On snowflakes

In light of our recent "Snowmageddon" here in Kansas City,

I want to introduce a couple of lovely books that have graced my 2nd grade classroom this month.

Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley was born in Vermont in 1865.  As a child, he was in awe of the beauty of snow and eventually (after many failed attempts) became the first person to successfully photograph a snowflake, discovering that no two snowflakes are alike.

Perseverant Willie doin his thing

Snowflake Bentley was written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Mary Azarian in 1998.  I highly recommend this book for cozying up with your child on a wintery day.  It's one of my favorites.

Caldecott Medal winner in 1999 for best illustrations

As luck would have it, a few years ago, while perusing the clearance table at Barnes and Noble, I happened upon this little treasure:  

Great coffee table book

The photographer of the snowflakes in this book writes about how she was inspired by Wilson Bentley's snowflake photographs and set out herself to capture some of these beautiful images:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - Psalm 19:1

This is the God I serve.  The God who creates intricate beauty that we do not fully know.  Intricate beauty for his delight and glory.

I believe that everything He made - all the seasons, all of nature, all of it, everything - points to Him.  Not only as Creator of it all.  But I think He provided us with analogies in nature to understand Him and His plan better.  These images taken in the dead of winter remind me that He makes beauty in the midst of death.  Beauty and wonder in death of self (when by His power, I set aside my selfishness, pride, self-seeking agendas,...).  Beauty and wonder in the sacrificial death of His Son.

My mind turns to other awesome works of His.  The most significant, I think, being that He transforms hearts.

He has lately turned my self-pitying heart into a heart that wants to praise Him.  He has turned me from focusing on what I want to focusing on what I have in Him presently.  I feel joyful and at peace, but no circumstances have changed.  How great He is! 

A Perfect Love

In light of the recent Valentine's Day, I have been reflecting on my husband's pursuit in the early days of our relationship.

For a year, he was living on the other side of the world (literally).

I only found out later the effort it took him just to make one phone call.  My part was easy - I just had to be available to answer my phone in the comfort of my living room when he said he was going to call.  Matt, on the other hand, had to wake up in the early morning hours (due to our time difference), drive to the city on his motorcycle, squeeze into a little booth, and place his call.

When I learned this and was thinking how impressive his effort was, the Lord spoke this to my heart - 

LIANE, I AM THE ONE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE EFFORT TO BE WITH YOU - NOT ACROSS THE WORLD, BUT ACROSS A MUCH GREATER GAP - BETWEEN YOUR SIN AND MYSELF.  MY UNFAILING LOVE IS AS VAST AS THE HEAVENS, MY FAITHFULNESS REACHES BEYOND THE CLOUDS.

And the reality of my Jesus's perfect love struck my heart in a new way.

Having just gotten off the phone with Matt one night, I was inspired to listen to this Third Day song and meditate on the words with a fresher understanding and a much more grateful heart.  Tears rolled down my cheeks as the Lover of my Soul spoke these words to me.


"Love Song" by Third Day
[1st Verse]

I've heard it said that a man would climb a mountain
Just to be with the one he loves.
How many times has he broken that promise
It has never been done.
I've never climbed the highest mountain,
But I walked the hill of Calvary.

[Chorus]
Just to be with you, I will do anything
There's no price I would not pay no
Just to be with you, I would give everything
I would give my life away.

[2nd Verse]
I've heard it said that a man would swim the ocean
Just to be with the one he loves
All of those dreams are an empty motion.
It can never be done.
I've never swam the deepest ocean,
But I walked upon the raging sea.

[Repeat Chorus]
Just to be with you, I will do anything
There's no price I would not pay no
Just to be with you, I would give everything
I would give my life away.

[Bridge]
I know that you don't understand
the fullness of My love.
How I died upon the cross for your sins.
And I know that you don't realize
how much that I give you
But I promise, I would do it all again.

Just to be with you, I've done everything
There's no price I did not pay no
Just to be with you, I gave everything
Yes, I gave my life away.
Just to be with you.

The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

I've been Sicky McSickkins this past week.  Sore throat, aches, alternating chills/sweatiness a couple of nights, tender lymph nodes under my arm.  All very glamorous and romantic.

My week was filled with some things I was very much looking forward to, so I was disappointed to miss them.

Much-needed haircut appt?   - Didn't happen.
Exercise rendezvous with a pal?    - Couldn't go.
Church small group?    - Nope.
Coffee date?    - Slept right through it.

I did rally for work because if you're a teacher, you understand that showing up feeling under the weather is more appealing than writing sub plans.  I have to be on death's door before I write sub plans.

Don't worry, as an avid hand washer, cough coverer, and disinfect-er in my class, I don't think I put my students in any real danger.  Anyway, their noses are runnier than mine, and their coughs are worse - and they're at school.  So I decided to soldier on with them, entering new words into our spelling notebook, exploring the world of Ancient Egypt, and reading The Secret Garden. Who wouldn't want to spend their day getting to do those lovely things?

But once home, I let myself feel and be fully sick.  Bring on the hot tea, blankets, and meds.

On Thursday, my Valentine brought me home some Vietnamese soup (mmm) to help what ailed me.  What is it about hot soup that feels so comforting?

The Doctor of Love preparing my soup on our stove from the 1970's

Vietnamese Pho

Yesterday, I felt well enough to venture out to the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
It's another *free* Kansas City attraction, taken from our "33 for Free" List that I first wrote about here.


Here's a taste of what we saw

Women of blues

This one reminded me of a little boy I once taught.  He hated cutting.  Didn't have the dextarity nor the patience for it.  One day, he brought me a gift - an intricately cut paper snowflake he had made.  I consider it one of the best gifts I've ever received because of the sacrifice it took on the part of the giver.

Mr. and Mrs. Kemper themselves, museum founders.

Jazz performers

Took this one for my friend Christin, the Elvis lover.

They have one current exhibit entitled "The Map as Art" with all sorts of maps done in different mediums.

Don't stare too long at this grainy next one.  I provided it to give an idea of what a small part of the above piece looks like up close.  Painstaking!

A few feet away, there was a wooden globe you can step inside to see more map art.  Matt and I had fun hearing our voices echo.  Even a tiny little whisper made a huge echo.

looking out from the wooden globe

I took this one for my mom because she's from Hawaii.

Aloha, Mom!

This one, in a different part of the museum, reminded me of my mom too, because, well, she loves all things Japanese.  It was cut from pieces of foam, which looked really neat up close.

Konnichiwa, Mom!

After Mom returned from a trip to Japan, I heard all about how:

• "The Japanese are much healthier eaters..."
• "Everything in Japan is so clean.  People were even out cleaning the rails of the walking bridges..."
• "Nobody in Japan talks loudly and obnoxiously on their cell phones in public (like they do here in America)..."

I started teasing her how there's probably no sin in Japan either. :)

I tease her, but I love her dearly.  Being sick always makes me want my mom.  Even at age 30.

So there's our week in a nutshell.  Or a wooden globe.

New web address to come

To all of my millions upon flocking millions of readers out there:)

Take note:  within the week, I will be changing my blog web address to (drumroll):

www.greatthyfaithfulness.blogspot.com

The "is" is purposefully left out because the full phrase was already taken.

Goodbye lrebekah.blogspot.com.  Hello new name.