A Wildflower Morning

We were talking about all the Christmas lights that people are putting up in neighborhoods everywhere this time of year. There seems to be something that attracts us to light. It makes ordinary homes sparkle when there are no longer green grass or flowers, and when the night falls early every evening. We went ice skating today also. Young son playing tag the whole time, daughter's friend skating round and round, and daughter helping little girls learn how to stand on their own. Who had the most fun? Young son was sure that he did, because he was playing hard and fast the whole time. Daughter's friend thought she did because she enjoyed the entertainment. And daughter said she did because she was helping people. Isn't that interesting? Really, they all did have fun, but who had the most fun? Daughter said it is like the difference between eating a cookie and eating a salad. A cookie is more fun for the moment. It tastes great! A salad, though it tastes less excit...

The little Red Haven peach tree has grown up. This year it has produced enough juicy red globes to fill almost 30 quart bags for the freezer. It is really amazing what can happen with time and growth. The fruit is sweet. The tree started out quite small, but each year seemed to produce a few more peaches. Each peach was savored and enjoyed, but there was never enough to save for the winter, until this year. We ate until juice was dripping from our elbows and our sticky smiles beamed. This is good. This is what a peach tree is for, and it is worth the wait. There is a plum tree in the yard that has not produced a single fruit in the same amount time, not even a single blossom. There are leaves, but that is all. It seems such a waste, to be a fruit tree and not bear fruit. I wonder if my life is producing any fruit. God's purpose for my life is to "Bear much fruit." John 15:8. I have had many years of receiving nourishment for God's word, but is the effect s...

Time alone with God morning light dawns in my heart a new day Petunia petals a light with morning freshness capture my eye, capture my thoughts. I choose to dwell on light, light through the window, light on a face, light words from the throne, words of grace, light, power, energy, transform my thoughts, transform my face, enlighten the whole room every corner, every being brighter, catching sparkles, thoughts dancing around YOU, Great God, Source of my light. I am singing with "grace in my heart to the the Lord". (See Colossians 3:16.)

The peonies are doing better in the garden this year then last. There are bigger blooms and they aren't damaged by the earwigs. My son brought me in a pink one and a white one yesterday morning, which were promptly placed in the place of honor in a vase by the kitchen sink, where I admired them all day. This morning I was saddened by the the wilting of the pink one. There it was, pink petals drooping like icing about to slide off a birthday cake. The once crisp edges were shriveling, the freshness vanished. All the joy had departed from my bouquet, even though the white one still shown bright. I thought about when the first peony wilted. I'm sure that they were bigger and more lush in the Garden of Eden then they were here. It must have made Eve want to sit down and cry when she saw how sin ruined such a beauty, her sin, wilting life for everyone. Surely she felt so responsible, so guilty, so sorry for straying away from God's plan. One bite of curious disobedie...

Gluten Free Focacia Bread - Link for the recipe "In a sermon on the feeding of the five thousand by our Lord, a minister lately spoke of the lad who brought the barley loaves and the woman who made them. Little did she think as she pounded the grain, and mixed the dough, and tempered the heat of the oven, that her loaves were to feed the gathered companies, who sat down in orderly ranks on the green grass, and were refreshed by a meal presided over by Christ. As little do we know whereunto one small act of ours may grow. The obscure agents in this world are oftener stronger than those which are seen." Signs of the Times 5/29/1884

We helped thumb sized "Croakus", the Pacific Tree Frog, into this colorful hideout. No camouflage is available there, but as soon as he arrived, he felt right at home, on his new throne, prince of the garden. He patiently waited for me to take photographs from all angles, and only when I was finished did he hop away. Paul said, in Philippians 4: 11-13, "... for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Can I like Croakus, be content where ever I am placed? Am I secure in the fact that God has placed me in this family, at this time, to work for Him. Am I content everywhere and in all things, when abounding and when suffering need? I can through the strength of Christ. As I pray He pours out His onipotent po...

