Tuesday, September 29, 2015

TREE OF LIFE



   It must have been winter

        the first time I saw him...

            yes I'm quite sure of it...I remember the day...

   Pristine mounds of snow cover the ground at my feet. Dense clumps of packed white weigh heavy on my young limbs-nearly pulling them to the ground.

   They hurry out of the car, a small swaddled blue bundle nestles softly in her arms, and him, hand on her elbow,  to steady her on the icy pathway.


   And then...

     time passes so swiftly and days roll into years...

        He is a toddler, on a bright summer day, taking his first slow deliberate steps through the soft green grass at my feet.  My arms stretch and reach to shield him from the burning rays.  My leaves sway and flutter to shade and cool.




        He is a small boy, sitting for hours and hours playing at my widening trunk.  Small red, green and blue cars travel along my bumpy bark while tiny men wage epic battles between heroes and villains.  His growing hands hold tight to perfect twigs that become magical swords and powerful weapons.

        On the brink of life, now an adolescent, his long, slim legs cling and climb, finally to settle in the arms of my sturdiest branch.  Resting his head in my strongest arch, he reads books, daydreams and seeks solace from life's deepest troubles.  Enclosed in my umbrella of shelter he finds a hidden refuge.

        Soon, he is a young man of eighteen.  He readies his car...trunk packed to overflowing with all the essentials to begin a new life.   Story books and toys now long forgotten, he is on his way to discover a new world.  I watch as his vehicle drives slowly out of sight, my limbs wave forlornly in the misty fall day.

        A grown man now, in his mid twenties, is when he first brings her home.  Holding hands,  they walk up to the house where they are greeted with excited voices of welcome and congratulations.  She now will be the newest member of our family.

   

        time passes so swiftly and days roll into years...

                   




        Finally, it is a sunny day in mid-July, when a car arrives and a familiar figure steps out. 

     

        Getting out of the vehicle,  he disappears from sight to retrieve something from the back seat and soon reappears with- what is it??-a small blue bundle nestled softly in his arms.

        My leaves rustle in excitement as he enters the house to shouts of happiness and joy.



        Yes,
          time passes so swiftly and days roll into years...

  

        And now, once again,
            as a little boy with the same light brown hair rolls and pushes small red, green and blue cars up and down my trunk


           we               

sit and watch

         my everlasting boughs encircling us all




for my sons, James and Kyle and all the beloved "boys" in our lives

                          
        




   

Thursday, September 24, 2015

IT'S ME AGAIN



        Yo  

          it's me again

          For those of you who are newcomers, I am her dog, Ruby


hey, do you like the new 'do??

I think it makes me look younger don't you??



oh really

well who asked you





just kidding



        So thought I would drop in since she is busy over there staring at the clouds or something

        I'm not kidding you, sometimes she can just sit there looking out into space for a couple hours-- at who knows what...

        Freeeeaaky if you ask me  

        But to each his own is what I always say




        Hey, did I tell you I'm writing a new book?  I've had a few nibbles, no real publisher yet but I expect a call any day now...

        I'm going to call it

"WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU FLEAS"

            sort of a self-help, Zen like, chill out motivational read  

It should be out in December 2016. You can catch it on Amazon.





        Most of you probably read my other book from two years ago...

it was called

"AND I WILL NOT SIT FOR YOU"

a book of short stories, poems, and general musings

 ...my freedom song... if you will


        (click the link below to get a sneak preview)

www.andiwillnotsit.net



        Oh yeah, heard on the news today, that the Pope has come to the U.S.  Seems like a pretty cool guy.  Just might shoot him an email--maybe we can split a pizza or something.

        I will probably have to pay though...since it seems like he never carries much cash.



        Yup, gonna get right on that just 
                           as 
                                     
                                    soon

 as 

                             I











                             







        
                   

Sunday, September 20, 2015

IN HIS ARMS



        I run

            and run

                the marathon

                    more and more breathless

                        the end nowhere in reach


and He waits



        I search

            and look

                here and there

                    through tens of thousands

                        weary faces

and He waits



        I listen

            to endless noise

                dissonant tunes

                    wildly clanging beats

and He waits



         I close my eyes

and there He waits

lifts

carries me

in His arms


        My head on His shoulder

            at last...
                                                 
                                together
                                           

                                          we
                                                   
Find

See

Hear


REST







CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW





for my friend V and all who are searching...so for everyone
                     



   


                 



Thursday, September 17, 2015

MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR



               Just wanted to share some things 

                         I love so much about 



Fall

my favorite time of year
*




visits to

the

Pumpkin Patch










               a field of 

             wildflowers 

outside my back window
                  











                  autumn colors


                            
                         and 
                  


                     










                       cozy
                  
                      nights


              












   happy

    thoughts
      
        of

        holidays

             to

               come

           






