I know my Redeemer lives

When we truly believe that our Redeemer lives, as did Job, we can endure whatever life sets before us. Happiness is transitory and often self indulgent; very few of life's lessons come out happiness. Our growth comes out of the travel through the valley of the shadow. My brother Greg is gaining emotional and spiritual strength, but his body is still in the shadow as he waits in the hospital. Thank you for your continued prayers that he will know God is lovingly present, walking with him through this time.

God gives us life

My brother Greg has experienced God's hand is stopping his internal bleeding, and providing him with a highly skilled vascular surgeon who was able to seal the two nicks in Greg's superior mesenteric artery through laparoscopic surgery. Greg needs continued prayers that the blood thinner he needs to maintain his mechanical heart valve will reach the right levels, and that he will gain physical, emotional, and spiritual strength as the days go on.

I shared with Greg the February 16th selection from Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest." Chambers words are what we all need to realize: "God does not give us an overcoming life; He gives us life as we overcome." The power of life comes from God, but we need to continue to reach out to him--for life not merely now, but for eternal life.

Winter at Anthony Lake

Last week, after a recent snow fall, I took the opportunity to drive up to Anthony Lake for a late afternoon photo shoot. I always love to take at least one snow shoe photo shoot at the lake. I never know what kind of photo opportunities I am going to discover. This time I found icicles. They may have been there in past years, but this year I finally "saw" them.

Prayer and God Himself

As usual, Oswald Chambers, as CS Lewis, nails the reason for prayer: in our prayer life, God does not give us the answers we mere mortals want, He gives us Himself. And, if we are willing to accept that relationship, we do find the peace that Isaiah speaks of.

In that context, I would ask for prayers for my brother Greg for comfort and healing. He had mitral valve replacement many years ago. After a recent echo cardiogram, he has experienced internal bleeding. He is in the hospital in Portland, Maine, where they are attempting to strike a balance between the blood thinner he needs, and the coagulant drug necessary to help stop the bleeding. I am flying back there this Tuesday.

We belong to God

Rueben Job writes these wonderful words of assurance: "To remember who creates us and recreates, who calls us again and again, who knows us completely and loves us unconditionally is to be prepared, as Jesus was, for all that is to come. We need have no fear of today or anxiety about tomorrow. We belong to God who claims us as beloved children and holds us close in the embrace of strength and love. Listen and remember today that God calls your name and be transformed and sustained in all that awaits you."

The Rime of Winter

Hard rime is a white ice that forms when the water droplets in fog freeze to the outer surfaces of objects. It is often seen on treesatop mountains and ridges in winter, when low-hanging clouds cause freezing fog. This fog freezes to the windward (wind-facing) side of tree branches, buildings, or any other solid objects, usually with high wind velocities and air temperatures between −2 °C(28 °F) and −8 °C (18 °F).

Hard rime formations are difficult to shake off; they have a comb-like appearance, unlike soft rime, which looks feathery or spiky, or clear ice, which looks homogeneous and transparent.