Snow

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People who don't live here in Vermont are often thankful they do not have to experience winter like we do here. But they just don't understand what they are missing out on. The beauty of a snow-covered green mountains and evergreen trees with white snow caps. The landscape is covered for winter in a soft white blanket of snow. Yes there are down falls to living in Vermont. Shorter days longer night, frozen pipes and noses. But for me the true Vermonter I love it! The first snow is always the best.

I love the way the snow glitters in the light. It reminds me of Diamonds that reflect the sunlight into rainbows that dance in the air. It is beyond me to understand how anyone could live in a place like this during winter and not believe in God the creator of all things. Each sparkling snowflake is truly unique drifting, felling, gently landing to earth to remind us of Gods love for us. Just as each snowflake was designed with care and thought. Coming in a variety of sizes and shapes not one alike so are we. ?

If God cares enough about the design of millions and millions of snowflakes that melt in your hand within seconds how much more does he care for me? Just as every snowflake is unique, every person is unique because God created them in his image. God has a plan for your life something he designed you for. He loves you so much that before you were formed in your mothers womb he had great plans for set in stone. Snowflakes are good for more than just snowshoeing and making snow­men and snowball fights. They have an important job to do. In the winter, snow acts like a blanket which protects the roots of plants and crops that will come up in the spring.Vermonters hate winters without snow. Just like God has a purpose for each snowflake that falls so does he for you. Do you know what He wants for you?

Beans View today outside her front door

Loss

Loss,grief and Hope three words that have been in my Spirit over the past few weeks.

Loss is something we all feel at some point in our lives. We lose something that is precious to us,
and we are left with a feeling of sadness. Friends,Family even a precious earthly treasures we all hold each one dear.

Loss of any kind can be hard to bear

Grief is the feeling that a part of you has gone missing. Like limb has been ripped off from your body. You don't know what to say or do. Grief comes in different forms for everyone.

Stages of grief comes in different time frames for everyone but we all have to go Thur the same feelings.


SHOCK & DENIAL-Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. Denial helps us deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain.


PAIN & GUILT-As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. feelings or remorse over things you did or didn't do with your loved one will leave some full of overwhelming guilt.


ANGER :Frustration that you can not change what has happen gives way to anger


DEPRESSION: you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you.
Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you.


Breathing Again: As you begin to adjust to life without the one you loss.Your "depression" begins to lift slightly. You can breath again


REBUILDING-As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking real solutions to problems posed by life without your loved one.

ACCEPTANCE & HOPE:Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. But you will find a way forward. but Hope is one thing I long to see in times of grief. Sadly this is one stage not everyone can go Thur the same way.


I am sadden by how people suffer loss with no hope in the end. There is a certain loneliness that can never be filled. Ultimately the condition of Life and Death is one that can be only be filled with the Spirit of God. A Friend of mine often uses this pharse "We all have a God size hole in our hearts."Grief and loss cause us to feel that hole more then other times in life. Those of us who have our hearts full of his spirit have hope. Those who do not sadly are left without hope.

Beans view today Glad for my hope sad for those who don't share in the same

Psalm 31:24 (New Century Version)
24 All you who put your hope in the Lord be strong and brave.

I will not be Silent

Heard this pharse today that I fell head over heels for.

I will not be Silent about that Silent Night!

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. Our Church foucsed on the symbols of Christmas and how we tell the story of Advent to others. I wanted to take this post and talk about this Advent Season. Adevnt (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian Churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. I find it fitting that we often use the phrase "As bad as the Christmas itch" when Advent means coming. As a child I can remember standing in my Grandparents bathroom on Christmas morning waiting to go see what Santa had given me. I can even now remember the feeling of knowing something was coming..(Side note My Mom made us go to the bathroom before going out to see our gifts for fear we would pee ourselves. Oh wise mother) We spent most all of our Christmas's at my Grandparents house. My Grandfather loved to get us worked up before bed on Christmas eve. He would have us to the point we would lie in bed frozen in fear to move or Santa would not come if he knew we would awake. The feeling of something Coming.. Advent! What a wonderful feeling!
How Mary must have felt those 9 months she carried Jesus. Knowing that growing inside her was the Savoir the world had been waiting for! Advent! As the Christmas Itch grows in your house take the time to remember what it is that Christmas means. The time we remember when God came to the earth in the form of a little baby. As you go to get your Tree this year remember the promise in Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots."

Remember the As you see the lights on houses remember the star they shined in the sky to lead the Wisemen to where the Savoir laided. As you see Candy canes remember the Sheperds who watched their flocks at night as the Angels sang Glory to God in the highest!Don'twalkinSilence about that Silent night when God came to earth in the form of a man. As you think of what to your loved ones this season tell then about the greatest gift ever given! Jesus the reason for the season!

Beans view this Advent Season is I will not be Silent about that Silent Night our Savoir was born!
Luke 2:1-20.

Give and you will receive

The kids and I took a little field trip today. While Daddy went into the office to do paper work we made Granola and did school at church. Our Mercy Minstry (food and clothes to those in need) had a good chuck of rolled oats and chopped Walnuts come in. I was blessed with a gallon of fake maple syrup. Something the Vermonter blood in me rejects onces it hits my pancakes. But in true frugal manner I did not turn it down. One thing I don't mind using it in is cooking and baking. BUT only the real stuff (fancy grade if I had my giving) for pancakes! SOOOO now to my point~
We packed up to headed to church to make Granola for Mercy Minstry.



