Mommy Brag !

On January 30th, I wrote about the secret world of the sk8park. I did not write of how our own lives were changed that day. My son's 9 year old friend, along with his best friend ( years old) & 3 very cool, older teens joined us there for my son's 10th birthday. We were there so long my husband ended up with a job. The way God so awesomely works is that this was to be a triple blessing: Tom has work, London gets to sk8 for free & no one has to drive across town to wait while he skates. He simply goes to work with his dad & they get a lot of quality time together. Much to his delight, he was recently asked to demo at a huge festival over Memorial Day. Here he is dropping in on a small, half pipe...

Imagine my blood pressure when I see him at the sk8park dropping in on a 9 foot vert !!!! He is now working on the 12 foot one !!!

Morning on the Landing

I sit on the landing, watching the mirror still water. The ground & wind murmur all around of impending rain, but as I watch the lake surface, there are no droplets, simply buds & leaves carried by the wind. Out beyond the cove the river current begins to flow but it is smooth in my corner save for swirls & jumps from below. The other day, a slider was on the water's edge, where I sat on the landing. Despite my dog's sniffing & my taking pictures, he was a friendly little guy who never once hid his face from us. This morning, however the only signs of a turtle I see is one little head bobbing along off shore. I wait & I watch. The wind begins to blow the river current around the bend into the cove. The kingfishers begin their frantic chattering as the hunt for their morning meal...& then I see the familiar wake...the tiny head of the beaver makes his way around the bend, heading right for me. He is joined by his mate for their morning exercise before heading in for the day's rest. As they near my perch, my dog shifts a little causing him to do a somersault & disappear below the surface. No alarm from his tail to warn his mate. Could this be a pair of muskrats? They do look small. 12 minutes later, as the current is making it's way towards me, he reappears & I clearly see the outline of his flat tail. This is my beaver & despite the passage of time since last we shared the morning together, I pose no threat to him. He keeps a distance & continues his play. What an amazing way to start the day! Thank you, Jesus ! Thank you !!!!

Opened Road

It seems like such a small thing....a fence put up, a fence removed....but it has changed a way of life & I feel on the verge of a new beginning of an old way of life. You see, the property we own is backed by an abandoned county road with direct access to a boat landing. More importantly, it is direct access for a lovely walk down to where the beavers live...my old friends. These shy, reclusive creatures knew me so well, I had "become part of the forest" for them & they went about their business without concern for my presence. It was a highlight of my life ....being able to watch for their activity & spend time with my Lord.I walked this road daily for 10 years until new tenants moved in & then the fence went up barring me from passing along 30 feet of the road. I was in my right to pass over it, but for many reasons I chose to withdraw into depression & acquiesce to their inane demands.... We have prayed fervently over this, referring to scripture many times as to what the right thing seems to be...respecting their wishes versus giving up our rights. No lawyer will take our money as it is the owner's responsibility to produce the paperwork....yet I caved into a dark withdrawal. After nearly 2 years, the power company's tree-trimmers have removed the sign & the pile of debris added to it the fence. This morning, I freely walked along this road to see the progress of the beavers. I prayed in thanks to our Lord. I pray for a peaceful resolution in this matter ...a fair & just understanding on all sides, one without ugly confrontation. I would appreciate your prayers alongside of this. In the meantime, I have just had a lovely walk down to discover fresh beaver prints & chewed wood & seen their progress as they rebuild their burrow covering from spring floods. I rejoice, saying prayers of thanksgiving for a newly opened way.

I Know The feeling

Some time ago when we got a new keyboard, we let the little boys have their way with the old one. Recently, we have been having a lot of trouble with our computer & this old image came to mind.....I have been feeling like doing this to our pc !

