I look all around me and see piles.
The piles are not in my house.
The piles are outside.

Piles taller than my 5’10 frame.
Piles of snow.
Piles left by the snowplow; piles that are sure to be here until Easter time.

The last report I read said that our area has had 56″ of total snow accumulation.
This has been an incredibly snowy winter.
This has been an incredibly icy winter.

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I walked out of the store behind the mother and son.
He was just a toddler, sucking his thumb as he unenthusiastically followed his mom.
He was tired; they had been shopping for a while it seemed.
It takes a lot of energy to be good in a store.

It was my favorite store; the one with the bulls-eye logo.
The store that always has the big red balls in front by the curb.
This little boy was enjoying his thumb; he was not in any hurry.
Suddenly the automatic doors opened and he saw the big red ball.

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Pride is a terrible thing.
It seems so innocent but is so harmful to our well being and the well being of others.
Pride keeps people at arm’s length rather than draw them close.
Pride makes it difficult to connect the dots.

Remember those connect the dots puzzles?
You had to know your numbers or your letters in order to complete the picture.
You painstakingly began at the number one, or the letter “A” and drew a line to the next consecutive number or letter.

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I always had the idyllic picture in my mind of a rooster sitting on a fence post and crowing.
As soon as the sun is visible on the horizon, the rooster begins his song.
Many books and movies depict the rooster as the farmer’s alarm clock.
Not so with our neighborhood rooster.

The historic estate, whose beautiful acreage our neighborhood is built on, has a rooster.
Unlike the bucolic picture of the rooster crowing as the sun comes over the horizon, this rooster crows all day long.

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I stood at my spot on the Sound.
Clean water…only a hint of sea grass by the shoreline.
I could look down and see the fish below the surface.
I could look out and see the fish jumping in and out of the water.

A fisherman’s paradise to put food on his table.
Abundance of food for the seagulls and the other birds.

I looked out and saw something glistening in the sun.
Every bird seemed to see the same thing and flew towards it.
Every bird came up with nothing.

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(originally published March 26, 2012)

A splash of color caught my eye.
There were daisies with colorful petals, hearts, flowers, happy faces…
Arrows pointing to a message here, another message there.
I saw the word FRIENDS in large bubble letters.

Chalk pavement pictures drawn by two little girls down the street.

Since we have not had any rain, this masterpiece, drawn days ago, is as fresh as when the artists first imagined it.

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I have the privilege of serving in our church’s nursery.
What a blessing to take care of the children.
I am usually there during the first hour, when everyone else is in Sunday school.
There are always two people with the babies and two people with the “walkers”.

A new little boy was with us.
His family has just starting coming to our church.
He was so pleasant.
He had no problem transitioning; no problem with his parents leaving him with us.

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It is a winter wonderland right outside my door.
The first measurable snowfall.
It started to snow after the school buses left.
No two hours late…no early dismissal.

For those of us who are blessed to be home today…incredible beauty.
For those of us blessed to be home today…prayer for the safety of those we love.
That is when I like snow the best…when everyone is safe at home.

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One of my daughters is a second grade teacher.
She loves her children…loves to see them grow and blossom.
She prays for them.
They are not bodies in a desk…they are souls to be loved and nurtured.
They are all made in the image of God.

Since teachers have the summer off, there is a myriad of things that can be done.
Wonderful things to which you can volunteer your time.
Wonderful places to travel.

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