Snow days and new places

It started falling softly and sweetly, dusting the earth with white, and in increasing fury the white fluf became a mass of wind and and a flood of flakes fell one upon the other is successive order far too quickly to count. 

           A new back yard 

It's a new landscape that meets my eyes, a new ground of possibilities, I stop and gaze in wonder at the beauty still so new. The first snowfall of any significance in a new home, surrounded by new walls and new roads. How odd when only 2short months ago I was surrounded by the familiar haunts, the yard of so many years where I had exhausted every subject to take pictures of. Strange when you can clearly see a place more accurately than where you find yourself now. I can imagine the yard, slopping to the right covered in snow, the paths blanketed equally the one large tree in the backyard covered with a dusting of powder from the direction of the wind, the spot where half the tree fell away from the massive trunk leaving an empty space wherein the sky stretches grey and dark. Not very pretty not very special except for feet that have tread the paths afforded by this place, the paths into the woods and following the railroad tracks only taken in my memory these days. Nostalgia has a way of hitting you when you leave a place you've occupied for so long. 

These days I've found myself saying how odd or very strange to myself when I seem to feel an emotion I'm not accustomed to, an emotion that is directly corolated with a place I so longed to leave. The human heart has stores yet undiscovered. 

It's nice to be cozy in a house, especially on days like today, when the wind whips wild and moans its low breath at anything that moves. What wild beauties yet not found by my eyes I can't wait to search out, the possibilities of a new place are endless, and exciting. Today I may be cooped up beside a heater forced to rove the wild tangles of my imagination, but soon, there won't be a place in this yard I'm not well aquatinted  with. Goodbyes are long but introductions are tedious, one place gone forever a face looking toward to newness undiscovered, for now ill manage to content myself with imagining what those discoveries might be.

What might you be doing on a day of the snows dear reader ? 

The heart of Thanksgiving

It feels as thought winter has indeed stopped to make a home here in my part of the world.
December had come, goodness me how that has happened, but I say that about all months that arrive so quickly, and lately it seems they all do.  Autumn is no more by the arrival of white, even if only a dusting serves as a reminder; every time I look out the window.
The colours of autumn have fallen long ago, another season nearly laid to rest.
At this time of year we celebrate thanksgiving, and indeed we have passed it by more than a week.

I had intended to write something, but....

With thanksgiving not so far behind. I wanted to write something that spoke of the holiday,
but more than that I wanted to write about the heart of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is more than just a day to share with those we love, that is indeed wonderful, but thankfulness is a heart condition, not just a holiday.

Thanksgiving
 is one of the most beautiful forms of praise, that I can think of, its not just I love you because you did this for me, or oh thanks for the favour. No gratefulness in much deeper than all that surface stuff, this gratefulness is a one way overcoming (I hardly know how to put it into words its so not a thing) That wells up inside your spirit and spills over into any words that suffice, and sometimes don't suffice, praising a Father who gives everything so fully for our redemption, and enjoyment.
Its that thing that brings tears to your eyes when your heart is so fill, so wondrously jammed with beautiful blessings, that you can hardly stand to keep it in. That's why tears flow when your family's gathered in one room together and the chatter is noisy and jolly and frivolous but that moment is so perfect so joyful that your heart sees a blessing and gratefulness like a tree grows larger and larger.

Its hard to practise Thankfulness when we are restricted in our hearts by the doubts, and crushed down by terrible circumstances. We can easily become hard when we focus of the don't haves rather than the magnificent beauties we do have in our lives.

Thankfulness
is a funny thing if practised consistently, it conditions your heart for growth, and removes the above mentioned states. When your heart is conditioned your in a position to walk in the path designed for you before the foundation of the world. Set by God for your enjoyment.
I believe that Thankfulness stem's more from having something you wanted, granted to you. That is just one tiny facet of gratefulness.
True Thankfulness is an acknowledgement of someone greater than you who has endued you with an ocean of love and mercies and unmitigated grace. To make your life so marvellous, so breathtaking. And Thankfulness is the way to get there to that place;
because your focus is on His HUGE Love that surrounds you and drops pleasures into your life without warning or being asked. (have you ever thought that God just likes to see you smile ?)

Its every moment of every day recognising how magnificent this life is, laden with blessings so colossal so glorious that we haven't even imagined it. Recognising that and expecting so fully to see them in faith, that we give an offering of thanks to our loving Father in the heavenly because he satisfies the longing heart.
   For He satisfies the longing soul,
 and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
    ( Psalm 107:9)
An attitude of Gratitude holds such power, and frees your mind. I feel that it puts you in a place that is cushioned with His love. Because you made yourself aware of his love every day that you live in a place that's unrealistically peaceful.
Gratefulness gets you so caught up in His Love that you fly over the bumps on the journey because you have let Him hide you in the cleft of the Rock, you have taken up your residence in His courts and found refuge under His pavilions.
The Word tells is to forget not all His benefits, I believe this is why.
In a way its a pare of rose coloured glasses from the Creator of the universe, see through a heart full of Gratitude for the undeserving displays of His love for you in your life.
Its a beautiful mindset.
With it you'll enjoy life in so many ways unrestricted.

