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.