Rainbows & Hummingbirds

Some years ago, I discovered a perfect time to water my gardens. Perched high aloft on our deck, the forest shades my beds while the hose water prisms with sunlight. I no longer "have to go water the gardens", rather I "get to go make rainbows". This year, in one particular spot a young, female hummingbird joins me. She watches from the perimeter, seemingly to make sure I acknowledge her. Only after I have done so does she fly into the spray & dance in the shower. She alights on a young sumac tree, each morning where she flaps & preens. What a joy !!
I am reminded of a sentiment of Sarah ban Breathnach: "'Simple Abundance' has enabled me to encounter everyday epiphanies, find the Sacred in the ordinary, the [miraculous] in the mundane, fully enter into the sacrament of the present moment." The Hand of God at work is quite easy to see in the smallest of moments, when I simply pause to look with care.

My Present View

I sat at the table one evening & suddenly saw my 9 yr old as a young man who was simply visiting for supper... God-moments such as these keep me grounded & grateful. As I strive to catch up on 2 years of tasks I am drawn to our deck to savor this amazing, everyday moment in my garden of boys !

Listen to the Forest

The first time I approached this home I was enamored with how it nestled into the forest & towered above the lake. Walking around back, I scanned the scene below & listened to the song of the waterfall as it cascaded into the cove beneath. "Wouldn't this be a great place for a kid to grow up !?! " ~~~ 12 years have passed & the forest is alive with the sound of boys running & laughing, exploring & discovering. We are so very blessed !
Yesterday, my son & his friend prepared to climb into the pool. Without looking up from my gardens I reminded them, "Listen to the forest. It is beginning to murmur & sing." Both boys paused & looked skyward. I heard my son explain, "When a storm is coming, the trees begin to warn each other. One tells another, who tells another... They tell when it is coming & when it is close." His buddy replied, "Yeah, we better wait."
I LOVE that they know that !


The other evening, as neighbors contemplated taking refuge in their crawlspaces, I stood out on our deck storm-watching. I listened to the forest & to songbirds calling out their final warnings. The sky deepened from greys to blues & into the night. Rose colored flashes, punctuated by slow moving streaks of pink lightening illuminated the trees. The clouds darkened & swirled overhead, clearly traveling quickly & in different directions. I actually witnessed fingers of different sizes twisting high aloft. It was amazing & invigorating, but strangely enough, not the least bit scary.

Compared To....Who?

We had spoken of comparing ourselves to others. In doing so, we completely miss the point. Keeping up with the Jones' leads us far away from the mark for which we should be aiming. We cannot judge ourselves by what others do or find acceptable. We must only look to Christ to find out who *He* wants us to be.
After group,I stood in the church parking lot & gazed above the warehouse rooftops, watching as God began a spectacular show of light & hue. I stood watching Him paint the blue sky with lavender-grey clouds & spread a beautiful peach light across their bellies... I called out, "Wait ! You're missing the show ! He's just getting started!" People were calling out to one another as they climbed into their cars & left. How could they just ignore this? I walked across the parking lot & reached for my camera, but I never took a shot. Looking up, I realized from where most of the cars had been, the brilliance of His work was out of view. If they had remained where they were, they would have missed it entirely. It is easy to judge others with our own, limited vision but the closest we can come to seeing through their eyes is to try to see through His.

New Neighbors

Last year, as I watched from lake's edge a baby, wood duck made his lone way around the cove at "beaver time". I always said a prayer for the vulnerable, little guy out on the big lake. This year, he has returned with 2 females and 1 now roosts in the nesting box in our end of the cove!
People down the way have cut off my direct access to the beavers. I must watch from afar or traverse a long climb. This forces me to choose between watching God's sky painting or the comings & goings of the beavers. God has a way of overcoming man's obstacles & has honored me in choosing to surmount my tiny woe. Beavers are said to care for their young 2-3 years, before sending them into the big, wide world. This year, their offspring made their new home up in our end of the cove! They are just across from the dock from which I gaze in awe at His creations. Without leaves on the trees, I can literally stand in my living room & watch as they make their new burrow, down below! God in His infinite grace & mercy brought the beavers to me ! I am honored & I am humbled! SELAH !

Why Get Up So Early?

Moments like this, a gift of our Creator-God.

