Apples in the Snow

Thanksgiving weekend is wrapping up, turkey comas have passed and leftovers abound. After a month of thankfulness the attitude carries us into the Advent season, it is a good reminder of an attitude that is important throughout the whole year. It is important when things are difficult, it gives us perspective. It is important when things are good, it gives us appreciation. It is important for the big things, and for the little.

Little – like eating apples when it is snowing. What a luxury to eat a fresh, crispy apple with cold and sticky fingers covered in apple juice with snow on the ground.

Happy Thanksgiving – may your heart be full of gratitude and hands full of apples to enjoy when it is snowing. 

Heralding in the Season

The holiday season has started upon us, and has already been busy with wonderful visits, activities, and meals.  On this weekend of Thanksgiving, I have so enjoyed reading and hearing about the thankfulness of others.  Thanksgiving for me is a herald of the holiday season, an announcement of the anniversary celebrated in the days to come.  While this herald may conjure up images of turkeys and sweet potato casserole among many, I am actually quite content with a ham sandwich for my meal.  The food, though tasty, is not Thanksgiving.  This last Thanksgiving, just a few days past, is one where I paused and stood a moment; a split second to take in the sound of little feet running and trailing giggles, in-depth discussions over recipes, wonderfully tantalizing smells, and feel of many crowding into the heart of a home. 

Yes, I am thankful.  And, at this crazily busy time of year, I love to have this reminder and chance to participate as a society to pause and be thankful together.  Not to pretend our difficulties do not exist, but to at least momentarily be reminded to move through them holding the hopes that are bright, like the Christmas lights being put up.  Hope in the very faithfulness of God.  That gratitude refreshed on this long weekend, is not dependent upon a holiday.  But, I am thankful for the holidays as a sweet reminder of gratitude for God’s hope.

That gratitude was mixing yesterday with a sweet melancholy sentiment as I started to put up ornaments on the tree.  I love Christmas!  The lights, the music, my favorite smells of pine, and the very feeling of the clean chill air.  Carefully holding an ornament, choosing the perfect place on the tree, and placing it on the branch; it is placing little moments of memories of years’ past.  My heart, full of joy and thanksgiving is also slightly tugged on.  The memories of Christmas past, those who are loved and miles away, or have gone on to be with God, these dear people make up memories of layers of Christmas past.  Not as waves of sadness, but the delicate layers of sentiment and memory that leads my mind to jump from year to year and will be added to this year.

 This season has been officially brought in with praises, intentional thankfulness, and deep rooted memories that tug and bring up joy.  But, most of all the season has begun, the celebration of hope – eternal and human, a baby and a man, death and life – the season of the Nativity!

Blizzard

   I have been told that there was a blizzard the year I was born. But, as I was not actually born yet, I can’t say that I remember it. Yesterday, the snow started flying here with a strong wind blowing. Pretty little star shaped flakes that lightly landed on my coat in the morning suddenly became whipping little stingers of ice. The snow kept piling up around the front door.

   Snow was piling higher and higher around the front of the house, and it was a great deal of fun watching the dogs try and work their way through it. But, the majority of the time was not spent outside – it was spent warm and cozy inside. With a yellow lab curled up next to me, curled into the curve of the back of the couch and snoozing along quite happily. A wood stove put out a wonderful heat that seeks into you and warms in it’s wonderful unique way. A cinnamon and a pine candle provide a sweet smell to the room. If this is how blizzards go, I’m okay with it.
   As an aside – thanks to all of those who are not able to be at home or someplace warm during the blizzard because they are at work. Thank you to the emergency workers, the police officers, the power and water folks, the street cleaners, and all of the other workers that keep working even when we are in the middle of a blizzard.

Recognizing, Thanking, Remembering

   Yesterday, a tragedy occurred when in a time of terrible events Deputy Sheriff Hopper and Patrolman Blum were shot. Deputy Sheriff Hopper lost her life yesterday as someone acted in a truly monstrous way. These officers that go about their jobs of protecting us serve an often thankless role. We grumble when they stop us for speeding or lights that are out, complain when we are inconvenienced and moved away from a dangerous area or to the edge of the road when they drive through. We run away from the gunfire, from the accident scenes, and the fires. The vast majority of us have never been into the war zone of either military scenes or of domestic ones.

   So in honor of Deputy Sheriff Hopper who gave up her life yesterday and Patrolman Blum who was wounded – thank you. Thank you for your work. Thank you for keeping our homes, streets, and cities safer. Thank you for donning the responsibility of your at times distasteful tasks, the fireman’s mask, the medic’s kit. Thank you for hands that become dirty with sweat, blood, frustration, and tears. We do not often stop to thank you, to recognize your actions.

Thank you.