"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine..." Ani l'dodi v'dodi li (Hebrew)

My Beloved,

You are My Beloved and I Am yours. How beautiful you are my darling, you are altogether beautiful, and there is no blemish in you. You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water, perfect and unique. My desire is for you and you are Mine. Put Me as a seal over your heart, for love is as strong as death and many waters cannot quench My love for you, nor will rivers overflow it.

We are in covenant My Beloved and I have pledged My loyalty to you. From the moment you gave Me your heart, I gave you My authority, protection, provision, and love and I covered you in the blood of My Lamb. When you walk through the fires, I will be with you, never forget this. I know the plans I have for you and I declare this to you that My plans for you are for your welfare and not your calamity; to give you a future and a hope. When you call upon Me and pray to Me I will listen. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart, and My Beloved, I will be found by you. I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all those places that I have driven you, because I have called you by name Beloved, and you are Mine.

Oh give thanks to Me, My Beloved, for I am good and My loving-kindness toward you, endures forever! I love you My Beloved, never forget this. I look with delight upon you and I dance over you and your life with My banner of love. I bless you and keep you and smile upon you, and I Am gracious to you.

My Beloved, I give you peace that surpasses all understanding and as you continue to lean on Me, I tell you that you will walk in the fullness and abundance I have laid up for you, for no eye has seen, no ear has heard, all that I have prepared and kept ready for you, My Beloved. Trust Me and you will dwell in blessing. Make Me your trust, and I will plant you like a tree along the river whose roots extend by the stream, and you will not fear when the heat comes, but you will remain green and vibrant. You will not become anxious in the year of drought, nor cease to yield fruit, because I Am with you always, even unto the end of the age.

I love you My Beloved and I make intercession for you continually, never doubt My love. You are truly beautiful and worth fighting for and I am in battle for you always. Believe and know this. Never doubt, My Beloved, only trust and believe Me.

I remain your Steadfast Eternal Love as I Am the same yesterday, today and always. Grow and flourish in the love I have for you. Walk continually in the knowledge that you are loved dearly and wholly by Me. Know that I bless you and keep you in all your ways.

Eternally Yours My Beloved,

The Bridegroom

My December 16th Sonoma Christian Home Article

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

Matthew and Luke are the typical books read for their accounts of the nativity.  Both enable us to visualize the conception, pregnancy, birth and the first year of Christ.  Each author regales us, in their own unique way, of the events that led up to one of the greatest stories ever told, but I tend to be a fan of John’s simple, yet profound, account of the birth of Christ Jesus.

“And the Word became flesh. . .”

This fact sends goose bumps up my arms and makes the hair on the nape of my neck tingle.  The creative essence of the Father, His Word; the ability to learn and understand, became visible to us.  Wrap your mind around that if you can, because in the Word becoming flesh, God made alive to us the very spirit of Himself that gives us thought and the capability of thought, bringing revelation.  Is it any wonder that deep calls to deep?

In the Word becoming flesh we are able to know the Father in a way that was not available to us before this occurrence. In the Word becoming flesh we see the unveiled reality and the veritable essence of matter. We are in direct contact with the Giver of Life and its all because of His loving kindness toward us, freely given with no strings attached.  He shows Himself to us in His earthly weakness because He loves us and desires us to be able to commune with Him.

He is without equal, complete, and perfect in His unveiled reality and the kicker is He dwelt among us.  We were able to laugh with Him, cry with Him, long with Him, touch Him, watch Him, study Him, break bread with Him, and love with Him in a way no man had ever done before.  He freely gave of Himself to us.

This Christmas season take a look at the first chapter of John and see the nativity story come alive in whole new grace abounding way.  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

Merry Christmas!

A Post Thanksgiving Devotion

That I may proclaim, with the voice of thanksgiving, and declare all thy wonders. Psalm 26:7

As a child in elementary school, I remember pictures of overflowing cornucopias, colorful turkeys, some of which were made from the handprints of children in the class, while others were assembled out of different colored construction paper, their feather-like shapes glued onto another sheet of paper, forming the perfect gobbler, and then there were the friendly looking Pilgrim and Indian cutouts, clasping each others hands in friendship.

