies.  I know we don't get the broad sweeps of autumn color that they do up north, but it's definitely all around us in small doses - you just have to look for it.  And it seemed that the more I looked, the more I saw.  I took so many pictures of brilliantly colored leaves that I hadn't noticed before.  Granted, a lot of them are vines and weeds, but hey, so what?  God granted them beauty, too, in vibrant gold, purple, and red.  We can't all be gorgeous sugar maples, but we each have our own kind of beauty - our own vibrant color.  And isn't that the coolest thing?  That we can bring our own color to the world?  Altogether, the weeds, trees, grasses, etc. made for a very colorful grey day, and that is where I found God today.









Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Purple Feather

Last Sunday at church, I saw that Pat had two little pink feathers in her hair.  I loved it and told her so.  It was like the pink, fuzzy hat I wrote about a little while ago - just something fun.  Well, guess what?  She so inspired me that at my hair appointment today I got a long, purple feather attached to my hair!  I've never done anything like this before, and it's made me so happy!  There's definitely something to be said for getting older.  I've always been more practical than carefree, but as I've aged, I've decided that needs to change.  I want to loosen up, and my purple feather is just a start.  I walked out of that salon today with a big smile on my face and a bounce in my step.  Today, I found God in a fun and fanciful purple feather.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Playful Moment

It was fairly warm when I left for the grocery store early this morning, but it was definitely cooling off by the time I headed home.  The sky had clouded over, the wind was picking up, and just as I rounded a bend in the road, a shower of autumn leaves came raining down over my car.  It startled me because it was so unexpected, and I laughed at myself over the surprise it gave me.  It was beautiful, but more than that, it was playful and fun.  God can instill those qualities in even the most mundane task.  If He has a sense of humor, (and I believe He does) then He probably got quite a chuckle at the start He gave me over those tumbling, swirling leaves.  I found God today in the playful moment He threw into my ordinary morning routine.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Foggy Morning

There was a low-lying fog hanging about early this morning, and it provided for some beautiful pictures.  The golden light of the early morning sunrise combined with the fog created a magical scene.  Every time I took a picture, I'd walk a few more steps and see another one I just had to take.  Today, I found God in these beautiful foggy images.









Sunday, November 11, 2012

Golden Archway

What a glorious day!  We took a walk on the beach and decided to come back through Chicahauk.  As we drove through the neighborhood, I was captured by the beauty of the sunlight glowing through the leaves in the tall trees.  They created a golden archway almost the entire length of the road.  Between the amazing colors of the ocean (which was almost exactly like the color of the sound which I described yesterday), the mild temperature which was so nice we had our windows rolled down, and that amazing golden glow overhead, I had to exclaim again how thankful I am to live in such a beautiful place.  I found God today in that glorious golden archway on this gorgeous autumn day.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Liquid Satin

Jeff and I drove up to Chesapeake today, and as we crossed the bridge over the sound, we were both taken in by the incredible beauty of the water.  It had a pale, icy blue color that was almost opalescent. The surface was so smooth and had such a sheen to it that it looked like liquid satin.  Add in the tinge of pink that was still lingering on the horizon, and the whole effect was breathtaking.  It was disappointing to reach the end of the bridge and not be able to physically see it anymore.  I could have watched it all day.  And yet it had such an effect on me that I can still see it clearly in my mind.  Today, I found God in the smooth, satiny waters of the Albemarle Sound.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Wordless Prayer

I read a devotional by Rick Warren on a regular basis, and today he was talking about slowing down our busy lives enough to hear God.  Obviously, we all want to hear God, but in Mr. Warren's words, "We say, 'Lord, speak to me but do it quickly.'"  I know I do that quite often, especially here lately when it seems I've been busier than ever.  So today I was determined to slow down.  I decided to do some yoga.  I don't do it nearly enough which is a shame because you have to slow down to do yoga.  I thought I'd go through my moves, and then be relaxed enough to sit and meditate and listen for God.  But what I found was that the moves themselves were like a prayer.  I have a regular routine that I go through, and the slow, steady moves, the stretches, the breathing - it all became a prayer to God.  My body was saying what my mind so often can't find the words for.  Using the temple of my body, I prayed wordlessly, and that is where I found God today.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Scent of Cold

It was a chilly morning with a strong, cold wind.  It's not winter yet, but there was the smell of winter cold in the air.  It's so hard to describe the scent of "cold" - clean, pure, crisp, fresh.  It's one of the things I love most about this time of year.  And on my walk this morning, I was breathing it in so deeply - filling my lungs with that amazing scent.  I spent the rest of the day working indoors, but when I went to stand at our storm door this afternoon that wonderful scent was working it's way through the cracks.  I opened the door and let it wash over me.  Ahhhh......  Yet another of God's many wonders - giving such a wonderful smell to cold air.  I found Him today in the scent of cold.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Needle and Thread

I bought a pair of pants recently that I love, but they were just too long.  (I never used to have that problem - either they're making pants longer or I'm shrinking!)  I have a sewing machine and I used to sew from time to time, but I haven't gotten it out in years.  So I went about hemming my pants the old-fashioned way - with a needle and thread.  It took me about an hour so I had a lot of time to think.  And I thought about how back in the old days women used to have to sew everything this way.  I just can't imagine the time and the work involved in that.  Needless to say, we've got it easier these days, but it felt good to know I could still sew by hand when I need to.  Okay, maybe "sewing" is stretching it; but I can at least hem pants!  Anyway, I was very happy when I was done - both with myself and with the pants.  I found God today in the good old-fashioned needle and thread.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Angel Face

