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or postal mail
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snohomish, washington 98291 usa
 October is breastCancer awareness month
When you want to say,
Welcome Home,
how do you do it?
A few things...
 This is my blography - simply my personal thoughts; this blog is just a small part or purpose of this website. The chief aim of this site is to bring glory to God and good food of His Word to families. May each visit fill you with fresh bread and lingering words to savor.
Someday maybe my children will read "mama's blog" and catch a glimpse of some of what was "important" each day, "snap-shots" of the day, what was going on in the world and what really stirred up some of my thoughts. Whatever is "documented" here will pale in comparison to the importance of their lives to me: really, my husband, my children —they are my story — they are my legacy. So... I'm a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, my LORD and because of Him, I'm a help-meet for my husband, the mother of eleven children and a daughter-in-law and happy gramma to three. I share slices of life because of what God is doing and has done --- and with the hope of being an encouragement to others to press on toward the mark (Philippians 3.14)
Some days I find it difficult to escape to the quiet area to write. But, it is on those days I am most likely perfecting domestic skills or the craft of being a keeper at home.
But that's one of my life goals after all... that of being a quintessential keeper at home and all it connotes.
Would that it be said of me in my home and of you in yours:
Proverbs 31.28-30 "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."
I've not "arrived," but in the course of following and serving the LORD Jesus, and being a help meet for my husband, that's where I'm headed.
dear-to-me Blogs
I try to read at least every couple of days:
in no particular order
no particular agenda;
some thoughts might
surprise the reader,
some might astonish;
but all inform.
I'd probably link to
Phil Johnson's stuff
but... which would I choose
to post here?
(as always... my disclaimer:
As with any link on our site: we don't necessarily endorse everything that's said and, of course we don't endorse every link that may be posted on a site.
As Sarg (hillstreetblues)
used to say: Be careful out there!
Political:
I've been reading:
♥ The Bible
♥ too many BLOGS!!!!
♥ The Mommy Manual
by Barbara Curtis
♥ Diary of Private Prayer
-John Baillie (read regularly)
These are a few of the places we regularly visit on the Net!
A few websites...
(I have more to add when time allows)
Verse For Loving Hearts
Glenys Robyn Hicks writes quality Christian verse for all occasions. 'Verse For Loving Hearts' is a home-based business in Melbourne Australia, offering a compassionate and confidential service for expressions of heartfelt emotion... personalized house plaques, words for greeting cards, in fact, anything at all that you need to express.. examples of glenys work
♥ cmomb.com
Christian Moms of Many Blessings
♥ parentingwithpurpose
Titus 2.3-5
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
oikourov
oikouros, oy-koo-ros'
from 3624 and ouros (a guard; be "ware"); a stayer at home, i.e. domestically inclined (a "good housekeeper"):--a keeper at home.
Hence this blog:
Views and slices of life; and thoughts,
between sips of coffee,
of a quintessential keeper at home
CURRENT MOON
moon info
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I'll be Seeing You
I'll be seeing you
in all the old
familiar places
That this heart
of mine embraces
all day through
In that small café,
the park
across the way
The children's carousel,
the chestnut trees,
the wishing well
I'll be seeing you in
every lovely
summer's day
In everything
that's light and gay
I'll always think of you
that way
I'll find you in
the mornin' sun
And when
the night is new
I'll be looking
at the moon
But I'll be seeing you |
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October 28,
2005 |
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Is the boat going to capsize?
It seems, in life, that when everything looks bleak and seemingly *everyone* is thinking the same thing or that everyone is repeating a mantra, that there’s something suspect about it all. That’s sort of how I see it today anyway. It’s sort of like everyone has run to one side of the boat… trampling one another to get to the rail, shouting and pointing at some object in the deep. Only, that object or objects can’t really be seen, and conformity is drummed up in the crowd and so the crowd begins to chant along with the blind guides. Trouble is, the blind guides can’t figure out what to do next---but the crowd is in near chaos and wrought with emotion. Pandemonium fuels the throng of people leaning over the edge and the boat takes on water… that’s how these days seem to be, to me, in America.
But God.
But God
who is
rich in
mercy.
May He
have
mercy on
us.
May He
remove
the
scales
from the
eyes and
make the
blind to
see.
