Winter's Day

There's something about being outside when it snows.

Will and I took a walk in the woods last evening while it was still snowing.  It was so quiet and peaceful... and inspiring.  As we walked Will quoted from "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" (Thanks, Natalie Kimbell), and we talked about the iPad commercial that we like so much and find so moving.  "...the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse."  But mostly we just looked around and watched the snow fall through the air... on our faces, on the trees, on the path.

Snow makes the woods look different.  It gives shape and definition to the lay of the land, to the shapes of the trees and bushes, which is not evident without its cover.

In some ways, it does the same for us, when we let it.

That's Entertainment!

Over the past few weeks Phil and I have had a chance to enjoy a lot of different types of entertainment. Let me begin with the most unusual event.

On January 14 we went to the Tivoli to see Shen Yun.  I had bought us all tickets for Christmas, and I thought we were going to be seeing Chinese acrobats.  I was mistaken.  This was an evening of Chinese classical dance.  But to our surprise, it was not a total disappointment.  The dancing was excellent, and the costumes and staging were amazing.  They projected the scenery onto a big wall at the back of the stage.  At different points in the performances, certain dancers would jump off the back of the stage and then would appear in animated form on the screen to fight a dragon or fly away or whatever.  I had never seen anything like it and it was very impressive.  My favorite part of the evening was the beginning of the second half of the show.  During the intermission they had filled the stage with fog.  When the curtains opened the screen showed sky and clouds as if we were above the clouds and out of the fog emerged beautiful women in pink portraying lotus flowers.  They had large fans with filmy pink material waving from them.  I can't do it justice to describe it, but it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen on stage.  The dancers were so graceful that their feet hardly made a sound on the floor as they moved about.  That made if a very peaceful and calming evening.

I promised my family I wouldn't do that to them again, that I would be more careful about what I buy them tickets to.  But in the end, none of us were sorry we had seen it.

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We went to see several movies:

Saving Mr. Banks:  This was such an entertaining movie.  I've always loved Mary Poppins, and seeing this peek into the making of the movie was a treat.  Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks are both excellent in their roles.  Make plans to see this one if you haven't already.

Nebraska:  This film is about a man who believes he has won a million dollars, and he is determined to go to Lincoln, Nebraska to collect his prize.  His son ends up taking him, and most of the film is about their road trip.  It is well done, although not all the characters are likeable.  Will Forte does a great job playing the son; his patience with his father (who was not a good man) is very admirable.  Lots of good lessons in this story.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty:  Although the cinematography is beautiful in this film, the story is weak.  Skip it.

We also rented...

Argo:  Last year's Best Picture winner at the Oscars.  Too much bad language for sure!  But it was interesting to watch this film about a part of history I remember from when it was happening.  And I was inspired once again by thoughts of the leadership it required to pull this off.  Jimmy Carter took a lot of criticism for not getting the other hostages out, but I admire the restraint he showed in not getting us involved in a war with Iran.

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Finally we went last weekend to the Foundry at the Chattanoogan Hotel.  We went to hear a group called Priscilla and Little Ricky.  We were invited by John and Fawnda who follow this band.  Their niece Ashley plays the violin with this group, and does an amazing job.  It was an enjoyable evening, and an unusual way for us to spend a Friday night.

Remember...

I just began another book by Philip Yancey.  He has to be one of my favorite writers mostly because he is so honest about his faith and the parts of the Christian life he struggles with.  I just finished a chapter he wrote about the book of Deuteronomy and he said that he would sum up the theme of the book in one word:  Remember.

Moses called upon the Israelites to remember how God had been with them in their passage from Egypt and in their trials in the wilderness.  He did this because it is in our nature to forget.

And so at the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one, I wanted to take time to remember what God has done in my life over the past year.

Last year started in a marvelous way...Will and I attended a conference called Passion in Atlanta.  I took so many wonderful ideas away from those days that I would put to use in many other events I was involved in last year.  It was a very profitable week.

I was invited to speak at several different events last year.  I led the women's retreat in February, spoke at a church in Indiana in April, and also got to speak at our ladies' bible conference in September.  All that was in addition to being able to speak many times at Camp of the Woods.  I loved all the opportunities, and I hope the new year brings more.  

The summer at Camp of the Woods was once again a tremendous blessing.  We have so many friends there now that are dear to our hearts, and spending time with them is always special.  I have become very attached to many of the campers, and it is so good to be able to reconnect with them and have another opportunity to teach them about Jesus.  I am also thankful for the leadership role I have been allowed to take on in this ministry.  It has been very fulfilling to be valued and embraced as a leader.

Personally, it has been a good year.  Will got his pilot's license and is continuing to pursue this career.  He is entering his last semester at UTC and will be student teaching.  He will be graduating in May, and we are all looking forward to that.  Brandon and Kathryn are expecting a baby in July, and Phil and I are very excited at the prospect of becoming grandparents.  I've heard it's wonderful!  My parents are doing well and such a blessing to have nearby, and I am so thankful for all that they mean to me. I got to spend lots of time (but never enough) with my sister Penny.  I will miss her when she moves off to Bulgaria in February.  Finally, our dear friend Ben got married, and we are so happy for him in this new chapter of his life.

God has been teaching me so much as I continue to help my aunt and uncle in Indiana with their needs.  This has been a very hard thing to do, but I am so thankful for all the ways it is helping shape my thoughts about life and growing older.  

God continues to be gracious and merciful to me in my life.  I have to include the words from Psalm 71:5-6 because they are so true for me: "For you are my hope, O Lord God, my confidence since I was young.  I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength; my praise shall be always of you."

I'll close with some words from Philip Yancey.  They also are very true, and make me thankful that I serve a God who also remembers.  I am very aware that I am one of the "dusty ones."

Dust, Hapiru, "the dusty ones," the old Egyptian slang word for the Hebrews--God remembers that we are dust.  As Moses taught so clearly, evil is unpreventable and punishment inevitable.  But we have a  God who consciously forgets our sins and consciously remembers our frailty.  We have a God who travels by our side, who tabernacles among us through the vast and dreadful wilderness.  We have a God of grace, who loves even the dusty ones--especially the dusty ones.