Following the Breezes

December always flies by.  It’s full of festivities and gatherings and all the frenzy of preparation and anticipation.  Sometimes we get lost in all the busyness and before we know it, it’s over.  It’s such a mixture of planning and fun and exhaustion.  While it’s a great time of year, I’m grateful that it’s only one month because I couldn’t keep up this pace year ‘round. 

December is like the bright light in a long, cold, dark time of year.  I confess to ticking off the days till they start getting longer and spring is just around the corner.  I have a really tough time with January.  I know it’s a mindset, but I feel like it lasts forever.  In my mind, it’s twice as long as all the other months. Christmas has come and gone, all the lights and decorations have been put into storage, and there’s very little brightness and festivity in January. 

There is a word for what January is like for me.  The term that best describes it is called “doldrums”.  The technical definition is “a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or depression.”  The most common use is as a nautical term that refers to the belt around the Earth near the equator where sailing ships sometimes get stuck on windless waters.  When I picture a sailboat just sitting on the ocean not making progress toward its destination, that’s what January always feels like to me. There’s a lot of waiting for the wind to change.  The days tend to be gray, we have very few hours of natural light, and it’s usually very cold.  For me, it’s difficult to feel upbeat and motivated.

I’m determined this year to take a different approach to January. It’s the first time in over 20 years that I’m not leaving the house to go to work.  I won’t have to bundle or wait for my car to thaw. I’m going to tackle some projects, focus on learning new things, set aside lots of time reading and writing, and be intentional about spending time with people who bring joy and laughter into my life.   I’m going to compile a list of “to-dos” so I have options each day to keep moving and making progress.  A sailboat with wind in my sails! 

I have no idea what 2022 will look like.  2020 and 2021 were quite challenging in many ways and I have a feeling we’re not out of the woods yet with all that’s going on in the world.  But I choose not to focus on all the hard things and remember that there are things to be positive about in every day.  The future is out of my control, but how I approach life and respond to what happens can make a difference.  My resolution for this new year is “Be Present, Be Generous, Be Faithful, Be Focused.”   May each of you experience the breezes to keep your ship sailing smoothly in 2022.  Happy New Year! 

A Year in Photos 2021

A fun hobby that I am trying to grow and develop is taking nature photos.  To recap my year, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites from our adventures in 2021.  The locations included Washington Wine Country: Oregon Coast: Pend O'Rielle River, Washington: Abundance Farm in Green Bluff, Washington: Little Spokane River: and our own back yard.   Hope to have the chance to learn and share even more in 2022!  If you click on the first photo, it will take you to a slide show of all the photos posted.  Hope you enjoy.  

Christmas Hope

December 2021 has been a roller coaster ride for me; definitely a season of highs and lows.  We’ve had some great times with family and friends which is a refreshing change over last year’s Christmas season.  We also lost a friend far sooner than we should have.  This month has been a reminder that life is a series of happy/sad, good/bad, exhilarating/challenging. 

Today, on Christmas Eve, I’m feeling a bit melancholy just trying to sort the extremes of emotions.  One minute I’m rejoicing and the next sorrowing.  This life we live is not one we can prepare for or depend upon to deliver any sort of continuity.  As the saying goes, “Life is what happens when you are busy making plans.”  I’m a planner.  I want some semblance of understanding of what’s coming around the next corner.  I want to have some idea of what’s on the way so I can prepare to deal with whatever happens in the best way possible.  But what I’ve come to learn is that we have be ready for the unexpected.  And when it comes we need to allow the waves of uncertainty to carry us as we ride them to the safe shore. 

The last couple of years have had a lot of uncertainty for all of us.  We’ve had a lot of decisions to make for ourselves that we did not see coming.  It doesn’t look like 2022 will have much more sense of security.  A lot of things we relied upon and thought we knew have been shaken.  There are still so many questions about what may be next. 

But a long time ago, a very unprepared young couple were required to travel from safe shelter and home at an inconvenient time.  They showed up in a place that had no room for them.  There were no AAA or Hotels.com.  There was no birth plan.  There was no hospital.  There wasn’t even a decent place to stay.  But they managed because they trusted.  God provided.  He knew the plan even though they didn’t have a clue. 

This Christmas, accept that we don’t know what the next year will look like.  But have certainty that there is a plan even if we don’t know it.  And trust that you will have what you need to navigate rough seas or smooth.  Focus on what you can do for those around you to encourage, assist, come alongside.  If your sights are set on helping, you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way, knowing that you will have the help you need when you need it. 

