Winter's Jewels

Winter can be tiresome... I know, because I lived in Minnesota for five years. We had long winters, many times, going far into the months of spring. But like most things, winter, (and snow) have their good. Some people love winter... I don't mind it, at least now that I live somewhere where its not so extreme! Snow and ice can be very beautiful. I don't have a ton of snow pictures, but I do have  some! :)

 

Snow can be especially nice when you're artistic... :)

This started out as a snowman... and melted the same day I finished it!

Persecution of the "Different"

    There is sin in our world. People get persecuted. And its more than just Christians being arrested, even killed, in other countries. People get smaller amounts of persecution in America, like being thought of as less or something. What is the cause of this? Being different. People think if someone isn't like them, they aren't as good. Like when the Africans were being enslaved and treated as not even animals should be, or how some men think they are better than women, or some women think they're better than men. The fact that different people have different roles doesn't make anyone greater or less.
  To go into history a bit, the colonists of what is now America wanted to be free of England's rule because England wasn't treating them fairly. The colonists got free, America was born, and then they started to take other human beings for their personal slaves.  Americans got free from those who were treating them unfairly, and then they turned around and begun treating the Africans unfairly... well, unfairly isn't a strong enough word to describe it. I don't understand how they were so blind. I guess it's because all of our hearts are so broken and unperfected. We have to ask God to take away the blinds. Maybe we are persecuting someone. Maybe we are also being hypocrites. No one is less because of differences. I am certainly glad everyone doesn't look and act the same. God purposely made everyone different. Why? Because God is not boring. God is the most complex unspeakably amazing artist ever. God didn't make some people not as good as other people; we are all equal, no matter how we look or what our personalities are.

Difference is God's design, after all. We aren't supposed to be a printed copy of each other.
 We are all unique, and that's the way God intended it to be.

Beautiful Minnesota

Love

If I have the gift of prophecy, and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2

 

 

All you need to do to see how love is, is to look at God. God and love are inseparable. You can't see love right without God, and you can't see God right without love. 

 

 

Love gives hope. But if the world had no love, then there would be no hope; there wouldn't be any purpose to live either. No hope, no future, no life- nothing.

But God is love, and God gives HOPE.

I just took this picture yesterday... love it! :)

Love should be evident.

 

 

God's Amazing Creatures

    I have a lot of pictures of the many complex creatures God made, and it'll be fun to share them.

   A lot of people think that everything just happened to come into existence... a big explosion- (in the nothingness, mind you. How was there a big explosion if there was nothing yet? I don't know.) All I can say is it's plain ridiculous. I'm wondering if anyone who is reasonably smart actually believes in the theory of evolution. I guess the Bible has the answer... (Romans 1:20)
  Well, these pictures are a good example of God's amazing creation, that could not have (ever) happened by chance!

  I'll start out with my families wonderful cat. :) She is both cute and playful, and alert and smart... (not to mention a good hunter).                                                                                                      
                    :)

 

     I can't claim to particularly like grasshoppers... (I'm not real fond of any bugs or insects except butterflies) But they are quite interesting to look at. It's almost like they're wearing armor or something!

Tree frogs are adorable! especially this tiny gold-ish one. It's so fun to find a tiny little tree frog stuck on a blade of grass... Love them!

  

 

 

           This is our cute little dog. :) Dogs also have amazing qualities that are undeniably planned by the creator. (Reminds me of something in Big Red, where the dog saves the boy's dad by "pointing" or whatever to the partridge that was in the man's coat. Under the snow, too. I guess it wasn't a true story, but still.)

 

   Love calves! This one's name was pirate, because of the "patch"... adorable! We certainly know God is not boring at all!

   Butterflies are amazing. Their wings are so delicate and beautiful! To think they actually caterpillars once.... almost like worms, and then they turned into something so free and beautiful. God is so complex and mysterious... it's amazing.

    This is the best picture I've ever gotten of a deer. :) Another awesome creature!

           I can't say Japanese beetles are entirely helpful to farmers... I caught this one in it's crime! But they are fun to get a picture of... and they're colorful.

 

              

         I love horses :) They are an amazing animal; They are so beautiful, and in the past have helped people a lot. Even though it seems they don't have as many helpful uses today, they do eat a lot of grass, keeping it trimmed down! :)

    Well, I hope this was all interesting... Everywhere there is evidence of God's existence. If you don't know what verse I referenced at the beginning of this post, be sure to look it up! 

Live Like There's No Tomorrow

    Have you ever wondered if something might happen to someone you really care about?

 
  Once when I was struggling with this, something from the movie Courageous came to mind. If you've watched it you know his little girl dies in a tragic accident and then he regrets how he didn't dance with her once when she wanted him to. Then, even though he lost his chance to do it with his daughter, he did his part of the dance where anyone could see him. 
 
  Well, I know that movie was for dads and all, but this particular part can easily pertain to anyone. I'll take my siblings for example. What if something were to happen to one of them? Would I have any regrets, like, why did I talk so harshly to them all the time? Why didn't I spend more time with them? That would be awful. That is why we have to do the dance, as in, for me, being the sister I'm supposed to be.  


   I know nobody should worry and stress about what might happen to someone they care about. God clearly says, "Do not worry", in the Bible, (Matthew 6:25). But this is earth, and I don't ever want to end up with regrets.

  

              
                      Just love, and you won't regret how you treated people in your life.