Nehemiah 8:11-12
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

I don't quite know how this verse would apply to life today. But one thing I do draw from this snippet of truth. The people were grieving and the priests (Levites) told them to celebrate with great joy because of what they had come to understand.
So in the wake of my Granny's death, I can celebrate because I know that she has been clothed with life. She did not experience the sting of death. Praise Jesus!

Enjoy these pictures of celebration.
cel·e·bra·tion Pronunciation[sel-uh-brey-shuhn] –noun
1. an act of celebrating.
2. the festivities engaged in to celebrate something.
[Origin: 1520–30; < L celebrātiōn- (s. of celebrātiō) big assembly.]
No·el [noh-el for 1, 2; noh-uhl, nohl for 3] –noun
1. the Christmas season; yuletide.
2. (lowercase) a Christmas song or carol.
3. a male given name.
[Origin: 1805–15; < F ≪ L nātālis (diés) birthday; see natal]

In Texas I think we really learn to appreciate the additional beauty that ice can bring to a winter scene. Because I don't see it outside much, I let hobby lobby supply my icy berries.


Since I was a child I looked forward to the day the Christmas lights went up. Today was the day!


This poinsettia is complements of my mommy. It is so nice to share an interest in flowers with my mom.

I pray the beginning of your Christmas season will be filled with a grace that only the presence of the Lord can bring.

Be blessed.

This is the Greek word that means to transform. It is clearly the root from which we derive our English word metamorphosis which describes what happens to a caterpillar that changes into a butterfly. What previously inched along the ground in mud and dirt, now soars heavenward in freedom of flight.
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To be perfectly honest, I think I will be processing the past three days for quite a long time. I like to keep my words simple and short. My brevity is not meant to lighten the intensity of what has happened.

On Thanksgiving I learned that I was accepted to Texas Women's DPT program for next August. My momma cried.

The next day, I learned that my Granny would not live much longer. We rushed to San Marcos. I spent some time holding her hand. I was able to tell her I was going to be a physical therapist and she was happy for me. She said, 'Lindsay, you are going to help so many people. So many people.' After a strange and unsettled night we all told Granny Dot goodbye for the last time.

You never know how you will feel in a situation like this. I do know that being there was a gift. I have no fears for her. You know, she is rejoicing. Just like that little caterpillar couldn't wait to get its wings, I know that she is elated as Jesus Christ has given her new clothes of immortality. Her broken earthly body is no longer needed as her heavenly body will be her new home. Death has been swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor 15:42-58)


And from this I learn that there is no other way I want to live in my own earthly body except to honor the one I will serve in love for all of my days. But this is difficult. Even last night as I was feeling the heaviness of what had happened, I turned to food for comfort just as some might turn to alcohol. I hate that I struggle with such an ugly sin, but I do. However, I can be renewed in this life. Just as my Granny Dot has been renewed. I was deeply encouraged today by my online bible study. I was reminded of this truth
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:18

Everything is changing.
I will be given wings.
His grace is sufficient.
His power will be perfected in our weakness.

To offer a very simple analogy, we often learn things about our own identity through trials--or trial and error. This scarf is my very first attempt to knit with the basic stitches of lace-making. It has taught me something about my identity as a knitter. I still love knitting even when the process gets more difficult. To make very simplistic connection, God has used various trials with His people over the centuries to create and deepen their identity. Beginning in 70 AD when Nero conquered Israel, the Jewish people were scattered to the four winds. This scattering is termed the Diaspora. For 1800 years the Jews were able to hold onto their culture even though they did not possess a homeland. God chose to preserve the Jewish people's identity through their oral tradition, written tradition and the rituals designed to express and celebrate these traditions.

There have been thousands of communities spread throughout the world preserving the Jewish traditions for all of our recorded history. Here is one brief description by Chaim Potok depicting the life of a Jew in the 1300s.

Some of the German cities built walls around their Jewish quarters. Many of the ghettos were in large cities and had wide streets. Often ghettos were narrow and sunless sections of ancient towns...It was not a gloomy world. There were joyous weddings and parties. The Jews took special delight in Sabbath strolls. On festivals they would walk to a nearby river; the children would watch the fish and the play of sunlight on the water, the men would chat or discuss serious matters of Torah, the women would laugh among themselves and gossip...They cared for the poor and the sick and the dying with an elaborate array of voluntary organizations and charity funds. They collected funds for the Holy Land. It was an autonomous community with its own courts and communal leaders.

The Jewish people retained a vibrant community life even in the midst of very harsh struggles. Sometimes I think that when things get difficult, my life is ending, but history tells quite a different story. Many of the most beautiful works of art are born in the midst of bitter sorrow and oppression. I encourage you no matter what your life circumstances are today to give your heart some simple avenue of expression. Listen to some good music, have a small dinner at your home to celebrate a small occasion, get out those crayola markers and go to town. Join in the tradition of God's people to thrive in opposition and find joy in hardships. Enjoy your life.

Texas is a place where the glorious summer days and the beauty of fall can coexist. This picture shows the last vestiges of my summer zinnias and the fall mums. For a little while they can live together in harmony.
With the crisp fall air coming into play, I'm enjoying my lost hobby of running again. I ventured to the San Marcos Outlet Mall on Tuesday and found what I think might be the best pair of running shoes I have ever stomped my feet in. As an old friend used to say...'look, I got new scoots.'
My hands have also been really energetic lately! I am really pleased with how my simple scarf turned out. I also enjoy the fact that I finished a creative project! I've been in a rut these past few years of starting but not finishing. So consider yourself privileged to see a finished Lindsay creation.

I also enjoy painting on most anything. My friend Abby Gail and I decided we needed permanent grocery bags so we could save on trash. We found a hefty canvas bag and now I have to remember to tote it to the grocery store.

P.S. I'm still thinking about my heritage as God's child. That post will come later.

Teen abolitionist Zach Hunter, author of Be the Change: Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World , has been featured on CNN for the work he's doing to end slavery. Now he has the opportunity to appear on a prime-time special where he'll have the chance to tell millions about modern day slavery. He needs your votes to be featured as the CNN Hero in the category of young people making a difference. There's a cash prize involved which Zach would like to use toward the aftercare and education of rescued child slaves. Vote now for Zach Hunter at www.cnn.com/heroes and please share this link with others. Voting ends Monday, November 12th at noon.

In the next couple of days I'm going to share what I've been learning about identity. The thought process was stirred Sunday through a talk about Jewish history. Then all week little things have been reminding me of my heritage as a child of God and I'm eager to share my discoveries.

Here's a quote from a book called Symbols of Judaism I looked through this morning:

"Crippled identity and lameness continually remind us to escape the urge to classify, to enclose beings and things in the prison of names and words. Crippled identity maintains in man a constant questioning of identity so that he remembers that man "makes himself from unmaking himself," that the state of being constitutes the state of being "over there"--"somewhere in the unfinished."
-Marc-Alain Ouaknin