“And you
hath he
quickened,
who were
dead in
trespasses
and
sins;
Wherein
in time
past ye
walked
according
to the
course
of this
world,
according
to the
prince
of the
power of
the air,
the
spirit
that now
worketh
in the
children
of
disobedience:
Among
whom
also we
all had
our
conversation
in times
past in
the
lusts of
our
flesh,
fulfilling
the
desires
of the
flesh
and of
the
mind;
and were
by
nature
the
children
of
wrath,
even as
others.
But
God, who
is rich
in
mercy,
for his
great
love
wherewith
he loved
us,
Even
when we
were
dead in
sins,
hath
quickened
us
together
with
Christ,
(by
grace ye
are
saved;)
And hath
raised
us up
together,
and made
us sit
together
in
heavenly
places
in
Christ
Jesus:
That in
the ages
to come
he might
shew the
exceeding
riches
of his
grace in
his
kindness
toward
us
through
Christ
Jesus.”
---Ephesians
2.1-7
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October 27,
2005 |
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Thoughts on the day...
When Wes woke me up this morning, I’d been dreaming an intricate, bizarre dream in which my husband and I were attending a large church where instead of being a place of worship and praise to the LORD, it was a sort of theater/banquet/recreation hall where distinct features of all religions were being practiced --- like a conglomeration of language, slang, cultural ritual, fetish or idol worship, etc. I wondered why this was being embraced and celebrated so enthusiastically. O, the dream went on and on and as my husband and I watched---moved our chairs to another location, his video camera was confiscated----there would be no reporting of this. So… I guess I was glad to be awakened from that dream. So glad for my husband’s tenderness that helped transition into the day.
Proverbs 27.9 “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth
the
sweetness
of a
man's
friend
by
hearty
counsel.”
So…
dreading the
thoughts
with which
my day began
we studied
the Word
together,
and as a
family, had
our Bible
study. For
the month of
October
we’ve made a
change in
our usual
“read
straight
through” the
Bible and
have been
reading
Psalms and
Proverbs
beginning
with the
Psalm
corresponding
with the
calendar
date and
every
thirtieth
psalm after
that and the
chapter of
Proverbs
that
corresponds
with the
date (Psalms
27, 57, 87,
117, 147;
Proverbs
27). We
used do this
all the time
but now only
do this
every once
in a while
during the
year with
our family.
Proverbs 27.17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the
countenance
of his
friend.”
As I
consider the
strangeness
hovering
over the day
even before
it started …
curiously,
it’s
remained
strange.
After Wes
and the boys
left for
work, and as
we got
things
underway
here in our
home, I sat
down to
reflect on a
few things…
to scan the
mail and
news, then
to consider
an email my
husband
received
from a
friend of
ours
regarding
the economic
state of our
country,
etc., etc.
This, after
yesterday
where I’d
spent some
time reading
a bit of the
Humanist
Manifesto
and the NEA
(National
Education
Association)
and the
“foundation”
of the
public
school
system in
America. I
was
researching
this as I
was seeking
to compare
the
foundation
of family as
instituted
by God and
then
considering
home-schooling
as opposed
to the
government
system set
in place and
the agenda
that can do
nothing but
undermine
and destroy
the family.
Proverbs 27.13 “Take his garment that is surety for a stranger,
and take
a pledge
of him
for a
strange
woman.”
Then as
I’ve been
writing the
“Someday An
Heirloom
Marriage”
Bible study
for women,
I’ve been
considering
the things
that erode
marriage,
sabotage the
relationship
between
husbands and
wives. I’ve
been
considering
the
immoral-amoral
society in
which we
live and the
near
destruction
of
propriety,
modesty and
innocence---the
lack of
respect,
manners,
decency. I
consider
that our
society
doesn’t
blush at
immodest or
profane
things---that
honesty and
wholesomeness
are waning
qualities in
much our
society----including
the
“church!”
Modesty… a
blog for
another day.
Proverbs 27.20 “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes
of man are
never
satisfied.”
What
amazing
thoughts
have
collided---related,
unrelated,
interrelated.
I was
thinking
yesterday…
poor, poor
America.
The once
great
country.
Poor, poor,
pitiful
America… the
once strong
nation… now
like an self
destructive,
adulterous,
drug addict:
anemic and
hemorrhaging
to death.
