Visions & Verses

First Snow

     

As soon as God speaks, the earth obeys.  He covers the ground with snow like a blanket of wool, and he scatters frost like ashes on the ground.  ~Psalm 147:15-17

The Baltimore area got its first snow this past Friday.  Baltimore is not known for snow or winter sports.  That's because, sitting on the Mason-Dixon line, we are bounded by mountains to the west which usually block all that 'lake effect' snow, dropping it all over Pittsburgh instead.  Well, on Friday, the mountains failed to stop it, and we ended up with snow in November.  It started as light flurries (photo 1) which was nice for the kids.  But suddenly the wind whipped up and we had near white-out conditions for about a half an hour (photo 2) leaving behind enough snow to confuse humans and pets alike (photo 3).  The thing to remember is that a couple of weeks ago we had temperatures in the 70s.  I hadn't even gotten my winter sweaters out yet.  There's still a dusting of snow even now.

No matter where you come out on the man-made vs. natural cycle global warming debate, the fact remains that nature and its weather are awesome.  Awesome because it is a clear demonstration of God's awesome power.  Weather and those natural wonders do tend to turn a human's thoughts toward the spiritual.  So much poetry and music inspired by weather....even the unbelievers can sense the Divine hand in it.  My favorite psalms are the ones that describe how the whole earth is designed and controlled by God (ie:104 and 147).

So, if God can bring snow to Baltimore in mid-November, He certainly can resolve financial crises, family strife, medical concerns, and all manner of fears and worries that we bring to Him.  And I am truly, truly thankful for that!  The burden of worry and fear would be way too big if I didn't cast my cares on Jesus.

Another Contest

 

This decorative ceramic display tile could be yours -- just click on 'NOVEMBER GIVEAWAY' to your upper left on my blog page, or click here: http://jenjahromi.typepad.com/visionsverses/april-contest-giveaway.html for all the details.

But the main thing is to sign up at www.visionsandverses.com.  I will draw from all the active newsletter subscribers on December 1, 2008!  Good luck!

Knit Together

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~Colossians 2:2-3

I did this illustration for my Mom and Aunt who truly excel in the needle arts.  Mom is an expert cross stitcher, knitter and crocheter; while Aunt Ruth is a seamstress extraordinaire and and has won blue ribbons for her tatting and bobbin lace.  My talents lie only in the pencil and pen, and depending on your assessment of this illustration, perhaps in the brush also.

I'm feeling a little like the wind has been knocked out of my sails lately.  I want to write to encourage you, but I find I need a little myself.  I long ago learned that you cannot depend on others to make you happy, or even to treat you as you would treat them.  Still, I'm one of those people who really need extra doses of encouragement in order to press on and encourage others.  The reaction of my Mom and Aunt to this illustration, for instance, was quite lack-luster.  Friends and others usually gush or are at least impressed by my cards, but I got nuttin' from them on this one.  I think they commented that the actual dresses were definitely not red.  I suppose it shouldn't matter to me -- I mean art is subjective, I just put it out there.  Still, it gnawed at me in a sore spot of familial disappointments that I try to ignore.  You can't pick your family, and of course, they had their issues with dysfunctional childhoods, and I have long since forgiven them for any hurts they caused, but then why does it still bother me?  My personal response has been to make a conscious effort to be interested people and to encourage and compliment them sincerely.  I really try to do this with my husband and kids, especially.  Climbing out of the societal pit of cynicism and negativity is really challenging though.  And lately I've been wallowing there a little.  And although I can't quite see the sun rising on the horizon, I know there's a world of light and hope and encouragement out there.

It's a funny thing to me how as Christians we're caught between our natural responses as worldly humans and our spiritual responses as spirit-filled beings not at home in this world.  I think Paul put it best in Romans 7:18-25:

For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

And so I'll continue to wallow for a little while longer.  I hope that I snap out of it by Thanksgiving, because that is truly one of my favorite holidays.  Even if not, I'll be sincerely grateful for all the blessings that I have, and even for the tough times and situations because they remind me that I can't do anything without God.