These familiar Thanksgiving images hung on the bulletin boards, windows, doors, and any spare wall space, giving a festive feel to the place, but the thing that is highlighted most in my memory, is the sharing time after the telling of the first Thanksgiving story. Seated in a circle on the floor, each child was given the opportunity to share what they were thankful for, and with no prompting from the teacher, each mentioned God in their response.

“I am thankful to God, for my mommy and daddy.” “I am thankful to God for my dog, Shep! He is a good dog.” “I am thankful to God for my daddy having a job.” “I am thankful to God for my Hot Wheels.” “I am thankful to God for my Chrissy Doll.” And on and on it went until each child proclaimed with a voice of thanksgiving, to God, the wonders that they were thankful for. It was atomically understood that we needed to be thankful and to Whom our thanksgiving flowed.

Some three hundred plus years have gone by since the first Thanksgiving celebration and I find it remarkable that as a country, we continue to set aside a National day of being thankful. Sadly there are many that will not observe the real meaning behind the day, for them it will be about food and football, but still they are gathering together, breaking bread, perhaps unknowingly, but in memory of what began so long ago. A time of rejoicing that the harvest was plentiful, and that God had seen them through another year.

We as believers in Christ Jesus, have much to be thankful for every day, not just once a year. Starting today, why not begin to walk in an attitude of gratitude toward the One from Whom all our blessings flow. If you do not do it already, begin to practice the art of thanksgiving on a regular basis, and you will find that your life will be different, for a thankful heart is at peace and gives life to the body and a happy heart makes the face cheerful.

Thank You O’Lord Our Savior for Thy Loving kindness to us and this great nation. Bless us O’ Lord, in the name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

 

Empty Nest

http://sonomachristianhome.com/2011/11/empty-nest-eternal-father/

This is my most recent piece in Sonoma Christian Home.  Enjoy!

Joy Set Before You

http://sonomachristianhome.com/2011/10/joy-set-before-him/

This is my piece in Sonoma Christian Home magazine. Enjoy the truths within.

A Work of Fiction: The Encounter

When I first told my family about the encounter, they didn’t believe me, and really…How could I blame them. 

“Bigfoot?  Was I having a brain fart?  Had I been drinking?”

I wish that I could have told them, “Yes.”  The truth though, is that I was sober and had full reign of my thoughts.

It was mid September and I was trekking through the Huron National Forest enjoying the sights and the sounds of nature around me.  It had been a hectic week at work with a busy schedule of inflexible deadlines and uncooperative people.  I just needed some time away to unwind and regroup for the week ahead.

Hiking is a favorite pastime, one that allows me to clear my head, get some needed exercise, and helps me to refocus.  As an amateur bird watcher, I was also hoping to catch a glimpse of a Kirtland’s Warbler, before it left its summer home among the Jack Pines of Northern Michigan, to winter in the sunny Bahamas. 

High overhead the afternoon sun warmed my surroundings to a delightful sixty five degrees while the aroma of pine sap and moss blended together to create an intoxicating scent that no perfumery could duplicate.   It was peaceful and relaxing in the shade of the pines.  Their needles blanketed the ground like a rich carpet and I made not a sound as I trekked along.

Chickadees, White and Red-Breasted Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers flew about gleaning insects from the bark of the trees as I walked, while Black Squirrels and Chipmunks gathered items from the forest floor before scampering their treasures away to the tree tops and ground holes.  They didn’t treat me as an intruder, as I came upon them by scolding me, but seemed to sense my need for peace and let me continue on my way without raising alarm.

About an hour into my hike I stopped and while taking a drink from my water bottle, saw a flicker of yellow fly by and land in a pine not very far from me.  Returning my bottle to my backpack, I picked up the binoculars around my neck and zoomed in on the bird. “Yes.” I whispered.  It was a Kirtland’s Warbler; black streaks on the gray back, yellow sides and the white eye rings.  I was seeing one for the first time and I smiled in pride at my good fortune.  Taking out my little field journal I noted the date, time, and area of my sighting.  I was geeked!  I could face the week ahead by remembering the victory I had encountered on the trail. 

