Sorry but I do not have as many pictures of the blizzard as I would like. Basically, it was too cold to have my hand out of the gloves (Yes, I had two pair on at the same time.)
Here are Jeff, Mallory and Ashton as we left the house on Tuesday about noon. It was still in the 20's with small winds (20mph) and regular snow showers. (not blizzard conditions yet)
This is Mallory, Val, and Ashton. The snow hurt as it was pelting our faces. It felt like daggers going into our eyes. Behind us is Main St./Highgrove which is a 5 lane road on normal days. Val, Mallory, Ashton, and Jeff....with everyone trying to shield their faces from the wind. Snow and wind picking up as we photograph. The snow was getting heavier. By afternoon, we could not see beyond our property lines. It was as if we were the only house in the neighborhood. All said and done we got 14.5 inches in 24 hours. The temperature dropped to -8 and when Ashton went to work on Thursday AM the wind chill was -25degrees. Our sustained winds were 30mph with gusts of 40mph. Not like Chicago had, but cold for this southern family!! By Wednesday mid-morning, it was beautiful sunny. (But frigid!) Jeff began the task of clearing the snow from the front door, porch, steps, then driveway. We have tried to take some photos to show the depth and volume of snow, but as with photographing the Grand Canyon, it is impossible to capture true depth perception on my camera. Piles of dug out snow everywhere. Piles of snow everywhere. The corner of our yard where our two streets come together. The left side of our driveway out near the street. The pile 'groweth'. Just wait until the plow comes to our street and adds to it. Same pile, more inclusive angle. You can see that it is really a row-pile, not just a single pile at the end. Mailman tracks where the postman steps off our porch and heads over to the neighbors house. Tuesday they had to halt delivery in the mid afternoon, so we did not get mail. Wednesday the post office was closed so he didn't get 'fresh' mail but finished delivering to the houses he couldn't get to on Tuesday. By Thursday, delivery had resumed but occurs much later in the day. It just takes the postman a lot longer to walk his route in the deep snow. Honestly, this picture isn't that impressive, but this is a lot of deep snow!
This morning I staggered to the kitchen to pour my first cup of coffee when I glanced out the window onto our back patio and could not believe my eyes. Perched on the back of our chair was a beautiful brown hawk. As is typical when it snows or gets extremely cold, we have had our doves coming and resting on the trashcans, chairs, steps, anywhere they can be out of the wind, and able to stand on something other than snow. Usually they are as close to the house as possible, I guess taking advantage of the heat that escapes through the walls and windows.
Also, some smaller birds have joined the doves with this last more extreme storm. It is funny to see how the puff out their feathers trying to stay warm. Having put out some birdseed we enjoy watching them move about picking their favorite from the spilled mess.
Well today, this young hawk was seeking refuge. He was beautiful and all alone. Needless to say, no doves or small yard birds were anywhere to be seen. I apologize for the picture quality, we didn't have the camera upstairs. So, par for the course, Mallory whips out her handy cell phone, takes the photo, sends it to my email, and one Picasa edited, zip file photo later, we have the picture uploaded to Blogger from being exported to My Pictures. (surely there is a more direct way!) The chair is on our patio right up next to the house although it looks like it is out in the snow in the yard. We just still have snow drifts all the the way to walls of the house on all four sides.
Luke 23:44-45, "It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two." Why was the curtain torn in two? Because the Holy of Holies was now to be opened up for the first time to human gaze. And because the Holy of Holies of the human spirit was now to be opened to the habitation of God!
When the Son of Man died, God ripped the veil wide open. He passed through the holy place, and penetrated into the Holy of Holies, into the secret of humanity-and the reality of humanity's spirit was unveiled.
Next was the resurrection and then the encounter of the two disciples walking on the road to when Jesus appeared to them. Luke 24:32, "They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'"
A burning heart is a heart that is caught up with the excitement and glory of a fulfilled humanity. The secret is revealed. Our humanity is fully possessed, reclaimed by our Creator. The Holy of Holies has been entered. What was lost has been saved. That is where we stand now. The secret of humanity is open to anyone who opens his or her own heart to the Son of Man, the perfect man.
He alone has penetrated the depths of the human spirit. He alone reestablishes the lost relationship with God that enables us to be what God intended us to be. He alone saves and restores what was lost in the fall of man, in the entrance of sin into the world. He alone can restore the marred, distorted image of God in our lives. All the possibility of a fulfilled humanity is available to anyone in whom the spirit of Christ dwells. All that you deeply want to be in the innermost recesses of your heart, you can be. I'm not talking about your goals in life, such as becoming a millionaire or an Olympic gold medalist. No, I'm talking about the deepest, most inexpressible yearnings of your heart-your desire to be connected to God, to know Him and be known by Him; your desire to have your life count for something in the eternal scheme of things; your desire to be clean and whole and forgiven.
Jesus makes it possible for you to fulfill God's best for you, so that you will be mature and Christlike, filled with love, forgiveness, wholeness, and good works.Yes, a burning heart is a heart that is caught up with the excitement and glory of a fulfilled humanity. Is your heart burning?
