What do you see? I see an ice hand with three fingers.
Here’s another three fingered ice hand. Oh, that’s my truck in the background.
Here’s a very odd looking icicle with a growth on the side.
Wonderful icicles. They are all different. No one is the same. God smiles.
Does not wisdom call,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 “O naive ones, understand prudence;
And, O fools, understand wisdom.
6 “Listen, for I will speak noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal right things (Prov. 8:1-6).
Wisdom can be found at every corner, at every turn in the road or at every decision point. It is calling out to us to be wise. We must listen for its voice.
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your intimate friend;
5 That they may keep you from an adulteress,
From the foreigner who flatters with her words (Prov. 7:4-5).
Wisdom and understanding always go together. They together will keep you from an adulteress.
Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty (Prov. 4:5-9).
If you do not abandon wisdom, if you instead love her, prize her, and embraced her, she will guard you, exalt you and honor you.
These trees have been bent over for many years and weighed down by the snow every winter. I’m waiting for them to crash down on the telephone lines below.
Here is a path into and through the tall trees. It’s adventurous to walk in here.
Here is a narrow path leading out to the creek. The path is barely visible because of all the snow, yet it beckons us forward.
This bridge takes us over the creek if we desire to go there.
A cold evening sky.
A squirrel in my backyard.
My backyard after a good snowfall.
The start of a winter walk.
Creek still unfrozen.
My son, let them [wisdom and understanding] not vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be life to your soul
And adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will walk in your way securely
And your foot will not stumble (Prov. 3:21-23).
Sound wisdom and discretion are tightly tied together. If you walk with discretion you will be secure and not stumble.
[When wisdom comes to you it] will enter your heart
And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
Discretion will guard you,
Understanding will watch over you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things;
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness (Prov. 2:10-13).
If you are wise, your soul will be pleased with God’s knowledge. If you are wise, discretion will guard you and understanding will watch over you and deliver you from evil.
Stephen Nielsen 