Amber Day

I arose just past 4 a.m. & before I even made it to the sliding glass doors, I was stopped in my tracks by what was before me. The moon was nearly full & sat atop the blackened forest silhouette. Over-sized from the atmosphere, it shone a deep amber. I stood still, as though I would waken a sleeping child. It rapidly descended through the trees and then into darkness. With the moon passed, the stars began to reappear & my eyes found a late meteor darting across the sky overhead!!!...& I so often hear, “Why do you get up so early?! What on earth do you do?”...I just have to grin. What a glorious way to start the day!!
I returned home to spy a splash of yellow, set against the forest, just outside my kitchen window. It was the first yellow hibiscus of the season & was nearly the size of my head. (I bring mine in & they bloom off & on throughout the winter. That throws off their schedule).To its' left, the roses are in full swing...at face level, they are a huge cluster to fall into as a pillow of petals. My day certainly had it’s ups & downs…but my attentiveness to God's creations, made it glorious !!!
I struggle with images of flowers such as these & lilies with their long pistils & stamens. On super macro, at times even on macro, it is hard to get things into focus & maintain the balance of the composition. Tonight was truly a God-moment! I rushed out as the "long-light" of the late afternoon, highlighted it's texture. (I will show some of those images another time). God gave me a cue: I could capture the beauty of the center shape & limit my focal concerns by shooting it's silhouette!!!
The yellow blossom will be gone tomorrow...but I anxiously await the opening of 2 double, red ones !!! He is so faithful & good!!!!

A Tale of Two Turtles

A few months ago, our neighbor found a tiny turtle & gave it to my son, London. "Cody" has since become a beloved member of our menagerie. London even takes him outside to play in a fashioned "hotel" & pool.


Later, I found the friendliest box turtle I have ever come across. "Crush" was given his name as his markings reminded London of orange soda. He stayed in one of our hotel tanks for a few days, feasting on a variety of fruits & insects. One afternoon, we returned him to his forest home. I watched him until he tucked himself away, next to & under some wood.


That evening, neighbors stopped by & the kids played with Cody. The adult topic was self-control. Deb shared that her family uses Eph. 5:18a ("Do not become drunk with wine...") to extend to other traits that Paul advised against, such as boasting, gossip, jealousy, love of money & anger. The notion of being "drunk with anger", etc. fascinated us. Arguing children interrupted us. Oh well, time to head in for the night, anyway.....
Preparing for bed, I shared with London our adult conversation, specifically how anger can take control of us. He really seemed to be putting things together when he abruptly cried out in horror. Cody had been left outside, forgotten in a moment of anger! Flashlights were of no avail in our search. London was terrified for Cody. What a perfect example of the topic, but this was NOT the time to point that out. We prayed for Cody's safety & for London's (self-)forgiveness. We prayed that Cody would find a safe, new home, near water....or, that if it was God's will, we would find him.


The next morning, I went out back just in time to see Crush venturing forth. I said a prayer for his safety & headed out front. Tucked away, next to some mulch, my eyes fell on tee-tiny Cody! It was a miracle in itself that my eyes fell that direction.


Rarely are lessons demonstrated in such a timely & dramatic way. London & I immediately said a prayer of thanks & praise. We discussed anger, self-control & how AWESOME God is.
When Jesus was tempted, (Matt 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13), He used scripture to fight off satan. Paul instructed us to, "Put on the whole armor of God..." (Eph 6:13), which includes, "...the sword of the Spirit, which is the very Word of God" (vs. 17b). Anger & lack of self-control caused Cody to be left out. The Bible is clear that those are both tools of the adversary. Paul instructs us to arm ourselves by reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God, so that will be prepared against the wiles of evil.


A few days later, another fellow joined us...a young, but strangely gentle baby snapper.


(This happened a couple of weeks ago. The other day, we spied Crush meandering around one of our garden oaks).

Bill the Marine

"There was a time when the world asked ordinary men to do extraordinary things". That was on the shirt I wore to the store yesterday. It shows a picture of the National WW II Memorial. It was at the check-out counter that I was blessed to meet Bill. I asked if he had served in WW II. I thanked him for his service and told him how honored I felt to shake his hand. Soldiers (& their families) make tremendous sacrifices that the rest of us cannot fathom. When next you meet a soldier, please shake their hand and give a sincere thank you for their service. They so rarely hear this and can not hear it enough.
When the war was over, "The Greatest Generation" came home, built new lives and a new America. They didn't get "therapy" or "closure"...they put the past behind and looked to the future. They blessed all of us and the world by building a better, stronger America.

Bill had been a marine, drill Sergeant. (sergeants are the ones who get things done). We talked for the longest time...Bill needed to talk. God blessed me to be there in just the right shirt at just the right time. On Memorial Day, he had been asked to go to D.C. to the WWII Memorial and memories came flooding back. He spoke of the camaraderie ~the brotherhood~ soldiers felt and still feel, even after all these decades. 55 years later, he feels the pain and loss of beloved friends and the horrors of war.....dear, old friends and painful losses.
These words of Jesus are my prayer for Bill and all soldiers in all wars "I will pray the Father and He will send the Comforter [Holy Spirit] to abide with you always". John 14:16