Why Granola you ask? I was thinking this week about how much rain we have had lately. We have been lucky to be now into the first week of Decemeber and only had a few flakes of snow. But not all Vermonters feel this way. Like one of our homeless men who comes in on Sundays noted how he could not wait for the snow to come.I had never thought about it but it does make since now that I do. Wet is never better then dry. You can't pack the rain around your tent all snug like you can snow. He went on to tell how snow keeps the heat in but rain just makes everything moldy and wet. YUCK~!

I have been thinking since then how thankful I am to have a warm dry house to live in. I wanted to do something for those that are not so lucky. So I made Granola. May seem silly but Granola is a great camping food. Keeps well and is yummy to boot.

In just a few hours the kids and I made Seven gallons of Granola.That most likley all went out tonight at food pantry at church. It felt good to know that someones tummy would be full because of our little effort. I write this not to toot my own horn but because I love how God works.. Noah my son ask me why we were going to make Granola? I told him why and that God would bless us for doing this but that our reason for doing it was to bless others in need. Little did I know God was already working on our blessing. I smile as I write that. God is SO good and goes beyond what we even think he will just so show himself off..

Now lets backtrack to nineoclock this morning, I am on the phone with my Mother telling her how I needed butter and was on my last pound. She said Ok Lord we need some heavy cream so we can make butter. I laughed and said Yes that would be just the right thing. Then I went on to tell her about my plan to go make Granola and how I hoped Mercy Minstry got more yogurt given like they had last week because it would go great with the Granola. I hung up and went on with the day. Fast forward I am at church on the phone with our head of Mercy Minstry to tell her how much and where I had left the Granola. She said Oh great and have your Husband come by I have a case of HEAVY CREAM and YOGURT for you! I just laughed! She then went on to say if you don't mind put the rest of the yogurt in the refrigerator at church to go out tonight with the Granola. I sat in the office chair laughing.. I said God you supply all my needs.. I have countless storys of his provision to me just this week.. Rather then tell you all of them I will just list the ones I can remember..



Free Bread

Free Dog food for me and enough free cat food to bless 3 other familes.

Free Heavy cream to make yummy Butter

Free Greek Yogurt(never had it any tips and recipes welcome)

Free Cereal

Free Mittens for myself and the kids

Free Diapers

Free Jeans and top for my Daughter

Free Ten dollar gift card

Free Leappad books (shhh to go with Kids Christmas gift)





Luke 6:38

Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.



Beans view is her lap running over with his blessings....

Update on Baby LaRue

Wanted to pass on the update i recived from LaRues Mommy Rachel

Thank you - we came home today, just g a minute to check the blog stuff. She is home on meds and has a long road ahead of her for a full recovery, at least that is what we are praying for. We have no idea what her future will hold - I just know that the week was filled with endless miracles of God's grace at this time.

To read more about Baby LaRue and updates visit her Mommys blog

http://weshallmountupwithwings.blogspot.com/

Bean loves when her view is Gods healing power being shown in his people!

Change of view

I could not sleep last night.. I laided in bed tossing and turning.... Looking out my bedroom window at the night sky. I kept thinking it looks like it could snow. The sky was all dark gloomly gray.
Maybe it is just me but I do my best thinking on nights like that.
Everyone else is in the house still... kinda of reminds me of the 'Twas the night before Christmas. When all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

I often lay in bed at night and do my best talking with God. I pray for family and friends.Give God my two cents on his plan and how I think it is going.( never works out well) Sometimes I almost think I can hear him laughing at my plans. As i chart then in detail out to him. He always brings me back to his word and I( most of the time) throw in the towel and stick with his plan. After all he has been doing this a lot longer then I.

Last night my thoughts were for a few friends who are hurting, lost and alone. I grived for them.Was angry at them for getting to the place in life they are. Then I charted out to God all the things he needed to do to fix them. And then in the darkness of my bedroom where the only thing that was stirring was my Spirit. God showed me something I did not want to see. I came to understand that to me they were broken, off the right path, but to them they were fine.

Can't fix what is not broken? God remined me that he won't fix them until they see their sin and ask for fixen. I am still not sure I like Gods plans. This week I have seen what happens when you lose hope and give up. You have no reason to live.

So for Now Beans view has changed not praying for them to be fixed but praying they will see their broken...

Please pray

A fellow blogger posted this and I wanted to share it......Thankshttp://newlifeonahomestead.com for letting my share this.

I feel led to post this prayer request because I would hope that if this was my child somebody would pray for us as well. I am asking that you please take a moment right now to say a prayer for our friend Rachel and her baby. She is a loyal reader, and comments often, so you guys may be familiar with her.
A few days ago her and her children were in a terrible car accident. A big semi truck plowed into them, and sent them tumbling down a bank. They were all hurt, but the one they are the most worried about is baby LaRue. She’s 6 weeks old. The accident left her with a really bad bump on her head. While in the hospital for observation she’s begun having seizures.
Please pray for this precious baby girl, that her recovery is swift and complete. My heart just goes out to Rachel. I can’t even imagine her panic. Please pray for Rachel, that she is given peace in knowing that the Lord is good, and He is there. Pray for the whole family, that they have strength through such an incredibly scary time, and for the injuries of everyone involved.
You can read the whole story, and see pic’s and updates at her blog: We Shall Mount Up With Wings. Please let her know that her family and baby LaRue are in your prayers. Let’s surround this beautiful mother with hope and encouragement.