Wise Words

Yesterday we had the opportunity to meet Jenna Woginrich, author of Made from Scratch, Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life. Here are some wise words you will find in the introduction of her book.

Accepting where you are today,

and working toward what's ahead,

is the best you can do.

But the starting point

is to take control of what you can

and smile with how things are.

Find your own happiness and dance with it.

This is a picture of Jenna's chickens.

Deep Freeze

If you compare the view out my window today with the one below you can see the results of the continuing cold weather here in upstate New York. We actually had a little break yesterday with temps reaching the freezing mark but tonight we will be back in the single digits.

I am thankful that there is a mall nearby where I can get in my 3 mile walk in a warm place where I do not have to worry about slipping on the ice. I have spent most of my time this past week right here at the computer as I prepare to lead preaching workshops next week in Malvern, PA. It will be a cold but dry 5 hour drive early Monday morning. The retreat ends Thursday at noon and the forcast looks pretty good for the week so I shouldn't have any hazardous driving conditions.

Last night we watched a Hallmark Movie that we had recorded before Christmas. I believe the title was "Front of the Class". It is based on the true story of a young man with Tourette's Syndrome who became a renowned teacher in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a very inspirational story with some fine performances. John watched the last hour with us and remarked, "That's right, Dad, don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something". Of course, John's life is a testament to that fact. He will be performing live this Sunday at 4:45 pm at The Center for Disabilities Telethon. It will be broadcast on our local Fox affilliate. John is very excited for this opportunity. He will perform Billy Joel's Piano Man and will play keyboard, harmonica, and sing.

Rainbows and Ice

This is the view I have this day as I work at my desk and my thoughts turn to rainbows. I am working on the Old Testament lesson for March 1, the first Sunday of Lent.

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you

and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come.

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant

between me and the earth.

Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,

I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.

Genesis 9:12-15

And so, with the thermometer hovering at 20 degrees and icicles in my window I picture rainbows and my mind drifts to this hoopeful prayer.

Reaching for Rainbows
(from Reaching for Rainbows by Ann Weems)

I keep reaching for rainbows…
Thinking one God’s morning
I will wakeup with rainbow ribbons in my hair,
With hurts painted over in hues that only angel wings could brush,
Black obliterated, chaos hurled beyond the rainbow and my vision,
The world created in a myriad of colors;
The hungry fed,
The dying held,
The maimed walking,
The angry stroked,
The violent calmed,
The oppressed freed,
The oppressors changed,
And every tear wiped away,
I keep reaching for rainbows,
But instead of colors in our storm,
Gray and black infiltrate, dirtying the sky,
And I hear human voices wailing in the darkness,
The never-ending darkness…
Just the same
I know the promise of the rainbow.
I keep thinking I will turn the corner one day
And find a litany of rainbows
Flung across the sky,
Hosannaing back and forth
Through all the ages and
Out into the eternity forever amen!
Every tear wiped away-
It’s a promise-
When we become rainbows to each other.

Rainbows....not a bad thing to be thinking about on a cold January day at the beginning of a New Year that promises more storms both domestic and international.