Snowshoes, Puzzles, and Cardinals

Today I am grateful for family, sunshine, blue skies, snowshoes, and jigsaw puzzles.

Happy Birthday wishes today to my mother-in-law Marlene and our niece Maycee!

With fresh snow earlier in the week, we were able to get our new snowshoes out a couple of times. We can go to a nearby golf course to use them and that is a nice convenience. Yesterday afternoon it was bright with clear blue skies and little wind.

We first followed the path put down by someone else across pristine open space and took in the replenishing fresh air and sunshine. Then we forged our own way for a time as well. Both my husband Darcy and I would put this excursion as a highlight of our day. Our physical capabilities allowed us this exercise that became as mentally cleansing and spiritually renewing as it was physical.

Our grandson Leo joined us a couple hours later and he and I set to the work and fun of putting a new puzzle together. He dismantled the 100-piece one we finished over the holidays and we got busy on a new 100-piece one.  This one is a cardinal and we got a good start on it before running out of time.

I find comfort and faith in cardinals when they show up. I feel a connection to loved ones. On Saturday morning, as I texted back in forth with some of my sisters for my sister Ann's birthday, my husband Darcy noticed a cardinal in the tree in our front yard. And then there was a second one there for a brief time.

We got to see them before they flew away again. The timing was heartening to me. Mary Jo and Dad were sending hellos and birthday wishes, and letting me know that we are still connected.  It is easy to find faith and strength when one's heart is open and one's ego is right-sized. Snowshoes, puzzles, and cardinals were all good gateways to faith for me in recent days.

We each have gateways to faith, open and ready for us. We only need to take the next step or the next pause and more is revealed.


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