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A lesson from a leaf

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Autumn did not disappoint this year! The splendor enchanted me daily. We have a beautiful state park here that boasts over 1 million visitors each year because the leaves simply take your breath away! But its more than just their ever changing colors. A friend of mine simply can not get enough of crunchy leaves under her feet! To be honest, her joy might be even more delightful than the crunch of the leaves themselves. Have you ever just sat down and watched leaves fall? We seem to understand the magic of a gentle snowfall, so why not enjoy the leaves as well? I have a mini cooper convertible that not only allows me to marvel at the tree tops but also collects samples of leaves for me to enjoy even after the sun has gone to bed. What a gift! Did you know that each leaf is a living solar panel that can actually nourish the tree by changing sunlight into food? Just stop and think about that friend. Each leaf is born a new in the spring, spends the summer making miracles fr...
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Hummingbirds

Did you hear that? It really causes you to stop and look for the biggest bumble bee in the world when you first hear a hummingbird. I have watched my fear of being stung by Mothra turn into shear delight that I am near a hummingbird. We have several feeders outside our windows and every visit feels like a personal gift dispatched directly from the heart of God. A hummingbird will always stop me and hold my attention. Why? Maybe it is the science? Hummingbirds are one of the very few birds that can fly in place because their wings actually create a figure 8 pattern which is very unique and allows them to hover. Clever design feature for an important pollinator. Maybe it is the splashes of color? We have many of the emerald throated hummingbirds in our area. When the light hits it just right they sparkle in the sun as they flit here and there. Maybe it is the dance within the community? Often there is only one gift at the feeder but when a few arrive together, the danc...
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Yellow

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Morning by morning the yellow grows. First the daffodils began to wink. Then moments of forsythia find life while I sleep, as if God paints the pallette of my yard only in my slumber. Soon the purple tulips will bring their harmony to the song of yellow. The joy of spring awakening my soul tastes sweet. I am caught up in the romance of my creator. My God knows me. He loves me. He showers me with more flowers every day. He delights in singing life over the sleepy landscape of winter. I delight in watching the colors emerge, listening to the songs of birds gently arouse me and for light to woo a smile from my lips as I open my eyes each morning. When I let the world become quiet, the feast of spring smells so delicious. Will I partake? Or will I be distracted by the lesser things of this world? It is my choice. Everyday. This day, I will choose my God who romances me like no other on a scale unattainable by any other. I simply can't help but smile and perhaps blush a...
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Daybreak

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Daybreak. The Dawn. Sunrise. If I do the math, I have had the opportunity to see over 20,000 sunrises. So why does it still enchant me everyday as if something new is happening just for me? The sun rises over the entire world every single day. How many of us actually experience it? I took this picture this morning from by bathroom window. It is glorious! Exploding hues of red are attempting to break into the clouds who only wish to bring snow to our chilly landscape. An hour later the sun can still not be seen, but light is everywhere and the night vanquished. Another day. So how does something that has happened 20,000 times still thrill me? In fact it thrills me more now than when I was young. Endless variables + slowness of life = the chance for wonder I think that is the math I would like to do for the rest of my days. Math that assumes God is wooing me, he is crazy about me and he likes to show off a bit! (Perhaps a lot!) This explosion of red hues lasted less tha...
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The Dancing Flames

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There are many things I love about my cabin in this small town, but my fireplace might be at the top of the list in the winter. (The windows are number one in the summer.) After the joy of chopping the wood comes the cozy gift of burning the wood. It simply offers a cornacopia of sensory ecstasy for me! It begins with the smoke that permeates the room and my clothes and hangs in the air for days to come. Each element added to the fire changes the texture of the fragrance slightly. I enjoy burning all the useless mail that finds its way into my mailbox. Perhaps it is worth something! But each piece of paper, or empty cereal box and new log invites another layer to an already full bouquet. Next, the flames start to dance. I honestly have no better description than dancing. It mesmerizies me. I am content to gaze upon them for hours as they consume the wood. The dance changes endlessly and I can hear music in movements to match the ferocity of the flame or the throbbing of the emb...
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How many sparrows can you count in this picture? (answer at the bottom) Growing up my father waged an epic battle with the squirrels to keep them out of his bird feeders. To this day, the battle rages on and I am not sure who is winning the war. We have several videos of squirrels performing death defying acts to get to the bird feeders, only to fail, bounce on the ground and try again. If you are looking for a working definition of perseverance, it would be a video about squirrels and food. And it would amaze you! But I have chosen not to carry my father's torch and have attempted to make peace with the squirrels. I have an entire trough of corn and sunflower seeds set out for them. It has been very effective at keeping them out of my feeders. But like many good ideas it has come with unintended consequences. It has also attracted the sparrow hoards! (and an occassional raccoon family) Most people would be negative about the marauding gangs of sparrows taking over a...
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A Cry in the Wind

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I really love to chop wood. It's one of those activities that rises to the top of my to do list when the weather is just right. Not too cold, not to hot, but rather a sunny day with a light breeze. In the winter that means a sunny 45 degree day! Perfect! The joy of the hard labor resonates with my soul and the simplicity of the work makes me appreciate a simpler time when it was not a luxury to chop wood, but rather a matter of life and death. But then the sky came alive as the cry pierced me. The cry of a hawk is so powerful! When we talk about the voice of birds, we call it their song or sound, but a hawk sends out a piercing cry that demands our attention. The higher predator has arrived! I put down my ax and searched the skies. "There they are!" Both of them. A sunny day creates a radiating heat from the earth. These two marvelous creatures treated it like their playground as they circled high above my head. So directly above me that I almost fell over t...
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