It's Sometimes Difficult to be Alone

With two preschoolers in the house several days a week, it becomes a challenge to even find time for a personal trip to the bathroom. Heather and I always make sure that one of us is "on patrol" before taking such a break. Once in the bathroom, you realize that it's the first 5 minutes you've had to yourself all morning. And then you hear a little noise at the bottom of the door, and several tiny fingers poke through – wiggling as if to say, "I know you're in there!" That's right – you just THOUGHT you were alone.

Stepping Back in Time

Before Christmas, my husband, daughter and I were discussing various Christmas traditions and how they got started. With a little research on the Internet, it became clear that many of our current traditions had their roots in the Victorian Age in England - 1837 to 1901 - which is basically the time of Queen Victoria's reign. The Christmas tree, ropes of cranberries and popcorn, Christmas cards, caroling, giving presents, and Santa Claus are just a few of the things that the Victorians initiated. 

I wondered if any documentaries had been done on the Victorian Christmas and went to one of my favorite websites: Top Documentary Films and did a search. What do you know? The BBC actually did have one - The Victorian Farm Christmas - done in 2009 which is a part of a longer series entitled The Victorian Farm. Here's a synopsis of the series:

Historical observational documentary series following a team who live the life of Victorian farmers for a year. Wearing period clothes and using only the materials that would have been available in 1885, historian Ruth Goodman and archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn are going back in time to relive the day-to-day life of the Victorian farmer.

The project is based on the Acton Scott estate in Shropshire – a world frozen in time, lost in Victorian rural England. Its buildings and grounds are cluttered with antique tools and machinery collected by the Acton family, who have lived on the estate since the 12th century.

Working for a full calendar year, Ruth, Alex and Peter are rediscovering a lost world of skills, crafts and knowledge, assisted by an ever-dwindling band of experts who keep Victorian rural practices alive.

After watching the first one, I was hooked and continued with the entire series. Not only that, but I am currently watching the next series - The Edwardian Farm - and plan to continue with The Victorian Pharmacy!

Documentaries like this would be so helpful if placed alongside learning history in school. One could begin to see the difficulties of making a living by farming, mining, or fishing. Their lives seemed a never-ending chore of growing, making or buying raw materials and then turning them into something to sell or for their own consumption. If you wanted livestock - pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, etc. - then you had to plow the ground and sow the seed, harvest the result and store it through the winter months. If you wanted to increase your herd, flock or gaggle of geese, then you had to borrow or buy a bull, ram, or gander. You had to plan 3, 4 or 9 months ahead of time. And even then, things could go wrong - too much rain, a fox in the hen house, a lame horse. If you had to repair a chimney, you either had to make your own bricks and fire them or buy them (money which the farmers usually didn't have).

But it wasn't all doom and gloom. They found ways to have fun and celebrate, albeit in small ways. Sometimes they mixed work and fun together to get a big job done. And, although we look at their lives and think it was so hard, they no doubt thought that they had it better than their ancestors!

I do think that we have lost a good part of our humanness as we have become more and more isolated and out of touch with God's creation around us. These Victorians and Edwardians, at least the working class ones, were closely enter twined with the trees, plants and animals that surrounded them - deriving sustenance, healing, and shelter from them. Which of us is really better off?

Choose Your Yoke

There's an expression that I somehow missed as I was growing up, and now I find myself using it to encourage others who feel a bit inadequate in the way they handled or approached a given situation: "You did (or have done) the best that you knew how." It's an expression that I need to say to myself more frequently.

Being the primary bookkeeper and accountant for our personal and piano studio resources, there are many times when my planning and budgeting don't seem to match up with what a present need is or the unexpected curve balls we get. And, since our culture insists that we should always be able to budget, plan and save for future events (and thus avoid undue stress and needs), it becomes very easy to stamp "failure" on my forehead.

But God only asks us to do the best that we can in a given situation, and when the burden becomes too heavy, we are to place it upon his shoulders. How freeing that is! Instead of focusing on all the things I'm NOT doing, I can concentrate on doing what I can and trusting God with the outcome. But it will take quite a bit of reprogramming to undo decades of negativity. Lord, have mercy.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Time to Merge

Up until now, I have tried to maintain two separate blogs - one focusing on my journey in the Orthodox Church and another dealing with everyday events in my life.  The former was initiated several years ago and the latter only this year.