Christmas blessings, friends!  Remember that even a baby born to a completely ill-prepared young couple grew up to change the world.  The humble become great.  The lowly become exalted.  Don’t ever think you can’t be used to make a difference in a world that needs hope.  Be hope. 

Photo credit - "Star of Bethlehem" painting by Mr Caution

Ode to Winter Solstice

In our part of the world, the shortest day of the year is upon us, better known as the longest night of the year.  December 21^st is the day that the sun takes its lowest and shortest path across the northern hemisphere.  Here in Eastern Washington we get a whopping seven hours of daylight.  It’s the day that we officially usher in winter, although in our neck of the woods, the weather has made us feel that winter rudely stepped out of line and pushed aside autumn a few weeks ago. 

For the past six months we have watched the sun slowly sink lower into the sky and our daylight continually shrink.  Because of the earth’s tilt, those of us in more northern latitudes experience a greater shift in amounts of daylight between summer and winter.  The natural light in a day increases or decreases depending on the time of year, about a minute per day.

I may have mentioned ad nauseam that the hardest thing for me about winter is the darkness that sets in like a soul-sucking dementor.  It does a number on my usually optimistic mindset and makes me want to hibernate till spring.  I’m that person who nightly lights a collection of candles trying to create a sense of brightness, even if it’s false one.  But I’m trying very hard to look for the good in every day, and there is good to be found even on the shortest day of the year. 

Winter solstice is the day that flips a switch, even if it’s a dimmer switch.  It’s the signal we’re now slowly beginning to climb out of the darkest time of year and our descent into darkness reverses.   A sunny day in the winter months can feel lighter and brighter than a warm summer day.  It’s renewing and rejuvenating and hopeful.  Another good thing is that I’m awake to witness sunrise AND sunset as they splash those lovely pastels along the horizon.

So here’s my ode to winter solstice.  It means that brighter days are ahead, even if they take some time to get here.  Spring still seems far off, so embracing the tiny progress toward it is the best path to take.  The days will inch slowly closer to those first blades of green grass and the crocuses poking through the barren ground. We can look forward to the migrating birds returning and adding to the feeling of enthusiasm for life in the great outdoors.  We’re reminded that as spring approaches as it always does, there will be that feeling of anticipation and lightheartedness once again.  Were it not for winter, we would not appreciate the newness of spring.  Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves that tomorrow is one minute lighter and winter will eventually give way to spring in this amazing cycle of seasons that we get to witness.  In the meantime, it’s ok to light an extra candle or two.

Snow Days

The weather prognosticators predict a very snowy winter for a lot of us here in the Pacific Northwest.  When people think of Washington State, they often assume that we all get a lot of gray and rain.  That is true for the more western, coastal part of our state.  Here in Eastern Washington, we have higher elevations and some years all that moisture comes in the form of snow. 

Supposedly we are experiencing a “La Niña” winter.  La Niña means “little girl” in Spanish and is the opposite of “El Niño” (“little boy”).  I have no idea how that name relates because this weather phenomenon is no small thing for those of us in the northwest.  In a “La Niña” winter, trade winds are stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia.  Off the west coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing colder water to the surface of the ocean.  These cold waters in the Pacific push the jet stream northward. This tends to lead to drought in the southern U.S., and heavy rains and flooding to the Pacific Northwest and Canada.  In a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the south and cooler than normal in the north.  It can also result in a more dramatic hurricane season.

Apparently the weather people got it right because we’ve all seen footage of the massive flooding in northwest Washington and the west coast of Canada in recent months.  For us in the higher elevations, we can likely expect to get a lot of snow.  Snow and cold have never been my favorite.  It makes bundling necessary and means navigating messy roads – neither are things I enjoy.  And while shoveling is a great workout, it does lose its charm fairly quickly when it’s required day after day. 

But my favorite thing about snow is how it makes everything seem slower and quieter.  It’s like a giant white blanket that covers all the brown and gray landscape that comes in late fall.  It buffers all the noise like sound proofing materials. It’s like a “hush” comes over the area. People drive slower (well, smart people do) and tend to stay home more.  It seems like a peaceful pause that one can’t help but appreciate. 

As much as I am a devoted summer girl, there’s not much more beautiful than a sunny day where snow is hanging on all the branches of the trees and bushes.  It’s especially bright as the rays of sun bounce off of the clean, white snow.  It feels refreshing and renewing somehow.  We had one of those stellar days here yesterday.  The sky was a vibrant shade of blue and the sun played through the trees and made the white blanket even brighter.

