Test Picture -- Fen's nephew!

Trying out the blogger post pictures function. Seems a LOT easier than "hello".
This is Fen's nephew, Spiderman.

Have a great New Year's!

Poetry

December Morning

The light is arriving
in this quiet Dark.
Invisible clouds are becoming
Pink.
Cotton candy puffs strewn
accross the sky.
Stark winter trees reach up.
Day has come.

Okay, this is way more detail that anyone wanted. -- But, I'm including this picture from an angle so you can see all the teeny-tiny felt pieces.
laura

In case you missed it, here is the Manger Longhorn. Yes, the longhorn was there, welcoming the birth of the Savior.
laura

Here's the advent nativity scene that I've made out of felt. It looks really flat here, because of the flash - but every piece is separate, and each color is a different piece of felt. We're doing it day by day and adding a new piece each day. We haven't actually gotten to the days for the wisemen or manger yet, but wanted to include everything I've made so far. Fun times!
laura

Hahahahahahahaha

Angels We Have Heard Are High

Yea!
Thanks, Going Jesus for putting the Merry in Merry Christmas.

Our christian-ish culture is sinking to new lows. Or perhaps has already sunk.

Look at those smiles!
laura

Honk.Honk. Look at Eli's face -- that captures the moment. Those geese were MEAN!
laura

Long overdue

I didn't post on my birthday or the following weekend.
Because I was having WAY too much fun with the Woods! All of 'em: Josh, Aimee, and Baby Shaun. Much food, much card playing, lots of talking. Good times.
And, Aimee and I almost got mauled by a gaggle of geese at the park. Don't worry -- we got pictures.

Thanks for coming up, guys.
It was a WONDERFUL surprise.

Love y'all.

Wohoo!

Did y'all notice? Diana posted!!

Probably had nothing to do with me, but I'm still going to take full credit.

Way to go, Diana.

Now, why don't you have comments, so that I could harass you on your own website?

Love you.
Laura

Calling All Dianas.....

Okay,
I'm putting out a "hit" on Diana.
Diana, Dirty, Nomad, you know who you are.
November has come and gone. It is time to blog again.

You'll see me other places.

Love, Laura

Peekaboo Fishy
laura

Peekaboo Fishy

Eliora and I play peekaboo
through the fishtank.

Bubbles float in front of her face.
Neon colored plastic plants wave
in and out of view.
We laugh.
She disappears,
Dodging to the right to peek
around the edge of the tank.
Then she's back,
face smooshed on the glass.

She toddles over to my end of the tank
and plants her nose on the glass.
Is the view better from here?
No.
"Its time to change sides."
She has told me in her oh-so-subtle
one year old way.

I go to the other end.
Peek, smile and laugh.
The game is like the bubbles:
Fleeting, luminous, perfect.

Advent Season

God, send forth your light and your truth. I wait for you this Advent. I'm waiting for the Savior.


Things aren't the way that I think they should be.

A friend who loves God and pastors and shepherds faithfully is in a situation that is going to feel desparate very quickly.
Another friend, a pastor from years ago is struggling to keep his head above the waters of depression and psychosis. His wife and children love and pray and wait.
And yet another friend, one who only recently believes Jesus, is faced with how to love her husband and friends with a new heart. Seems they prefer that she had the old, dying one. But she prays and perseveres.

I want to take up the banner of my brand of American Christianity. I want to tell God (and I have) that those who serve Him deserve to be safe. They deserve to have a minimum level of physical comfort, and they deserve at the very least to keep their sanity and personality.
Don't they?

Jesus never said that. He promised it'd be hard and He would be our peace. He said that He is our Light, our Way and our Door. He is our bread to eat.

God - today, I pray that you will give the kindgom to those that are poor in Spirit. I pray that You will comfort those who mourn. I pray that you will bequeath to the meek the whole earth.
Satisfy those who are hungry and thirsty for You. Show mercy; allow the pure to see you; and speak clearly to Your children.

Those are things that Jesus DID say. I pray my friends will know it today.