SEASONS - CELEBRATING A CHRISTIAN HANUKKAH IN 2016 - BLESSINGS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE FOURTH DAY

TODAY WE LIGHT THE FOURTH CANDLE OF HANNUKAH:

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

MEDITATION:

Luke 11:34:  The light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thy eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

Acts 26:18:  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are unsanctified by faith that is in me.

THOUGHTS AND MEDITATIONS: 
(by Sheila Gail Langraf)

There is such a deep, deep message in these scriptures for our world today.  It is a message about being a missionary of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The light of Hannukah was to help us see.  

Those early worshipers of God saw, as we do today; that He was a God of miracles.  Yet; there is MORE to see now!  

When we light those candles we use the tallest candle, the servant candle to bring the light to all the others one at a time one day at a time; and with this act we think of Christ and how God gave Him to the world to save us from our sins.   

A King came as as servant to serve us in order to bring the light of God into the world!  

It is a great miracle!  It is an eye-opening miracle that brings light into the soul.

Having the light; the concern is to use it for sight.  

Why would we be living in light and not see?  

I am not sure how people can do this; but they do.  

They do not see the obvious works of God all around them.  They see and use the evil instead of the true things from God that are good and help us to live.  

The light of the soul is its understanding and judgment and its power to discern between good and evil, truth and lies.   

God has given us great light!  

Let us open our eyes to see!

Brothers and sisters be sincere in your seeking of truth and be ready to receive it in the light and love and power of God, not in the same way of the men of this generation to whom Christ preached who never sincerely desired to know God’s will.  There are many living, even right now, who are also deceiving others and pulling them away from The Kingdom of God.  No wonder so many walk in darkness.   To walk in the light we must display pure truth.  

When I was a young girl I was very active in a missions group called Acteens.  I made many lifelong friends participating in that little group and attending summer camp with them each year.    We had a lot of fun and we learned a lot about life and living in the The Kingdom of God together.  

We learned about the message of the light of Christ!

Way back then the Acteens had a theme song which is an old hymn sometimes sung in churches today.  That old song comes to mind as I light the fourth candle today.  It seems so relevant to the message we have presented here at the lighting of the fourth candle of Hannukah.

I did not even understand Hannukah back then; but the theme of the message was in my heart in the things that we did in Acteens.  It was a message of truth and light!  The words of this old song are still inside my heart and they seem even more significant now than ever:

Let those who know Christ and worship The One True God of Heaven and Earth go forth and proclaim the message of truth and the light to all the earth.

SEASONS PRAYER AND MEDITATION FOR THE SECOND FULL DAY OF HANUKKAH 2016

Strange photo for Hanukkah?  Not really, I'm trying to get you to notice the light in everything this season.  Ironically enough this building that reflects the light so beautifully is called "The Peace Center."  Nothing could be more appropriate when we think of The Light of The World.  

PRAYERS:

Blessed art thou O Lord Our God, King of The Universe Who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons for gladness. For the glory of The Lord Yeshua, Our Messiah, The Light Of The World.

Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, Master of the Universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days at this time.

We kindle these lights to commemorate the wonders and the miracles and the saving acts that You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, by Your Holy Priests.  And all throughout the eight days of Chanukkah, these lights are holy and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to behold them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name, for Your miracles, for Your wonder, and for Your salvation.

Have you ever considered scattering the light of your Hanukkah table all over the table with the servant candle standing tallest in the center?  Not to take away from the sacredness of the Menorah (which I love) but to make the point of how little beacons of light scattered here and there are capable of lighting up the whole world when you are looking from a distance?  Something to ponder as you set the table and begin to think about how important the light of Christ is to all of us, whether near or far or scattered.  The next day with the Menorah in tact we notice with great significance how of beautifully and perfect God brings all those who have been scattered into one body forming unity and peace.

MEDITATIONS:

(By Nelson Mandela)

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves:  Who am I to be 

brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn't serve the world.

There is nothing enlightening about shrinking

So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

(By Martin Luther King, Jr.)

