October is Near

I don't know what it is about October. Maybe it's the cooler weather, the way the trees begin to change their colors to orange and reds, or the smell of freshly baked pies and apple cider.

We get ready for the kids to come around at the end of October. We call it our harvest day instead of Halloween. In truth, it is really more of a harvest day, as kids 'harvest' candy. I decided to begin decorating the house with a fall wreath, and of course pumpkins. Even though it's more yard work, I actually like to rake leaves, and the trees which the abundance of leaves come from begin to take a leaner appearance. It feels great to wear sweaters again and sip hot drinks in the evening.

A Ray of Hope

A Ray of Hope is what the quilt is called. I suppose it's because it appears that light is creeping in through the window. This is often how hope presents itself. It can be as subtle as a small touch on the shoulder, or as a far away glimpse of light in a very dark place.
Life is not possible without hope. It is the sum of our deep cares and promises we carry in our hearts for those we love. It knows no boundaries. It spans the space of miles and generations. I like the way that hope is described by God~ Romans 8:24-25 reads "For we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

Looking Back in Time

Getting ready for a family reunion has given me an opportunity to view old pictures- some which I didn't even know existed. The posted picture is one such example. It's me with my mom on my third birthday. I was pretty excited to find this photo which came from my aunt's collection. My mom wasn't big on pictures, so this is a rare find. Up until the end, when the camera came on the scene, my mom would find a hiding place. Thus, the reason why childhood pictures were almost non-existant.

My mom was such a beautiful woman, that I can't imagine why she disliked taking pictures so much. Even so, I am really glad that I was able to view pictures of my mom who I miss so very much.>