Initially, when I was considering and reading about the Orthodox faith, there were no grandchildren and my husband and I were being led away from our Evangelical roots.  My searching and discovering took up much of my time, and I felt the need to put down some of my thoughts and experiences from the journey.  I established the first blog: Narrow Pathways.  In the past year, my lifestyle has changed rather dramatically, and I found it necessary to work on living out my faith in my current, very busy and often unpredictable situation.  Therefore, as in my personal life, I feel it is time to merge these two blogs into one, since there are so many things that seem to overlap.  

So here, with Two Harvests, I will be sharing life events and reflections on the Orthodox faith as I continue to learn and grow.  My challenge for the year 2012!

Giddyup! Ow!

I've GOT to stop thinking that I'm in my 20s with toddlers again! My mind is still there, but my body will not cooperate with my bent toward thinking up creative things to do with a two year old. 

Katie Lynn is in a climbing stage and sees a step stool as a free ticket to discover things that have previously been out of reach for her. Next to carrying around her lovey, Larry the Lamb, the most common thing to see her carrying around the house is a small step stool. When you see her pass by with it, you'd better follow her!

Climbing not only includes sofas, coffee tables, beds and being able to stick her hand in the table water fountain. It also includes climbing on people! She loves to have someone lay on the floor so that she can climb all over you and hopefully end up in a good round of tickling. She also loves having someone get on their hands and knees so that she can pretend she is on a horse. This is all well and good. But last week, as I was in the "horsey" position on the floor, Katie Lynn asked me to "giddyup". This is when my body should have screamed at my brain, "Are you kidding???? Don't even think about it!" The next day, I could barely get out up out of my chair and walk without limping! Scratch "horsey rides" off my list. Good thing I already had an appointment with my chiropractor tomorrow!

Fireflies and Flashlights

She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But, Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" She will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye.

My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment and then asked, "Did you start at 1?"

My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma,do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?" You're both old," he replied.

I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door,saying, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"

When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied,"I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised. "Mine says I'm four to six."

A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. "They use him to keep crowds back," said one child. "No," said another. "He's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

I Can Touch the Sky

I took my granddaughter to one of our favorite parks this afternoon. I think it was the first time just the two of us have gone to the park. Mommy sprained her foot and is on crutches, Papaw had a migraine, and, well, Daddy had to stay and take care of Mommy who can only get around on crutches at this point. So, armed with water bottles and a snack, we drove to nearby Crowley Park.

It appeared to be a busy day with several family picnics going on, a birthday party on the deck by the pond, some kite flying in the nearby baseball field, and several groups fishing in the pond. But everyone was pretty spread out so it didn't seem overly crowded. Katie Lynn doesn't usually like being on playground equipment when there are a lot of kids around (I can't say I blame her), so I suggested we go on the deck to feed the turtles and tiny fish in the water. That suited her just fine. The entire deck (which is rather large) is surrounded by sturdy wire fencing, so that there's no danger of her falling off. She loves the freedom of running from one corner to the other and peering through the fence. There are actually two smaller sections of the fence that are a tiny bit lower and are just the right height for her to step up on one of the rails and look over the top herself - a great feeling of independence.

Once we ran out of bread cubes for the fish and turtles, I glanced over to the playground and noticed that no children were on the swings and suggested that we go back. She liked that idea and proceeded to run over the wood deck (it makes a wonderful noise when you run!) on her way to the playground. On the way, I pointed out the colorful kite, and she instantly associated it with Arnold the Pig in the Kipper videos (Pig and Arnold love flying their kite).

Katie Lynn chose the smaller swings - the ones for preschoolers that are sort of like buckets with holes for your legs. That way she can enjoy the fun of swinging without worrying about falling off or shifting your weight. With a "Ready, steady, go!" (also from the Kipper videos), I pushed her and continued to push her for, what seemed, a half an hour before she was ready to get down. She enjoyed watching the other kids playing on the playground equipment (without being in the middle of them) and seeing several little dogs go by with their owners walking them.