When people are placed in darkness,

Crimes will be committed.

The guilty are not just those who commit the crimes,

But those who cause the darkness.

(By Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Let us go about our day today shinning like the lights on the candles of the Menorah.  Let us be a beacon of Christ the King to those living within a dark world.  Let our lives reflect the Messiah that the hope of the miracle of the oil on the first Hanukkah prophesied to us.  Let the light of Christ shine out from you as another great miracle and go change the world from the inside out today.

SEASONS - LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE ON CHRISTMAS DAY

A MEDITATION FOR LIGHTING THE CHRIST CANDLE ON CHRISTMAS DAY

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Christmas is here! 

We have arrived at our destination after a long, long journey! 

What miracles we have discovered along the way; but today brings the greatest miracle of all!

Today we light the four outside candles first; these candles that have spoken to us of hope, love, joy and peace. 

Next we light the large white candle in the middle!   

This is what we have been waiting for so long!

This is The Christ Candle.  

This candle speaks to us of the promises of God fulfilled, that came in the form of a child to save us from our sins and give us eternal life with God forever. 

On our way to this place of lighting the last candle we have pondered many things. 

Today we will ponder the greatest miracle of all; the miracle of Jesus coming to Us! 

Our wait is over! 

He is here! 

Emmanuel has come;

Christ is with us! 

Hallelujah! 

We give glory to God for sending us a Messiah in the humble form of a little child named Jesus!

God sent Christ to give us all the things the other candles spoke to us about:  hope, peace, joy and love. 

Today we thank God for sending us Jesus.  

He is the Messiah for ALL people, not just those who sought God so long ago. 

Just as He came to save the shepherds and the wise men who sought him then; He has also come to save those of us who seek Him now. 

Just as He was born to Mary and laid in a manger; He is born today inside our hearts. 

Let us come to Him rejoicing and bringing our gifts of love. 

God has given us the gift of Jesus!

O come let us adore Him!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6)

SEASONS - PRAYER AND MEDITATIONS FOR HANUKKAH ON THE NIGHT OF CHRISTMAS EVE IN 2016 EXPERIENCING GOD IN THE FIRST FULL DAY OF HANUKKAH

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

It isn't required that you read meditations each day as you light the Menorah for Hanukkah; but we enjoy the exercise and feel it helps to give the season more fulfillment inside our hearts; so we chose to do so at our house; and invite you to join in with us.  

If you are reading these meditations each day as you are lighting the Hanukkah candles on your Menorah, I hope that you are keeping one very important question in mind.  Are you experiencing Hanukkah within your heart and in your own days, or is it just an ancient story to you?   

Is The One and Only True God being daily renewed in your life, replacing all the false and untrue things that the world tries to force upon us?  God's Holy Days and the two occasions of Mosaic Holidays each year help us, remind us, and teach us to do just that.  

There are no set rules or prayers for making this meditation each year; it is simply about remembering the Presence of God among His people in times of hardship and struggle.  

In the world that we live in now; what could be more timely?  Every newscast is full of false prophets proclaiming there is no more hope.  We need the truth to fall on our ears and find its way into our hearts again this year.  

So many seem to have lost the way to hope; yet these days hold out pictures of our hope like a perfect gift wrapped in gold.  They are free to all who want to believe and understand.  They are reminders of our greatest gifts; those sent down from our heavenly Father!

The fact that the first day of Hannukah  falls during and on Christmas Eve in 2016 makes it even more significant.  Do we remember Christ in EVERY celebration EVERY year?  He IS the light of Hanukkah.  He IS the miracle!  What we celebrate as Emmanuel on Christmas Eve is what the miracle of Hannukah foretold.  It was a prophesy of the coming Messiah!  The miracle of the light spoke of the coming miracle of The Light Of The World.  

 He is the Christ Child we look for at Advent.  He is the Savior we honor with Christmas Day.  He is the fulfillment of all of God's Holy Days.  He is what the Mosaic Holidays point to.  The Hanukkah story just points to more of the miracles that happened because of Him.    