Happy at my success I began to whistle as I hiked along going deeper into the forest where the trees grew dense and the sun peeked through their boughs only here and there.  The temperature dropped because of the shade but the coolness felt good so I persisted, following the trail downward, into a valley like area.  I continued on this course for about an hour, surprised that I did not meet another hiker on the trail.  Typically I run into someone and it is always fun to find out how long they have been hiking, where they are from and so on.  It kind of breaks up the day, sharing hiking encounters, but so far that pleasure was not to be mine.

Deciding to take a break and rest a bit, before heading back to my car, as it was a little over an hour trek out, I sat on a felled tree and munched on an apple and a protein bar, enjoying the serene environment around me.  Popping the remainder of the bar into my mouth, I was surprised to feel the hair on the nape of my neck rise. 

Instantly blood rushed to my face and my ears got hot and I knew, before I even turned to look behind me, that I was no longer alone.  Unable to swallow, because of my fear, I spit the food out of my mouth, tossing the apple core away before stuffing the protein bar wrapper into my jeans pocket, and removing the binoculars from around my neck, and stowing them away in my backpack.   My heart raced within my chest and blood was pounding through my head and I could not hear anything but a thudding sound as it hammered at my temples.  “Oh God, Oh God, Oh God!” was all that kept going through my mind.  It was like I was screaming it, but on the inside. 

Trying to appear nonchalant, I picked up my pack and put it on my back, because I wanted to be ready to run if I needed to, before looking to see who my visitor was.

I shall never forget, as long as I live, the shock of seeing what I saw.  Watching me from about 100 yards and leaning next to a tree, was what I can only describe as a Bigfoot.  It was tall, at least two feet over my five foot eight frame and its shoulders appeared very broad. It was covered from head to toe with dark brownish black hair and its eyes seemed yellow to me, but honestly, I just freaked at what I was seeing.  “This can’t be real, this can’t be real.  Oh my God, this can’t be real.  I’ve got to get out of here!”

Turning around I began to walk away real fast.  I have heard about people encountering what they think is a Bigfoot, but I was always so sure they had just seen a sick bear or something.  No way, were they real, or more people would have seen them, and hunters or hikers would have found their dead carcasses or something.  I did not look behind me again, but once I hit the trail, I was running.  I ran like the wind.  It was so amazing, like I was not in hiking boots or carrying a backpack on my back.  It seemed that my feet didn’t even touch the ground as I ran, and all I could think of over and over was, “I’ve seen Bigfoot.” and “Do they hurt people?” 

I ran non stop for an hour.  I don’t know where my stamina came from, but at the time, I was not even tired.  Adrenalin is amazing stuff. I slowed to a jog as I neared the forest entrance.  I could tell I was getting close because I could hear vehicles from the main highway.  It was only then, as I neared the parking lot and could see my car, did I slow down and have a look behind me.  Much to my relief I was quite alone. 

As I opened my trunk and stowed my gear inside I was gripped with fear anew as a wailing howling sound pierced the afternoon causing my stomach to flip flop and my legs to shake uncontrollably. The sound was coming from just inside the forest in the same direction I had just emerged from.  Slamming the trunk down, I raced to the driver’s side as fast as my shaking legs would take me.

Locking the doors as soon as I was inside, I shoved my key into the ignition, started the car and jammed that baby into reverse, before sending gravel flying as I peeled out of the parking lot.  Not once did I look in my revere mirror.  Not once.  Driving away I felt eerie knowing that the thing had kept up with me on my run.  It bothered me that, even now; I was probably being watched as I sped down the road that ran along the side of the forest.

