"Break Forth..."

Two weeks ago I snapped off a few bare twigs from our forsythia bush and put them into a jar of water.  Even though I like to do this every year in late January, it never ceases to amaze me what happens within the next two weeks...

 ...this...

 It reminds me of the powerful thought that lies within this little ditty..

The leaves are gone, 

The trees are bare, 

but next year's leaves are hiding there.

And so they are.  Within the next six weeks or so, our bush should be looking like this, as it did two years ago.

 And all over the unkempt flower beds signs of spring are relentlessly making a glorious statement...

   there is life

      there is hope

        there is joy

          there is beauty...

Just like these sweet snowdrops near our front door...

Break forth into joy, 

sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.  

  Isaiah 52:9

February 2 ~ Groundhog Day

 With the early morning sky looking like this today, I'm thinking the groundhog will have seen its shadow....but maybe where you live, it didn't!  Does this really mean six more weeks of winter over here?  We'll find out soon enough.

 

From our front patio doors I was able to capture a bit of the glorious morning sky!  

 

...and again part of the Garibaldi range taken yesterday from a few blocks South of us.  Our house, hidden here, would be just behind the trees to the right.

What a beautiful day...thank you, God.

_______________________________________

Groundhog Day was always capitalized on while I was teaching primary-aged school children.  Teachers love themes. To run with a theme was a tremendous boon to daily activities ~ Math, Reading, Writing, Art, Singing, Science, an integrated approach, and a great method.  In this way even the lowly groundhog was a special assistant to me as a teacher.

Strength for the moment...

Strengthen the weak hands, 

and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who have an anxious heart,

'Be strong; fear not!

Behold, your God

will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God.

He will come and save you...'

And a highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;

...the redeemed shall walk there.

And the ransomed of the LORD shall

return

and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain gladness and joy, 

and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isaiah 35:3-4; 8,9b,10

These passages from God's Word, were among my mother's favourites, during her last weeks here on earth.  This came to light during her stay in hospital as we spent time with her.  She recited the last section with great fervour, in the German language, over and over again, gaining  inner strength and encouragement from them, as did we who listened.  Other favourite verses were:

"You will keep Him in perfect peace, 

Whose mind is stayed on You, 

Because he trusts in You." 

Isaiah 26:3

and...

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

Psalm 50:15

  Mom was so secure in the promises of God, so confident, so sure that He would safely see her through...and He did.  Then silently, early on a September morning,  He came for her

Through this I am encouraged and inspired over and over again by the rich heritage of faith and triumph which my dear Mom practiced  throughout her life and from which her progeny can now benefit.  It's too good...too good and too important not to share. 

The Door

 I am the door. 

If anyone enters by Me,

he will be saved, 

and will go in and out and find pasture.

John 10:9