America,
addicted to
everything
it
loves---but
seeming
unaware that
everything
it loves is
empty---like
a Hollywood
set: a
façade with
actors
playing
roles and
portraying
lives of
other
plastic
people. And
the “church”
seeming to
happily
subsist on
twinkies and
kool-aid of
whatever
purposes
that meet
its
felt-needs
today---instead
being
nourished
and living
out the
Way,.. on
the milk and
meat of the
Word. I’ve
been
thinking
this a long
time… it was
especially
powerful to
me
yesterday---and
it had
*nothing* to
do with the
wonderful
events of
yesterday
--- the
wonderful
joy of
having our
son home.
So, as I
finished my
mail, a
cursory
glance at
the News… I
was
thinking…
yes, you
just had to
know that
the Miers
nomination
was a fiasco
from the
beginning
and that
from the
beginning,
it was going
to fail; and
you just had
to know that
because our
society is
based on an
entitlement
mentality,
many would
be griping
that *only*
ice was
provided the
first day
after yet
another
catastrophic
hurricane.
Yes, you had
to know that
Exxon-Mobil
and Shell
were going
to post
record
profits---while
you and I
spent record
high prices
at the
pump. You
just had to
know that in
today’s news
there would
be story
after story
of doom and
gloom.
Scarier,
though, is
that though
perhaps some
of the
actual
stories
being
reported are
lies… it’s
what’s not
being
reported
that’s
alarming.
Proverbs 27.12 “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth
himself; but
the simple
pass on, and
are
punished.”
And then I
read Peggy
Noonan’s
piece in the
Journal. In
“A Separate
Peace,”
she writes
“that the
wheels are
off the
trolley and
the
trolley's
off the
tracks…”
And the, I
consider
that I need
to get
going... or
the
wheels on
this
family's
trolley will
come off...
unless the
trolley's
already off
the tracks…
 Your Comments
email: pamela AT achristianhome.org Or... just sign Our Guestbook
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October 26,
2005 |
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Today's the day of days!!
In our family, there’s nothing like are reunion! Be it a reunion at the end of the work-day, a reunion after any length of time apart is reason to celebrate. But I think probably tops on the list are reunions that happen at SeaTac. Not so much because of the often emotional setting of the airport, but because arriving at SeaTac generally means a reunion that follows a long-distance separation---not just a length of time apart. It means that the separation signifies some event or some adventure to be recounted to the family. It means some element of risk or was experienced---or grief or loss or the joy and excitement of some grand adventure… like Wes’s trip to Liberia several weeks ago, and the boys’ “Most Excellent Adventure” last month---or of Kathryn’s a couple of weeks later---and mother’s visit from Indiana in a couple of weeks from now. All of these and many, many more---endearing events in the seasons of life.
The trip to SeaTac is shorter each time I drive it because each time I make the trip---I recognize as a genuine gift from the LORD---I don’t take days for granted like I used to. I don’t esteem time lightly like I used to do. When I discovered that life wasn’t all about me---but it is all about everyone---then those trips became very meaningful. So, today... it's not all about the trip for *me* to see my boy--- whom I adore and have ached for and have missed daily-hourly since he left (ooops, I almost slipped back into the all-about-me syndrome of motherhood). No, now I have the awesome privilege to be the driver of the van that carries a whole bunch of thrilled brothers and sisters who will have the distinct privilege of going into the airport to greet their brother after he disembarks the plane and makes his way down the corridor to find them jumping and straining to see a glimpse of him in the crowd of other people’s loved ones. I will have that precious time of anticipation as I circle the airport---waiting to see them all standing on the walkway…
I can’t wait.
Tell ya all about it later. ;-)
October 25, 2005 |
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The Blessings of the LORD...
In frequent consideration of the blessings of the LORD, I’m humbled by His care and provision. In great things and in small things… I often feel as if the LORD has blessed as Ruth was blessed. But more so than this because He has been Careful when I’ve been careless, Mindful when I’ve been indifferent, Providing though I’ve wasted, Protective though I’ve wandered.
