Winter Ramblings

As I sit here at the computer typing this post, I am listening to a beautiful melodic composition of the wind chimes outside my back door. It only takes a gentle breeze to stir the chimes, creating a symphony of tones unique with each shifting breeze. The melody is never the same, but the music is always comforting.

I am reminded of one of my favorite passages in Scripture - 1 Kings 19, where the Lord appeared to Elijah. I know I have shared this passage with you before, but indulge me please -

11 The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

How often we miss those gentle whispers.

Last week we experienced the elements of winter...all at once! First the cold rain came, pounding on the roof, windows and pavement. Then the rain turned to sleet, hitting the ground and the windows with a crackling, clicking sound that was light, but ominous at the same time. Finally, the sleet turned to snow...the gentle whisper; the beautiful blanket of white. I love listening to the snow. Have you ever listened to the snow falling? You can hear it, but only if you try very hard, tuning out everything else, standing completely still, straining your ears to hear that quiet little....poof....as the snowflake lands softly on its mark. I think maybe that's the way we should listen to God too. Sometimes the hardest thing for me is to just...be.

* My Winter Wonderland *

Snotty DeerCrystal TreeIcy View
TreeciclesHeavy on the Ice
Ice BerriesFrozen TreeBuddy and I Get Ready to Explore the Snow Pretty View Buddy's Snow Face
Add 1 Heaping Magnolia Leaf...
Ice Stick
Icy/Snowy Pine Needles
Gumball Treecicle
Icy Trees Shimmer in the Sun
Brrr...We're Cold!
Mystery Tracks Turkey Tracks...ssshhh (on our property)
Deer Tracks...ssshhh (ditto) The Frog Pond

I will spare you anymore pictures - I have way too many! Needless to say, Buddy and I enjoyed our adventure very much! We romped, we played, we rolled (well, Buddy did), we froze, we laughed...yes dogs laugh, and we listened to the quietness of the frozen world around us. It was beautiful...

Don't forget to listen for the gentle whispers around you!