Here in the Midwest we ended 2023 with an unusually warm November and December. 2024 brought us an unusually cold winter. We experienced over a week of temperatures well below freezing. Cloudy, gray skies have also been a feature for far too many days. So, even thought this morning it was -1 degrees Fahrenheit, I was looking forward to trying to capture a sunrise at the Illinois River. Low clouds on the horizon blocked the sun, but I was more intrigued by the ice formations left on the trees from the receding winter river. Thanks for stopping buy. Hope it’s warmer where you are.
your grandchild’s giggle a warm smile from a stranger an embrace from the one you love you just want some things to last
a walk beside the sea the scent of falling leaves a comforting glance for your sorrow you just want some things not to go too fast
a melody that makes you cry someone saying i forgive you sweet vienna fingers with some coffee you just want some things to not slip into the past
a frigid cold morning sky whose design and colors takes your breath away couldn't think of a better way to start and end a day than losing myself in the beauty swimming in the artistry trying to take the whole sky in my arms you just want some things to stay you want some things to never go away coffee vienna fingers embracing the whole sky i just want some things to stay maybe never have to say goodbye
so what’s up cloudy winter day what have you got to say you remind me of me today a little chill a little gray the blues are above you somewhere high in the sky like the blues down inside me where i’m tired and i don’t want to try to pretend anymore that it’s sunny act like it’s all okay cloudy morning i hear what you’re trying to say
wait weep stay don’t keep it together just be feel don’t try to weather the weather rest pray chill gray stay connected to your Creator on this cloudy winter day
a frosty cold dawn a gray featureless sky feels just like me today there’s a frozen mist sprinkled on the ground it’s a monochrome morning a colorless song that sounds like me today so i guess i’ll take the Christmas tree down
Christmas carols echo in my living room the grandkids laughing wrapping paper tearing meals we were just sharing are now memories and there’s something sad in me at the end of 2023 so i guess i’ll take the Christmas tree down
a quiet end of the season a gentle closing of the year and for no particular reason a tear appears and it’s okay the past three sixty-five well… let’s just say it can be hard to be alive there have been days of good cheer sorrow and struggle too said a final good-bye to mom and then there are the fractures in the family feeling all the anxiety and those whispers of failure just rise amidst an endless ostinato of whys so i guess i’ll take the Christmas tree down
a plastic stained glass window with a little boy in prayer amber crystal beads a shiny red ball from Macy’s a tiny wooden christmas tree a three story ceramic house a quiet Christmas mouse glimmering shimmering sparkling dazzling all are put to rest almost done there’s just one the last ornament
it’s a smiling angel holding a star with colored gems for wings so there i stand with this angel in my hand i can almost hear it sing a song of grace a melody of peace a smiling angel in my hand helps me know i’m in His hand so i hum a tune i can’t remember which one but i remember the fractures and failures are held in His hand too all our fractures all our failures so grateful He holds them grateful He knows them thanks for listening i’m done taking the Christmas tree down
Just thought I would close out the year by posting some of my favorite images from 2023. I was hoping to whittle it down to 12, but this was the best I could do. :)
A heartfelt thanks to my WordPress family. Thanks for stopping by, and for your kind comments.
I hope 2024 is filled with enough laughter to get you through the sorrow, and enough hope to help you endure the storms. God bless you, and Happy New Year.
this Christmas may your soul shine as you take time to reflect on God above and love your family and see your story is from His hand of love
for you are here and His Light is near so lay those burdens down this tiny Child is here for you so put away the frowns and rest in His light rest in His peace rest in His joy may you be free and not anxious for you are precious for you are here and His Light is near for you are loved from above He came to be with you
as the winter fire sky gently carries the day away i allow my eyes to drink in the beauty and let the colors fill my mind
a glorious letting go a blazing surrendering to time are there moments in those colors memories in the winter fire sky
take a photo maybe this digital likeness will connect me to the weightless wonder and reflection deeper connection to the Artist’s dazzling affection for creation and all His children
winter fire sky thank you for your singular contribution to ease the longing it’s not a solution or absolution just a nudge a reminder that helps me remember that there is more than all our senses tell us the unseen real the shadows of glory an endless story is whispered in my heart as i say goodby to this winter fire sky
maybe it’s because the way things are i’m longing for what used to be maybe it’s because what used to be is why the way things are
maybe it’s because i’m remembering a world that was gentle and true maybe it’s because what’s gentle and true was forsaken and broken back then too
maybe it’s because we’re lost wandering souls that it seems faith is gone hope and love sailed away maybe it’s because we’ve wandered so far the light seems so dim we don’t know who we are
maybe we can turn and swim upstream awaken and see the Way maybe we can hear the Truth with our ears and Life can return to our poor restless souls let’s surrender right now all we think we know and find His rest and peace for only if we lose our lives in His love and light only then can we rise
pray with me that we will see the world we carry inside mended and healed by the Way the Truth the Life
we got a little brick house in Rockdale the one with the great big tree we know it’s not london or paris and not parsippany
but there’s a real nice park across the street where the slides go on for miles and the girls can climb and laugh on the swings right there in front of our little brick house the one with the great big tree
it’s not rome or breckenridge or schenectady it’s a home for the girls and for you and me here in Rockdale we’ll make memories in our little brick house the one with the great big tree
rutakintome pictures 
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