As many Alaskans, the last few winters (by record keeping standards) have been pretty mild. For the most part, so was this winter. Oh, we got 100+mph winds - nearby they had gusts to 170+ mph with 150 gusts all night. EEK!  Sure, we got snow. Actually, we received a relatively decent amount of snow – a couple of big dumps of 6” or more, but hey – it’s Alaska, right?  It just hasn’t gone anywhere or melted since October.  It just kept adding up, and stayed cold until this week.
 
This year, we broke records for having 3 consecutive months below the freezing mark – with a couple nights of minus 20 or more. We were delighted when we finally hit single digits: t-shirt weather! At last! Even last week we awoke to minus 6 degrees F. 
 
Bill made a comment yesterday that while we didn’t get record ‘amounts’ of snow, our snow plow berms are the highest they’ve been in the nineteen years we’ve lived here.  Alas, all good things must come to an end. We will be in the mid-fifties, possibly sixties by next week – our ‘summer’ type weather. I usually get my best tan in April and May, so I was getting a worried we would have a never-ending winter!
 
At the height of my frustration, watching more snowflakes fall last week, I was reminded of several verses:
              Run as in the way that you are running for the prize. : 1Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)   and      We had hoped. Luke 24:21 (NIV)
Run – with a purpose and perseverance, never giving up or in.
Hope – Everlasting and in all things.
 
Two days ago , temps still in the 30’s, I took a nap.  When I woke up, Bill said –“look outside your  Refuge (my office).”  He had lovingly shoveled FEET of snow off the small deck directly outside my office. The snow had been to the door handle high.  AND he had set out my favorite lounger and lawn chair. Love doesn’t get more tangible than that!
 
As I type from the deck, you are enjoying a photo of the last of winter and and we HOPE, spring.  All is well. Tim was accepted into a Construction Union program that will last 3-4 years, Bill, with a little help from me, has been getting next year’s wood supply in – we’re about 2/3 done. I am on the 1-3 monthly “on hold”/wait medical roller coaster, still fighting the 4 active cancers – I get a lull in the scans, tests, etc. YAY!!

The book, which we pulled from traditional publishing, is now waiting for local printing bids to come in. It certainly isn’t how I thought it would go, but I’m in no hurry (read Habakkuk 2:1-3) it fits me to a “T.” God’s in no hurry!

We had a delightful time with Scott and Samantha their first sleep-over at our place. Soon we will start some garden seeds inside, but with so much snow, it depends on ‘when’ we can actually put things outside. Can’t wait to see what Bill new culinary delight he will come up with this year – Jeff and the kids got him an awesome Ninja that does everything, and it is being daily loved!
 
Blessings and s’mores! Let us know how you are!

​                            
Lately, with economic, medical, political and spiritual upheaval, in my set-aside nightly time of being silent and listening, a thought floated through. None of this is upheaval is new – it is just new in a different way than we have experienced.
 
Our parents, grandparents, even back to Biblical times there were wars waged. Food, jobs and even clothing was scarce. Locusts and dust storms destroyed crops. People got sick from a variety of plagues and medical challenges, even pandemics.  Do we read or did we hear them complain?
 
Well, as a matter of fact we did. Think of the biblical passages telling of the grumbling of lack of food/manna and the grit and grime of sand. Maybe you read about the outcomes of the Spanish Flu of 1918 where 1/3 of the world’s population was infected.  I’ve heard stories from elders in my family who shared stories of people with the “grumpies.” during the 1929 stock market crash and Great Depression  into the 1930’s.  Just this week I have heard more than my share of people sporting ‘badattitudes’ complaining about how the world stands today.
 
Laying quietly, still listening, even with everything swirling about, I had a peace that filled every crevice of my being. PEACE. A peace no mortal person could ever give me. Then I drifted off to sleep. (Hey – I can only be silent and listen for so long! Being a geezer is tiring at times!)
 
The next morning, getting comfy with my coffee and settled in my recliner for my “well-filling-time,” I read Psalm 46:5a: “God is in the midst of her – she will not be moved.” The verse was followed by words that Hannah Whithall Smith penned: “Is it possible for us who are so easily moved by earthly things to come to a point where nothing can upset or disturb our peace? The answer is yes.” (Streams in the Desert)  
 
 Was the peace that I was encountering a result of intentionally choosing to believe God and His Word (not just “in” Him) and am standing firm in Who and what I believe? The answer is YES!
 
