Tired of winter!

I know much of the country has been hit hard by winter weather this year, and Chicago is no exception.  They reported on the weather news that in a usual winter, we dip below zero an average of 10 times.  That was in the third week of January, and by then we had already experienced 14 days of sub-zero temps.  And I know for a fact that we have had at least three more days since.  In between the polar vortex blasts, we have had snow . . . and more snow . . . and even more snow!  It kind of makes you want to strangle the little groundhog who predicted six more weeks of this stuff.

But instead, I know that God is good, and there are good gifts in each day.  So far I have found a six-word phrase of encouragement for each day of February -- all from reading my Message Bible.  I'd like to share them with you, along with some photos I took today of a grocery store bouquet of flowers.

February 1:  Every God direction is road-tested.  (from Psalm 18:30)

February 2: Keep your eyes open for God. (from Psalm 105:4)

February 3:  Savor the gift of this day.  (from 2 Corinthians 4:15)

So now it's a challenge to see if I can find a six word phrase to bring encouragement every day of this cold and gloomy month.  I love that they are short enough for me to remember all day long!

And just for fun, I create a "wild and wacky" calendar for our department at the library each month.  The calendar is hung on the wall, and a copy goes on our web page.  Some of the days definitely give something to smile about.

I hope you are finding ways to keep the winter blues at bay!

Time to blog again.  It has been almost a year, and I realized that blogging had become a chore instead of a joyful sharing time.  With the new year, I began to read the blogs I had been faithfully following for a few years, and realized that I missed the creative energy of sharing with others in this fashion.  With my first foray back into the blogosphere, I thought I would keep it simple with a Zentangles page from my "Walls Notebook".  These are all tangles from the book "The Joy of Zentangle".  My friend loaned me the book, and I wanted to document my faves.

What creative endeavors do you do during the "down" months of winter?  I'm definitely open for ideas!