I toured this amazing barn and historic home last August. The landscape was brown and the old BARN was begging for a dance! Today we see the landscape covered in a mantle of January white and our tour takes us below the dance floor to a once busy milking shed built in 1911.
Raining. Snowing. Dripping down from our ceiling. Trash buckets placed to catch the wet.
It has begun. The epic storm forecasted for California has introduced itself last night with howling winds, fog, and now a steady rain. Winds are expected to reach 70+mph, waves at Newport beach 14 feet, up to 2 feet of snow in the mtns. Warnings and alerts are out to all areas at risk for flooding and mudslides. We came up to the mountains yesterday and the Stater Bros. Parking lot was packed with residents stocking up for the winter worst (or best, depending on your perspective!). For us, we pray that the wise will heed the warnings and be safe. And we, with grateful hearts, welcome God’s blessings with hopes that this is a glimpse that an end to our drought is in sight.
Its winter on the mountain. The view is better now that there are less leaves in the way. The lake level is a lot lower and foot traffic is down to just me and my husband. It is a time to bundle in warmer clothes.
It is a quiet time. It is a time to listen. Undistracted, my mind mind wanders and I am vulnerable to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Speak Lord for Your servant is listening. Am I the tree waiting to bud? Am I the lake needing a flood? You bring the seasons and make all things beautiful in their time. Thank You. Thank you.
We were blessed to be able to spend an early Christmas with our family in Colorado last week. Snow on the ground, clear skies, delightful surprises. The wild life provided lots of photo ops especially at Cabela’s sports shop! On a drive in the country we caught lounging buffalo, horses’s in their winter coats, wild turkeys, and tons of prairie dogs popping out of their dirt digs wagging their tails and shouting alerts. On the second day we went to an indoor arena and watched the kids exercise and practice soccer moves. Outside the arena golfers honed their driving skills. Then we went for snow play and boppa tossed frozen blocks of snow to the delight of our grand kids.
We came loaded with presents but the best gift of all was our precious time together. Our grand kids, ages 2,4 and 6, so delighted with their antics and sweet expressions of love. And our daughter and son-in-law touched us with their kindness and allowing us to share in their lives. In the end the truth remains that life, true living, is all about people. The people God places in our path to love and care for and receive love and care from. There were people God placed in our path on the flight up and on the flight back that needed God’s special touch and we were so grateful for the opportunity to enter into their times of sorrow and fear and be the ones to share God’s words of encouragement. I know Christmas is not a time of joy for everyone. It can be a time of sorrow, regret, fear, loss. Time flies so fast. Each day blurs into the next and the year too quickly gone leaving a sense of disappointment over unmet dreams, unfinished goals, loss of loved ones or broken relationships. Be of good cheer. There is hope that comes from the One Who said: Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may also be. (John 14:1-3). Only Jesus brings hope and promises to make everything new. I pray this Christmas you find the hope your heart is longing for!
So I’m sitting in my 
car stranded at the side of a slick, sloping, snow covered mountain road watching an episode of Chuck on my droid. Sweet. Can’t help with our mountain rental reno while my husband is out shopping for snow chains with a good Samaritan neighbor who offered to drive him to the store. Who would have thought it would snow when the prediction was only for light rain. With a forecasted temperature of 23 -32F. Right. Who knew? When the road turned white who knew? When the road became steep who would have thought! When we started to slide who would have guessed? Not me.-)
That’s our Good Sam’s house. So adorable. Nice view from my car. Glad I bought my heavy coat.
The town thermometer said 25 degrees farenheit this morning. The sky and the lake are crystal clear. The lake level has really dropped since our last visit. The air feels so clean and nippy. My hands are cold but never fear, my husband is very resourceful. :-). Perfect.
Can you see the lake weed?
It is gorgeous with the light shining on it through the water.
janjoy52 