My shadow

Hey, who is this guy following me around? "That's your shadow." Why is he shorter than me? "That's because you're eating all your vegetables, and you're growing faster."

Who needs a hose?

For some reason, Little Andy kept trying to put the garden hose over the fence. What possessed him to think it belonged there I'll never know. Maybe it was just fun to push it over and watch it disappear.

Pronghorn Antelopes

Pronghorn Antelopes are the world's second fastest land animal and the fastest in North America clocking in at a blistering 54 miles per hour. They aren't really Antelopes but they look like an Antelope, so that's what the pioneers called them. I get to see hundreds of them in Colorado and New Mexico when driving South to Albuquerque and Tucson. This time I stopped and took a photo.

Tyler home

It's been great to see Tyler again. He's been gone for another year, teaching in South Korea. It is truly amazing that he thrives so well in foreign cultures and learning new languages so easily. He travels the globe and scuba dives in the South Pacific for fun. We are so incredibly proud of him and what he's doing.

An inspection of his back however... revealed this! It is interesting that it's in the Coleoptera family. His grandfather, my father is an entomologist. Funny how we influence our kids without realizing it. The Philippine flag was certainly not my idea.

Elijah Timothy Holler

The newest member of the family, Elija Timothy Holler, 8 lbs., 20 inches long, born in Tucson, AZ. I would've thought the third grandchild would be sort of ho-hum, just another one. Not so! Once again I am profoundly moved. God is so good to us and has provided a healthy little boy and a healthy mother, home 9 hours after giving birth.

Eli is coming

Daisy, your little brother Eli is coming! It's not long now and you'll have to share even more! But as your family grows, so does the love that's shared.

Daisy watches TV

Watching TV once in a while when you are little has its advantages. You learn to sit still. And, Mom can get something done. I like playing with those feet too.

This is My Father's World

Here's a line or two from a nice hymn you can reflect on today. This is my Father's World is often on my mind when I'm hiking, skiing, or going into the Colorado back country. Enjoy.

This is my Father's world,

and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

No doubts

It is truly divine. It was on the cross, dying a horrible death, Christ was "forsaken" by all and even by God, and everyone was against him and even Peter betrayed him three times, but Christ was unchanged, with the same trust, and worthiness as ever when He says to the thief; "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43

The good shepherd

"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11. When I read this I get visions of a shepherd in a beautiful green pasture with sheep all around him. It's peaceful and the shepherd loves his sheep and cares for them deeply. And now come the wolves. Wait a minute... just suppose that the sheep themselves are stupid enough to side with the wolves in putting the shepherd to death.

A line in the song In Christ Alone goes like this;

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Workout at the Y

I went to the Y to work out this morning. On the way back to my locker I noticed an older gentleman standing over my shoes dusting himself with body powder. When I picked up my shoes they were covered with this white powder - probably good for fungal prevention or something - so I just shook them off and started to get dressed. He saw me shaking them off and then asked me the strangest thing, "What do think of my birthday suit?" My first thought was, 'is it his birthday?' But I decided to tell him the truth, "It needs ironing." I decided then and there that naked people in the locker room are selfish. They're all wrapped up in themselves!

Skiing

Nancy and I drove up to Kenosha Pass today and went cc skiing. The weather was nice, there was plenty of snow, and we enjoyed every minute. We chose to go on the East side and up the Colorado Trail and it turned out to be a good choice. There were hardly any people on this side and the views are better.

We stopped in a big aspen grove and enjoyed some hot chocolate along the way on this nice big rock. It sure is swell to live in Colorado!

Butler Gulch in snow

Here's another shot of my friends at the top of Butler Gulch and near the Continental Divide. With all the new snow this week, there's even more snow up there! It's just what we need, lots of water this summer. A real friend is a guy who walks in when everybody else walks out.

Not guilty

"If find no guilt in this man (Jesus), therefore I will punish him." What a curious "therefore." Pilate said it three times in Luke 23. The attack upon the savior of the world is made. Later, two criminals followed Jesus to the cross, both of them guilty. Because of one criminal's belief, Jesus declares him innocent. Here is the difference between man and God.

More on Christ

Christ had the certainty that what He suffered was atonement for all, unconditionally for all, and the confidence that with his every step, his every word, "the scriptures were fulfilled." See Luke 4:21. He was the scriptures given life.

God's Word

I like what SK says in his journals. "In order for a person to rely upon another person, it requires that he give his word on it. God has given us his word. His word on it - Christ is the word." John 1:1-2. So he has spoken to us by his life, but has also spoken for us by his death.

Snow in Colorado

We always have the weather, it's too hot, it's too cold, too much the same. In Colorado you have to either dry off, cool off, or shovel it off. Now after a good hard snow, it gets really, really cold again, like well below zero. This morning I put on my coat to take out the garbage, and it didn't want to go!

The mountain behind these houses across the street from us is part of the Dakota Ridge. It's covered in snow. It looks to me like it will be a cold winter. I saw a squirrel burying Sterno.

Butler Gulch

Yesterday I went snowshoeing with our small group up Butler Gulch near Henderson Mine. There were 15 of us and we really enjoyed the hike through the quiet forest. The trail was a little steep at the end as we approached the divide, but with snowshoes it was not a problem. Not one of us was worried about an accident, you know, like an avalanche or something. Ninety percent of accidents occur in the kitchen. And I've cooked quite a few of them!

Pools of Light

We have pools of light which reflect the truth. When will you believe? "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread."

Happy New Year

I'll never know why people celebrate the ending of a year. It only means that your car depreciated again! And what's with the eggnog? I threw it out last week (even though it was in the frig for three years). I don't like eggnog. It's like drinking milk from a smashed cow!

My wish for 2011? I want my troubles to last as long as my resolutions.

Happy New Year!