savor the moment

savor moment the by revvictoria robb powers

“For now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” song of solomon 11-13

Irecently officiated a wedding for a good friend of mine in Portland, Oregon. She’s 34, had previously never been married, and had been through more than her fair share of heartbreak. I remember years ago going on walks with her where she’d share with me the pain of her loneliness, the heartache of relationships that ended, and the betrayal of partners who were unfaithful. It seemed like every time there was a promise for a fruitful relationship, it would be taken away. She was crushed time and time again, and as a close friend, my heart ached for her pain.

Fast forward five years since those long walks, and she’s met the great love of her life. He’s everything she deserves – faithful, kind, and generous. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to meet him until moments before the ceremony, but I could tell from the joy that radiated through her smile that he had fulfilled all her hopes.

She chose this scripture from Song of Solomon for her wedding day, because she felt like her season of winter had passed, and she could smell the sweet fragrance of a hope fulfilled. The passage is a fitting one for any wedding. Song of Solomon is a book that recognizes and honors human love. It’s a scripture that celebrates faithful companionship and tells of the goodness of humanity and all that God created for us to enjoy in one another.

Human love, at its very best, is a reflection of God’s love. Whether that’s a love shared between romantic partners, a love of a parent to a child, a love between friends. Each of us possesses the capacity to mirror to the world what the love of God is in our love for one another. transition from season to season. There are moments when the love that surrounds us is so palpable, God so close, we can feel God’s embrace. For those seasons, we give thanks, and we savor them. We savor the goodness, the hopes fulfilled, the joys that abound.

As I stood before my friend and her soon to be husband, I reminded them of the inevitable winters that will come again, because life is good, but it’s not easy. When the storms arise and dusk returns, it is my hope that her memory of the grace and goodness of God will serve as a light in the darkness. We savor the moments of beauty partly because we know they’re finite, but also so we can hold fast to the promise that spring always returns. The worst things are never the last things; love always wins.

Every December in the church, we celebrate a season called Advent. Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus, which means “to come." In Advent we prepare for the Messiah that is to come. But Advent isn’t a season confined to the month of December. We always hang on to the Advent hope that spring is coming, and Christ will return.

This Christmas, as you embrace all the hope, the joy, and the light that comes with celebrating the season, may you savor all the goodness. Allow yourself to embrace the light, the joy, the hope, the cheer. Savor the season, so you can remember the promise that spring returns and hope can never be lost.

My friend’s wedding was a true celebration of love. As they spoke their vows, I caught a glimpse of the Spirit of God. Love was abounding that day, and all of us present were privileged to share in the moment. As I officiated the ceremony, I was reminded, though, that it was Solomon who also taught us that there is a season for everything – a season for dancing, a season for rejoicing, a season to laugh, but there are also seasons to weep, seasons to forgive, seasons to die. Life is an ongoing

| recipe keepsake box |

8FD Design, Texas, USA

Why do we make a big deal about our pieces that we craft here in Texas? Well, primarily, because we take such pride in our makers and we want you to see the full picture when you open your products. There’s no particle board here, no MDF. This is real, native, American alder that is cut, sanded, glued, nailed, oiled and waxed BY HAND. The time and effort it takes in creating this Recipe Box, makes it worthy of holding generational recipes, grandpa’s love letters, and old photographs.

No judgements here if you prefer to pin your recipe on a cork board or if you use a dry erase marker for your grocery list. This box is meant for the finer things and it’s built to last a lifetime. Organize your selections with the built-in divider and display what you need using the groove at the top.

7-1/2” W x 5-1/2” D x 5” H

Retail $58