 Today it’s dumping giant flakes once again.  More snow is predicted in the days ahead.  At some point this will require us digging out to go where we need to go for the holidays.  But for today, I’m watching the snow fall steadily and hearing the muffled sounds of life moving on at a slower pace.  I plan to spend the day wrapping gifts, listening to my favorite Christmas tunes, and probably drinking more coffee than I should.  Everyone needs a snow day now and then.  Even if it’s summer where you are, I hope you can have a “snow day” soon.  Take the opportunity to slow down, get quiet and appreciate the pause.  Your inner self will thank you! 

Weather map courtesy of WRGB News.

These Three Remain: Faith, Hope and Love

Sometimes while you’re going on about the day-to-day routine of your life, something happens that absolutely knocks the wind out of you.  I’ve had my fair share of those moments.  They come when you least expect them.  They come when life is ticking along and you’re in a good place and feeling like things are easy.  We take those times for granted until something unthinkable and unexpected smacks us in the face. 

This week we lost an amazing young friend to a disease that we are being told has around a 98% survival rate.  It’s good that most everyone survives, until you are the one that doesn’t.  Suddenly all the statistics don’t matter.  All the politics around the disease seem insignificant.  Those of us who knew him are still in shock that a healthy 33-year-old husband and father could be taken out in such a cruel way.  Many of you may know someone or love someone who were also part of the less than 2%.  When it happens to someone close, it suddenly becomes all too real. 

This is not a commentary on Covid, or mandates, or masking, or vaccines, or drug protocols.  I would much rather share about this family that I care deeply about and how hard this is and how brave his wife is being and how even when the worst thing you can imagine happens, there is hope.  Life will not be the same for this family, but they are strong in faith and God will carry them and they will be surrounded by family and friends and even people they don’t know who will want to help and offer comfort. 

I’d much prefer to be writing a fun, feel-good story, but a story of life that includes heartache and deep pain can remind us that there is much good and light and hope in this world.  In the worst of times we see the best in people.  We get overwhelmed in the news by all the bad things that people do and have to look much harder to hear of the goodness and kindness that’s all around us.  What I hear this young man’s family saying is that those who cared for him in the hospital were so compassionate and kind.  I hear them say that so many have prayed for them, supported them and offered to help in multiple ways.  I hear that they have faith that he is in heaven and they take comfort in his ultimate healing. 

Our hearts are broken.  But I know this young man well enough to know that he would want to share a message of hope because of his confidence that came through his faith in Jesus.  I know his wife well enough to know that she is praising God despite her broken heart.  And I know God well enough to know that His love, mercy and compassion are unchanging even when…..especially when life gets really hard. 

Keeping Christmas Simple

We didn’t have extravagant Christmases while I was growing up on the ranch in Montana.  There was always lots of work to do and we didn’t live where shopping was easy.  Amazon would have been a life saver!  As I think back on those Christmases now, I remember them as simple, but joyful and sweet.

Our Christmas trees were chosen and cut by a local logger and let’s just say he didn’t always have an eye for perfection.  We had lots of Charlie Brown trees.  I think they were exchanged for cream and butter from our milk cow.  But we always managed to have fun putting the ornaments on and the finishing touch was the real tin icicle tinsel.  My mom always told us girls to put it on a couple of strands at a time, but after about 10 minutes, silver clumps began to emerge as my sisters and I ran out of patience. 

Our gifts didn’t come in giant boxes via UPS.  One year I remember getting a used bike that my dad had repainted in copper and silver.  I think it really was my sister’s, but everything got handed down eventually.  I still remember getting a Flintstones sticker book and thinking it was the best gift ever.  One year my middle sister and I got matching stuffed bears.  Mine was brown and hers was turquoise.  Deep down I coveted that turquoise one, but no one complained about that sort of thing in our household. 

I only had one living Grandma and she came for Christmas and brought each family member a box of homemade candies that she spent hours making every December.  I always ate the English Toffee first and the Divinity last. I don’t remember ever feeling deprived and Christmas managed to feel magical every year.  It was more about a baby in a manger and spending time with family than all the flurry of activity that Christmas seems to have these days. 

