The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:5
Light is my word for the new year.
May the Light illume us all in the coming year…
Blessings to you.
Welcome 2026!
Happy New Year
Tag: Scripture
Happy Thanksgiving
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim His unfailing love in the morning,
His faithfulness in the evening...
Psalm 92:1-2
The Northern Lights
It’s not often one gets to see the northern lights, especially in town, and in southern Minnesota, but the last two nights there were wonderful displays right outside our front door. A neighbor sent a photo in a text alerting me to check out the spectacular show on Tuesday evening.
I have seen the northern lights a couple times in my life. Once with the naked eye from a parking lot at our church. That was many years ago – at that time I did not have an ever-ready camera (cell phone) to look at them through the lens that illuminates them. I remember faintly seeing green streaks in the northern sky.
However, in May 2024, having heard on the news the northern lights may be visible, I drove a mile out-of-town to watch for them. There were several of us folks who had driven away from the city lights to look for them. There was excitement in the air as we did witness a spectacular light show.
In May 2024 the colors were purple and green, with some yellow and red.
Tuesday night the colors were dramatic reds and greens…(maybe because Christmas is coming? HA)
We didn’t see as much activity on Wednesday night…at least the times when we checked, but we did catch on fabulous green streak with purple hues.
What an awesome, glorious, “free event”, put on by the Father of Lights.
Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
A Moon Rising
Rain was predicted for our time up on the north shore, but we ended up with stunning weather; clear, fall-blue skies and warmer-than-usual temperatures every single day. What a gift.
We’ve been going up north once or twice a year for forty years. We are always refreshed and rejuvenated by the magnificent Lake Superior.
A practice I started years ago was to check the time for sunrise. It is so precise! If it states the sun will rise at 6:56 you can count on seeing the orange ball pop up over the horizon at 6:56.
I make sure I’m up to witness this event, and will set my alarm if need be – that is determined by the time of year. It is awesome to see the sun rise over the big lake. I have hundreds of stunning pictures of a Lake Superior Sunrise.
This year however, for the first time in forty years, we saw the moon rise over the lake. We have often seen a full moon shining on the lake (and a few times soon after it rose over the lake), but we’ve never seen it rising.
I knew we would be up north for October’s Harvest, or Hunter’s, supermoon, but I wasn’t expecting the event to happen until later in the evening.
But I happened to walk out onto the deck and looked east and there, larger than I’ve ever seen it, was the moon already half way above the horizon. I continued to watch it (and videoed it). I was so giddy to see this stunning site. It was huge, and it was rising, and it only took about 30 seconds to come into full view.
It was another amazing gift.
Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 136: 7-9
Lilies of the Fields
Garfield Gardens is a daylily garden outside of Northfield, just off Highway 19, on the way to Lonsdale.
The garden was started several years ago, by two siblings with the help of their dad, to provide summer jobs and income for the kids, who have now completed college and have other jobs. But the lily farm grew into a good business, and so the kids decided to keep it going.
They have an “open house” each summer, when the lilies are in bloom. This year it’s July 12 – 27. Of course, you can order plants online all summer. The website is: https://www.garfieldgardensmn.com
It works like the Aspelund Peony Gardens…you walk through the fields and see the many varieties and pick out the ones you like. At the daylily garden, they will dig up the plant right there and you can take it home with you that day.
Several years ago, we bought some lilies from Garfield Gardens, and planted them in our gardens at our previous house. They did well. The were healthy, grew tall, and bloomed beautifully every year.
The day we stopped at Garfield Gardens was a pleasant summer day; sunny and warm. We told them we stopped just to look – and they were happy to have us do so. It is always a pleasure to leisurely walk through fields and peruse the different array of flowers and their vivid, bright colors.
I wasn’t going to take any photos, but I couldn’t help myself…so I am happy to post an assortment of the lilies we saw that afternoon.
Matthew 6:28-30
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"
A Canadian Goose
Just blowing, swirling snow
covering the vast field in stark whiteness
And there, alone, appears one Canadian Goose
Looking at us through our sunroom windows,
Stopping to sit on the white blanket,
Offering us something...what?
An angel in disguise?
Sent with a message?
What could it be?
Hope, for some reason comes to mind,
but I’m not sure
I’ll have to dwell on that awhile.
We all need a little hope right now.
I didn't see him walk or fly away,
but eventually he was gone.
Be still and know that I am God…
even in a blizzard.
Psalm 46:10
Clowns
My mom was a collector and had two prominent collections. One was angels. When she passed away in 2009 I set up a table in the fellowship hall of the church where we had her funeral, and set out all her angels with a sign saying “take an angel to remember Ruby”. It was a hit…the angels were all gone by the end of the luncheon.
Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Her other significant collection was clowns. She had a pretty sophisticated clown collection, with many clowns by specific artists. We eventually sold most of them…but didn’t get their true value.
One favorite clown that I saved was a tall clown on a stand, with different masks hanging from its neck to interchange. When our sons were little, they‘d go to grandma and ask if they could change the masks…when she said yes, they very carefully took off one mask and replaced it with another. That clown sits on top of our bookshelf in our sunroom now. I saved a few smaller, whimsical clowns that are tucked in different places throughout the house.
For many years a clown picture, that my mom cross-stitched, hung in my laundry room. It had been in the guest room where the grandkids slept when they came to visit, but the picture scared them, so we moved it out. I agree, clowns can be kind of scary.
The cross-stitch is large with bright colors. It is professionally framed in a blue frame with glass. Unfortunately, we have no place to display it in our new home, so I decided to sell it (after checking with other family members.) The gal who bought it is thrilled to have it, and that makes it easier to part with…it will be on display for others to enjoy, instead of in a box in the garage.
Of course, to this day, whenever I see a clown I think of my mom. She had a fun and unique collection.
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)
Color and Light, Morning to Night
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
A couple hours later we trekked up Oberg Mountain and saw more beautiful colors of a different kind. Once again, I was grateful to be able to hike this trail, and was thankful to have the opportunity to do so.
And back at the cabin…the lovely, wispy clouds.
The sky was constantly changing, but the waves continue to roll in, year after year, reminding me of God’s faithfulness.
Amen.
A New Day
This morning I went for a walk with a friend in Carleton’s lower arb. As we walked near the river, an eagle flew out of a tree in front of us and flew across the river to the other side. It was amazing to see it up close…the wing span was large.
I thought of the verse in Isaiah 40:31 “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
It was a majestic sight and a wonderful reminder that as I am hoping in the Lord these days, He will renew my strength.
And…my friend surprised me with a bunch of beautiful radishes.
What a way to start the day.