Ruth 2.8-10 says: “Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
Then I consider, why are You mindful of me, LORD? Why do You lavish on me all that You have---seeing You *know* who I am. On days like today, when there is devastation all around being reported in the news, grief and loss, hardness of heart and sorrow all around---I’m mindful of His great love for His children which He loves with everlasting love---no matter how things *seem* today. “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…” ---Deuteronomy 33.27
Many times it’s as if the LORD has set a bound for me as Boaz set for Ruth, “And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.” Ruth 2.16, because it so often seems as though handfuls of blessings have been literally sprinkled over my life---I find it impossible to fathom the love and mercy of the LORD---I never want to neglect or be forgetful of His dealings---I never want to take them lightly or for granted---nor do I want to presume that I had anything to do with some of the ways in which He has so blessed. Considering the children He’s lent me to care for---how astounding it is to comprehend these matchless gifts---each one precious, unique and so full of “potentiality!” It’s humbling---it’s staggering---really. I often mull over passages of my book: A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie ---I think of all the books we have, aside from the Bible, it’s surely one of my most favourite treasures. Well, so, the first day's prayer entry is this:
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Eternal Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of Thee, |
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let my first impulse be to worship Thee,
let my first speech be Thy name,
let my first action be to kneel before Thee in prayer. |
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For Thy perfect wisdom and perfect goodness:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest mankind:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life:
For the indwelling of Thy Spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of Thy Spirit: |
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I praise and worship Thee, O Lord |
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Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend
the day in forgetfulness of Thee. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth,
and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day; |
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Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me honourable and generous in my dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Thine. |
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O God, who has been the Refuge of my fathers through many generations, be my Refuge
today in every time and circumstance of need. Be my guide though all that is dark and doubtful.
Be my guard against all that threatens my spirit's welfare. Be my strength in time of testing.
Gladden my heart with Thy peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. |
A Diary of Private Prayer---John Baillie
October 24, 2005 |
The Bookstore... Tell us about the bookstore. (That is a line from “You’ve Got Mail”) Well… to answer some of the questions we’ve been receiving: we are still working out lots of little quirks that we’re fine-tuning as we get “The Welcome Home bookstore” in order. What we’re trying to provide is a simple location for people to obtain the books they’re looking for --- a place we can recommend many titles at reasonable prices. We were attempting to do a small scale version of this ourselves, but found it to be entirely too cost prohibitive as far as added expenses and :time goes --- and, in addition, as far as developing an inventory: that would’ve been exorbitant. As we’ve been preparing to offer items to create a “welcoming” environment in homes, we also have found the cost of commercial accounts and merchant accounts to be expensive---a monthly expense we couldn’t reconcile. So, when the opportunity came along for us to create our “own” Bookstore within an online book distributor, we decided to explore it further. We’re pleased with what we’ve discovered thus far.
Now we’re facing the happy dilemma of acquiring some resources that aren’t available from mainstream Christian book distributors so that we can offer them through our store. In all of these endeavors, we are cognizant of the fact that there are lower prices elsewhere and there are different resources elsewhere, but even knowing this, we’ve decided to simply make them available, give our recommendations and highlight the books we feel are most helpful to Christian homes. The difficult part of all this, for us, has been that we are book-lovers and so we are having to exercise tremendous self restraint when browsing the books to add to our “top picks” list on the front page.
We know that because of other online book-sellers and the steep discounts they can offer, we’ll not be able to compete with the absolute lowest prices---especially with used books garnering such a large share of the market---but no matter, it’s fine with us. Over the many years of having “A Christian Home” website and making articles and links available to Christian families, money has never been an object or a question. The LORD has provided each month what’s been needed and we’ve never sought to profit or to solicit advertising to cover expenses---they’ve just been covered adequately---so, that’s what we’re trusting with the online bookstore---and that’s simply what it’s for: another great resource to add to the innumerable resources we offer for free on this site. We pray families will be changed by the LORD working through the books and articles they read and through the music they listen to----we just want to make an attempt to provide a path for that to happen.
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October 22, 2005 |
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I need more hours in my day...
All the while I've been blogging, I find it most interesting to read about other people---much more interesting than the "News," unless it's people writing about what *they* think about the news---and I frequently link to what others are saying/doing, bcz their lives are far more interesting than my own and what they've got to say, far more instructional that what I can piece together.