All Out Boy

As soon as my son was mobile, he was a climber. It took 5 times pulling him off of a 50 gallon, glass-topped aquarium before I realized how my barely-able-to-crawl-baby was making it up there. I realized I had to place him in God's hands or I would stroke out, before he would even learn to walk. As a baby he wasn't content to swing back & forth. We had to push him to the heights so he could reach for the tree-tops. Once on his own power, sitting was just no longer fun. He climbs trees, leaps across gorges, dangles over precipices, scales rock walls...Publicly, we've been given some pretty nasty glares from less "permissive" parents. I'm not going to punish him for exploring & I would rather he experiment under my watchful eye... & with ready access to the clinic. An x-ray technician once thanked us for having him play outside so much. Last autumn I watched him do a running, front flip on the soccer field to celebrate a goal. (He's taking lessons now).

The last trip I made with him to the clinic was regarding a possible back injury from doing flips on a concrete floor. I told the doctor "we should get some kind of 'Frequent Faller Miles'" to which she replied, "Yes! & we can have a card to punch". She did not, however share my enthusiasm for "10 x-rays get the 11th free"... & all of this occurred before the sk8boarding fury.

The other day my husband & son arrived home from the sk8park much earlier than expected. "Had to get London's arm x-rayed...not broken & there was no charge. We had a credit." "Was it Dr. Owens?" It was not. London went to his baseball game that evening to "support the team". He played catcher the last inning & hit a double on his, one at-bat. I am looking forward to telling Dr. Owens about the credit...but, I'm not in any hurry.

The Saturday Before

George is amazing. Raised as a catholic, he knows more about Jewish culture, tradition & religion than any Jew I have known. He knows the timing of the Sabbath meant Jesus was actually arrested on a Tuesday or something. The crucifixion & burial weren't just rushed over any Sabbath...it has to do with the particular day of the week the Pesach fell in that particular year... I don't know all of these things, but I am in awe of his knowledge & the knowledge of others surrounding this. I just know as a kid, the timing never worked out for me that Friday to Sunday wasn't 3 days, nor was the Jewish Sabbath on Sunday morning as we Christians observe.
On the day before the resurrection, I think of Jesus' followers...His beloved, His mother, His friends. They had spent years with Him, believed in Him...even listened to Him teach in the latter part of His ministry how He was going to come back. Whatever the calendar says, I take this Saturday to ponder their helplessness & hopelessness. Christ has been dead for 2 days & some of the terror & numbness must surely have been wearing off. "Reality" must have been settling in... I take this day of the year to ponder their position & to reflect upon mine. How often do I feel abandoned by God...hopeless & helpless...just before the hour He acts? I ponder anew how often I feel dejected, disappointed, cast down...just before He does something new & amazing ! I am not alone...

No Single Voice...Hallelujah !

For the majority of my life, I joyfully sang "Christ, the Lord is Risen Today ~ Hallelujah!" along with a body of worshipers. It was tradition & it was joyous ! (It was so meaningful, I thought of singing that at my wedding but, we opted for the "Hallelujah Chorus"). Singing this & knowing Christians all around the globe were joining in the same praises gave me a connection to other believers...but more specifically, it gave me a connection to the Grand Design of our Father in Christ. It was me He died & rose again for, but in the glorious moments of worship & praise along with other believers, I realized how many "me's" there are....He did this for all of us.

Last year, as I joined n the praise & worship with my fellow believers, I was struck by a whole new notion.... We wrestle with God's time & His timing, with predestination, with God already knowing what is yet to come...suppose time isn't linear at all. Suppose it sort of all happens at once. Suppose, as we sing praises to our God & King on Easter morning, suppose *WE* are the heavenly voices raising song to our risen Lord alongside the empty tomb!?! Just suppose...

What's So "Good" About Friday?

