Bonus

Humble beginnings.

Sprouts of green - eagerly poking up through the still cold earth...speaking hope.

These indomitable little tulips are such precious harbingers of Spring.

Thinking back to the awkward looking bulbs that are planted as the winter looms...

Nothing beautiful, 

just bulky big 'seeds" as it were, containing promise of beauty.

And so God puts us here on earth, seeds carrying the hope of glory.

It is not seen as yet, but there is such promise and potential contained in each of our rather awkward, stumbling frames and lives.

 Daniel and Nicole came home this weekend for the baby shower of their neighbours.

I was happy to have bits and pieces of time with them but as I was helping Nicole to prepare for the shower she asked to see if I was coming.

Well!!

Didn't know I was even invited (she had somehow forgotten to tell me) but I quickly decided I would come!

More time with the kids - YES!

And what a treat to be a part of celebrating the soon and coming baby.

To be honest, the food alone was worth coming for!

Daniel and his neighbour - friend Chris have become master chefs when it comes to creating amazing sour dough bread and pizza crusts.

These were breakfast pizza's and they were scrumptious!

Nicole is so very good at throwing parties.

She and a few others put together this lovely "family shower".

On the far right is the mama-to-be, in the middle is Nicole along with two "aunties".

We played some fun games (they really were!) and watched as the mound of gifts were opened and admired.

In the evening I went to church and now that we have swung our clocks forward an hour our evenings are so much brighter.

It was such a treat to worship and share communion with the backdrop of mountains, trees and ducks landing on the marsh just outside.

So important to gather and refocus.

To remember and meditate on what we are all doing here.

To read scriptures together, out loud and pray for one another.

And have snacks.

The table was loaded with goodies.

One of which was the top half of a cake that Daniel had been in charge of bringing to the baby shower.

Unfortunately, only the top half came out of the pan so Daniel abandoned plan A and we bought something instead.

But the short cake turned out to be a delicious blessing for our little church!