So then, I must tell you, I write about her, share her comments from time to time, highly recommend her books and Blog-entries, but I have never met Barbara Curtis. When she shares things about her husband, I sometimes think he must be related to mine---thus, we'd be related, too. When she shared about her husband's garage... I thought about mine. Well, you've gotta read her entry here about her husband and the treasures he finds. I love what she shared about him---about her mother-in-law and her observations of "then and now." My husband has treasures, too. His treasures, his dad's treasures, his grandpa's treasures... He has, I think, every receipt, contract, important paper or file he ever had. I think that his dresser contains more treasures of other people in this family than his own clothing. His garage/shop is a young man's dream of a treasure hunt. You may not find just what you're looking for at the time (though, Wes can) you will find things you never thought of needing or never knew existed. It's certainly no Ikea out there and a wide-eyed professional organizer would turn down the job and run the other way in fear and trembling, but his shop's a pretty interesting place to hang out. I'll bet Tripp's garage is a pretty cool place to hang out, too.
Your Comments
email: pamela AT achristianhome.org
My great big thanks to those of you who have written to let me know of all the broken links!! *YES* there are *M*A*N*Y*
October 21, 2005 |
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I need more hours in my day...
What a common phrase---I even have the book, More Hours in my Day, by Emilie Barnes. I can't remember when I last read from that book---it's obviously been awhile. I sort of have this terrible habit of picking up a book, really getting into about four chapters and then putting it down to do teh same with another great book and then years laterr coming back to the first to read (or reread) more or the rest of the book. I know authors don't write for people to simply get the gist of the book---they write for people to read the whole thing---to digest the whole thing--I know when I write something, it is intended that the whole piece be read. But we don't have time---we don't have enough hours in our day to do all we intend to do, do we? I know I don't. But on the other hand, I do realize that I have all the hours this day that God intends for me to have---I just need to set about ordering the time I do have instead of wasting time I don't have to waste.
 So, I was scurrying about the kitchen doing a quick tidy up---I have this little game I play many times each day: I heat my coffee (yes, sometimes for the umpteenth time) for a minute and a half. In that amount of time I race to see just how much cleaning I can get done in the kitchen. Or sometime I might heat the water in the tea-kettle and use that time to spotlitize our house. Spot-li-tiz-ing is a word we use aroun our home and it simply means to make the place look spotless---it's a word I use when I don't want to spend the time explaining what needs to be done to those who *already* know what I mean when I want get it all spotless. Spotlitize. It is amazing just how much can be done before the tea-kettle whistles. I can unload the dishwasher or fold a load of clothes---unless, it's a "white-load" or I can totally sweep the floor or do a quick once-over tidy. It's not spotlitized---but it's tidy. When others are working alongside---we can divvy up the rooms and each take five minutes to make a difference!! in that room. It's really amazing to do this a couple of times a day---things stay pretty neat---but invariably, this plan will break down at the most inopportune times.
When someone is baking cookies or especially brownies, someone always wants to be the one to spatulate the bowl. They don't just want the beater, they want the beater, spatula *and* the bowl. This little word came about during a time when one of the children, while licking spatula & bowl, was commenting that the others had taken quite a few samples from the cookie batter earlier and one said to that one: "O, yes ___________, you say that as you're spatulating the bowl!" So: Spatulate.
Well, so the reason we are looking for more hours in our day is bcz we've been burning the midnight oil trying to get things set up for our online bookstore. We've still got a long way to go before we can present some of the things we'd like offer---but we are learning. Plus there are several logistical things to be worked out---we just need some more time to put them in place. We've been wanting to set up a book/gift shoppe here for some time, but don't have the "system" set up to do so. So, when the opportunity came along to have an on-line bookstore *and* a place for us to sell other items along with our own in the future, we decided to pursue it. There are several books that we recommend that aren't listed in the bookstore yet--- and so those are the sorts of things we need to continue to explore. So far, we're happy with what we're learning and what we'll be able to make available in a pretty simple format and process. We'll still also promote books that have been helpful to us which are sold by individuals---one, in particular is The Hope Chest - A Legacy of Love by Rebekah Wilson. And there are products we'll continue to highlight and recommend here on our site---so, nothing's changed in that respect. In the six years we've had this website, that's always been one of the foundational objectives: to be a, not ---the--- but ---a--- web-resource companion ---after the manner of Titus 2. Not just Titus 2.3-5, but Titus 2 in general. We're thinking that a bookstore simply broadens our ability to encourage families.
