Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• By the time I went to bed last night, nearly all the area schools had made the call to cancel today so I went to sleep without setting the alarm.
• I still woke up at my usual early weekday time but was tired enough that I went back to sleep.
• It didn’t seem that bad outside when I got up, but the snow kept coming all day and would have made transportation to and from school treacherous at either end of the day.
• Being responsible often means you have to make the difficult decisions that will likely be unpopular with some people regardless of what you decide.
• They say hindsight is 20/20, but leaders can’t base decisions on hindsight . . . they must consider as much information as possible to make an informed decision to the best of their ability.
• With the snow day it kind of felt like a Saturday but that will eventually catch up with me once I start dealing with the snow at work.
• I started the morning by writing yesterday’s page and then did some research on some vacation options for later in the year.
• My neighbors thought I wasn’t home and stopped by to clear my driveway.  It is good to have neighbors who look out for each other.
• By late afternoon, the snow had filled back in so I fired up my snowblower for round two on my driveway.  
• Working in the beauty of the great outdoors made me hungry so I started up the pellet grill to cook some steaks for dinner.  It can always be grilling season. 🙂
• It sounds like there will probably be a pause in the snow sometime tomorrow so I’ll try to get some rest before then so I can clear the walks at work in preparation for Sunday.
• Today’s photo is one I took yesterday before this current round of snow began.  The day of rest was nice today, but that meant I didn’t get out to take new photos. 🙂

Some thoughts, reflections, and/or lessons from the day:

• Page 39 was kind of the calm between the storms.  There was just a dusting of fresh snow overnight, so I didn’t have to spend much time outside to start the day.
• My morning cleaning routine included a few minor maintenance issues to have the building ready for the day.  It is much easier to take care of the issues when I catch them, or are made aware of them, while they are minor.
• Once the building was ready and the students arrived for the day, I put on my accounting hat and spent the morning working on the financial accounting and reporting that I’m responsible for.
• With the sun out most of the morning, I was somewhat surprised that the birds were not filling the trees outside my office window . . . but there was one rabbit hopping around in the snow.
• By early afternoon, the Friday forecast was not looking good so plans were discussed for the potential of cancelling school and church activities for the day.
• It was still mostly sunny by mid-afternoon, so we headed out on a family adventure to see what we could find to photograph.  Sometimes it is so easy to just get home and sit after a full day that the hardest part of finding photo opportunities is simply getting up and going.
• It was cloudy to the south, so we headed north with our first destination a search for a snowy owl.  We didn’t see one after a bit of driving in the area where it’s been known to hang out but had to call a time-out in the search to find a nearby town with a bathroom for Susan. 🙂
• It was starting to cloud up around us so instead of going further north we headed back to look for the owl.  I finally saw her sitting in a vineyard a long distance from the road.  The first picture in today’s page was the best I could do even with long-range zoom and cropping of the photo.  It was still fun to see and good to know she was still around.
• Sometimes we find what we’re looking for but it isn’t where we would like it so we have to simply choose to enjoy it where it is.
• The cloud cover seemed to have some cracks in it, so we headed west and south to Michigan City where we were able to photograph the lighthouse and beach front scenes with an early sunset look to them.
• On our drive, we were able to catch sight of a beautiful sundog shining brightly along one of the larger openings in the cloud cover.  This mini rainbow would grow and shrink depending on the amount of light that passed through the upper level moisture.
• God can turn even our cloudy rain/snow filled lives into something of beauty when we allow His light to shine through the moisture of our tears.
• After a walk along the beach and on the pier out to the lighthouse, we decided to take a longer route home in order to stop for dinner at a restaurant a friend co-owns.  They have great food and it is good to be able to help support this venture.
• As we were driving, I commented that there had been some snowy owls sightings reported about a mile north of the main road we were on.  It wasn’t long after saying this that I noticed one sitting on top of a telephone pole right along the road!
• After turning the truck around, we parked beside the pole and used the truck for a “hunting blind” as we got some good shots of this beautiful snowy owl.
• The second photo on today’s page is a collage of three photos taken of this owl in the twilight of the evening.  These owls are fun to watch and I think they may enjoy watching us. 🙂

Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• I woke up just before the alarm would have gone off and found out the schools were closed so I was able to go back to sleep for a while. 🙂
• To be up and ready and not be needed is often better than being needed and not being ready.
• Before heading to work I found out the school was having internet issues and nobody seemed to know the who and how of their network setup.  Unfortunately, I didn’t know the answer to either of those questions.
• My first task of the day at work was to take care of the snow.  There was no wind and the temperature was not bitterly cold so it was rather pleasant to be out clearing the walks.
• When I came inside to take a break I got pulled into the internet issues, so my next several hours were spent with my IT hat on.
• We eventually found a temporary workaround and I was able to find the source of the problem.  What I didn’t have was time to figure out why it was set up in the way it was and what all would be affected by dealing with the problem so we settled on the workaround until a more thorough evaluation could be made.
• Sometimes we see a problem and are so quick to “solve it” according to what helps us that we miss seeing how our “solution” may actually cause bigger problems elsewhere.
• I suppose that would be a good question for each of us to ask ourselves during the decision making process, “Does this course of action make things easier for others or more difficult . . . or does it honestly have no affect on others?”
• Even the most “big-picture” thinker we know will miss parts of the actual picture as the details can often seem unimportant to them.  But when the big picture person works in cooperation with the detail person, a lot can get accomplished.
• While there are situations that require immediate action, being able to have time to “think things through” helps me to have actions that are more productive.
• Eventually I made it back outside to finish the snow blowing that needed done.  The wind had picked up so it wasn’t quite as pleasant of a task as it had been in the morning, but it was still nice to see the bare sidewalks appear behind me.
• With a full day, today’s photo is one I took yesterday as we arrived at Lake Michigan and this flock of ducks took off from the water’s surface.  It seems that when one senses danger, the entire group takes off and relocates away from the perceived source of danger.  We would all do well to consider those around us rather than just looking out to protect our self.

Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• Another winter night and another early morning clearing snow from walks . . . and it sounds like this pattern is stuck on repeat for a while.  🙂
• It was so beautiful outside and my mind focused on a line from an old hymn, “Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”
• I think the thought that struck me the most this morning was that as beautiful as the fresh snow was, I can be even purer than it as I allow God to cleanse me.
• With the walks cleared, it was time to warm up with some coffee and turn my attention to the inside work that needed done.
• There was to be a funeral dinner at the church today, so once the usual cleaning and building prep was done I turned my attention to cleaning and setting up the cafeteria area so it would be ready.
• As I worked, my mind thought about the Growing Strong focus that the teaching part of Impact Prayer Ministry has.
• Most people realize that growing strong physically requires work on our part yet many seem surprised at the suggestion that growing strong spiritually will also require work.
• As I went about my various morning tasks, I prayed often for a family that was saying goodbye to a loved one today.
• By late afternoon I had finished up my work tasks for the day so I headed home to pick up my family so we could go out to see what we could find to photograph.
• Our first stop was to pick up my insulated overalls I had left at work as it sounds like I will need them again in the morning. 🙂
• We spent a little time looking for a snowy owl in the area where it has been seen frequently, but we were unable to find it.
• With no owl in sight, we headed to Lake Michigan to see what might be photo worthy there tonight.
• The cloud cover had mostly hidden the sun but the water was extraordinarily calm for Lake Michigan which made for some great reflection shots.
• When God says, “Be still and know that I am God”, I think that not only are we more aware of Him in our stillness, but we also are better able to reflect Him to others when we are still.
• Today’s photo is of the reflected sun and clouds as the sun dropped behind a gathering bank of clouds.

Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• With fresh snow overnight, I headed into work knowing I would have both inside and outside tasks to take care of before the start of the school day.
• There wasn’t a lot of accumulation of snow, so I once again thought I would use the snow shovel as it was the easiest tool to get.  It didn’t take long before I realized that a better job would be done if I would just make the effort to get the leaf blower out and use it.
• Sometimes the extra work to get the right tool for the job makes the entire process go better, and does a better job, than simply settling for what is convenient.
• Words are a lot like that.  It is often easier, but less effective, to use “pat answers” and empty words than it is to take the time to find the right words to say.
• It was cold outside, so once the walks were cleared I was very happy to get inside to a nice mug of hot coffee before starting the inside cleaning.
• There was an extra issue I had to take care of before I could start either the outside or inside work, so I didn’t have much time to warm up with my coffee before needing to get the cleaning and prep done.
• Sometimes the unplanned things of life become more urgent than the planned things and we just have to make the most of whatever time is available.
• Once the building was ready for the day I settled into my Monday morning time with God as we worked on the prayer guide for next week.
• With Valentine’s Day in the middle of next week, I thought I would do something focused on love and was surprised to discover that while I had previously written a prayer guide about our response to God’s love, I had not yet written one about the love we ought to have.
• So, the morning was spent in God’s Word and prayer as I looked at some of what scripture has to say about the love we ought to express.  I eventually narrowed down the six daily topics I needed and was able to write, format, and schedule the prayer guide to be published on Sunday.
• With the morning gone, I headed out to have lunch with a friend who needed some encouragement.
• After resting a little in the afternoon, I headed to a funeral visitation to offer our condolences to a family.  While there is sadness in saying goodbye, the family is well aware of the eternal reward their loved one has now received.
• Back home for a quiet evening, I sat down to write today’s page.  Snow is in the forecast again for the overnight hours, so I’ll try to head to bed early so I’m well rested for the day ahead.
• Today’s photo is one I took before leaving home this morning as the moon hung brightly in the crisp early morning sky.

Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• I was up early to take care of the overnight snow at work.
• Before I left the house, Susan woke up long enough to smile and tell me she felt better today.
• The snow wasn’t very deep so I thought I could run the snow shovel down the walks to clear them for the day.  The snow was wet and heavy so the shoveling was taking more work than I expected so I got out the snowblower and made easy work of the task.
• Once the walks were cleared and I had put down some ice melt, I headed to Dowagiac to preach at the North Wayne Mennonite Church.
• With the major roads typically a mess following a snow, I headed cross country as I rerouted my trip on secondary roads.
• With the warmer weather, the wet heavy snow flocked all the trees along my drive and created a beautiful winter scene.
• The sermon I shared this morning was about the desire of our heart that comes from delighting ourselves in the Lord.
• Here are the major points from the sermon:
  • The Direction of your heart — Our delight in the Lord ought to set the direction our heart takes.  When our heart’s direction lines up with the direction that leads to God, we find our delight in the Lord bears much fruit.
  • The Expressions of your heart — Jesus said that it is out of the overflow of our heart that the mouth speaks.  Our delight in the Lord gives us an expression of the heart that reveals Jesus to the people around us.
  • The Surrender of your heart — When we delight in the Lord we find that the surrender of our heart is a natural result.  God wants each of us to return to Him, but He wants us to do it with a surrendered heart that recognizes His authority over all things.
  • The Inclination of  your heart — Because God has formed each of us as unique people in His image, we find that the very inclinations of our heart are realized when we delight in the Lord.  While God has inclined our hearts toward a pursuit of Him, there are also individual inclinations that He puts within us so that together we can accomplish all that He has designed His body to do.
  • The Rejoicing of  your heart — When Paul writes to the Philippians with the command to rejoice always, he is making it clear that the rejoicing of the heart is a deliberate decision we must make.  Our delight in the Lord should fill us with a rejoicing of the heart because of God’s presence within us.
  • The Endurance of your heart — Life can be hard.  In fact, Jesus made it clear that in this world we would have trouble.  The good news is that He set the example for endurance of the heart as we read that “for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.”  As we delight in the Lord, we gain a perspective that is more eternal than temporary.  This view of the joy set before us ought to fill us with a faithfulness to God that helps us to endure to the end.
• After the church service I took a detour by Lake Michigan to see what I could find to photograph.  The forecast was for high winds but the frozen slush of the water around the lighthouse kept the waves from crashing over the piers and lighthouse.
• Today’s photo is of a wind created sand art composition that caught my eye on the beach.  The combination of sand, snow, and wind created a work of art that was continually changing.

Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• The written part of today’s page will likely be rather short even though the living part of it has been a long one.
• Sometimes circumstances happen which consume more time, energy, and focus than it would visibly appear that they should.
• After a long and productive Friday, today began sometime around 3 AM as I sat up with Susan through a seizure she was having.
• After we all got back to sleep, there was a repeat episode around 8 AM which got us all up and then a lengthier episode after lunch.
• In between all that, I wrote yesterday’s page and went through the photos I took yesterday.
• Other than that, it has been a rather lazy laid back day filled with rest and sermon refining.
• With fewer things to write about, or a mind too tired to let them come out, I’ll add a few extra photos from yesterday and let them contribute a few “thousand words”.

Some thoughts, lessons, and/or reflections from the day:

• After working both ends of the day, I’m writing this the next morning.  Sometimes it is easier to write while the day is fresh in my mind and other times it is more helpful to get some sleep first so my thoughts might be a little more coherent. 🙂
• It has snowed overnight, so the first task on my agenda at work was to clear the walks.  It was a light snow so I used the leaf blower which tends to be quicker but also leaves me looking like a snowman.
• While the coffee probably should have been my first task, it sure was good to make a fresh, hot mug of it when I came in from blowing snow.
• Sometimes things in life take longer because we don’t want to get any residue of that part of life on us.
• There are times we ought to be more careful about the things we do that leave their mark on us and there are times we should be more engaged in our efforts without worrying so much about what might get on us.  Seeking wisdom from God is often the only way to know which approach a particular situation needs.
• Our involvement in the messiness of life also depends on our preparation for it.  I could clear the walks in the manner I did because I was dressed appropriately for doing so.
• After warming up a bit with a mug of coffee, I turned my attention to the morning routine of prayer, cleaning, and building prep.
• When I teach about developing a lifestyle of prayer, routine is one of the things we talk about — the necessity of developing a routine that makes prayer in all situations a natural thing without it becoming an empty routine.
• The rest of my first shift was spent with writing and sermon prep.  If the desires of my heart are not changing as I grow in my relationship with God, something is wrong.
• Eventually the Friday afternoon activity in the building made me decide I needed a break, so I bundled up in all my snow-blowing gear and headed to the beach to take photos. 🙂
• I have seen photos throughout the week from the lakefront in St Joseph, Michigan of a snowy owl, so I went with hopes I could find it.
• I haven’t made it through the photos yet, but I think I have some good photos of the lighthouses and lake but no snowy owl there.
• After my fingers and nose were frozen, I gave up and headed home by way of an area where we have seen a snowy owl in the past.  No sightings in some of her usual areas but as I pulled up to the intersection to turn and leave the area, I looked up and she was sitting on the telephone pole directly in front of me!
• When out photographing, I don’t always find what I’m looking for but I don’t think I’ve ever returned without finding something to take a picture of.  
• After my snowy owl encounter, I headed back to work to begin the Friday evening cleaning and building prep for Sunday.
• Having an empty building to myself after dark can be somewhat peaceful . . . at least it could be if the building didn’t make so many sounds at night.  🙂
• I guess the random building noises keeps me focused on praying as I go about my tasks. 
• Today’s photo is of the snowy owl I found on top of the telephone pole.  The sun was rather low in the sky and she was facing me in a way that the sun reflected off of one eye while the other was in the shadows.  It made me think of how our life ought to sparkle with the reflection of Jesus when we live life facing Him.