Happy New Year

To all my friends, both near and far, 

Happy New Year. 

May This year,2018,be filled with love, peace and joy.

To start things off right,I thought I would take you back in time and share a few more of Jake's pictures. There is no better way to spend a cold day than to look back at some of the old pictures and especially those taken during warmer days.

Usually we sing the song Count Your Blessings during the Thanksgiving season, but I think the new year would be a good time to stop and count our blessings.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Tulips in our garden, many years ago.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

 Wild Aster,in some local ditch.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings—money cannot buy 

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

 Lady Slippers growing in the wild.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

 Wild flower covered meadow.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

*Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

More Tulips from our garden.

All photo credits go to Jake Hiebert

Closing Thought:

Step into the New Year with confidence, knowing that God is in full control.

Snowy Scenes of Long Ago

As we approach the end of another year, the thing to do

 it seems, is to look back over the year and review some highlights.Well,I am looking back as well, but not just 12 months,I'm going back years, maybe as many as 50 years.

In this post,I am sharing pictures captured by my Hubby,long before he had that title.These pictures may well be around 50 years old, but the beauty remains the same, it is timeless.

Since I did not take these pictures,I cannot say exactly where they were made.I do know that all of them were captured in rural southern Manitoba.

This is a favourite of mine.I love the blue sky and the hoar frost on the trees.The tracks in the foreground are made by cross country skiers.

This looks like it is at Lake Minniwasta. Once again the trees have frost on them and that adds to the beauty.

A heavy fog is shrouding the distant view, but helps to bring the fence into focus.

Southern Manitobas has a lot of flat land, but we do have some small hills.This is from one of those hills, looking down onto the farmland.

This picture is not as old as the others.This is Steve, as a young boy, playing on the snowdrifts on our yard.

Closing Thought:

"Without change life is not possible. Breath itself is a constant exchange of air, without which we would die. The temptation is to resist change out of anxiety that we will lose our identity. Instead, what we need to do is breathe—opening ourselves intentionally to wonder, curiosity, playfulness, creativity, and hope."

Christmas Wishes

It's that special time of the year when greetings of Merry Christmas ring through the air.I want to join in that chorus and send special wishes to all my friends, both those I see often and those who I have not met yet.

I'm adding a few wintery pictures for your enjoyment.This first one is a macro of water droplets on the window. Just one of those fun shots, taken for no special reason.

A fresh layer of snow and a visit to Lake Minniwasta,resulted in this scene. This was several weeks ago and, although we had snow, the lake was not frozen over yet.

The sky has a different look in winter, but I do like the clouds here.

Both this picture and the next, convey a feeling of cold.The snow covered prairie landscape can have a rather forlorn look in winter.

From the bottom of my heart,I wish for each of you a Blessed Christmas and a time to make wonderful memories with your family and friends.

Closing Thought:

As we celebrate Christmas may we all remember the reason for this special day,The Birth of Jesus Christ.

The Love Chapter

There is a chapter in the Bible,often referred to as the love chapter.That is 1Corinthians 13.

I have added verses 1-7 of that chapter to this post.One slight difference from what you will read in the Bible,is the addition of the name Christ,instead of just saying love.

See what you think of this way of reading these verses.I do not wish to change Scripture,but I do think that may be an appropriate way of helping us to understand this portion.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, 

but have not Christ’s love, 

I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal .

This is frost on the edge of the bird bath 

And though I have the gift of prophecy, 

and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, 

but have not Christ’s love, 

I am nothing. 

Blue Jay waiting to get some peanuts. 

Christ’s Love is patient and is kind; 

Christ’s love does not envy; 

Christ’s love does not parade itself, Christ’s Love is not puffed up; 

 Bald Eagle in flight.

Christ’s Love does not behave rudely, 

Christ’s Love does not seek its own, Christ’s Love is not provoked, 

Christ’s Love thinks no evil; 

Sitting on the field with two Magpies. 

Christ’s love does not rejoice in iniquity, but 

Christ’s Love rejoices in the truth; 

 Hutterite friends going for a Sunday afternoon walk.

Christ’s Love bears all things, 

Christ’s Love believes all things, 

Columbine in my garden

Christ’s Love hopes all things, 

Christ’s Love endures all things. 

Christ’s Love never fails. 

Winter Scenes and More

As I sit in my cozy living room,the wind outside is howling.If we had a layer of snow, we would be in blizzard conditions, but as it is, it's just very windy.

Today I share some pictures that depict a typical Manitoba winter. The fields are covered with a layer of snow, some of it whipped into unique shapes.

I sometimes pull over the car and just look out over the snowy landscape and marvel at the distinct shapes I see in the snow.

This picture, in particular, shows the sharp edges of some of the drifts.I think it's beautiful.

Perhaps I should have had these pictures first, but I didn't. Before the real cold of winter set in the birds flock together and head south.This was taken at  or near sunset.

Lake Minniwasta is now frozen over, but when I took this picture a few weeks ago, the water was still open. If you look carefully, you can see some snow among the trees on the far side.

Now,for those who don't like winter,I add a single flower picture. Quite obviously a spring shot.The Tulips are in full bloom.

Closing Thought:

Maybe this day is not one of your favourites, but 

Never forget that every  day you wake up is an 

    Amazing gift and it’s up to  you to make it count.