Frederick Blizzard

This is our third big snow of the season and it was classified as a blizzard. It started Tuesday morning February 9 and ended 28 hours later.  Many streets in Frederick are just being cleared and opened today, Friday, February 12.

During storm, February 10

Two days later, February 12
This is supposed to be a four lane road.

February 12

February 12

February 12

Frederick Snow

Photos of Frederick, Maryland as of February 6, 2010.

Today (Feb 10, 2010), we're in the middle of another snow storm, a blizzard with howling winds and white out conditions.

So far, still enjoying the snow!

Love

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.

"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here":
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

Maryland Wild Flora in June

The mountain laurel seem to have received just the right ingredients this year for a spectacular display of flowers. Lots of other plants and fungi are also doing very well.


"...Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these."

Matthew 6:28 (NAS)

Mt. Katahdin

Goodbye Klaus

This past Friday, around 8 AM, our little, bright, bundle of energy passed away after fighting what appeared to be pulmonary edema for many months. He did not show any signs of suffering or pain, in fact, he kept up with his affectionate singing to his little toy penguin until close to the end. Ali held him as he took his last breath. The last words I heard him say were "I love you" spoken just as clearly as Petra and Martina taught him. It's very quiet around here now.

"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God." Romans 8:19-21 RSV

Life Sentence

Last night I made a regular visit to a state prison about a half an hour from our house. It is quite a large facility with thousands of inmates incarcerated for crimes mostly related to drugs and alcohol. At this prison a group of seventh day Sabbath keepers is meeting every Friday night for worship, prayer, Bible study, singing, and fellowship. As an outsider it is deeply moving to listen to the testimonies of the prisoners, many of whom are “lifers”.

Two of the men who spoke last night shared some interesting perpectives that they had gathered from reading the Bible.

One, quoted Proverbs 28:1 which says that the wicked flee from no one and shared how when he was on heroin, he and his friend had done this very thing, running through the forest trying to escape an imagined pursuer. He continued that he had read in the Bible that when God created the world, He gave man dominion over everything, but now “the plants are laughing at us”. The role has reversed and drugs and alcohol have given plants dominion over man. "We worship plants"!

Another prisoner who always seems to have a bright and positive disposition, said that he praises the Lord in all things, not that he likes prison, because “prison is hell”, but because God has given him a wonderful work of saving souls. When reaching out to other prisoners he loves to tell them that he has two life sentences. One is a life sentence in prison, the other is an eternal life sentence in Heaven.

When I see these guys praising God in such difficult and stressful circumstances any complaints I may have evaporate.