Today!

Today I am thankful for 29.5 years of marriage. Yep, why not celebrate half anniversaries? It's 9 degrees, I wonder what it will be when we celebrate our 30th 6 months from today? 😀

I am also thankful for a husband who can thaw out frozen pipes so we can have water!

I am thankful for this 15 year old heat pump that loudly keeps chugging along.

I am thankful for gas logs throughout the house that supplements the heat pump.

I am so thankful for God's faithfulness to us in 2017 and I am confident of His continued love, faithfulness and guidance in 2018.

As I look out on the frozen earth I know that there are seasons in life, just as on the earth. Years ago I was complaining to my Dad, the farmer, about how much I hate winter. How I dread the cold, being stuck inside- kind of like being caged in, and need the sun. I'm telling this to the man who has to get up early, dress in coveralls and warm clothes head to toe to tend to the animals- and he told me, "Yes, me too but we need the seasons."

We do, you know. We need seasons in life. Life isn't about sunny, 70 degree days. We need the frozen days, like it or not, just as much- if not more- than we need the sunny, birdsong, warm breezy days.

Rejoice in today! Rejoice is the outflowing of inner grace and joy.
Grace is God freely extending Himself to me, freely giving Himself to me- His tendency is to be near me.
Joy is the awareness and recognition of God's grace to me.

So to rejoice is the outflow of the inward awareness of God giving Himself to ME.

THIS- cold, frozen and beautiful in it's own way- is the day the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!- Psalm 118:24