KP Writes: Ashton wanted to have some friends from dance and friends she knows through dance friends go ice skating with her to celebrate her birthday. So on Saturday before her birthday eleven girls and guys gathered at our house to caravan an outdoor skating rink in a part of Kansas City known as the Crown Center. Of course the temperature was a frigid 9 degrees when we left the house about 5pm. After a couple hours they had had enough fun and were ready to head back to the house for a chicken and rice dinner, games, a movie and then girls spent the night. Great fun was had by all, including Jeff and I. Enjoy the pictures. Mallory getting all suited up: skates, layers, coat, scarf, hat, gloves..... Jeff 'holding' Kirsti's hat. Not sure about that look on him! (Really, a flower?) Most everyone was a little wobbly at first. Left to right: some guy, Mallory, Dacia, Abbi, Stanton. Jeff and Kenon are a pair! You really never know what these two goofballs will do! In the area where the rink is located the trees are decorated with lights and there are several large hotels all connected by indoor walkways over the streets. Mallory and the birthday girl! Nice smiles ladies. Part of the gang resting on a bench, or is it that they are getting out of wind for a moment? L to R: Dacia (Missionary Kid from Japan who is staying with the Kawases for a season; ATP met her and her family while in Japan last summer; she is doing College Plus now too.), Nicole (Stanton's sister; they are a IHOP family who have been here 5 or so years; Stanton dances at DT but Nicole dances at another studio.), Ashton (an amazing young woman who loves the Lord and loves her friends.), Mallory (an amazing young lady who loves the Lord and brings joy to all those around her.), Hannah C. ( a friend from dance), Abbi (4th oldest Kawase child, dances at DT, went to Japan with Ashton; started College Plus last fall), Kenon (2nd oldest Kawase child, dances at DT, went to Japan with ATP, finishing up at Johnson County Community College in May and transferring to University of Missouri Kansas City, studying Civil Engineering) Different line up on the bench: L to R: Ashton, Dacia, Nicole, Kirsti (3rd oldest Kawase child, graduated from dance at Dramatic Truth, went to Japan with ATP, started College Plus last fall), Mallory, Hannah C., Abbi, and in the background Dante (new friend to ATP- he is a friend of Stanton, Kimberly, and April's, his family is associated with IHOP but I am not sure how), Stanton (dances at DT, went to Japan with ATP, Nicole's brother, IHOP family who has been here 5 years.) Cluster of the party out in the middle: L to R-Kenon, Kimberly, Gabe, Ashton, Dacia, Hannah C, Abbi, Kirsti, and Stan. It was hard to photograph with the lighting, the movement, the distance, and all those people who kept getting in between my camera and my subjects. 'Mallory the Beautiful' as she is appropriately labeled in my phone directory. Ashton and Abbi, precious sisters in the Lord; beautiful young women. Jeff and Kristian. Again. Dante and Ashton. Dacia, Nicole, Ashton and Kimberly (dances at DT, went to Japan with ATP, started College Plus last fall, lives with April and her family as Kimberly's dad is a US ambassador and her family has now moved from DC to Turkey.) Dante, Nicole, Gabe ( a new friend of Ashton's, he is a friend of Stanton's, he plans to do FSM-IHOP's school of ministry- in the fall.), April (dances at DT, started College Plus last fall, Kimberly has lived with her family since November. Before that Kimberly lived with another dance family for about 2 years.) L to R: bottom row-Abbi, Mallory; 2nd row-Dante, April, Ashton, Kimberly, Dacia; 3rd row-Gabe, Kirsti, Nicole; 4th row on top-Kenon. Added 3 to the picture. Abbi, Mallory; April, Dacia; Gabe, Nicole, Ashton, Kimberly, Stanton; Kenon, Dante, Hannah C., Kirsti. Same 13, just more goofy! Nice hat Stan. (He took Kimberly's hat from her early in the evening.) I guess if Jeff is wearing Kirsti's hat, Stan can wear Kimberly's. Back at the house chowing down! These were some hungry people.
Playing school? Not really, playing Mofia which is a killer/detective type group game. Gathering in the kitchen to sing happy birthday and get cupcakes and ice cream.
The girls not sure of what is going on with the guys. Jeff's hand on the right gives you the clue that a major performance is coming up. Yes, Jeff, Kenon, and Stanton break into song-may have been some rendition of Happy Birthday. From their faces I think the girls loved it. 3 major hams! Kenon gives the grand finale. OK, well then. Now let's eat. 19 year old birthday girl. Wow, this re-lighting candle is fascinating!
Hope you got a taste of the great fun we had with this celebration of a beautiful young woman. These are some great kids and they are a joy to 'do life' with. May the Lord bless them and may they run hard after Him!
This is Mallory, Val, and Ashton. The snow hurt as it was pelting our faces. It felt like daggers going into our eyes. Behind us is Main St./Highgrove which is a 5 lane road on normal days.
Val, Mallory, Ashton, and Jeff....with everyone trying to shield their faces from the wind.
Snow and wind picking up as we photograph.
The snow was getting heavier. 
By afternoon, we could not see beyond our property lines. It was as if we were the only house in the neighborhood.
All said and done we got 14.5 inches in 24 hours. The temperature dropped to -8 and when Ashton went to work on Thursday AM the wind chill was -25degrees. Our sustained winds were 30mph with gusts of 40mph. Not like Chicago had, but cold for this southern family!!
By Wednesday mid-morning, it was beautiful sunny. (But frigid!) Jeff began the task of clearing the snow from the front door, porch, steps, then driveway. We have tried to take some photos to show the depth and volume of snow, but as with photographing the Grand Canyon, it is impossible to capture true depth perception on my camera.
Piles of dug out snow everywhere.
Piles of snow everywhere.
The corner of our yard where our two streets come together.
The left side of our driveway out near the street. The pile 'groweth'. Just wait until the plow comes to our street and adds to it.
Same pile, more inclusive angle. You can see that it is really a row-pile, not just a single pile at the end.
Mailman tracks where the postman steps off our porch and heads over to the neighbors house. Tuesday they had to halt delivery in the mid afternoon, so we did not get mail. Wednesday the post office was closed so he didn't get 'fresh' mail but finished delivering to the houses he couldn't get to on Tuesday. By Thursday, delivery had resumed but occurs much later in the day. It just takes the postman a lot longer to walk his route in the deep snow.
Honestly, this picture isn't that impressive, but this is a lot of deep snow!
Love,