Growing up, we observed Maunday Thursday, the night on which Jesus was betrayed & arrested, just after Palm Sunday. As adults, we participate in a Christian Seder meal. For years, my husband & I (along with various house guests) would stumble through the Jewish traditions to remember Christ's last night on earth. We ended with communion, just as He did... we sometimes even had a foot-washing. Now we are blessed to have Christian teachers who are knowledgeable about the Jewish heritage of our Saviour. For Jews, this is the Feast of the Passover to remember God passing over the Children of Israel when they were in bondage under Egypt & the entire plate is symbollic. This is the last meal Jesus had on earth & He changed everything. It is amazing to learn how the meaning of each element in the meal was changed by His coming.
The elements of the plate represent things in the original Passover. Parsley dipped in salt water reminds of the tears of slavery, horseradish of the bitterness of slavery, charoset is for the mortar in the bricks they made & the lamb bone for when the blood was smeared on the door lentils... Matzoh represents the unleavened bread from when the Children of Israel had to leave without waiting for the bread to rise. In Christ, all of these take on new meaning. Even the matzoh is pierced, bruised & striped (39 stripes for 39 lashes).There are 4 cups in the Passover meal. For the Jews they represent the blood of the lamb, the unleavened bread, being redeemed, & sealed. In Christ, the cups represent Sanctification, Deliverance, Salvation & Praise.
Long ago, if a Jewish man wanted to marry a young girl, he & his father would meet with her father to agree on a "bride price". It was usually quite high & when an agreement was reached, the young man would offer her a cup of wine. If she accepted it, he would go back to his fathers' house to prepare a home for himself & his bride. Our father of this earth, Satan, demanded a high price from God for us & Jesus willingly accepted the cup....this puts an entirely new meaning on Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me." (Matt 26:390.

I like to think of Jesus on Palm Sunday, entering Jerusalem to the cheering crowds... not being taunted as He was beaten nearly unto death. I like to think of Him arisen victorious on Easter Sunday ...not trying to stand on nailed feet to catch a breath of air as He hung on the cross... I especially don't like to think about the nails... but each year on Good Friday, I take a time out to think about my role in all of this. I prayerfully consider how my sins & my being forgiven were on His mind as he hung there... *I* was there when he entered Jerusalem, when He was forsaken, & when He was separated from God through death. I will be with Him on Easter morning but once a year, I ponder how my relationship with God was on His mind through all of this... & I am humbled....

Palm Sunday

One thing I miss in contemporary churches is having a palm to wave around on Palm Sunday. As a kid we always had palms & I mentioned this to our pastor. He asked, "What would we do with them?" I told him, "The kids run around waving them pointlessly in the air...you know...as a reminder of the triumphal entry..." He didn't know, but this year we had palms...
I am on the greeter team so I got to hand them out. A lot of people gave a wistful thanks & murmured about them from their childhood. I thought a lot about why they are so meaningful for me. As a kid I loved waving them around pretending to hail Jesus as King as He entered Jerusalem on a colt. As I watched the kids in our parking lot doing the same, I realized that for me it was more about His arrest, than His entry. How could an entire city hail Him one day & turn on Him so a few days later?!? As a kid, I think the palms of Palm Sunday demonstrated the exaggerated difference between how the people accepted, then rejected Him.
The world is like this now... We want our Jesus riding on the clouds & coming to take out those who we perceive as doing us wrong. We all jump on the train when everyone is happy & partying, but when the world shuns Him, we too often turn our backs on He who we lauded only days or hours before. He loves us anyway....

Lapse Into Summer

After losing 60 pounds last year, my body was in bad need of an overhaul so I decided to start toning up in the pool. I spent hours working muscle groups to try to put as much as I could back where the good Lord had placed it originally. I was die-hard about it... You know that searing pain that comes in your feet when you have been too long in winter weather? Once, in October I stayed in the pool so long it took 3 hrs for my legs to un-numb themselves to feel like that. I kept it under a half an hour the few times I went in after that.

I had hoped to continue my exercises more in the winter. There were plenty that could be land based, but as the months wore along, my good intentions found themselves sitting on their butt right beside me. I finally made it in the pool the other day, but only to scoop out the dead leaves. Despite the initial pain of a thousand knives burning into my legs, it was great to be back in the water. When I went in the following day, I couldn't believe how it had warmed over night. I just melted into summer break as I stared over the forest & lake counting my reps. I slipped right back into summer-mode & it feels great to be back !!!