I loved swinging as a child (is there any child who didn't??). In the summertime, when school was out, my friend and I would walk down to the school playground and swing on the big swings, and time seemed to stop, as I dreamed dreams and thought about all sorts of things. I was reminded of those times this afternoon as I saw Katie Lynn slip into such a relaxed state going back and forth. Has anyone thought of swinging as therapeutic? Why don't they make swings for adults? What if a psychiatrist prescribed 3 hours of swinging each week for his patients? Would it make a difference? There is something so freeing about the back and forth motion and feeling like you could soar like a bird. It's too bad that we relegate so many things to childhood and don't carry them over into adulthood.

It was a good afternoon, and I think we both benefited from the time outside. By the time Katie Lynn was ready to get off the swings, the playground was full of grade school children and pretty hectic. I suggested it was time to go home, and Katie Lynn agreed. Her lovie, Larry, was in the car waiting for her and a package of Bunny Chews. Life is good!

Do Not Worry about Your Life

I truly don't think I have ever been in a field of flowers that is that large. One morning last week, my daughter took me to a nearby field that just happens to be in front of the Fujitsu company in Richardson. She had told me about this field of bluebonnets that just goes on forever. It took maybe 5 minutes to get there. I couldn't believe my eyes when we pulled up. This has been practically in my own backyard, and I didn't know about it. I felt a bit foolish!

As with other splendors of God - mountains, oceans, valleys, and the starry universe - there is absolutely no way to capture it with a camera or a video. You have to stand right in the middle of it and experience it! I wanted everyone dear to me to be right there with me to see it and breathe in the fragrance. Since that was not possible, I resorted to the usual - taking photos. Naturally, all the photos ended up looking the same and in no possible way captured the experience of standing in a field of bluebonnets. But I will bore you with them all the same!

What is it about flowers - millions of flowers! - that make us smile and uplifts our spirits? They are here one day and gone tomorrow. How can they impart such meaning and joy? It is a mystery. And it is also a reminder of Christ's words to us:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith?

"So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6)

Finding a New Park

One of the things that my daughter and I have been doing this year is exploring different parks and trails around this region. There are pluses and minuses to all of them. Some have playgrounds for preschoolers and older children. Some have lakes or ponds. Others are just nature trails. This afternoon, we found a wonderful park just 7 minutes north of my house - Crowley Park in Richardson.

They have swings and playgrounds built for preschoolers and elementary age children, lots of shade trees, a nice pavilion, and a lovely pond nearby that has a deck jutting out into the pond and some resident mallards, turtles and koi. We will definitely be visiting this one in the weeks to come!

Spring Garden

Here are some of the things growing in my garden this month AND my "garden helper"!

Purple in Texas

Someone shared these photos of some of the lavender fields that are in the Hill Country of Texas. There are a number of lavender farms in that area, and there is even a Lavender Festival in June. I can't even imagine the fragrance!

Mulch

We have made a number of trips to our city's recycling center this week. I read that the city provides free mulch to any of its residents. Evidently, the city has an endless supply of mulch from a variety of sources and is glad to give it away. Who knew? All you have to do is load up your car/truck with shovels, buckets and a tarp, and make the 10 minute drive. Once there, you are faced with a huge container filled with mulch. One end is open, so you can back your car or truck right up to it and commence with transferring the material. If someone has beat you to it, you can always jump up on top of the mulch and begin filling your 5 gallon buckets. We have found that a pitchfork works best in loosening the mulch (which has become compacted by the sheer volume of it) and putting it into the buckets. And a two-man team is helpful - one filling the bucket and the other transferring the contents to the vehicle. Of course, you have to reverse the process once you get home!

After this rather back-breaking work, and in the sun, I began to wonder "What is the purpose of mulch anyway? Why is it so important?" I found a good explanation:

Mulch: any material placed over soil in the garden. It's designed to retain moisture, deter weeds and keep the soil from eroding. The benefits of mulch are plentiful. For the busy gardener, mulch is a great time-saving device because it helps to prevent weeds from sprouting in the garden. In addition, it can keep the soil moist, reducing the need for constant watering. Mulch will enrich the existing soil and will prevent rain and other elements from washing it away.

