Bits and pieces.....It is often the bits and pieces of life that happen in the course of living that enrich and make life the gift that it is. Living in the middle of the mountains surrounded by wilderness those bits and pieces can be unique......

On our way to Colorado Springs for Thanksgiving driving out our County Road 3, we saw two of Marble's own walking. The temp outside was 13 degrees. Our Tacoma truck was packed with everything including our yellow lab, Starbuck. We stopped to offer them a ride even though Starbuck filled the back seat. They opted to accept the ride and climbed in the back with the dog who then proceeded to climb into the front seat sitting on me and stretching across the console to put her head on Jon. Thus we rode that way all the way to Carbondale. The kicker was that if we had passed them by, they would have known that it was the pastor because everyone in Marble knows our truck. We had a great ride to Carbondale. Bits and Pieces......

Shortly after returning to Marble we had our first "BIG" snowstorm. Of course Jon was in Grand Junction for an overnighter. It started snowing in the night. Now the key to keeping up with large snowstorms is keeping the snow shoveled. I already had my pajamas on. So I figured they were like long johns, so I through my snowpants over them and shoveled the decks twice for a total of nine inches in my pjs. The next morning I woke up to another foot on the deck. Out to shovel I went. However I had on something other than my pajamas. I shoveled a total of two feet of snow in 24 hours. Bits and pieces.....in the wilderness!



Yesterday Jon and I went to the local galleries, the school, and helped out at the church for the event called Christmas in Marble. We entered one gallery and it was magical! They had it decorated lovely and the Christmas music was playing and they had treats. Jon and I had a dance right in the gallery to the Christmas music. Good thing the owners were our parishioners and enjoyed our delight in the moment. Then we walked out. The snow was so beautiful and the white Aspen trees with their dark eyes along the trunk were singing their own silent Christmas carol. I breathed in the cold brisk air and thought, God how wonderful you are! Bits and pieces.......

Last night I looked out the window to see headlights from an unmoving vehicle. I told Jon that I thought someone was stuck. He went outside to see if he could be of help. Sure enough one of our own legendary "mountain men" had gotten stuck in a snow bank. The neighbor's wife and friend was shoveling snow from the wheels and the neighbor was trying to position his truck to pull our stuck friend out. As this was happening, our very own "mountain man" asked Jon if he could just call him Preacher. Jon said sure. The man then responded,"We have been talking about you and we have decided that we like you. We have decided that you are good, Preacher and we like having you here." These things are not said lightly in Marble! Bits and pieces......in the town of Marble.

So bits and pieces of life are all around us to add that richness to our souls! It is my prayer that even when things are just a little tough in my personal life and there may be sorrow in my heart, that I will always be open to the bits and pieces that I am convinced are God's way of letting us know He is with us and within us. "Emanuel, God with us!"