M'Lady Slipper

Demure

beginnings

slip away

as they open up

in the light

and a touch

of

drama queen

emerges

Lady Slippers are the Minnesota State Flower

The Leaving ~

Wandering far from the norm of what you usually find here, the bushel of words spilling out below is due in part to coming to grips with the move of two very dear friends and their little daughter, and in part because it is blog carnival time once again. While this doesn’t fit neatly into the word choice of strength, it did require a good deal of strength to write and consequently to share. It also answers in part the question Deidre asked on her post Monday.

~ ~ ~

What do you do when the presence of God shows up in your driveway in the form of a young man who is a friend of your son? Well, you greet him of course, and then you invite the two of them in. Then, a visit at a time, you get acquainted and in the acquainting you discover that he has a variety of abilities and is looking for work. So you hire him to paint. He paints your spare bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen, and more. He paints with precision. With integrity … a hallmark of everything he lays his hand to. Your home begins to take on the flavor of Sicily [he is Sicilian in a land of Scandinavians] as he and his wife and your son and daughter-in-law introduce you to colors that are met with resistance by you at every turn because, well, because you are half afraid of color. The wallpaper comes down. The wallpaper that has become almost vintage it has stayed so long in your home. You are warmed by the presence of color as so much color has drained from your life. During this process you get to know his pretty young wife who has a delightful sense of humor, and who is expecting their first child. You discover that she likes to play Scrabble, a game you played with your mother until dementia robbed her of the ability to do the things she enjoyed doing before she passed away. The day comes when this now well-loved couple bring their beautiful week-old baby for you to meet … and love …simultaneously. Friendships mature and the Lord gifts you. Gifts you in ways you could not have expected. Gifts you with love, with companionship, with prayer, with conversation, with jobs being done that have needed doing for the longest time. Grace abounds. The wounds in your heart slowly begin to heal. Freedom comes as you pray and learn and wait on the Lord. So, what do you do when the day comes that they hear the Lord release them to move to the place of their hearts desire. A place that is 1200 miles away. A place of extended family and opportunity and city life. A place of sidewalks, well-stocked libraries, grocery stores holding treasures beyond bay leaf and nutmeg for the young wife who is an innovative cook, a place teeming with life. A place as foreign to you as this place was to them when they arrived here three years ago. Well … you cry … a lot. Deep, grieving, heart-wrenching cries. And you rejoice … for them and with them. For the answer to their prayers. And they introduce you to a new young man. A young man who has a wife and three children whom you haven’t had the privilege of meeting yet. A young man who was born to American parents in Zambia and spent his growing up years there as the son of missionaries. The person who will take on the lawn mowing your friend has done so well. As for all the other gaps …  the relationship gaps … the “Dewsie” toddler gaps … the prayer gaps … you simply don’t know about those gaps. You do know the Lord has gift and good in store for all of you through this process. You sow in tears, you reap in joy. That’s a promise. For all of us. God is love. God is good. All of the time. And you pray for strength. All of the time.

In the day when I called, You answered me; and You strengthened me with strength

(might and inflexibility to temptation) 

in my inner self. 

Psalm 138:3 AMP

Within Reach ~

Love is a fruit

in season at all times

and

within reach

of every hand
Mother Teresa

May your day

be filled

with love shared 

Bowed ~

and
in
the bowing down

the light
still shines

Eye of the Beholder ~

some people

see

junk

 

other people

see

art supplies

~ what do your eyes behold ~

Framed by Provision ~

the

old country church
sits abandoned
the

basement

 window

framed

by
an instrument

 of

provision

water for

egg coffee, Kool-Aid
{no red though}
its stain
not
covered by the Lamb
as was the stain of our scarlet
made white

bread broken

fellowship

gatherings of comfort
in grieving
gatherings of rejoicing
in love vowed

gatherings of celebration
for new life

 light

in dark times

the

searching times

Living Water

shared

~ ~ ~

In response to Claire Burge's PhotoPlay prompt at HCB

Pressing On ~

It's hard

to

focus

on the future

if

you

keep looking

at

where you've been

This is the Day ~

may

melody and light

be

your portion

Listen Close ~

You'll

hear

the same

{click to enlarge}

"I have called you by your name; you are Mine"

    Isaiah 43:1b

A Simple Thing ~

be blessed

by

the ordinary

as you go

about

your day

Mailbox Angst ~

Slowly

I

drove
down that

narrow country road

where

the mailbox

called out

"Come,

hear my tale

of woe

I

wait

in the heat

in the storms

in the snow

I

wait

for a word

that

would nourish

the soul
 but

what do I hear

only
bills that come

and
payments that go."

~ ~ ~

do you have a word

of

encouragement
a
word in due season

for someone

today?
Isaiah 50:4 
~ ~ ~
[compassion is the topic for the blog carnival hosted by Bridget Chumbley ]

A Secret Place ~

"It's such

a

secret place,

the

land of tears."

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

and one day

the Lord

will

wipe them

all

away

Isaiah 25:8 AMP

A Fair Question ~

is it

in

the unfolding

the tears

the intrusions

that

beauty

develops

and

blooms

~ ~ ~

Unruffled ~

Her gown

of

integrity

remained unruffled

by

the world's storms

and

the 

Light

still shone

~ ~ ~ 

G'morning, Sunshine ~

 

Awake, my glory (my inner self); awake, harp and lyre!

 I will awake right early [I will awaken the dawn]!

Psalm 57:8

 ~ ~ ~

 I am not

a

morning person

by

any stretch 

of

the imagination

but

at 5:30 this morning

I

went outside and saw this

the

early morning colors

were

unlike any other time of day

[click to enlarge]

Farewell ~

She’s 

gone now

left

Friday morning
to return
to
hubby and home
to

reading and writing and researching and praying
and
more 
reading and writing

a rock solid friend

of fifty years standing

animated extrovert passionate thinker

a smidget "mad hatter"

lover of purple

a
morning
tea drinker

she’s gone now

my

rock-loving friend

a

gift from

the Lord
an ongoing treasure 

Delight ~

may you have

a

simply

delightful

day

Teach us delight in simple things.

Kipling