Salekhard 207

It doesn’t get dark in Salekhard at this time of year. 
One of these was taken at 9:54 AM, the other at 10:34 PM

It fascinates me. 

I keep taking pictures trying to document the wonder of it.

Last night at 11:54 I took another one. 
The sky is washed out, but the building is truer to color and light.  

My firstborn and his firstborn.

Today I celebrate my first born son’s birthday.

His birth was by far the most difficult and frightening-

my doctor actually held him up in the birth canal until another doctor could perform an emergency c-section.

As I lay in bed last night tears started as sleep eluded me.  

                     Memories. Grief. Thanksgiving.

I finally gave up and went to the window. 

I spent 31 minutes trying to capture the beauty.

                              

. 

Suddenly just looking through the window was not enough. At 1:45 AM I slipped a sweater on over my pjs, went downstairs, stepped into sandals, quietly unlocked the door and went outside. 

It only took a few minutes for me to realize there was no way I was going to be able to capture the beauty that was inspiring sheer awe as I watched the sun project what looked like sparkling gold jewels over the horizon while higher in the sky the colors were deep and rich. My phone stopped taking pictures. It really did quit. As I tucked it into my pocket and just gazed at the incredible scene before me it was if I could hear God speaking to my heart, “Quit trying to document it. Simply rest. Enjoy. Savor.” So I did. I came back in, full of indescribable emotion and slipped under the covers where I realized how cold exposed toes can get in a few minutes when it is freezing. I didn’t even realize they were cold while I was looking up. My spirt, my soul, my heart was glowing, warmed, full of praise. 

I got up and sneaked one more peek at 2:19AM. 

The sun was “up” so I snapped another picture.

As I looked at it, I saw the shape of a cross. 

It was like fitting the final piece into a puzzle.

While I am in Salekhard now, darkness is not a part of any day, and I am living a physical reality of what God has been does in my life since I became His. He keeps the darkness at bay. It may get cloudy. It may rain. The winds of fear, doubt, anxiety may blow and threaten, but in this and in every “dark” place in my life, He has kept the darkness from entering. It may threaten, but it cannot be part of my life because His Son keeps it away. Darkness cannot overcome Light.