It seems that mulch serves as a protection - both to keep the good things in and the bad things out. Using it helps the plants and soil maintain a healthy environment for growth and strength, even under extreme conditions of heat and cold. A constancy is preserved underneath. In addition, it keeps undesirable elements from growing within which can short-circuit the plant's source of nutrition. Finally, mulch will keep the soil and plants from being displaced or torn apart during wind and rain.

I'm always looking for spiritual illustrations in the ordinary things around me. As an Orthodox Christian, keeping a morning and evening prayer time has become my "mulch". I have found that when I skip these times, I become more vulnerable to distractions and anxieties. My life seems out of control and aimless. I become more self-centered and impatient. For others, following the Divine Hours throughout the day keeps them centered and focused. Scripture reading is also a good "mulch". But whatever it is, our body and soul needs it to grow and be nourished. Don't be fooled when the enemy whispers, "It's not necessary!"

Harbingers of Spring

Crocuses (photo by N. Nice)

Spring always surprises me. After months of gray and brown and dead leaves, one begins to forget what flowers and grass and shade trees look like. Sitting on my back patio, I look at the barren branches of my crape myrtles, oak tree and pear tree and try to remember all the shade they provide. It is difficult to imagine everything coming back to life again. Judging just by outward appearance, the Snow Queen has pretty much killed everything!

Then a green blade pushes up through the weather worn mulch and fallen leaves. I had completely forgotten about the daffodils in that corner! The sunlight is still sharply angled by the tilt of the earth and casts long shadows. But deep down in the earth, crocuses and daffodils are drinking in the warmth and preparing to sound the first chords of the prelude to spring.

The bright green and yellow of daffodils are soon followed by Bradford pear trees around town exploding in white blossoms. They look like trees whose branches have popped popcorn overnight! And then, as if the Master Artist decided to add a splash of color for accent and surprise, the redbud trees add their brilliant pinks against dark evergreens and barren oaks. Everything shouts the promise of spring and the hope of resurrection.

The Savior by Viktor Vasnetsov

How fitting that Pascha (Easter) is right at this time of year. We have all of creation around us to remind us of Christ's resurrection and the gift of life he has given us. God always meant for his creation to be a reflection of spiritual truths and a means of understanding our life in him. Let us be mindful of always keeping in touch with this marvelous gift.

Sofa Cushions

Skimming over the home page of the New York Times this morning, this heading jumped out at me:  Effort to Restore Children’s Play Gains Momentum


I haven't thought much about this topic since I had my own children 30 years ago, but, now that I'm a grandparent, the issue has become relevant once more. For the past 20 years I have wondered how all this technology and immediate access to information (good and bad) would affect children growing up. I have been troubled to see children so "scheduled" with soccer practices, games, gymnastics, piano lessons, and AP classes.  Writer Hilary Stout states:

"For several years, studies and statistics have been mounting that suggest the culture of play in the United States is vanishing. Children spend far too much time in front of a screen, educators and parents lament — 7 hours 38 minutes a day on average, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation last year. And only one in five children live within walking distance (a half-mile) of a park or playground, according to a 2010 report by the federal Centers for Disease Control, making them even less inclined to frolic outdoors."

My first response is - "Well, who lets the child sit in front of a screen that many hours?" The answer soon bubbles up:

"Behind the numbers is adult behavior as well as children’s: Parents furiously tapping on their BlackBerrys in the living room, too stressed by work demands to tolerate noisy games in the background. Weekends consumed by soccer, lacrosse and other sports leagues, all organized and directed by parents. The full slate of lessons (chess, tae kwon do, Chinese, you name it) and homework beginning in the earliest grades."

"Too little playtime may seem to rank far down on the list of society’s worries, but the scientists, psychologists, educators and others who are part of the play movement say that most of the social and intellectual skills one needs to succeed in life and work are first developed through childhood play. Children learn to control their impulses through games like Simon Says, play advocates believe, and they learn to solve problems, negotiate, think creatively and work as a team when they dig together in a sandbox or build a fort with sofa cushions. (The experts define play as a game or activity initiated and directed by children. So video games don’t count, they say, except perhaps ones that involve creating something, and neither, really, do the many educational toys that do things like sing the ABC’s with the push of a button.)" 