My mind raced with questions and I wondered about the creature I had encountered.  What kind of beast was it really?  I mean so few people have actually reported seeing one, at least I think the numbers are few, I had never really given it much thought.  In all the years that I have hiked in different locations around the U.S. it never occurred to me that I might happen upon a Bigfoot.  Snakes, spiders, bear, and coyote maybe, even wolves and cougars, but never Bigfoot.  I was astonished that I had actually seen one and I couldn’t wait to tell my family about it.  They probably wouldn’t believe me but I know what I saw and, at this moment, that was all that mattered.

On my return home I rushed in to tell my family the news and they just laughed hysterically and said, “Sure ya did.”   No amount of ‘I swear’ or pleading changed their opinion.  I was cracked and that was that.

 Needing to find someone who would believe me about what I saw, I went to the internet and typed in Bigfoot in the search engine and I found a research organization that studies sightings.  I was excited to read about other encounters similar to mine, but more that that, I was happy to hear that I was not alone, in this phenomenon. 

Does Bigfoot exist?  Before a September day not too long ago I would have said, “Absolutely not.”  Now I just smile.

More on Imagination

"Ho!  Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, come, buy and eat.  Yes come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price." Isaiah 55:1

Do not let a failure of imagination rob you from what is spoken here.  Like Peter Pan in the following clip he was hungry and thirsty but his inability to imagine left him parched.  Only when he began to envision the possibilities set before him, did he partake in the complete satisfaction and joy that was his to behold.  Opening his mind to dream BIG, brought him and the others around him great pleasure.

I desire the water that satisfies my spirit.  The salvation that is available to me thru the sweet blood of Jesus Christ, which brings complete satisfaction and joy, and I can have it without paying a single thing, because it is freely given; I only have to believe. I choose to imagine. . .

To Imagine or Not To Imagine

Two movies have profoundly affected my life and the way I see things; "Big Fish" and "Neverwas"

During the viewing of these films, I was captivated by what transpired on the screen.  So caught up was I, in the lives of the characters, that I felt woven right into the midst of their stories. By the time I reached the end, I was undone and my heart overflowed with a raw emotion I did not understand. Why have these movies affected me, the way they have?  My family has watched them, and thought they were entertaining, but they did not seem to experience the same thing I did during the viewing.  I have puzzled over this conundrum as my heart has yet to answer me. 

So I questioned God. . . and I believe He showed me why. 

Both movies dealt with a very vivid and active imagination as well as a lack of imagination, or perhaps a better phrase would be, a failure of imagination, on the part of one or more of its characters.  In each, there was a person who seemed to live life BIG and who believed themselves to be very remarkable individuals where the sky was the limit and nothing was impossible. 

In my own childhood I had BIG dreams and giant ambitions and it seemed to me that the sky was the limit! 

Some of the BIG dreams I had went as follows:  I wanted to grow up and wear fancy gowns like Ginger Rogers and stand next to a grand piano, while singing a love song to a beautiful room crowded with people, or how about this one, I wanted to be the first woman in outer space?  Then there was the time that I wanted to become the first female president of the United States as well as travel around the oceans of the world with Jacques Ives Cousteau, exploring The Great Barrier Reef, underwater canyons, and whale songs.  

Every day was a new possibility for greatness!  I used to dream about living life large all the time.  Standing doing dishes at the kitchen sink, I day dreamed that some handsome knight on a white horse would ride up to the window above the sink and smile at me, and I would leave the dishes and my sister who was drying them behind, to travel with my Prince on his mighty stallion, to some romantic castle on a hill, while his pet deer Darby, frolicked behind us all the way there, and then later, seated on a magic carpet in front of a fireplace, my prince and me would sing John Denver songs together.  Oh bliss. . .

There were also the ones about my ten speed bicycle, that was secretly an Indy car, and I was the first woman driver to win the Daytona 500 as I sped around and around our circle drive, imagining car crashes and spin outs before I triumphantly crossed the finish line, with my back tire burning hot from the great speed I had kept up in order to win the race and receive my trophy.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I use to lie on the ground looking up at the stars and into space and day dream of alien encounters, ones where I was taken to other planets to help them resolve some world issue, only to then return home with some great cure for the common cold, like chewing 13 pieces of Bubble Yum bubble gum while jumping up and down on one leg and scratching your elbow.