Hallelujah ! He Is Risen ! He Is Risen, Indeed !

I love this image !!!!

Far Side of the Falls

I haven't been across our cove to the abandoned park in years, but the other day a dear friend & I made the climb. This first image is magical to me in that I typically see the falls flowing to the right. We mounted the ridge & paused here as we prepared to pass through the hole in the fence to delve into the secret garden. We explored a world with mounds of lilies, narcissus, daffodils & countless treasures we couldn't name. Much of the year these fields are hidden beyond a jungle of poison ivy & are impassible with waist-high kudzu hiding innumerable animal burrows from the watchful eyes of hawk & fox... This sliver of the year, however we were able to make it to the long-buried, crumbling, old parking lot, the bamboo forest with it's grown over cave & some of my favorite oaks. When I made it to my favorite, I was in awe & my shudder lay still.

I was so afraid of abandoning my friend & dropping into The Zone that I took very few images. I remember sighing in delight when I captured the angle of this, particular oak. If you look closely at the hanging vines & the background trees, you can see the image was taken upright. It is the tree that is a-kilter.

Jerry discovered this little jewel just near the shoreline. It is but a few inches high & has bloomed away countless seasons, just around the bend from my view on the dock. We are so richly blessed to have magical places to explore "in our own back yard"!!!

My Side of the Ridge

I haven't made it across our cove in years & ventured over there with a friend the other day. I love this thumbnail... the colors & angles, the subtlety of light...I enjoy the unusual focus, but when I opened the image, I was disappointed to find it askew. It makes me think how often people believe "when [they] finally..." or "if only", then life will be all they ever dreamt of. People chase the prize & forget to embrace & cherish the now. Our culture seems to spend a lot of time chasing things to better ourselves while sacrificing precious gratitude of the present moments & blessings.

We made it across & built magical memories (of which I will write another time). The treasures we discovered on my own side of the creek & ridge stay with me in ways more deeply than what we found in the secret garden. I needn't have ventured over the falls & through the hole in the fence to find these gems. The scientifically minded ask, "Why are things such as these so beautifully made?". These blooms tucked over the hill, beyond the path go unseen yet the Hand of a playful, Artist has adorned them with such grace & care.... The loving Hand of the Father-Creator renders science speechless in awe & wonder.

Shadowed Layers

A slant of light~ the momentary scent of wildflower carried on the breeze~ a twist of silk & linen~ a drift of melody buried under static~ These are the things that can transport back to moments passed.
Seemingly unimportant senses awakened in the core of the soul~ known in an instant to unutterably alter one's course~ compelled forward~ a minor acquiescence of deep-seated routes to set adrift dreams never to be ripened nor released.
Every now & then a little light peels away in the darkness & shadows return for a time. Dampened dreams released into a torment of regret~ a knowledge of truth without closure, confidence with continued pain~
Poignant remnants of angst give way to acceptance of peace that is yet to be.

I typically find roses to be overshot, yet they are an irresistible temptation for me. I fell right in & closed out the PTA meeting, still shooting away as the last of the teachers cleared the parking lot. I am fascinated by the different shades, shapes, colors & moods...the varied lines & all the extraordinary angles that go unnoticed demonstrate how "mindful" our Creator-God is of all the little details. I love the leathery look of most petals & that contrast to the overall look of softness. Just where a soft bud emerges from jagged edges, there is a contrast with snow-white fur. There are hybrids with one layer of petals & others with dense masses of petals overflowing. While most have a petals radiating like ripples, others show multiple areas of concentric line & shape.

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; & yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the fields...will He not much more clothe you..? For your heavenly Father knows you have need of these things. But seek first His righteousness & all these things will be added unto you." Matt 6: 28-34

Roses at Westcliff

My son's school has a lovely, little rose garden in this midst of a driving circle & parking lot. I never see anyone pause over it but I sure do.

