The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 30th- A few of my favorite things...
~An entrance that seems to let you know there is magic on the other side
~Shadows that form a large web
~Wind perfect of flying a kite

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 29th- A few of my favorite things...
~Building a magnetic crane with Thea and Lissie
~Playing Candyland on a giant beach towel
~The beginnings of the next great American Novel

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 28th- A few of my favorite things...
~Discovering the primroses have bloomed overnight
~A little writer's notebooks ready for new ideas for tomorrow
~A gift of a new map of New York...so big, like our state, it's hard to get into one picture

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 27th- A few of my favorite things...
~The shadow of an Easter bonnet in a little girlie's hand
~The view from Limeledge Rd that seemingly has no end over the Ontario Lowlands
~This day that reminds us that death is not the end

The Habit of Hope: The Blessing of Easter

The Story of Hope

We seem to know it well.

Jesus, whose birthday we remember at Christmas time, 

grew up to be a man.

He was crucified, 

taking on the sins of mankind.

And then He died.

An earthquake rocked Jerusalem, 

the Veil of the Temple was torn from the top to the bottom, 

then the sky grew dark suddenly mid-day.

Even the Centurion knew they had crucified the Son of God.

But that was not the end...

...because just as He promised...

on the third day a second earthquake rocked Jerusalem

The stone was rolled away,

 not so he could get out,

but so we...

could get in and see the empty tomb

and know He had risen just as He said!!!

Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, a verse seems to come to mind. 

Like a song in my spirit, it stays with me all day. 

Today was one of those days.

I stopped by the Veteran's Cemetery with my family on the way to church this morning. 

This was the first time the girls have been to the graveside of my grandparents.

This was the verse that came to me:

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."~~John 11:25

I can stand at Grandmother's grave and know she isn't there, nor my Grandfather, 

I can almost here the angel asking me

 "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" 

...they are spending this day with Him in his presence. 

This is the Hope of Easter!

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 26th- A few of my favorite things...
~Apple buds waiting for their proper time
~Viewing spring from the reading nook
~Being small enough to find small flowers hiding amongst the grass

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 25th- A few of my favorite things...
~The first daffodils that have opened in my garden
~Carrying on the love of hymns of this season with my aunt this evening
~Sharing with my girlies why this day is Good

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 24th- A few of my favorite things...
~Deep purplely-blue veins on a purplely-blue petal
~The symmetry in nature, finding triads
~The ruffly edges on crocus stigmata

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 23rd- A few of my favorite things...
~First of the daffodils taking there place on the garden stage
~Lilac trees warming up in the wings
~Watching a symphony of raindrops fall in time to the music of the rain

The Habit of Watching for Spring

Even after March 20th...

it can seem like spring will never come.

And then you notice...

~~~~~~~~

....crocuses poking up through the ground,...

...buds blossoming on the maple trees,...

...the grass just a bit more greener,...

...the color of sunshine is

poking up on marsh marigolds,...

...and a hellebore plant in all its splendor

...waiting for its...

...garden companions to answer...

"Who's ready for spring?"

The Irises bold reply, "We are!", with "hands" raised.

Spring has come!

The Habit of Thankfulness: A Few of My Favorite Things

Mar 22nd- A few of my favorite things...

~Gwynnie proudly showing me she followed the directions and built buildings on her own for the first time

~A tiny building inspector checking out the construction site

~Thea's custom built green plank road addition for ponies...a Lincoln Log equivalent of the yellow brick road perhaps?