Ok…so I’m a baby when it comes to being cold! Brrr… Just the word makes me look for the nearest scarf and parka. Putting on six layers to go outside? – No problem. What if it’s really cold?! (Erik, eyes rolled and eternally patient: “Oh, my word!”) “Not to worry!” I say assuredly as I button and zip till I’m all tucked in. “Honey, will you hand me my purse and bookbag? I can’t move”! Seriously, what’s so funny is that the lowest we’ve seen the temperature is 7 below freezing. Just once. The rest of the time it’s been either ‘bone cold’ or ‘windy and freezing your beezer’ cold. My advice: Play it safe! Dress warm…pretend people won’t notice or hope you don’t run into anyone you know!
It’s a cold day when this little guy’s song gives you the words to sing along with him!
This little island of homes has a long footbridge for residence to walk over to the shopping district. They could almost walk on the ice – this water is on it’s way to become a near solid skating rink (at least for the ducks and birds)! Everything in Sweden this time of year is bathed in the most beautiful light from sun up to sun down. The angle and softness of the light rising and setting as it does this time of year is just perfect, perfect, perfect!
Swedes, the eternal optimists! January 15th is and has become TULIP DAY! It has come to pass that for whatever reason on this day (until the end of April) you share tulips with family and friends as everyone looks forward to the coming days of light and spring. Sweden buys a million tulips a day to generously give hope and share friendship through giving them. Amazing and yet, poignant and beautiful. The Swedish people love their country, their land, heritage, and traditions. And it shows so markedly in their aesthetic love for nature and the earth. Thank you, Berit, for your friendship, kindness, and the beautiful tulips you shared with us!
Cold…yes! But not to worry! It may be only a third of the way through winter but in every heart their is hope for Spring that is surely just around the corner!
“Open wide the heart of home
Where ere you hap’ to be.
Let in the Hope of all mankind…
Of all eternity.
Gaze out to see and call to thee
The blessings from afar
For all of those to whom you love
No matter where they are.
He comes invited bringing peace
And blessings to impart
In answer to your silent prayer
Because He knows your heart.”
…mith
Life is full of surprises! The kind we love and as well the kind that blind side us and stop us in our tracks. Interestingly, its one reason why we are here on earth…to experience trials, to make choices, and to learn where to find the deepest joy to share with those we love. There is nothing more constant in the universe than Jesus Christ and His Plan for the eternal welfare of the children of God. That means you. And that means me. In response to the questions of a sweet friend, let me share with you a few thoughts.
“If life would only let us look around every corner. That would sure fix the ever trying negative experiences and feelings that fear plummets us into. One might actually agree with this – after all, wouldn’t it be so much nicer and easier to take the path around things like fear, doubt, sadness, loss, by just avoiding these all together and be ‘safe’? But I will tell you why even though the answer ‘yes’ might come to mind…the truth is, that to avoid facing fear of the unknown makes it your master…and that’s not the purpose or reason we encounter opposition in this life.
Because of opposition, we instinctively seek ways out of the darkness to fortify ourselves against the hopelessness, asking ourselves, “Is there no other way?” The object of the exercise is to search for that ‘way’. You sense a need for hope and faith – something to make sense of life, somewhere to find answers, peace, a lighted path of understanding – truth above everything.
In life, one of the purposes we are here, is to seek the light of Christ because only He can safely guide us as we experience the trials of this earth life which are specifically designed for us. Have you not been guided by kindly being blessed to find Him at this time in your life? Find His compassion, love, and patient long suffering as He walks with you through your searching at your pace, one step at a time?
There will always be opposites in life. Just as there are things we need to learn to overcome, there is joy in overcoming, and learning what we are capable of doing and becoming. We learn joy by recognizing that our faith in Christ will never be in vain. That He keeps his promises, we can trust him, and that there is no other way but his. There is no other plan on the table except the deceit of evil.
As we go through some of our toughest times we learn by our experiences to brace ourselves against the winds. Before we came to earth we knew we would make mistakes as we navigated the road of right and wrong…good and evil…bitter and sweet…and despair.
Accepting the gift of the Savior’s eternal love for us (His death was payment for us to once again be free from all our mistakes/sins), allows us to be literally clean from the inside out and we become strengthened by our experiences…having faith to go forward and face our fears and not be overcome by them. It’s like watching the clouds of doubt pass overhead in the winds of heaven because you have taken His hand and will never let it go. He lives and loves you…I know, and I promise you the happiness you seek is yours ‘just around the corner’.”