What about you?

​Never Give Up
 
For those of you who know me, you know that I can be tenacious at times – or is that “stubborn”?
 
Whichever way you choose to look at how I’ve the walk I’ve walked, faced the challenges we’ve faced, I want you to know that the ONLY way I can make it is by remembering:
 

1. Each new day is a gift. A present. In the present.
2. Each and every day we will face situations that we may not feel prepared for, nor remembering to ask for the task at hand.
3. Each new day, we have a choice on what kind of “tude” we will sport – a bad-attude, a glad-atiude, a sad-attude. Whatever ‘”tude” you choose, will be what you show the world around you – your family, friends, colleagues, employers, but most importantly, God himself.

We may try to rationalize that our prayers aren’t heard, that God isn’t listening. For if God did hear, He would have answered.  
 
What I have learned is, I may not have answers to the many prayers I’ve prayed, but God holds the “timer” and answer, and it isn’t the time for that prayer to be answered. But is does not give us an excuse not to pray.
 
2021 looks to be an interesting one. No one person’s difficulties or prayers are more urgent or important than another’s. As we heard so many times in 2020: “We’re all in this together.” So join me, will you, as we pray our way, praise our way, and worship our way through the year – no matter what daily life battle we find ourselves in. Let’s celebrate our differences, agree to disagree if need be, but don’t let it rob you of the blessing of friends and friendships.
 
Look at the palm of your hand. What and where will your influence take you. And if you aren’t sure? God’s communication line is open 24/7, and you will never get a busy signal, nor put on hold. 

                     After the final NO,  there comes a YES.  
                   It is on that YES the future of this world depends.
                                                      So:

• When you hear the final “NO”, will you be open and STILL enough to hear the “YES”?
• Will you believe in yourself enough to KNOW that YOU are part of what today’s world depends upon?
• Are you willing to block out all the naysayers, and boldly step out and do your part, willing to put yourself out there, confidently KNOWING your ‘assignment’ even if others are NOT confident in your calling/assignment?

•  KNOW your YES, and DO it...No matter what the cost. 
  
•  Because you have already counted the cost,  KNOW that because your YES ­is THE "YES", it will be provided for  – pressed down, over-flowing, above and beyond what your wildest imaginations  could ever think was possible?

•  I believe, because of the incredible person I KNOW you to be, that your answers will be your YES. Why? Because the direction and the future of where this world is going depends on your YES, even if others say the final is NO. Why?
• Because YOU are UNSTOPPABLE.

 One of the joys of living where we do at the base of the Talkeetna Mountain range is the ability to live a "farm to table" lifestyle.  We never cease to be amazed at how quickly things grow with longer summer hours (quickly slipping by). And, dip-netting on the Kenai or Kasilof salmon (each household can dip for free, 25+ salmon, depending on size of family - we can get 37) plus moose and caribou, we feel blessed.

Each year, weather patterns dictate  which crops may do better than others. This year, we have a bumper crop of chickweed (grrr!), as convection thunderstorms have poured rain in the evenings - the upside is Bill has hardly had to water! Last summer with record heat, he spent HOURS watering! 

We have softball size kohlrabi, wonderful dicon radishes, zuchinni and cabbage. And RHUBARB...lots of thubarb - which means new culinary creations from Bill! He has designed rhubarb artichoke heart dressing, cinnamon rhubarb, and gallons of wonderful rhubarb juice that we can store for use all year round. 

The raspberries - both red and golden have done incredibly well. We are picking the reds, and the golden raspberry that had doubled were "almost" ready....until the "visitors" arrived.

SERIOUSLY? 

Yep - all's we could do was watch the Sand Hill Cranes as they shook each bush and ate every berry that was ready. We tried chasing, we tried yelling at them. we even tried covering - all to no avail, because as soon as you turned your back, they found a way into them.

Guess you can say we are doing our part to feed the local wildlife that makes Alaska so special.  Let's just hope the moose won't have an extra pea pod flavor to them this year!! 