Laugh if you like but all that I am writing is true!  I lived life dreaming big and always believing that whatever we set our hearts to, could be accomplished.  I believe that lying dormant in many of us is a unique gift and the ability to leave our mark on this world, in a very profound and impacting way.

This is why I sobbed watching the movies above.  I have had a failure of imagination.  Life has settled in and I have forgotten what it is like to dream. . .

A scripture comes to mind right now that seems to pop out at me, Matthew 18:3,  "And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

When I was a child my imagination was huge and constantly moving, from the monster in my closet to riding in a motorcade up to the White House, for dinner with the President and First Lady.  It could take hold and grasp onto ideas that seemed far out and wild, but I was full of life, living in that place of constant possibility.  Then I grew up and the wonder and excitement of dreaming gave way to the reality and responsibility of bills, a job, and a family.

So you've got this man named Jesus, who comes into world just totally living life BIG, and how do I know this you ask?  Just look in the gospel of John chapter six for starters.   

It starts out with a great multitude following Him because they had seen Him perform signs on those who were diseased.  You know, kind of like my common cold cure day dream, doing something that will impact others.  Well, He's got this humanitarian thing going on here, and literally thousands of people follow Him out to a mountain side. He then asks Philip, one of His disciples, "Where can we buy bread, that these may eat?"

And Philip has a failure of imagination.

Now don't get your panties in a bunch but I can just hear him kind of dissing Jesus, like, "Hello. . .it would take about 50,000 dollars to feed this many people and that is with them only getting a nibble. Like, knock, knock, knock.  Is anybody home in there.  What are ya thinking Jesus?"

Then you have Andrew, one of the first disciples of Jesus and a former follower of John the Baptist who is, in my opinion, definitely a man of imagination but with some hesitancy.  I am now going to mimic the surfer turtle voice from Finding Nemo.  "Ah Jesus, there is a little dude here, who has five loaves of awesome barely bread and a couple of minnows. . .but your probably thinking, that is so little for so many, right?"

So Jesus has encountered a failure of imagination, but He also senses the hope in Andrew's question, because He knows that Andrew is a dreamer and since dreamers tend to live life BIG, Jesus moves in a BIG way here, feeding the 5000 not just a nibble like Philip imagined but until they have eaten their fill, and then He had them gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing was lost.  The disciples gathered up twelve baskets filled with fragments of barely loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.  Imagination allows big things to happen in your life and in the lives of those around you.

So we go a little further down to verse 35 where Jesus starts telling the multitude that chased him to Capernaum which was on the other side of the sea from where they had been fed and eaten their fill, that "I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall not hunger and he who believes in Me shall not thirst."  Go to verse 54 and he continues, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day." Sounds a little vampire-y to me, but hey I am not the only one who had a failure to imagine here, in verse 60 and 66 it says, "Therefore many of His disciples when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying, who can understand it? From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him nor more."

This is why I believe that Jesus says unless we change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of God.  Because eye has not seen, nor ear heard all that God has prepared and kept ready for those who love Him.  We need to live in that place of imagination and possibilities again to be able to imagine the truth in The Greatest Story Ever Told and to see our lives intertwined with His from the beginning of time into eternity.   We cannot try and reason this with our minds we have to feel it in our hearts and live in a place of excited anticipation of what today and tomorrow holds. To know that the impossible is an option, especially in Him who has the greatest imagination of all.

When asked by Jesus if they too wanted to go away after they had heard His sayings, Simon Peter stepped toward the man he had walked on water with, fed thousands with, seen people healed with, and answered, "Lord to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Peter chose to be like a child and imagine. . .

This is too beautiful not to share...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2ZCIp0HiRo

Pics from our trip to the state land.

