Oconto Ice Shoves

God sure has a way of making ordinary things extraordinary. A couple weeks ago, my father pulled Luke and I out to the Oconto Ice Shoves, just outside of the Oconto Harbor, on his newly remodeled vintage snowmobile. It was fantastic.

Apparently, an ice breaker went through the bay, and shortly thereafter gail-force winds blew the ice chunks into a huge shelf. We first approached the shoves and were in awe of the variety of ice.

Usually, ice is...ice. Not much to it, not that notable. There are plenty of times that Luke and I went ice fishing and I didn't pay it much attention, other than commenting that ice fishing sure isn't as much fun as regular fishing, due to the ice everywhere.

 In fact, it's hard to do this ice justice through description. The words I would use... solid... hard... clear...clunky... are all the same words you would use to describe ice from your freezer.

But this ice sparkled and shimmered. It was beautifully clear and gorgeously breathtaking. It was so much fun to hold and photograph that I barely noticed my red and hurting hands.

We also found hoarfrost, which forms from crystallized water vapor. It looked like a tiny forest growing up from the ice sheet.

Luke was the first one to decide to climb the shoves. Dad and I watched as he disappeared and reappeared around ice boulders as he climbed to the top.

After a few minutes, we decided to stop letting him have all the fun, and Dad and I joined in on the trek to the top. It definitely wasn't safe to be climbing them, and legally I should recommend that you don't take the risk. 

Our shins got barked a couple times, and it was clear that one misstep would cause a broken limb, but I have to admit that it was worth it. The view from the top was extraordinary

Looking ahead, the daily highs are above freezing for the foreseeable future. I'm not sure that the ice shoves will exist for much longer.

One more thing:

Heaven is a popular lunchtime topic for Grace and I. She is always asking questions about it: What temperature will it be there? Will there be animals? What will we eat? Will you have a garden? Can I live in a castle?

I can answer some of those questions, but for the most part we really don't know the details of Heaven. It's fun to imagine how amazing that place will be, which God, who knows us and loves us more than we can imagine, has prepared specially for us.

When I see amazing moments in nature, it is as if we are getting a sneak-peek at the amazing Heaven Christians can look forward to dwelling in, when we are face to face with Christ.

The ice and the ice shoves reminded me of where the book of Revelation talks about New Jerusalem. It is described in verses 10 and 11:

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal"

An inadequate comparison, of course, but it cheers me to have it.

Have you seen any glimpses of Heaven recently?

Year in Review + A Look Ahead

Wow, 2017 was such an amazing year. I have been especially reflective the past few weeks, and I feel absolutely charged up when I look into what 2018 will bring.

The end of 2016, we found out that we would be introducing a new little life into our family, so 2017 was full of preparing to bring in a boy to the mix. We enjoyed some extra special time with the girls before the inevitable chaos of a newborn, camping at Peninsula and on a whirlwind Chicago trip.

Life slowed down substantially when Jack joined the family, and we found a completely different rhythm and balance to give everyone the care and attention needed... Honestly, we're still working on that. Simply put, we're outnumbered and outgunned, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

This fall and winter have brought more inside time than our family is used to. Luke and I love being outdoors, and we love winter adventures. Ice fishing and hiking are some of our favorite activities, but they definitely aren't baby/toddler friendly. So our yaktrax, otter sled, and auger have been momentarily replaced with play doh, spit up clothes, crayons, and flashlights. Boy, does our family like flashlights. And lanterns. And glow in the dark perler beads. And candles. They transform the mundane into the magnificent.

I think the mandatory inside time is what sparked my 2018 Word. I've seen several bloggers and friends embrace the "word of the year" for a couple years now. For those unfamiliar, this trend promotes picking a word or phrase to provide clarity and inspiration through the year. It's not a resolution, just a focus.

So, my word for 2018 is:

I've enjoyed giving some extra thought to how the word light is used, not just in the Bible but also in our everyday lives. Light is necessary for clarity, plant growth, discernment. It is directly given from God. It's the opposite of heavy. There can be "false light" in our lives. It's the first thing God talks about in the Bible!

There are so many amazing Bible verses that talk about light, and I'm hoping to focus on those especially for 2018. For now, I'll leave you with one that's especially "enlightening:"

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, 

and without him was not any thing made that was made.

  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." 

John 1: 1-5

So, in the next 10 months, if you find yourself stuck in an elevator with me, waiting beside me for supper, or just wanting to strike up a conversation-- ask me about light! Or better yet, tell me about YOUR light. What blessings have you gotten lately? Where have you learned something new? Do your light bulbs need replacing? Watt-ever it is, I want to know.

Illuminate me!

Jennifer