Perhaps if I may, in the up coming year designate a book, with blank pages for the breathings of gratatude. Make a choice to look for them and recognise the blessings and where they come from. imagine a whole year spent like that. Its a three hundred and sixtyfive day treasure hunt. Indeed I do believe that I shall add this to my new year. How about you ?

Winter photography, and thankful heart

I opened my eyes on the morn to white flakes falling from the sky. My first reaction, as always is to admire the beauty.

Than my second is a desire to either capture that beauty in photographs, or to paint it into immortalized beauty. 

Unfortunately, the painting is out of the question, but I was able to snap a few photos. 

The creation our Heavenly father blessed us with never ceases to amaze me.

I am forever enthralled by he natural wonders that are there each and every season. 

If only we would open our busy eyes, and see them our days would be lighter, because out hearts would be thankful in a simple childlike way. 

I forgot to post a list of things I am thankful for. 

So I suppose theres nothing like the present, to do so. 

I am thankful for sweet family moments, the kind that seem hectic, and loud. 

For journals to scribble my tossed and sometimes turbulent 

Beauty that is unseen, unless one looks deeper than the outside

Snow I'm never going to be someone who dislikes snow

Writing time that seems to be opening more for me lately

The imagination that I am blessed with, it is a blessing even if sometimes it feels a curse

The word's of my Father 

My family of course, they make like un-boring 

Moments where he heart is just too full for words.

Theres so much more, but I will stop there. 

I hope your having a spectacular day dearest reader. 

Did you have snow today ? I would love to know. Also side note, are you a lover of snow or do you lament the white stuff. 

A thank you to all my blog friends

I just remembered I forgot to post that I won the Essence of Eve photo challenge, Spring. 

I'm very excited, this is the first photo challenge I have won. 

Thank you so much to all of my blog friends who voted for me.  

REMEMBERING SPRING FINALIST !

I am a finalist for the remembering spring photo challenge ! This is very exciting because this is my first time as a finalist in any contest.

This is the photo.

             

 
 I would be so pleased if you would vote for me, the "polls'' are open until the 29th,
so just click the button and vote for me or your favorite.
I'm hoping you are enjoying your day.

Remembering Spring Photo Challenge

I am entering the Essence Of Eve Photo Challenge, its Remembering Spring, ah yes spring that wonderful season that comes after winter and before summer. I wasn't sure I could enter but found these hidden away in my photobucket account. You can still enter until the twentieth of october if you are interested in entering you can read the rules here.
                  These are my two entries

                   This one above is of the blossoming leaves, I'm always amazed by new life.

                                        Wild Roses taken by the beach.
                                         Isn't Gods creation glorious ?








Hoping you are enjoying your week 

Joining here 

I hope you too have some old forgotten spring photos to enter.

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

                                                               Adieu summer,
                                                               Fare thee well,
                                                    you were not here for very long
                                                    but I will remember you forever. 

                                   Will you not hold on just a bit longer ?
                          I beg you don't let go so easily to the cold winter weather.
                                    I will wait for your long sunny days
                                        all through the frosty winter
                         I'll not forget the lazy days that we spent together
         or the dreams that danced before my eyes while wrapped in your colorful gaze
         or the breezes that sang to me drifting across the fields adorned in bright green.
                   when winter is long and I long for a bright summers day,
    I'll close my eyes and lay in a field with soft flower perfumes dancing about me
                  I'll hear the melodious harmony peaceful nature sings
           and be lulled by the chatter from the birds high in there trees.
               Yes I'll wait for you, so come again it wont be to soon
                                   Goodbye dear summer for now
                                                    I know I'll see

                                                         You soon.


Photographs from pintrest

Copyright Rachel Hope 2011. 

Lovely Photography.

    Flowers,
     Do they have a point ? in most ways no.
     Do they make you smile ? yes.
   I think God placed flowers here on this earth to remind us of how much care he takes in the small   seemingly pointless details, I think they herald His creativity and love of beauty. Every time I see   beautiful bunches of flowers I cant help but thank Him for the  exquisite details He put here for my enjoyment, then they really have a point don't they,
 
I will be entering my first photography contest, the challenge is flowers.
join here bellefluerphotography

this is one of my favorites