lessons from a ham...

I prepared the country ham that my family will be eating for Christmas brunch (and for the next few weeks most likely...)good old country ham. As I unwrapped it and washed the mold, yes mold,off of the outside, I thought, how like people this ham is...
No, I am not referring to drama queens, or show offs. I was thinking of the old saying : never judge a book by its cover. Once a country ham was sent to friends out of state, they threw it away because they thought it was spoiled. Granted they look positively dreadful right out of the package, but you wash all that muck off and you have one amazing piece of meat. 
I got to thinking, people are sometimes a lot like that ham, they might look kind of scary on the outside, but if you look deeper, well, you might just find something amazing. 

Never judge a person by what they look like on the outside, take the time to get to know them before you mark them off because they look "different". 
That is not to say that first impressions are not important, and occasionally most accurate. There are times however that the people that look or seem the nicest at first glance are the ones that end up stabbing you in the back, to use a rather graphic colloquialism, but it is true. Then there are those that you think "I sure would not like to meet them in a dark ally" sometimes they turn out to be the ones that would stick by your side in the face of the "safe looking" back stabbers. Amazing, all that from a moldy ham. One other thing to remember, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart"  

shine on...

As the cold, dark days of yet another winter approach, light seems to be a reoccurring theme. We all need the light to live, many of us are drawn to light. But there are those that shun the true Light, some knowingly, and others, because they have not seen the Light, will run from it. 

The darkness is growing, 

    the Light must still shine, 

           the light of one flame is amazing to see 

                     in a truly dark place. 

Those of us who have the Light within us 

                        can shine in the dark. 

Do not fear the darkness, 

       for Light will always, always,

                      cast out the darkness. 

Be the light in your world, 

       one flame can light so many others 

                      and still shine just as brightly. 

Do not be afraid to shine. 

    Keep the oil in your lamp always fresh, 

         keep the wick trimmed, 

              keep the glass clean. 

  Keep the light shining. 

           Shine, shine, shine...

anyone for a sea voyage?

Last night I enjoyed seeing The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As always movies differ somewhat from the book, but in this case I was very pleased with the adaptation. The themes of facing your fears and overcoming evil with good are still strongly felt in the movie. All of us have fears of some kind or another, and with God's help we can conquer them. Our fears not only affect us personally, but they touch those that are around us, the ones we love. Life is a journey, we are all traveling to Aslan's country, we must learn to know Him here and now or we can not reach His country. Always continue to seek the Light...

The sun shines brightly thru my window, I see tiny ice crystals  floating in the frosty air. My neighbors Labradors take a turn in the yard, their coal black coats in stark contrast to the blanket of white that covers the ground. Life is full of contrasts, light and darkness, heat and cold, happiness and sorrow. We can choose to walk in the Light. Choose the Light

todays project...

Today I am going to work on some wee kilt hose, I like to listen to "Kidnapped" by Robert Louis Stevenson and drink strong tea as I do this. I also like to think about the cute little boys who will be wearing them with their kilts. I am so glad to be able to carry on the tradition of making these historic garments. I think about the women (and men) who have knitted them for years time out of mind. I am making two pair, these will make the third and fourth pair that I have made. It is always a challenge to make them to the measurements of my customers, but I enjoy it! Making items like this, historic pieces, is always so amazing to me. I know it might sound a bit odd but sometimes I feel the connection with the past and those that have made the same items before me.  

a thought for today...

At this time of the turning year, and at all times really, it is important to tell your friends that you care about them, if you do. What I am saying is, if you love someone, and you have not told them, tell them now, don't wait. Don't wait until another day when the time "feels right" do it now. Most of us tell our family members that we love them on a regular basis, at least I hope we do, but I am also talking about those friends in your life that mean more to you than you may have ever told them, tell them. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. Live life with no regrets, start today.

and now SNOW!!

Today the snow is falling, falling, falling..... covering the ground with a blanket of wintery white. Hundreds of thousands of snowflakes, each one different and unique, the wonder of snow, tiny pieces of art floating down from the sky.