Nature, Swamp Gas, or UFO

It was a strange sound. The best way to describe it would be to imagine a giant, sucking air thru a straw for about 8 seconds, and then exhaling out his mouth with the force of a jet engine. It stopped us in mid stride and in unison we turned, our eyes seeking what our ears were hearing.

The mid afternoon October sun warmed us as we hiked along on state land; The Molasses River Flooding Number Three, in Gladwin County Michigan, to be exact. The grand beauty of the 80 degree fall day, with its eruption of red, orange, yellow and rust canopies, amidst hints of green, seemed to scream at us from the tree line, “Look at me, look at me!” causing our hearts to skip and be thankful.

We were smack dab in the middle of what, we Michiganders call, Indian summer, and we were taking the opportunity to enjoy nature in some of her finest attire. Days like today are what keep us going, during the long winter months that would soon be upon us but for one more week; we could don our shorts and tees and again be carefree in our pursuits of simple pleasures.

Water fowl, frogs, muskrat, chickadees, and turkey buzzards were the creatures that made an appearance on our journey that day and each sighting was special in its own way, but it was the peculiar rush of wind sound, which has stayed, in the forefront of our thoughts.

Heading back to where we had parked the car, about a half a mile or so away, we halted, surprised by the unexpected loud noise, coming from behind us. The hair crept up on the nape of our necks as we turned, because we knew there would be something there, but what?

Nothing. . .Nothing was there, but the sound and then in the middle of the lake where a shrub hedgerow stood, it appeared as if someone with a large spatula had just pushed the taller of the shrubs over on their sides, in the same direction, with leaves spiraling up in the air as if caught in a vortex, and then the noise disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived, and the shrubs bounced back up and stood still.

“What was that?” I questioned.
My husband looked at me, shaking his head, “Perhaps a whirlwind of some sort, let’s watch the trees across the lake to see what they do.”

Glancing in the direction that the wind sound had moved to, we stared across the lake and viewed, zilch. No movement what-so-ever. In our bewilderment we searched the sky overhead, shaking our heads at what we had just witnessed, though we had no clue to what that was.

My husband peered at me, “It is almost like an invisible jet just took off out of here.”
“That is exactly what I was thinking, but more of an alien thought crept into my mind.”
Laughing, we kidded that maybe we had been abducted while out here, “What time is it?” we joked.

I snapped a couple of pics of the hedgerow, for good measure and then we continued our trek to the car. I was relieved to find that no weird amount of time had lapsed, and we laughed all over again, but the bizarre occurrence has not been far from our thoughts.

Was the military testing some new secret jet? Did we just experience an odd rush of wind, swamp gas, or was there an invisible unidentified flying object, lurking in the middle of the state land and we just happened upon it in our pursuit of simple pleasures? We may never know but the experience has left my imagination just bursting at the seams and maybe now, yours too.

Devotional

My relationship with God is one long joyful journey.  The joys are not always seen at first glance and I may have to walk down many paths, before seeing the joy that was hidden in the journey, because some paths are sweet like chocolate; full of flavor, while others are bitter to my tongue, but always for my good as He makes all things work together for my good.

Thank You O' Lord for all that I walk through on this journey of living. The paths I take are significant as they shape me into who I am, the good, the bad, and the ugly, but Your mercies are new every morning and I have the opportunity, each and every day to begin anew through You.  Amen

Maranatha Writer's Conference Day 1 Retake

My day began with a three and a half hour drive through some of the most beautiful countryside in Michigan.  The rolling hills and colors of  fall were spectacular and I was thankful to arrive at my destination early enough to unwind for a few minutes before jumping right into the busy day that was planned. 

As a newbie to the conference, an orientation was held to better equip us with info that would help us navigate the the full schedule that we held in our hands, and it was full, let me tell ya. Serious brain overload folks, but the substance that was delivered by many brilliant authors, was full of wit, joy, and wonderful wisdom shared with ease.  Everyone has been delightful, open, and approachable and the attendees have been thoroughly blessed indeed.

The scripture that comes to mind to me for this conference is Habakkuk 3:19, "The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places."