To be fair, I have to admit that it would very difficult to raise a child today in our culture. You can't isolate your child from what's going on around him. If you do, he won't know how to deal with it once he gets older. Parents who want to create a more healthy atmosphere for their children must go to battle daily to keep things in balance - putting limitations on technology in the home and inevitably being unpopular with other parents or children who haven't made the same decisions. Not an easy path to choose.


Perhaps some good can come out of our current recession. Many families have been forced to cut back on items that cost money - technology, toys, lessons, team sports. One can hope that these families will find they have more time with their children and that everyone ends up benefiting from it.

The entire article here.

Flora and Fauna

I grew up in the North with a big backyard, no fences, and a woods at our property line. My parents always had a big vegetable garden and flowerbeds around the house, and they were always interested in the different birds that were native to that area. A birdbath was provided in the summer and a bird feeder (some would call it a "squirrel" feeder!) in the winter months. I failed to appreciate my parents' fondness for the flora and fauna. Gardening seemed a lot of endless work, and watching birds was...well...boring!

My perspective seemed to miraculously change once I had a house of my own, a yard, and then children. Planting a vegetable garden was initially an economical decision. I didn't anticipate the magic that occurs when you see that small shoot pop out of the ground, grow into a healthy plant and then produce green beans! Then when you have enough to put into a pot and cook for dinner, you can't believe the marvelous flavor and freshness. It's absolutely addicting. Ahhh...now I get it. This is why my parents were willing to expend time and energy to maintain a garden. Of course, I think there might be a direct connection between the culinary delight of freshly picked vegetables and the degree of physical energy output (and soreness) required in the cultivation.

The appreciation of birds (lizards, snails, toads, worms, and other critters) has come a lot later in my life. A frenzied, busy lifestyle is not conducive to noticing this rather silent and often hidden aspect of creation. It's only with a slower life pace that I began to see these inhabitants around my house and in my yard. They were there all along. I was just moving too fast to see them. Indeed, they often seemed more of an annoyance than a marvel.

We have several ponds in our neighborhood. Currently, one of them is very populated with white egrets, cormorants, ducks and sea gulls. (Yeah, I know, we're not even near the ocean! Tell them that.) On my morning walk today, I noticed the ducks and cormorants were very busy paddling back and forth through the water, looking for bugs, fish, and who knows what. The egrets, on the other hand, stand like ghostly statues on the water edge, not moving. But they aren't asleep. They are watching the water and waiting - waiting for the fish to come to them. Because the egrets are so still, the fish probably figure the egret legs are "sticks" and don't notice. When the timing is right, the egret will spear the fish with its beak. Two very different ways of securing food for the day.

I identify much more with the egret at this time of my life. Duck paddling looks impressive, and you eventually get what you're looking for. But the egret seems to have mastered the art of patience, strategy, and conservation. Work smarter, not harder!

Seat Belts

The other day my 21 month old granddaughter had "had it" with not getting her way. Since we were not at home at the time and had to drive home, putting her in her car seat with seat belts all snug and constricting didn't help her outlook. As she fussed and fumed, trying to break out of her confinement, I continued to drive the car. She did not like her situation and wanted us to know it. Her mother, knowing that the tantrum would just have to run its course, calmly reached back to the car seat and placed her hand on Katie Lynn's leg and with all sincerity said to her, "I love you." She wanted her daughter to know that she heard her, recognized her frustration and loved her anyway.

Later, I thought how similar we are to this little child. We find ourselves in unpleasant and sometimes even painful circumstances - physical limitations, financial crisis, rejection, grief or personal losses - and our emotions carry us off into dark places. We are angry, lonely, disappointed or afraid. Why doesn't God remove me from this situation? Doesn't he love me? We don't understand that he is there with us all the time, wanting to use these situations in our lives to make us stronger and to encourage us to trust him more. His reassuring hand is on us as he whispers, "I do love you." We must stop screaming long enough to hear it.

The Encore!

Just in the last few days, the area we live in has burst into the vibrant colors of fall. After a heavy downpour earlier this afternoon, the sun came out and lit up the yellows, oranges and reds and made the colors more intense than they have been. Against a beautiful background of blue sky and huge, white cumulus clouds, the landscape seemed alive. A dramatic shift in the wind direction soon brought with it much cooler temperatures and cloudy skies within a few hours.