**To everything there is a season,

a time for every purpose under heaven


HAPPY FALL:))



*photo www.liturgyoutside.net
**Ecclesiastes 3:1


Monday, September 14, 2015

TUNNEL VISION



        It was what she did

            most days...

                    sitting alone in front of the mirror
              
                    an opaque view staring back


        she would sit and think

what might have been



purplish pink sunrises came and went

children chattered and skipped on the way to school

cotton clouds floated by on a clear blue sky


                     and yet

        she would sit and think

 what might have been



golden orange leaves rustled in the trees

bright yellow flowers waved in the fields


                        but unaware

        she would sit and think

what might have been



glistening crystal snowflakes swirled through the sky

far away church bells echoed and chimed


                         all the while

          she kept careful eye on

what might have been



        But one morning, 

                    while she polished and admired her faithful companion 

in order to keep her view
just right

she momentarily lost her grip--and the mirror

 went crashing to the floor 


shattering into a thousand 

tiny pieces



        It was then that she noticed it...

                      a tiny opening through a crack in the wall that the 

            
                                mirror had hid for so many years


        Squinting from the brightness

                       she stumbled to the wall

                                 and began to tear away

                                 bits and pieces 
                
                                       of the hardened plaster

                    until at last

                             her eye pressing against the crumbling pieces

                                        she was able to

look through

perceive

realize

come to see



what could be






*photo all-free-download.com





                    

Thursday, September 10, 2015

THE HUG



       It has been a while since I've seen him...




       Oh we keep in touch over the phone, I try to

keep him on track

make sure he is ok

offer him a voice to hold on to


        He looks so pale...smaller than I remember
            
          younger than his 22 years...more fragile 

 a little boy about 10 years old

soft brown curly hair

spindly legs like that of a vulnerable unsure colt


                 except for the

tattoos covering his entire body

tender but enduring soft brown eyes

scars on his arms that speak of long ago escapes



        I hand him the card

            "Ok, now,  you can only use this for food, no cigarettes or alcohol"

            As I say it in a half joking way, our eyes meet in a smile

        
            Suddenly he pulls me into a bear hug
               

a real hug

where our selves cling together for dear life




Immediately I feel a rush of 

incredible  

joy 

sadness

hope

love

all at the same time





 unexpected

but

perfect



from


someone I barely know?




But

 I do know him

I know Him well



and He knows me




So we meet them--everyday...
the dying, the cripple, the hurting, 
the unwanted, the unloved
...they are only
Him in disguise

              Mother Teresa







CLINK ON THE LINK BELOW



*photo courtesy of google images-- author unknown



                            






                     



Monday, September 7, 2015

HOMESICK



        What is it about beautiful music that can move something so deep and powerful within us??




*







        Could it be that the haunting melody brings to mind  a




forgotten place

beloved memory

 recollection of perfect harmony


**


        The cascading tones seem to 

stir a hidden longing

free the heart

fill an aching emptiness...







almost 

as 

if 

they 



***



   remind us...

   beckon....

  tell 

of
   

  home 



****For they are not of this world,
even as I am not of this world


   CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL!!!





*simplysunsigns.com
**www.coolchaser.com
***google images author unknown

****John17:16
        




        





















Thursday, September 3, 2015

WALKING ON WATER



        
        It starts out at first as a faint faraway rumble that is barely noticeable.  My boat sways gently in the breeze on the still blue waters.

        Suddenly, without warning, the sky darkens and black clouds begin to swirl overhead.

        Soon, I am caught in the eye of the storm as a violent squall sends my small vessel crashing against turbulent waves.



        Before long, 


                                   I am lost at sea

*



   I look for the horizon--it is nowhere to be found  



                              The dark water
 is 
the 
only 
thing 
in 
sight


I am drowning


        When,
               Slowly, I began to hear it... the faint whisper

                                  Keep your eyes

 fixed 

Fixed

FIXED


        I fight to look up, 
                       
                       
                         my eyes strain to focus




                 The dark waters began to 

recede

clear

still

obey




Taking a step out of the boat, 


the 

chaos

confusion

turbulence

all become

a distant memory

as

I


regain my footing


find my anchor

**


I WALK ON THE WATER



*For we fix our eyes not on what is seen, 
but what is unseen,
since what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal




for T and everyone going through stormy waters




                                             (click on the link below)
                   PRAISE YOU IN THE STORM CASTING CROWNS

*2 Corinthians 4:18





*nature.desktopnexus.com
**wallpapervortex.com