It is all about remembering that God gives us the hope and a promise of a good and everlasting future, no matter how dark or bleak the winter we are living through may seem.  

For so many of us Christmas Eve brings disappointment.  This is not intended disappointment; it happens when we put our faith in the things of the world and not on the things of God.  

If your focus is straight, your heart will celebrate in all circumstances; just like that very first Hanukkah when the great miracle happened.  When we ponder the miracles of God during this time, our own selfish and human complaints seem to disappear and they are replaced with God's joy in our hearts at the things that He has done for us, and not the things that the world has done to us.  

This MUST have been the way that Mary was able to get through such an unexpected change in her life; a miracle from God that did not look like a miracle.  From the worldly view, it seemed like trouble.  Mary's focus was straight, and so was the focus of those who cleansed the temple on that very first Hannukah when God gave the miracle of light as a sign that Messiah would come!  

These ancient worshipers celebrated in spite of their lack; and God provided more than they needed!  He brought forth a symbol of the Light that we now know as Messiah.  

In this season that occurs during the darkest and shortest days of winter we are reminded that spring is coming again, and with spring comes new life from God.  The things that will grow into spring lay hidden in the ground right now; but they are still there; just like hope that is always ever growing but not always visible to the eye.  There ARE hidden miracles at work and God still has control of everything!  

It all starts in the darkness of winter and silently grows in God’s ever abiding Presence when we remember that He Alone is the God of great miracles.  So make your prayer and light your candles in a gesture of faith, and please remember and experience the moments. 

Religion is not merely to be observed, but in its highest state it must be expressed!

Do you not feel an existential awareness of God’s Presence as you observe the things that honor Him in your life?  

Are you not being totally honest about your relationship with God as you light the candles that point to the hope that reveals The Light of The World?  

As the days are building, one candle after another and they increase in light as the time goes by, is your soul too expanding wider in order to incorporate all the things that God is showing you and teaching you in this life?  Are you living out your days as if each day were the lighting of yet another candle and another way to worship the God you love?  

If you are not content that you are constantly dwelling in the light of God; do you have a dream and a vision of coming closer and closer in the future?  

Are you taking those small steps every day that open the door wider and wider to the work of God within your heart?  Babies take small steps in the beginning before they are able to run.  We come to God with the heart of a child if we come honestly and willingly.  As we take small baby steps of faith; our hearts grow wider and fuller of The Light of The World we know as Messiah.

It is hoped by the end of Hanukkah, when all eight candles have been lit and set back into their place, that the room will fill up and glow with the Spirit of God and we all will feel His Presence as close as the flames of the candles and as warm as the love that lasts through all of eternity.  

The smoke of the candles send up our prayers.  

God sees our hearts and knows. 

This year at Hanukkah please make a point of invoking God’s Presence each time you light the candles.  It is as easy as saying a heart-felt prayer and believing that He who has promised will be faithful.  

As a matter of fact; I think those very words may be the words we speak this year with each day of our candle lighting:   "HE WHO HAS PROMISED WILL BE FAITHFUL!"  It will be a reminding prayer that the light lasting for eight days was a glorious shadow of The Light Of The World called Christ who first came as a child and will soon come again as a King.  Each lighting will remind us of these three miracles of past, present and future in God's Kingdom!    

On the first full Day of Hanukkah as you see the new light, be prepared to not only observe God in your life, but to experience Him with each new breath that you take.

He will speak to your heart if you are only prepared to listen!

COME AS A CHILD LESSON 149 THE NINTH COMMANDMENT

THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

It appears that we will still be pondering the fact that God and Abraham were up on that mountain discussing the Ten Commandments all the way through the Christmas season and right up into the coming of the New Year.   

At least we will be starting off the new year with the commandments of God fresh in our memories and in our hearts!  This will be good and worth all the study and meditations that we have done. We only have two more commandments to look at.

If one thing about the coming year is better because we have studied and committed ourselves to keeping these commandments; the world will be a better place in which to live!

