Christmas Blessings

"For unto us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his
   shoulders.
And he will be called
  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this."

Isaiah 9:6-7

  "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to his own town to register.
   So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  Luke 2:1-7


Christmas Blessings to you all!
  


 

Dad's Lunch Bucket

Some folks may call it a lunch pail, a lunch box, but my dad always called it his lunch bucket.  He carried it everyday along with a thermos of hot coffee to work at the Sintering Plant in Saxonburg, PA.  For many years of cold winter mornings and hot summer days, the lunch bucket would make it's trip to Saxonburg from Meridian.  When we moved to the farm, the commute was longer and there were barn chores to do when he got home.  We all chipped in, of course.  Since my dad worked shifts, the three of us siblings would do the afternoon chores...bottle feeding the new calves, throwing down hay bales and making sure the water hadn't frozen over and the electric fence was on.  The several times the cows broke out, my dad was always working midnight.  He would come home to a worn out family who had been chasing cows all over kingdom come, laugh and go to check the fence and head for bed.

He did the majority of the work around the farm.  He worked two jobs and really loved the farm work best of all.  I believe it helped him relieve the stress of working at the mill.  The farm gave me the opportunity to watch and learn.  To work along side of him burning calves horns, mending fences, cleaning out the barn, working the top of the hay mow in July, and helping in the garden.

After years of constant use, the clasp on the lunch bucket broke, there was certainly no need to get a new one.  A big ole paper clip would fix it.  It would work until he retired.

When my mom was moving, I claimed the lunch bucket.   This is just one way we keep dad in our thoughts at Christmas.

All-wise God,
Thy never-failing providence orders every event.
   sweetens every fear,
   reveals evil's presence lurking in seeming good,
   brings real good out of seeming evil,
   makes unsatisfactory what I set my heart upon,
   to show me what a short-sighted creature I am,
   and to teach me to live by faith upon thy blessed self.

--a portion from Peril, from The Valley of Vision

Frosted Friday

The sky was beautiful and clear--full of stars last night.  Driving home from a meeting last night, I could see the frost forming when I looked at the bright parking lot lights.  It was almost as if it was "raining" frost. This morning, everything looked as if it had a light coat of snow, but it was frost!


Frosted hedges




Frost on our Burning Bushes

It certainly made things a bit chilly for hanging out some sheets.  Even the clothesline was covered with frost!

O LORD,

No day of my life has passed

   that has not proved me guilty in thy sight.

Prayers have been uttered from a prayerless heart;

Praise has been often praiseless sound;

My best services are filthy rags....

...I appeal from the throne of perfect justice

   to thy throne of boundless grace,

Grant me to hear thy voice assuring me;

   that by thy stripes I am healed,

   that by thy stripes I am healed,

   that thou wast bruised for my iniquities,

   that thou hast been made sin for me

      that I might be righteous in thee,

   that my grievous sins, my manifold sins,

      are all forgiven,

      buried in the ocean of thy concealing blood....

...Open to me the springs of divine knowledge,

   sparkling like crystal,

   flowing clear and unsullied

   through my wilderness of life.

--an excerpt from The Broken Heart, from The Valley of Vision