A Wildflower Morning

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.