There is SO MUCH to be said about each of the commandments that we can only touch partially on all the points of each one in the brief space of these blogs.  We could actually discuss the facts surrounding these passages for weeks and weeks.  There is so much to consider! 

Today we will ponder the ninth commandment that God gave to Moses.  We can read it word for word from Exodus 20:16.  The New International translation reads:  “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”  Some other versions read:  “false witness” instead of using the words “false testimony.”  They all mean the same thing.  It is actually very simple.  When you speak of someone else; be truthful! 

 There are various degrees and reasons as to why this particular commandment matters so much to God. 

Sometimes getting to the total truth of a situation is a life or death matter!   

You can falsely accuse someone of something and they can be convicted for things that they did not do!  The consequences of this can be astronomical.  God’s own son died such a death.  Many of God’s beloved people have died such deaths.  If you hurt God’s people, it is as if you have wounded the heart of God.  He does not take this lightly.

One little slip of the tongue, whether intentional or by mistake, can change someone else’s life forever.  The tongue is a horrible weapon if used in the wrong way. 

Have you ever had someone commit slander against you? 

I grew up in a small town and moved away later.  Sometimes I am amazed to hear the false tales of things I never did; things that come back to me from a few true and loyal old friends who still live there and know better.  For many years some of these things broke my heart.  God has healed those broken places now; but maybe because of such experiences this commandment speaks to me of a Father who loved his children so much that He warned them ahead of time that such things would happen, and He even cared enough to chisel a law down in stone to forbid it.  How well our Father knows us.  How well His provision of love covers us and heals us and makes us whole.  All we have to do is listen and obey.    

People can pay dearly for mistakes they NEVER made because of ugly gossip and rumors from jealous and revengeful people.  It is very sad; but this happens all the time.

Have you ever had such a situation happen to you? 

Unfortunately, most of us can name at least one very hurtful time when our neighbor gave false witness against us.  In most of these situations we never really know all of the reasons why such things happened just the way they did.  There is usually some unknown factor at play.  Human nature is very strange and hard to figure out; but God understands this.  Rarely do people have enough integrity within themselves, without the prompting of God's Holy Spirit, to confess their mistakes and ask forgiveness.  Perhaps that is part of the reason God gave this commandment.  He wanted to make sure we understood that this is NOT okay.

 We all can name times when we stood innocently by not understanding why things were like they were because we were unaware of some false testimony floating around in the background among our friends and neighbors, even affecting those that we hold most dear.   More often than we like to know, the very innocent are often stained and shunned for years because of such incidences! 

Bearing false witness is a horrible sin, and God doesn’t let these things go unnoticed.  He is watching.  There is an old saying that is very true regarding this commandment:  “Beware for your sins will find you out.”

God is probably looking at all of us and shaking His head constantly, wondering when we will ever grow up and grow into a Kingdom way of life that allows room only for truth and love. 

God NEVER wants us to give false testimony against our neighbor. 

Innocence is a very beautiful thing; but it can quickly be destroyed by people who act like a pack of vicious wolves prowling around trying to destroy all that is good.  In today's world this really is an ugly fact as we think about elections and various untruths that have been presented from both sides of the fence during election campaigns.  There sometimes seems to be a new prevailing philosophy called "win at any cost."  This commandment counters that type of living and puts us back into a world based on reality.  What makes some people think that it is okay to lie in order to bring about some Utopian theories that are based on only partial truths?  Because someone said something is so in order to bring about circumstances that benefit their platform does not mean it is truth.  The end never justifies the means.  Lies, rumors and untruth keep people from having a level playing field.  It is not just and that is not the way God conducts His business. This is the logic of murderers and thieves; not sane people.  All that God's people say and do is to be based on solid truth.  

Truth is ALWAYS the best policy; even when it hurts.  

Without direct truth one little fib leads into another and another until it takes at least 100 lies to recover from that one little tale.  Christian people are not to live their lives like this. 