It is rare that I do not make the time to wander among the beauty to savor their differing fragrances, shades & forms...such an amazing display of God's artistry & handiwork!

God blessed me with a number of amazing images. Here are a few of my favorites, though my absolute favorites are yet to come. (I *am* quite partial to the salmon bud on this page.)

Small Moments

So much of our lives are made up of the smallest of moments, like waiting in front of the school for your ride to arrive. When my son was in Montessori I got to pick him up. I would often hang out for over an hour drinking in what it was like in his other world. Now that he is in public school, I am rarely afforded the chance to pick him up, but was recently delighted to do so. On our way home the oddest thing happened... I drove casually passed the newly renovated farm & farm house before having to abruptly hit the breaks. A wild turkey flew across our path at windshield height to my van. We surely would have made contact if I hadn't slowed. Hawks give me a sense of protection when they cross my path. Crows give me another worldly, sometimes foreboding connection to my past, & vultures or buzzards make me chuckle...I don't know how I feel about a turkey crossing my path, but it was surely a moment to remember!

Time Travelling

From our first outting to the abandoned property I was mesmerized...caught up in the magic of being ten again. The moment we crossed into the overgrown forest a magic surrounded us. In the midst of tangles & random, baby magnolias we found a perfect row of boxwoods outlining the original driveway. I was instantly transported back in time, playing in the forest & gathering clues. When I was 10, we found a crumbling log cabin on the far end of the street with it's stone chimney still upright. We spent countless afternoons playing "house" there & frightening ourselves with ghost stories. We imagined all kinds of tales about the people who had lived there & why they left. When it was time for supper, we always felt as though we'd been time travelling & it felt odd to step back into present day.

The property the kids at church discovered had 6 previous homes on it & several out-buildings. The kids played there for weeks before mentioning a possible well-house & we decided to check it out. It didn't take long to realize how unsafe it is. Secretly I was pleased we had taken so long to be "the grown-up" & say it was unsafe without supervision.

These homes span a time from the turn of the century to probably the 60's or 70's...all crumbling. This one really intrigued me, for though it is partially collapsed the window glass remains completely unbroken.

Layers of shingles on the oldest of the dwellings reminded me of that old log cabin I used to play in as a kid. This image is the "shot that got away", for the focus was off by a hair...ah, well...(she says with a gleam in her eye)...I suppose we will "have to go back another time".....

A Time For Every Purpose

It is with a certain wistfulness I let go of winter,this year... almost a melancholy. By day our senses our bombarded with the beauty of blossoming trees, carpets of colorful spring dandies & the amazing fragrances of spring. By night, I still savor "The Season of Lines", for the uppermost parts of our forest view remain bare. I have been able to enjoy the final, seasonal views of the forest's architecture....the frame without the siding, so to speak. God's structural handiwork will remain all but hidden for the next few seasons.

A week or two ago, we all delighted in the joyous song of the spring peeps arising from the pond. Days later they were joined by those in our own lake cove. Somewhere in that time frame, we all dropped what we were doing to relish the resonance of arising insects. As I step out into the darkness now, I find myself dreadfully missing the quiet of winter nights which embraced me nearly without notice. We are spoiled you see, by weather warm enough to truly enjoy the winter months, including gloriously warm nights & soft silence.

This is all very good. (Gen 1:31) The Bible reminds there is a season for everything. (Eccl. 3:1,6) Typically I spend much of winter in anticipation of spring. For perhaps the first time in my life, I longingly let her go as I excitedly work by day amid the glorious, floral color fields arising daily.

Little Boy Fun

As a teenager & into my 20's, I volunteered as a camp counselor through our area church in Maryland. Professionally, I have worked with preschool & early elementary age children as well as adolescents. I have never again had the opportunity to work with older elementary boys as I did in those summer camps, though that is the age which sparked my passion for teaching. I am now blessed to reside with a 10 year old boy & life is sometimes unbearably fun !!!! My son was granted the privilege of lighting firecrackers under supervision, so we regularly test cause & effect on various toys & such. Underwater explosions are particularly fun !