I will surely need the strength of the Lord, each and every moment of this incredible journey, but with Him I will ascend to heights unknown with a confidence that I am never alone, because He loves me.

Longing

Deep within is a longing for paradise, 

a craving for Eden.

At every turn seeking to enter glory

in a vastness beyond comprehension.

Beauty and splendor I try to create, blissfulness,

wonder, peace, and rest.

Yet Eden eludes me, ever close but always distant.

The secret garden of my soul, I can not recreate. 

Birds, blooms, and bumblebees.

Benches, weeping boughs, and running streams.

Still these do not satisfy the longing within.

Works of iron, stone, wood, and clay 

do not quell the souls ache.

Perhaps it's not paradise, nor

the secret garden with its key.

What is this longing, this desire within?

Have I been misguided in my quest?

What are those words of ancient days

about a garden in the cool of the day?

A presence among the trees and those hidden away.

Naked and afraid I hide myself.

Running from, “Where are you?”

Can it be a One, and not a place or a when,

a connection, and not a notion?

A moment when all was right, indeed it was very good.

Oh my soul is your true longing, not for a garden, 

but for Him?

Deep within is a longing…

Misty water colored memories

This time of year has an essence to it that brings to mind special memories from days gone by...
Touch football and Kick the Can, picking mushrooms with my dad, raking leaves into piles of fun, what a joyful time we had.

Loaves of homemade cinnamon bread, rising in their pans.  Carmel apples and popcorn balls, the best we ever tasted, with seven kid and lots of neighbors, nothing was ever wasted.

Grown up now, with children of my own, making lot and lots of memories for us to behold. Treasure hunts in the woods with brown paper bags, to hold all the plunder that was to be had; acorns, pine cones, maple leaves, and just for good measure, salamanders that were, extra good treasure .

Scouting with daddy the best place to hunt, roasting hot dogs on sticks, and learning deer grunts.

Our annual visit to the Apple Orchard for some doughnuts and cider, hay rides for picking out pumpkins to carve, and purchasing black plastic spiders.

Hikes on Snake Island and long Sunday drives, hard salami and crackers, dill pickles to buy.  Road trips for ice cream and visiting friends, bicycle rides on trails with no end.  Geese flying south and wine for the cellar, fall is a banquet of fiery color.

River of Time, Root-beer and campfires, Scottish in kilts and roasts on the fire.  Abraham Lincoln speaks the Gettysburg address, Kettle Corn and Sassafras, perfume and fancy dress.  Spinners, Sweet Annie, dulcimers and hymns, the smell of the river flowing within.

Marching Band and football, Pom poms and dances, parades and pictures and memories to last us.  A September wedding on a beautiful day, two became one and sweet memories were made.  An October Bridal Shower caused my heart to flip flop, our daughter however, was over the top.

Our children are gone and have long moved away, but the memories we have are with us today.  My love and I have begun anew, learning those things that we like to do.  So as my memories appear on a breeze, I will savor them thankfully and always believe, that with each year as new memories are made, they will join with the others in my own sweet bouquet.

Note to self

Make sure you SAVE periodically as you blog...just inadvertently deleted all that I had been working on for the last hour...sigh...will try again tomorrow...

The Fragrance of Autumn

Wow...I have started a blog...partly spurred on by my daughter-in-law's starting one this past week, and my son's know how, I found myself thrust warp speed into the 21st century world of the "weblog" which is a term used to describe web sites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information, as defined by codex.WordPress.  I'm a little anxious about the whole thing as I consider myself not very techy, but I do believe the time of year is fitting for me to do so...the beginning of fall...a time of great change here in Michigan...the days are growing shorter, the leaves are turning, the nights are cooler and the air has a fragrance to it that is, in my opinion, one of the most aromatic of all our seasons.  No perfumer has yet to capture the essence of autumn in a can, however, I do believe that "Leaves" by Bath and Body comes pretty close...how did I get here?  Anyway...I was saying that I felt fall was the perfect time to begin this chronicle...Fall is all about change...and things are changing...