If you do not know the truth, it is best to remain silent.  As Jesus once said; “Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.”  The truth is always less complicated and much easier to explain.

The God of the Universe is a fair and just God.  A false witness perverts justice.  It tries to make lies truth and truth lies.  This often happens as a means to achieve power, greed or to cover some secret crime of the one who perverts the truth.  If we are to imitate God in all that we do; we must have truth in order for justice to prevail in the land.  Yet often in today's world, it is the one who lives out truth that is accused and slandered.  How should this be handled by the godly?

It can be said that a good conscience is a wall of brass that will be able to stand against a false witness.  Jesus never had to defend Himself.  He simply spoke truth and nothing else.  Keep your conscience pure before God, and He will come to your defense when the time is right.  Time proves all things. 

Do you know someone who has been falsely accused?  If you do not stand up for that person you are as guilty as the person doing the accusing. 

We should defend our brothers and sisters against false witness and be careful not to let falsehoods continue.  Remember the acts of Jonathan as he took up for his friend David against the slanders of King Saul.  It would have been easy for Jonathan to ignore this situation and not have a confrontation with a King; but the defense of his brother was important, because Jonathan had a truly loving heart. 

Those who truly love do not slander. 

To bear false witness is to sow discord among the brethren.  Solomon wrote of this in Proverbs when he said in Proverbs 6:16 that “There are six things that the LORD strongly dislikes, seven that are an abomination to him:  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” 

A false witness undermines God’s covenant with His people.  The covenant is based and founded on truth and falsehoods distort the whole concept and present a bad, wrong and incorrect image of what should be a good and godly people living together in truth, love and righteousness.  A good witness can be destroyed in a hurry by those who plot and use such falsehoods to their advantage.  This is one of Satan's greatest tools in bringing down the people of God.  Perhaps that is why the scriptures tell us that God strongly dislikes a false witness.

It was actually a false witness that sent Jesus to the cross where He took on the burden of paying for our sins.  He was falsely accused of blasphemy.  They said He could not claim to be the true Son of God.  His resurrection from the dead became the true witness that countered the false witness.  The truth always wins, be forewarned! 

Because He was innocent and perfect we are now able to be free and cleansed of our sin, and even those who accused Him falsely, if repentant could be forgiven.  False accusations bring only death and destruction; but truth and repentance brings joy, resurrection and restoration!

Throughout the pages of the history of mankind there have been many martyrs who have died deaths due to false witnesses.  Stephen is one of the greatest examples after Jesus.  Stephen told the council that Jesus had come mainly to fulfill the law and the prophets.  For this they said he spoke against the temple and the law.  This council of Pharisees were so very wrong to perceive this!  As Stephen died they saw his face shine like the sun; and they saw the witness of heaven in Stephen’s countenance.  How different things will be in the final judgment when these same accusers will have to look upon that face again.  There will be no one to collaborate with their lies in that day.  Each man must give an individual account before God for his own sins. Every idle word will be recalled. The truth is all that will stand in that day. 

There will be judgment for those who bear un-repented false witnesses in the end of days.  There are numerous biblical examples of God’s anger against such people.  One example is that of Jezebel who had two men to bear false witness against Naboth which led to his being stoned to death.  It was all about greed, over the possession of a vineyard that she wanted King Ahab to own.  Jezebel met with a cruel and horrible end.  

As in all of the commandments that God gave to Moses on the mountain; Jesus came along later and explained them even further. 

In Matthew  Chapter 19 we read of the rich young ruler who asked Jesus what he should do in order to have eternal life.  Jesus answered him by telling him if he wanted to enter into life that he should keep the commandments.  When the man heard this he asked; which ones?  Jesus specifically repeated:  “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Did you catch the fact that in order to have eternal life we need to not bear false witness against our neighbors?  