I know  a lot of people actually enjoy yardwork, but I doubt there are many adults that enjoy it as much as children do.  I was on my way back from voting and drove past a mom and her young daughter working in the yard.  The little girl - who couldn't have been more than three or four years old - had a small rake in her hand, and just as I went past, she turned to run toward her mom.  I can still clearly see her adorable little face lit up with pure joy.  I guess she had just finished whatever task she'd been given, because she had a look of accomplishment about her.  One of those "Look what I did!" expressions that lights up a kid's face with such pride.  It was a cloudy day, but that child's face beamed straight at me like a ray of sunshine; it filled me up so that I actually caught my breath and laughed out loud.  I found God today in the sweet angel face of a child beaming from a job well done.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Morning Chat

Marlayna is living in the apartment over our garage temporarily.  She's only been there a few months, but I've gotten quite used to having her around - especially in the mornings.  Every now and then, she has a little extra time before work, and she'll come down and have a cup of tea and chat for a bit.  Nothing major, but it's nice to hear her talk about what's going on in her life, and it emphasizes our friendship.  Friendship is something I've strived for with both of my children, and I'm happy to say I've succeeded.  I still need to be in my parental role now and again (mainly for advice), but more and more, we just get to be great friends.  I know I'll  still talk with Marlayna on the phone when she moves on, just like I do with my son, but I'll miss the face-to-face talks... and the hugs before she heads out the door.  I thank God for the special relationship I have with my kids, and I found Him today in my morning chat with Marlayna.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Psalm 121

One of my devotionals today referred to Psalm 121.  I've read it many times before, but for some reason today it really struck me.  Maybe because I've been feeling both overwhelmed, and "under-energized". (I know that's not a real word, but it fits how I feel!)   These lines specifically, "I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth... he who keeps you will not slumber."  How those words lift my spirits!  To know that my "help" is always there when I need it.  A little while after I read the psalm, Jeff and I drove out to look at the ocean. It had just barely started to sprinkle rain, and the words, "...the Lord, who made heaven and earth...he who keeps you will not slumber" seemed particularly appropriate for the scene in front of us.  I found God today in Psalm 121 - in both the spiritual and physical sense.







Saturday, November 3, 2012

The Little Frog

I was about to head out our front door today when I saw what I thought was a bright green leaf.  Looking closer, I saw it was a little frog.  I ran to get my camera, snuck back quietly, and took a picture.  Then I moved in a little closer for a better picture, and he remained perfectly still.  I got right up close to him, and he still didn't move.  I realized there was something wrong with him.  I called Jeff because I'm allergic to anything outdoors - plants, trees, wildlife... you name it.  We decided that maybe he was too cold to move.  Our front porch is very shaded, and it was a cold morning.  Jeff scooped him up and took him to the back deck where the sun was shining brightly.  Within a few minutes, little froggy had hopped onto the wall of the house.  About half an hour later, Marlayna came down, and I told her to go out and look at him.  He was gone.  I was sorry he didn't hang around a little longer because he was so darn cute!  But I was happy that he had found the strength to hop away.  All it took was some sunshine, warmth, and a little TLC - a good prescription for whatever ails you.  I found God today in bringing some warmth to our little froggy friend and getting him hopping again.


Friday, November 2, 2012

Contrasts

Jeff and I went to the "tea park" this morning.  Once or twice a week, we'll get hot tea from Starbucks, then drive to the park and just sit in the car and drink our tea and talk.  There was a cold breeze this morning, but the sun was shining brightly so it started to get a little warm in the car.  I opened the windows part-way and the cold wind felt wonderful.  It was such an enjoyable contrast - the warm sun and hot tea contrasted against the cold breeze.  I realized it's the contrast that makes so many things enjoyable.  A rainy day after a long stretch of sunny days or vice versa.  Spring after winter, and fall after summer.  Having everything the same all the time would just get boring, don't you think?  I found God today in the refreshing contrasts of warm sun and cold wind at our tea park outing.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Pink Fuzzy Hat

I had to stop by Betsy's house this morning, and there was a couple getting ready to leave just as I was coming in.  The woman (I can't remember her name - I'm so bad with names!) had on the cutest bright pink, fuzzy hat.  And I mean fuzzy - almost to the point of furry.  I just loved it!  I wanted to tell her but we had some confusion as I was parked behind them, and they were leaving, and I was rushing...  So I never got to say anything.  It's the type of thing I would have never worn a few years ago, but as I've gotten older, I've decided to loosen up and have a little more fun with clothing, accessories, hairstyles and whatnot.  I never really cared about fitting in, but I also didn't want to stand out in any particular way - or especially in an unusual way.  But now, I just don't care.  If I like something, I'm going for it.  Like the pink, fuzzy hat.  Maybe since I've learned to crochet, I can make myself one!  Today, I found God in that fun little hat that stood out like an exclamation point on an ordinary day.