We're beginning the countdown of the days till Timothy returns home. Three months has felt like a very long time for him to have been gone---O, we love our boy and, O how we've missed him! As we've been watching the weather at Catalina, it's pretty obvious that the waters have been pretty rough and that has necessitated a trip back to Long Beach on the Express and leaving the boat moored at the island instead of taking the boat back to Long Beach. I asked Timothy if it was unnerving to leave the boat behind---and he said, Yes, a little! Well---today they've gone back to the Island---hopefully they've returned to find everything "ship-shape" ;-)
Your Comments
email: pamela AT achristianhome.org
October 19, 2005 |
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Old love, old friends
I have the sweetest smelling candle on my desk---on this misty, dreary afternoon, candlelight is somehow inspirational to me as I sit here occasionally looking out the window to see the light swishing of the weeping willow branches that hang from the nearly one-hundred year old tree. I treasure a bunch of old things. I treasure the Word---I treasure God's faithfulness and His promises. Of all the things I treasure most, in addition to these and in addition to my family, I suppose it's old love and old friends. One of the greatest treasures long marriage has given me is: old love; years have given me: old friends. Old love and old friends can't be bought, can't be hurried along, cannot be contrived and cannot occur by accident or happenstance. Old love is the marvelous product of years of shared experiences, shared trials---shared joys and a common pursuit of wellbeing and happiness within a bond of contentment and commitment. I suppose much of the same can be said of old friendship thought oftentimes the daily , weekly or even yearly communication is sporadic. There are some old friends that I rarely see or rarely spend time with and yet each next conversation occurs with seeming unfettered ease and without awkward hesitations in communication or nervous pauses that some separations produce.
I love that a phone call from an old friend can seem like a mere continuation of a previous conversation even if months or years have transpired between conversations. I love that old friends need no reintroduction and no stumbling for excuses or defenses---and I love that old friends overlook failings or character flaws or physical imperfections. I love that about old love, too. My husband, my old love, overlooks my failings---my many imperfections and yet helps me correct or improve without being critical or harsh---O, how I seek to emulate his loving behaviour---he's been the inspiration the LORD has used. These are the things that reveal the distinction between close acquaintances and close friendships. I sometimes think you gotta have plenty of both to recognize the difference.
A phone call from an old friend confirmed these thoughts in my heart today. O, how timely was that call. I was writing up another lesson in the marriage study and was contemplating the keys to strong "go-the-whole-distance" marriages. Receiving that phone call was a breath of fresh air---like a sweet memory I'd not reviewed in a while. This happens from time to time --- I love to reconnect with old friends---to affirm them and to give and receive love and concern. Old friendship takes a firmly held decision to overlook faults and be willing to travel the distance as companions. I treasure the people in my life who've gone this distance with me and who've allowed me the privilege of the same. Time is sort of the cement and then commitment and forgiveness characterize the foundation of both old love and old friendship.
I love the old weeping willow tree outside my window... it's a continual reminder to me the enduring of winds, rain, floods, sunshine, tire-swings, songs of birds and the winds of the passing of many, many seasons and the continued existence and steadiness of something planted "forever ago" as a little tree----it's sort of my objective for marriage----what started with a couple of simple words: I do---is my enduring hope: still saying I do, a hundred years from now.
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October 17, 2005
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~Halfy Birthday~ to Kathryn!
Lessons from the easel of life
It always feels a bit like being up on the easel when situations occur that seem unexplainable or that are just simply exasperating. Over the course of a couple of weeks I've been experiencing some ongoing trials with my computer and, try as I might, I can't seem to get everything reconciled. When this website goes down or files get lost or mixed up, I'm sort of nuts with emotion until they get resolved. —Sort of like when relationships are messed up and things can't seem to be ironed out----I just ache over them inside---even if it seems on the outside that I am not bothered---I am in turmoil on the inside until things are resolved.
I don't particularly like being on the easel. I don't like it when life's colours seem to be running together or when smudges from misunderstandings distort my picture. I ache when I'm painted with a broad brush by people who don't mind broad-brushing away my existence—or the horrible feeling of shame when I've broad-brushed them in like manner. I don't like being splattered with paint and sometimes resist being redrawn or touched-up by the Master Painter. But I know when He's doing a work I am going to be so glad in the end and so grateful for His handiwork for His glory. Still... I've continued to be puzzled by so many things---I can't seem to understand.
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