I’m just glad that the conversation with Jesus started out with Him clarifying the fact that only God is perfect.  None of us can keep this commandment as we should, but we can try, and we can repent when we fail.  The thing we have going for us that the rich young ruler lacked is that we live in a time of grace.  We are all over here on the other side of the cross.  God is showing all of us mercy!  It will not last forever.  There will come a time when the fullness of time arrives and that last sinner has repented.  Only God knows when that will be.  It is important that we all are living in repentance and covered in the blood of Jesus when that moment arrives.  It matters that we are living in truth.

Let us turn from slander and false witnesses. 

Let us show mercy and grace and love to one another. 

Let us live as much as possible in peace with each other, and let us pray for Christ to return so that He will be able to usher in a government of peace. 

This is the season for peace on earth.  Let us be living out the words and not just singing them in a sweet little song. 

Let there be peace on earth; and let it begin with me!

Let there be peace on earth; the peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father, brothers all are we.

Let us live with our brothers in perfect harmony.

            

SEASONS - A POEM OF WINTER

BY SHEILA GAIL LANDGRAF

I open my back door to a windy blustering day and try to find my cat.

His water bowl is frozen over. 

I pet him and bring him inside to get warm.

I feed him warm milk by the fire and watch him curl up in a ball content and happy to  purr the day away.

I step out of the warm house to get the mail and feel the cutting wind blow sharply across my face. 

Winter is here. 

It comes slowly spreading its dark shadows across the land.

With no warning at all; it has arrived. 

The darkest days of the year begin, bringing cold, pouring rain. 

It is time to pull out my heaviest coat.

As I hear the silence grow I recognize this soft sound of winter 
It comes tiptoeing into our world with quiet steps
Steps that fall gently around those spaces of my life that are usually loud and full of sound.  
But now there is a hush on the land as everyone waits on the cold to pass.
They stay huddled inside under piles of blankets.

 The birds have all flown away and I miss their lovely songs.

Those few who stayed behind are now shivering under the eaves of someone's house, hoping to catch some heat from the outside walls as the smoke billows out from the busy chimney tops.

Straight and tall and waiting, the black trees stand against the gray sky and shiver.

Winter brings a different dance, one that is whirling and dark.

I must find my warm hat. 

I will begin to wear my wool scarf again.

 Just when the sky is grayest and you think all joy is lost;

The merry red and sometimes rusted sleds come out of hiding.

Tow-haired boys pull them along the hillsides with slippery ropes.

Big eyed little girls grab their scarves and mittens and run outside to play.

Snowmen appear and begin their dance up and down the lane.

White flakes drift through the crisp air and land on very cold noses.

Passing carolers stroll along singing as if they were not even cold,
Their outlines stand against the dark sky, all bundled inside their coats and mittens and scarfs. 

Christmas comes alive and lasts for twelve days in the best places.

It is a nice break into the gray bleakness of the silent season.

On New Years Day I look out the window and see dark even in the middle of the day.  What a strange time to be turning a page and beginning again.

Do all good beginnings not seek for light?

Remembering the secret to problems that can’t be solved right away;

 I grab my favorite book from the shelf and temporarily take a summer vacation.  There is still light inside my heart and imagination and it warms the room.  Sipping Chai tea that my daughter made in my big overstuffed chair, I snuggle deep into a story and read right through the darkest days of winter.

 After good distractions from all my favorite authors I find myself sitting by the fireplace with warm memories that will last me till spring,  I drink in the luxury of basking in an unexpected moment of  absolutely no activity and my soul realizes that winter is just a short snuggle until the sun decides to shine again.

As I bundle up and head out the door for errands my heart is cheered with the lovely unexpected and unanticipated surprises of winter.  I finish my errands and stop for a small treat, a pleasant reward for braving the cold evening air. 

Looking out the storefront window while sipping hot chocolate I ponder the fact that the stars shine brighter against a winter sky. 

The skyline of the cityscape blinks back at me as if to give a special winter’s greeting.  It stands crisp and bright and glowing against the night sky, lovely and unafraid of tomorrow.

And every winter comes and goes this quickly with its sneaky little moments of warm memories that make up for the cold weather.

Why am I surprised every year all over again?