Whiter Than Snow

The recent snowstorms have created a wonderful blanket of clean white snow in the valleys, through the woodlands to the mountain tops. Everything looks so much different than the brown colors of November; creation glistens with God's splendor. I enjoy the snow as it piles up on all the tree limbs and fence posts. I grew up in Iowa and that rarely occurred in the windy country.



This is a great time to take the family out for sledding, cross country skiing or snow shoeing. The exercise will help burn off the extra calories we consume this time of year. Our dog loves the snow and likes to roll in it to make dog angels. Most of her tennis balls are lost until spring thaw.



Psalm 51 tells of God willingness to make us whiter than snow. It tells us about his compassion for us and that He can cleanse us from all our sin. God is a loving Father ! The psalm goes on to say that we need to pray for a clean heart and ask God to renew a steadfast spirit in us. This Christmas would be a great time to ask God for renewal of spirit; after all he sent his gift of love for everyone 2000 years ago.

Go to Matthew or Luke and read the Christmas story. It is a story of God's love for all of us. My prayer is for people to realize how much God loves them. Remember, Jesus is a relationship not a religion. Merry Christmas!

Winter Visitors

This time of year our property is a sanctuary to hundreds of birds. Each morning I put out a gallon of sunflower seeds and a large container of regular bird seed. By late afternoon all the feeding stations are empty. We also have suet in two locations. Our regular visitors are house finches, chickadees, gold finches, juncos, flickers, starlings, morning doves, stellar jays, pine siskins , and downy woodpeckers. Each year the dove population seems to grow. This year we have at least thirty. Several fox squirrels also call our property their home. Deer wander through at night to see if there are any seeds left for them. Once the snow gets deep I will feed the deer some grain to keep them off the railroad tracks.

The stellar jays are one of my favorite birds as they are so beautiful . God made the blues so vivid and striking on this bird and instilled a boldness in the jay that matches it's colors. Our jays have grown accustom of me and often approach me very close. The other morning a chickadee flew down and briefly perched in the sunflower container as to tell me I was late at putting out their breakfast. It amazes me that something as small as a chickadee can survive in this cold climate . It seems so fragile yet adjusts very well to winter.

We have recorded over sixty five bird species on our property; each unique and created in a special way. People who think we were created by some cosmic accident or evolved from a single specie need to take a closer look how each bird is so different and wonderfully made. God not only created them; He cares for them. Matthew 6:26 says' "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. "

Then it says, " Are you not much more valuable than they?" Our Heavenly Father loves us more than anything yet we often do not show the love back to Him. He wants us to have a relationship with Him not a religion. You are part of His story, an old old story. You can not escape it. We all are born and all die. What we do between those times is our story. The one thing He wants us to do is seek Him. It is decision with eternal consequences; we will spend eternity with God or be separated from Him.

So who would you rather spend eternity with; God or Satan?