I thought a lot about those simpler Christmases in December of 2020.  I was isolated with Covid for ten days and we were being told not to have gatherings and many stores were closed.  I had hours and hours and days and days of time alone and had to give up many of the usual Cone Christmas traditions.  There was disappointment…..and a lot of frenzied online shopping.  But what I came to discover once again was the magic of a simple Christmas.  We didn’t have places to be and parties to attend because all of that was cancelled.  And once again it became all about the baby in the manger and celebrating with just family.  I spent a lot of time writing and reflecting.  There was lots of time to light some candles, turn on Christmas music, and enjoy the lights on the tree while snow was falling outside the windows.  Simple felt nice.  It was peaceful and somehow more meaningful. 

This year seems much more “back to normal” where we live.  We’re not restricted from gathering and shopping has returned even with limited supply chains.  We’ll be getting together with friends here and there and Christmas Day will be a happy chaos of kids and grandkids.  But I think I’ll carve out some time to be peaceful and reflective.  Simple may be the best kind of Christmas after all. 

Last December I wrote this poem and as I reflected on it recently, it reminded me of what was good about our Covid Christmas of 2020.  I hope you all find ways to keep Christmas simpler in 2021.  You might even find it to be the best gift of all. 

Christmas 2020

 Winter’s frozen blanket of white

brings hush to the world’s incessant noise. 

It sends us seeking shelter,

reveling in the quiet and calm.

Lights split the darkness,

warmth perceived from the glow.

Souls long for this solace,

but seldom make space for it. 

December has become frenzy

that bypasses opportunity for reflection.

Global circumstance has halted

the busyness that has become habit.

Choice is to fight the forced deceleration

or embrace the opportunity for rest. 

I choose rest.

 “All is calm.  All is bright.”

Photo credits:  Charlie Brown Christmas - Charles Shultz, Keep Christmas Simple card  - Hallmark

The Day That Will Live in Infamy

I’m a bit of a World War II history buff.  I think I relate to it because it was in my parents’ time.  My dad was rejected by the military due to a heart murmur and a bad knee.  But I have visited Pearl Harbor and read so many books about both the European fronts as well as the Pacific.  My goal is to one day visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.  It was an atrocity that should never, ever be repeated.  I know some choose to believe it never happened.  They are wrong. 

My visit to Pearl Harbor was sobering.  If you’re not aware, the memorial in Honolulu sits atop the USS Arizona which was sunk in a surprise attack by Japanese Zero planes on Sunday, December 7, 1941.  To stand above the Arizona and watch the seeping oil bubbles rise to the surface and think about all the bodies of sailors entombed below made it all too real for me. 

So today is Pearl Harbor Day here in the States.  It’s a day that we choose to remember this somber day in history that turned the tide for the US entering the world war.  If you’ve never read the book “Unbroken”, the story of Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini by Laura Hillenbrand, even if you are not into the history of that time frame, you will find it inspiring. Louis gave up his running career to engage in the war and was captured by the Japanese after his plane went down in the Pacific.  It’s one of those books that you cannot put down or ever forget.  I’ve also read a number of books about the death camps and the survivors.  I’m reading one right now. 

The reason I choose to post today is because this is the “day that will live in infamy”.  It changed everything.  It’s a time in history that has prompted so many difficult stories, but also inspiring ones.  I choose to remember and pay homage.  Our world is a complex place.  Ideologies and politics and desires for power play a huge role in what happens in any time frame.  I would hope that we have learned something from the last world war.  And I pray that we don’t know a war of that magnitude ever again.  To all those who still have stories to tell, I am listening.  God be with us all.  

My Grown-up Christmas List

All the Christmas decorations and Christmas music have come out of storage and will make my heart happy until sometime after the first of the year.  Christmas is the gift that helps me get through the first dark weeks of late fall/early winter.  With all the added lights and cheery tunes, December flies by and we pass the shortest day of the year practically unnoticed.   I love everything about Christmas, from the sacred to the frivolous.  I love the story of the nativity and I can embrace St. Nick.  I love the lights and sounds and gifts and gatherings.  But I know that Christmas can be less than celebratory for people going through hard times or those who are experiencing loss.  

One of my favorite Christmas songs is one David Foster wrote and that Amy Grant made famous.  It still gets me every time. 

Grown-up Christmas List

Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies
Well I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child but my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas list
Not for myself but for a world in need

As children we believe
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely wrapped beneath the tree
But Heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a hurting human soul

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end,
This is my grown up Christmas list.

As we race through December and the Christmas season, my wish is that each of you would know peace and love and joy this year.  I wish for you all to know that it’s not about all the fluff, but a humble beginning and those gathered there.  It’s about love and light and hope.  May you feel that more deeply than ever before.  May “Joy to the World” be very real for you this Christmas.