One cannot predict the moment when the trees reveal their beauty so dramatically. After weeks of watching the leaves darken in color, I begin to lament that perhaps the colors won't appear this year. And then...it happens.

Springtime has its own beauty and drama. Everything seems so "green" and fresh and new. There is the marvel of watching seemingly "dead" branches come alive again as the creative juices course through their veins once more. New growth. New life. New color. New strength. Likewise, when we are young, we have boundless energy, a desire to grow and try new things. Life is something to be explored and experienced. We see everything with hope and promise. Our culture idolizes this time of life, and individuals spend enormous time and money in trying to either recapture it or make it last forever.

But I find great comfort in seeing that God has provided a tremendous "encore" in his creation which occurs, not at the beginning of life, but near the end of the life cycle. The colors in the leaves are there all the time, but it is only when the chlorophyll recedes in the tree that these amazing colors are revealed to all. Isn't that the way our lives should be? After a lifetime of living, working, producing, shouldn't our latter years reveal the beauty that has been there all the time, hidden from view? If God has been our strength and sustainer all along, then more of him will be revealed as more and more is taken from us in this world. We become less and he becomes more. He has provided a perfect example!

A Special Gift

It never gets old. It never ceases to amaze me. The birth of a new child.

This week, we were given the privilege to see our first grandson come into the world and begin his journey here. My thoughts once again turn to how something so complicated, so intricate and amazing can be created in just 9 months. (I'm sure my daughter-in-law would challenge my thinking that this is a "short" amount of time!) And then...in one day, that child emerges from a watery world into one filled only with air...and he BREATHES, and he hears, and he feels, he sees, and he eats. What a miracle to behold! What a reminder that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made". Welcome, little Matthew!

For you created my inmost being; 

you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, 

I know that full well. 

My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place, 

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed body; 

all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

before one of them came to be. 

How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! 

How vast is the sum of them! 

Were I to count them, 

they would outnumber the grains of sand— 

when I awake, I am still with you.

- Psalm 139:13-18

Morning Walks

We live in a 30+ year old neighborhood. Many of the sidewalks have succumbed to the pressure of tree roots pushing up beneath them. I am seeing more trees stumps in the past few years - evidence that many trees have lived out their 30-year life span. And we have our share of rental homes whose owners have little motivation to keep yards and flower gardens neat and tidy. But I still enjoy the rather eclectic nature of our neighborhood (maybe this is a little of the 60s still in me!).

Not having a neighborhood association that is intent on legislating the visual appeal and uniformity of each home, everyone here is pretty much free to express their tastes in paint and landscaping. Granted, you do have to tolerate some of the extremes - multiple lawn ornaments, artificial flowers stuck into pots and flowerbeds, and a lawn that has gravel and rocks instead of grass (allergies?) - but you also get to see homes and yards of those who have done a beautiful job using their resources and creative abilities.

We have homes backing up to three large ponds in the neighborhood. Others have homes built on very steep slopes, making landscaping and mowing a real challenge. I enjoy seeing what these owners have come up with to adapt to their surroundings to make their homes and lawns lovely to view and also functional. I always get new ideas for my own yard as I embark on my morning walks and return with a greater appreciation for where I live.

New Beginnings

I am entering a new chapter of my life, and it's very exciting - being a grandmother.

While other women I know seem to be able to empathize and commiserate with others regardless of the event, trial or challenge that faces them, I never seem to be able to enter into another's experience fully until I am placed in a similar situation.

I used to work in a department next to Payroll. The women whose job was to monitor and produce everyone else's paycheck just happened to be all in the same age range - in their 60s. Each one had her own cubicle to call "home", and each 6'x8' domain was packed with photos of grandchildren, crafts made by grandchildren, cute little figurines of children, etc. Personally, I didn't "get it". What's wrong with these people? Their whole lives revolve around their grandchildren!

Well, I haven't taken grandparenting to quite this level, but I have to admit I'm smitten. I'm not sure what exactly happens in that 25-30 years between bringing your own little one home from the hospital and seeing that first grandchild, but it is one, miraculous transition! Who needs Six Flags? This ride is all I need!