Days of Change

A week ago, I sat on my western, "Holy Rock" high above the lake & watched the forest. Perched at eye level with the branches, I searched for signs of the green veil of spring to begin it's subtle glory. The red maple blossoms were blessedly giving way to burgundy helicopters & days of rain had cleared the air of their pollen. Daffodils, tulips & hyacinths graced our gardens. Soft, gray doves contrasted against richly colored carpets of phlox on terraces all around, while "yellow bells", pears, magnolias & cherries were blooming on full throttle. "Surely, the forest must be beginning to green over", I thought. Despite my earnest searching, there was no sign of the muslin, veil of green as I watched sat that Saturday morning. I gazed across the water, relishing the view which I knew would soon become filtered by the forest.

The following evening my peering eye discovered the tiniest of green tips amid the trees & the oaks began to erupt in flowers on their tips. The silver "V" of the beaver's wake stood out providing me with a thrill I never tire of & the following day, I found myself peering through the misty green of early spring. Day by day ~ even hour by hour, God's artistry can nearly be seen in motion. It is an amazing time of year!

Polyanthas for Jesse & Vic

Zechariah 4:10 asks, "Who has despised the day of small things?"
I believe it is often in the smallest of day-to-day moments that our relationships deepen & our memories are the strongest.

As far back as I can remember I had always been intrigued by Great Britain. While I was still in highschool, I asked my parents if I might spend a semester there in college. They agreed & it would become an experience that would forever impact our lives for the better. I had my choice of living in an apartment with other international students or living with a "British family". I chose the family as I wanted to be fully immersed in their culture. Jesse & Vic were to become my new "parents" & it is with the greatest of love I look back on our time together. I have ever after said, "I have my mom & dad, as well as my Mum & Vic".

In America these flowers are called, "Primrose", but I call them "Polyanthas", as Jesse taught me. When I first arrived for my semester abroad they were nearly the only thing in bloom. I purchased 3 little pots of them this year & they brightened my home in the last of the dark, winter months here. God graced me with literally hundreds of amazing images of these & I randomly chose one for my blog header these past months. Now that it is time to post a new image there, I keep this in a post to remember all the warm moments of memories in their kitchen as I adjusted to a new way of life in my home on the other side of the world.
When I see polyanthas in my kitchen window, I am transported back in time & across the pond. I always lingered after meals to help with the dishes. It seemed the right thing to do & I never wanted our mealtime conversations to end. Vic would wash, I would dry & Jesse would put them away. We regailed each other with stories, & laughed endlessly. I still see the gleam in Vic's eyes, hear the sparkle of Jesse's laughter & feel the warmth as we bonded into a true family.

Sensory Explosion

As closely as I have watched throughout my life, it took years for me to realize the first reds to grace the tips of maple trees are actually tiny flowers. It was in my early 20's, when I was tested for allergies I became aware of them. This also explained why the first hints of spring would leave me bed-ridden for a week. They are such tee-tiny blossoms, yet their pollen can absolutely debilitate me. With knowledge comes power & I have learned to remain functional throughout their lengthy blooming time.

I live & work in close proximity to our area NASCAR track & during race season, we listen to the distant, comforting drone of the track. It is one in which "the Big Boys" often test their cars prior to Cup series, short-track races. One Friday, as I headed home from work, the roar of racing engines overpowered my craving for an afternoon nap. I knew that I would not be able to sleep as the engines would continue to beckon me, so I purposefully drove a tad out of my way to stand right at the fence & watch the boys run. Local drivers were out practicing for our season opener, but it was no less exhilarating than if it had been a Cup driver.

I was able to stand right at the fence & spend my afternoon amid the excitement of the near deafening roar, the wind & the amazing smell of rubber on hot asphalt.
"Gentlemen, start your engines..."