Reprinted at request of several friends (original was an email) 

​As I was reflecting thinking how unusual it will be for so many to not celebrate and partake of the remembrance of the very core of our faiths - both for Passover and Easter,, I got thinking about the very first Easter...

The disciples were ‘social distancing’ themselves per se. They away from the crowds/their families, trying to take in The Last Supper, the foot- washing, wrapping their heads around one of their own falling from grace and betraying Jesus.

They were reeling from the horror of the walk to Golgotha, watching  the vile actions of those who literally knew Him not. The earth trembled. Then silence.

Up against all the unknowns,  trying to comprehend the repercussions, they stayed ‘home’...versus being out and about. Agonizing thoughts, ashamed of their inaction, they sat in what they thought was ‘aloneness.’

But how far from reality...God had His Master Plan already drawn up.

It would be up to each of us, consciously and individually - on how/when/what form  we would take to walk out HIS plan. He KNEW His faithful would choose correctly (even if we are FAR from perfect!)

And so, this Holy weekend and beyond, we answer His individual call on our personal life.

Far from perfect, yet NEVER alone the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are with and in us - and are an overwhelming majority.

What we do, what we say and who we are will touch others in ways we may never, ever know, this side of Heaven.

Our prayers are heard - for ourselves, our family and our friends. And, while others we so deeply care about may not “do” or “act” or “live out” in the way WE wish they would, God’s loving grace, mercy and peace are over them. Our prayers bring them to the Throne as we continue to stand in the gap for them, just as He has done with and for US, knowing their battle is not ours to fight for them, but it IS our call to cover them in prayer, to “BE” who He has asked each of us to be.

He asks us to take Him at His Word and BELIEVE GOD - not just to BELIEVE “IN” Him.

His plans never fail, His timing is ever perfect because God is in ALL the details, ALL the time.

Blessings and s’mores this Holy Week

 I paused for a moment in my quiet time this morning.  My eyes fell upon a sign that a dear friend gave to me. In my pause, I pondered about the saying that was on the plaque. I dad had one of those "I should of had a V-8" or as my kids would say a "DUH -mom"  moment."

The sign says:  "We'll always be best friends because you know too much."

My V-8/mom- moment? When it occurred to me that GOD knows me better that ANYONE, and that while He knows everything, I don't have to, for He will keep me in the "need to know" loop as needed,

I think that's a wise place to be - don't you? 

Forty years ago a friend from church showed us the clay manger scene above as she removed it from the kiln.  The magnificent work was  to be  displayed at a local art gallery.   

Tears slipped down my cheeks as I saw how Mary held Jesus as Joseph, the angels, wise men and yes, even a camel,  gazed upon the holy moment. ​ It  reflected and epitomized the very essence of motherhood as Mary tenderly held and cuddled her wee one, holding him close to her heart. As a new mom, getting ready to celebrate our Jamie's first Christmas, I was overwhelmed with the holy scene.

I couldn't stop looking at the display. Oh how I wished we had the financial resources to purchase it, yet I knew there would be no possible way. After all, it was a gallery piece, and we were still young marrieds with an infant. Need I say more? 

Imagine my utter surprise Christmas morning when I walked out to the living room.  There, underneath our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree was the manger scene I that had so moved me. The artist added a  camel for Jamie to commemorate her first Christmas.

To this day I still can't believe how Bill had kept the gift a secret (or that I hadn't figured he had something up his sleeve!) He had seen how deeply touched I had been when our friend showed it to us, fresh out of the kiln.  He  stealth-fully spent several evenings and weekends prior to Christmas cutting and stacking cords of firewood, bartering with our artist  friend,  so he could purchase it..  

Forty years later, I am still moved. We keep the manger scene out all year as a reminder that Christmas is every day and  to stop and reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas:

Reflections of love. 

A mother's love. 

A husband's love. 

A friend's love. 

But most of all, the love of God, the Father, sending His only begotten son down to Earth so that we may have life...Eternally. 

As we spend time reflecting this holiday season -   we pray each of you may feel and see the blessing and true Reason for the Season - the glorious gift that arrived as a baby, who brings us  Peace, Joy and Life.