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Won't have this date like this 

for another hundred years.

12/31/23

That is noteworthy today.

Thank you, Friends! 

For anyone that follows along in life right here.

Or over at Visual Faith® Ministry.

https://www.visualfaithmin.org

At the end of this year I am thinking about margins.

Choosing to live life with margins.

I am praying about Soul Care.

How can I help in this journey for others?

What is my part in this learning?

Thank you Lord, for helping me to seek the way

 and invite others along on the journey.

It doesn't depend on me.

For you are the one who draws us in, sustains us,

and gives us strength.

I was looking back at my writing

 10 years ago on this blog.

I was writing about:

Spiritual Formation

God's Word

Women and Life

Discipling Disciples

Leadership

Social Media

Prayer 

Communities of Grace

I am still writing about all of these things

and have added in Grandloves.

With God's Grace, 

may I continue to write about all 

of this things in 2024 and beyond.

 

Worship into the Week-Your Glory in quietness

 Worship into the Week-

Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Zion's Coming Salvation

First Sunday after Christmas

Zion is the central location of this redemption

and the glorious hope of Zion.

 God has a plan for restoration and

assurance.  

The New Testament reveals this salvation plan. 

"...for my eyes have seen Your salvation 

that You have prepared

in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for your glory to Your people Israel."

Luke 2: 30-32

Some quiet reflection time 

for New Year's Eve today.

Lord, be in my rebellious heart 

and in quietness and waiting

may I trust your strength, Lord.

Even when I want to rush into the New Year 

with my own plans,

allow me to step back a bit and LISTEN

for Holy Spirit nudges. Amen

Supplies:

Visual Faith Printables

vcy-graphics-only-december-2023

Worship into the Week Printables

worship-into-the-week-december-2023

Color Pencils

 Magazine Cutouts

Scripture Doodles- December 2023

 

Scripture Doodles- December 2023

Four colored pencils and a fine-point Sharpie.

Devotional take-aways for each day.

The story of a month and looking and listening.

Where are you working, Lord?

How does it al fit together?

Let me see the very next piece.

Christmas 2023

Fun family times at Christmas.

Marble boards, Duck Donuts,

Narnia Night with the fur coats.

Six boy cousins for a sleep over at Papa and Gigi's.

Gadgets and Bots.

Peppa Pig and Bluey.

Mr. Fireman.

Tinker Toy Construction Tools.

Matching outfits, and silly and sweet smiles.

Making Rice Krispie squares with Gigi.

Fun game with cotton balls and a blindfold,

and Papa's new trees that he made for each family.

The Dengrands are making ornaments from dried 

crape myrtle wood.

Missing our middle daughter, Laura,

 who is in Las Vegas this year.

God's blessings on this little family.

Worship into the Week- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

 

Christmas Eve was also 

the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Continuing with the readings of Isaiah.

For to us a child is Born!

                            Behold! Our Salvation Comes!

Christmas Day- 

We celebrate our salvation gift.

                        Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices.

 Together they shout for JOY! 

Isaiah 52:8

Guide me in more ways

 to share your Good News!

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printables

vcy-graphics-only-december-2023

Worship into the Week Printables

worship-into-the-week-december-2023

Colored Pencils

Magazine Cutouts

Vintage stamps

Distress Ink

Stamps and Ink

Great Falls Virginia Outing

 

The rain had stopped and it is time

 for outside and running.

So off to Great Falls National Park.

Chasing, rock climbing

 and "avoiding" big puddles.

The clouds brought some interesting back drops

 for viewing the Falls as the colors changed.

Jess and Dan Meier

The whole Gang

Light strips on the water.

We were amazed to watch 2 kayakers 

and 2 paddle boarders

 out in the river as they fought 

the raging current from all the rain.

It is very dangerous unless you are very well trained.

Only for professional levels when the water

 is like this on the Potomac River.

A very fun outing indeed.

Soul-Tending Reading List for 2023

 

 The 2023 Soul-Tending Reading List- 

(List doesn't match order of stack)

The Journey to keep reading and watching 

for where the Lord is working 

for the transformation of ME.

• from where I stand- 30 days in the Life of St Paul- Noel, Gragg
• Something More- Catherine Marshall
• The Divine Conspiracy- Dallas Willard
• the Renewed Mind- Larry Christenson
• Simple Church- Rainer and Geiger
• The Great Sending- Sohns
• Three Wise Women- Mackall
• New Morning Mercies- Tripp
• Master and Man- Tolstoy
• A Unhurried Life- Fadling
• Breath as Prayer-Tucker
• The Imitation of Christ-Kempis
• Watch for the Light- Orbis Books

Christmas 2023- Family Loves

Papa and Gigi with our 7 crew

 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.       

                     Some time with family for Christmas 2023. 

                          The Meier loves have been so much fun this

 year for our time together.

Christmas gatherings in Ann Arbor

 and in Springfield.  We love our worship time together.

St Paul Lutheran School program

 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Loving time with oldest daughter Jessica. 

Papa and Gigi time with the Meier boys.

Dan and Jessica Meier

The Schumachers in Las Vegas this year.

Our greatest Christmas gift is Jesus 

and families that worship that Jesus all year long.

 

Christmas 2023- Redemption Foretold Pathway

 

Advent Pathway 2023

from Visual Faith® Ministry.

Design by Pat Maier.

Redemption Foretold Pathway with a

Little Child Shall Lead Them- 

Henri Nouwen devotions

and four colored pencils.

Devotional takeaways that tell a story.

Redemption Foretold - Days 17-21...

 

The days of Advent from 17- 21.

Beginning with December 3 

and now ending on Christmas Eve.

Old Testament prophecy 

and New Testament fullfillment.

Words to lead us into waiting spaces.

Practices that are done in Community

 so that we can be storytellers of the journey.

Preparing for along the way so that in the hectic

 and busy lives we lead there are moments to stop

 and take a breath and focus.

The Son of Man will come again. 

We are preparing for the Second coming of Jesus.

As we recount the familiar story 

may we be struck by this remarkable 

and amazing account of a redemption plan 

foretold for ME that comes true in the birth of 

baby Jesus for the world.

Resource:

Visual Faith® Ministry-

Advent by Candlelight Kit

advent-by-candlelight-event-kit-2023

Tags

Distress ink

 scrapbook paper

 

United States Botanical Gardens

 

Six young men hanging out at the 

US Botanical Gardens with Papa.

(We had the parents along too.)

#dengrandloves

The Orchids were beautiful.

Very fun schultuires made from natural items. 

All things around town in DC.

So many pretty flowers and things

 to look at everywhere.

The cool trains outside were very cool

and very fun to watch go round and round.

A beautiful day with sunshine 

and very fun family to enjoy the 

special time.

Nativity Story Retold with Littles

 

 We always have special memories

 when visiting our dear grands.

One evening we watched the movie THE STAR. 

The next evening we heard the 

spontaneous reenactment of 

Baby Jesus and "getting to Bethlehem."

Mary even knew how to gaze lovingly at her baby.

Mary had a backup understudy for the role.

We'll call her little Mary.

There were a few extra touches for costumes

and the metal dangles added a Mid-Eastern touch.

Red-shirted Joseph also had to pay the role of the 

donkey that carried Mary to Bethlehem.

The Harry Potter wand helped with the 

challenge of "childbirth".

We think perhaps Baby Yoda- "Grogu" was typecast

 because of his special powers- as baby Jesus.

The conversation was priceless 

as the story unfolded.

The cast was on to the next thing-

 but the true meaning of Christmas 

is front and center with this crew.