Living Anthem - How Beautiful the Cross

Infected With A Fever

Last week, I was infected with a fever of the worst kind to get in January.  It's the kind that hangs on for a long time, at least another couple months.  It starts to go away, but then a cold spell comes along, and it starts all over.  The only cure for this fever of mine is sunshine, warmth, and playing in the dirt.  I have a severe case of Spring fever, you see.

A few days ago, our winter wonderland thawed and Spring-like weather took over the area.  Until that time, I was dealing ok with winter, and actually enjoying the beauty in the white, fluffy snow.  Once the 50 degree weather hit and all the snow melted off my flowerbeds, my mind started to daydream about my garden, flowers, and warmth.  I quickly replaced thoughts of snowshoeing with thoughts of digging in the dirt.  However, since I have lived in the Northwest for 35 years now, my mind kept reminding me that it was only mid-January.  I did my best to quiet that voice, and pretend that Spring was just around the corner.  Well, yesterday the temps never rose above 25.  The sun was out, so it was beautiful, but very chilly.  Today we have received four inches of snow.  My Spring dreaming has been squashed.  I did buy some seeds yesterday while in the store.  I still need many more, but it's a start to my collect, as I hope for a much better growing season than last year.  I had a friend with me while I went shopping who thought I was crazy for buying seeds in January. He is only 19, so I explained that some seeds need to be started before too long, plus they were on sale, plus I have a huge case of cabin fever and want to plant!  He just shook his head and laughed at me.  As I look at the snow covered landscape today, I probably agree.  

I think we all need those type of dreams this time of year, as the weather goes from Winter to Spring, Winter to Spring, and messes with our minds.  Every time I drive by the local lumber yard, I look at the greenhouses, and wish they were a little cheaper, and came with a heating unit, so I could put one outside by back door.  It would be a nice cure to the Spring fever that has infected me this past week.  But, for now, I guess I will just keep looking at my seed catalogs and dreaming of my garden, fresh veggies, beautiful flowers, butterflies, warm sunshine.  If you, like me, are struggling with the fever, maybe these pictures will help.  

This Little Light of Mine

I have been out of town for a few days, so need to play a little catch up around here.  I will post later this week.  For now, I hope you enjoy this video, and that God touches your heart while you listen to it.  

More Winter Scenes

Our trek around the Coeur d'Alene area brought us to many beautiful sights.  We found icicles dancing over creeks, partially frozen waterfalls with beautiful sheets of ice draping over the top of the streaming water, trees draped in snow, still waters that gave off perfect reflections, wildlife, and stunning sunsets.  Everywhere we went, we saw God's artistic hand sweep across the landscape.  

Winter Along The Pend Oreille River

Winter Scenes along the Pend Oreille River

Name Change

Our Lord is a name changer. He changed Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel. He changed my name from broken to beautiful, weak to strong, condemned to exonerated. How has He changed your name?   ~Wendy Pope

I also think of things like from rejected to accepted, hopeless to filled with hope, unloved to loved, scared to trust anyone to trusting Him with my all, joyless to joy-filled, ungrateful to thankful, fearful to fearless, insecure to secure in who I am through Him, worthless to a treasure, sinner to forgiven, lowly to the child of a King.  

One other thing I think the Lord can change the most is taking someone from being religious to being in a relationship with Him, where rules and rituals are replaced with a friendship, a loving relationship with Jesus.  There is such a difference! One is based on love, the other is based on rules and often times, what one does wrong. Jesus wants us to just be with Him, to allow Him to be our Savior, and to change to be like Him because we love Him.  A relationship with Christ brings about that change because we love Him, because we want to be like Him in the way we live.  He summed up how we should live by telling us to love God, love others.  When we do this, all is fulfilled and complete.  

He wants to change our names.  What has He changed yours to be, or what do you want your name to be changed to?  Give it up to Jesus, and give Him thanks.