Shout for Joy, O Barren One

/ Theodore Roosevelt National Park/
Shout for Joy, O Barren One

Regularly, I spend time at dinner tables that are not my own and vacation with people who love me.  A couple of years ago, I traveled across country with my friend Grace and her five boys.  Now, I am again blessed to travel across country, this time with my niece and nephew.  I relish every minute that God has given me to love and be loved!  It is wonderful to be present when children experience new things and are introduced to landscapes they have never seen before.  

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Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market) in Nürnberg, Germany

/ Christkindlesmarkt/
Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market) in Nürnberg, Germany

There is plenty to see at the Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Markets) in Nuremberg, Germany.  Handmade ornaments, all sorts of gifts and treats.  Everything is intricately decorated.  There are carolers and musicians playing classic hymns.  It is a delight.  Though I had never experienced anything like the Christkindlesmarkt, a warm nostalgia swept over me. 

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Sandhill Cranes, a Gift to Savor

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Sandhill Cranes, a Gift to Savor

Sandhill Cranes have become some what common place to me, as have Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles.  Once upon a time, not that long ago, it was a celebrated moment to witness one of these rare birds.  Be careful not to take for granted the gifts that we have.  It is important to relish the simple things that happen often.  Daily news reports remind us that life is fragile and precarious.  It is a blessing to be given beautiful gifts.  Even small ones.  Take great care to not squander any good thing.

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Montana, More than just a Destination

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Montana, More than just a Destination

Montana beckons you in deeper and you gingerly place your toes past the last boundary you set.  Each time you learn a little more about what you didn’t know, thought you knew, who you really are, what you’re meant to be.  Montana is uncomfortable.

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Good for the Goose

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a friend called me.  He had been bird watching in an infrequented area.  While there, he observed that a live goose was caught in a muskrat trap.  The season for trapping muskrats ended over a month ago.  It was unlikely that a trapper would be by to take responsibility for this animal.  So, my conscientious friend tried to reach the goose in order to set it free.  However, the goose eluded him. 

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