Everything is so fresh outside and full of life. The air is full of sound, but it the noise of peace and praise. Sparrows, robins, meadowlarks, mourning doves, crickets all singing the song God gave them to sing. Something swelled up in my heart as the freshness filled my lungs and sight. Green bursting forth from the once cold soil. Flowers in simplicity and purity grace the garden. I could stay out here for hours, wandering slowly so as not to miss a single joy. I almost missed it though. I almost didn't go outside. I almost stayed inside loaded down with the cares of the morning: dishes, dirty counters, kids who can't find their socks, phone calls, messy piles of clutter. The to do list stretched beyond my sight. There is no way to get it all done in one day. "Work hard and fast," my mind says. "Come and see," the birds call. "Come," my God calls. Come and spend some time with me. All of this freshness, warmth and beauty are cre...

Green Tree Frog, near Fern Canyon, Crescent City, CA F. = Forever R. = Rely O. = On G. = God

Last spring we watched the moon rise over the eastern edge of Death Valley, CA. There was something special about that wide expanse of sky that made the moon seem larger, and us smaller. Maybe it was pushing us down to our true size, freed from self importance and the trappings of materialism. The full moon amazes, and yet it is merely a reflector of something more big and grand, the sun. The sun's face fills the day with light, and heat even from an almost unimaginable distance. And even the sun itself isn't the biggest. It is a created object, made to warm the earth, home of God's great love focus, sinful humans. Last night young son and I watched the almost full moon, shining right into our picture window. Small clouds moved across its face, making it feel nearer then it really is. The wind was pushing those clouds along at a pretty fast rate. We looked away talking about the beauty of the moon, then looked back. The moon was gone! Gone! All we could see...

Wave on Ft. Bragg, CA Beach, March 2009 Which is more important? Breathing in or breathing out? Which is more important? The incoming wave on the shore, or the outgoing pull of the sea? Which is more important? Giving all I have to Jesus or taking all He has to give to me? Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in a big, deep breath. Keep pulling in. Inhale as much life-giving oxygen as you hold. Then try to breathe in some more. There's a limit to what you can hold. There's also a limit to how long you can hold it. Gasp. It all rushes out along with used air and toxins. The body rids itself of what it can't use. And fresh oxygen washes through the brain, alive for another few seconds while the life rhythm continues. In. Out. Life in. Death out. Waves wash against the Pacific shore. White against blue, churning sand and rocks to stillness. Only to be pulled back, cleaning the shore again. Seashell gifts sprinkled here and there to surprise patient treasure h...

Baby Blue Eyes on a Ft. Bragg, CA Beach I remember back before I had anyone special to love. There were many years when there just didn't seem to be anyone available to date. I wondered if my lot was to remain single all of my life. I didn't know that there person I was writing letters to was the one I was going to marry 5 years later. When we finally started dating, I loved to be around him all the time, talk to him all the time, be on the phone with him if I couldn't be with him, and receive letters from him as often as possible. I would re-read those letters frequently, and they would seem as exciting to me as if they were new, but I longed for further communication, face-to-face, all the time. We were experiencing a long distance relationship, I teaching elementary students in the southern part of the state, and my most special friend teaching college students in the state to the north. When summer came we lived in the same town for 2.5 months straight. It was b...

6:00 - 7:00 a.m. I'm immersed in God's Word . All is quiet. Every morning I spend personal time alone with God, followed by family worship time with the kids and my husband when he is available. This time is really important to how I face the day and whether or not I will remain in peace when faced with the challenges of the day. I receive cleansing, strength and comfort through my time of prayer and contemplation on God's word. Right now for family worship I'm reading small portions of a book about growing in Jesus to my children. Yesterday it talked about abiding in Jesus. I am so drawn to Jesus' concept that of the vine and the branches in the book of John, and that "He that abideth in me shall bear much fruit." The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit of God. It is like saying that we will have the lovely character of Jesus. Oh how I'd like to abide, to dwell, to stay, to live always in Jesus. The book we were reading suggested that we need to conn...

Welcome to all who would care to stop and read this blog. I pray that somehow it will be a blessing to someone, somewhere. This blog is intended to be a collection of my thoughts about God, thankfulness for all He has done, and reflections on my walk with Him.