Tag: Holidays

HOPE

As the fog of the past few days slowly lifts, I think of it as a symbol of the old year fading away into a bright new year.

Looking at my glass star hanging in our bedroom window.

In looking back at 2024, I marvel at how fast it went. And so much happened. We had a fun, month-long road trip traveling many miles and visiting several friends in the southeastern part of the states. A precious, baby grand-daughter was born in the spring. We went camping with two of the grandkids, agonized over a family member’s health diagnosis, and had visitors from Norway in the summer. 

And then…we started the process of building a house in the fall. It was very stressful and fun, exhausting and exciting, all at the same time, and it changed the tempo of our lives the second half of 2024. 

Fog hangs over the field outside the back of our new home.

Now that we’ve settled some (and really are happy in our new home) I hope we can start up some of our old routines, yet create new ones too. I hope to get back to walking daily, reading and writing, going out for coffee/lunch/dinner, traveling, feeding the animals at the farm, blogging more…things I enjoy doing, along with continuing to decorate and “de-box” (new word???) our new space. 

The word hope has been so much of this past year’s prayers and dreams that I am bringing it along into the new year as my word for the year. I will continue to hope and pray for healing for others and for continued good health and new growth for myself. 

My new year’s resolution is to try a new style of journaling. Tomorrow, January 1, 2025 I plan to print the word HOPE in large letters in my new journal, as we begin another year, in all its uncertainties and wonder.

Merry Christmas

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:8-12)

Happy New Year

Welcome 2024!

At our church’s vespers service in December, I heard a song that touched my heart and seems an appropriate prayer for the new year.

Come Light Our Hearts
by Sandra McCracken

For You, o Lord our souls in stillness wait.

Truly our hope is in You.

O Lord of life our only hope;

Your radiance shines On all who look to you in the dark.

Emmanuel come, come light our hearts.

Oh Joy above, all other loves, in You we find, more than enough

We come as we are, O heal and restore,

Come light our hearts.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Russian Matryoshka dolls (I bought in the Ukraine) depicting the Christmas story.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2: 15-20

It

It’s Christmas…all over the world.

4th of July

Tonight’s Lights reflects the illuminations I saw walking home from a 4th of July fireworks display one year.

Tonight's Lights

Twilight

Moonlight

Starlight

Fireworks!

Fireflies

Lamplights

Headlights

Garage Lights

Porch Lights

Interior Lights

and in a fire pit...fire light!

Happy 4th of July.

Happy New Year

A sun dog filled the sky one morning last week. A fun sight to see, especially in its fullness which I didn’t capture on camera.
Twenty Twenty-Two:
One more trip around the sun -
Ponder lessons learned.

Cheers to the new year!
Welcome Twenty Twenty-Three.
Adventures await!
                                                                                                Valerie

I like this quote:

Tomorrow {Today} is the first blank page of a 365-page-book. Write a good one.                                                                                           
                                                                                                 Brad Paisley

Merry Christmas

The children’s Christmas pageant at our church, includes shepherd and angels and cows etc.
Our wonderful children – telling and singing the Christmas story.
Luke 2: 8-12
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
The full set design…the stable and a living room se,t complete with fireplace, for a grandmother and grandchild to reflect on the Christmas story. A new member of our church created this elaborate set.

Merry Christmas.