Light Pierces Darkness - Thoughts and a Prayer

 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to You, and the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.

Psalm 139:11,12

Lest I forget that I was born with a need for God, there are things I remember about my childhood that make me wonder where my thoughts could have come from. Such as seeing my baby brother sitting on the street and not warning him that a car was coming, or using him to say something bad to God. Really? I'm ashamed when I think about these things. I remember putting a dark towel over the window because I did not want God to see me. I was maybe five, with no real sense of who God is and ready to test Him. Somehow these memories point me to the person I could have become had His light not shone into my life to the point where I can only be thankful that, although He sees, He loves and does not treat us as our sins deserve. 

And yet, I'm sitting here in my little bright corner looking out into the dark, wishing otherwise on them . . . the ones stealing the innocence of children, selling them as prizes, the lucky ones escaping as orphans without food, without hope. I yearn for the light to expose and to make right this darkness steeped in lies - and evil attempts to bury what is good, calling good evil and evil good. When, O Lord, will not only Your light, but the fire of Your wrath come to bring justice? If darkness is as light to You, I know You see what is happening to these children whose frame was not hidden when You made them in the secret place. I know that all the days ordained for them were written in Your book. Do You see them now? I believe You do. Lord, let Your light shine on them that they may find their way . . . and save them by Your mighty hand of justice. This I pray in the Name of Jesus.

The Hummingbird

Not long after I did my window planters I noticed a hummingbird hover by my kitchen window. I went for my camera, expecting it to be gone by the time I got back, but it seems it really liked my red begonias and the easy perch. With my camera in hand, from an adjacent angled window, I clicked at what seemed to be a blur of wings, when suddenly it surprised me with how still it could sit.

I read that their name comes from the fact that the flap of their wings is so fast, it makes a humming sound. What is incredible is how they can fly right, left, up, down and backwards, or just hover, like a motorized ball of feathers. Their feet are used for perching only. Because of the energy they spend, they can use up to twice their body weight in nectar. Truly they are tiny miracles in energy and endurance. 

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you,. . .Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? Job 12:7,9

Logging at the Lakehouse

Last weekend we had our annual spring clean up  . . .

which usually means power washing, tree trimming, doing windows and kitchen cupboards.

This year, Bob began the work with an added agenda in mind. Over the past few years we had noticed the hazelnut trees dying off . . . hazelnut trees are the ones that grow in clusters (there were four of them) as opposed to the walnut trees that grow tall and strong alone.

By the time I could have said anything, 

the elimination of these diseased clusters was well underway.

To be honest, no one liked it, but it seems it had to be done.

There was a continual fire going as the twiggy branches got burned

and the rest chopped and stacked.

I'm including this photo for family who was missing . . .

as I was especially sad to see the cluster by the house gone.

In this photo you can also see the reno the neighbors did to their side of the cabin

(to match our side).

There's the tree in the background . . . freshly stacked on the woodpile.

On our adjoining property, Abe's trees wood also got stacked.

So . . . from a scene with one of the hazelnut trees a few years ago . . . 

to last year . . . (diseased tree in the background)

to this  . . .

where I see enough that remains to give a sense of constancy

but also enough change reminding me that for everything there is a season.

The Red Swing

Twelve years ago, on the May long weekend. 

we were sitting in the back yard, watching Tehya 

while mom and dad were out on a date.

We started talking about how fun it would be to have a swing for her 

and, in a moment, history was made 

by a man who does not ordinarily go shopping on a whim.

By the time mom and dad came back, she was happily swinging in the shade.

Paeton was only 12 weeks old when he left for Borneo with his sister . . .

and a second red swing tucked into the crate (on Papa's insistence).

Natalie, our first American grand, 

got her share of swings when she visited.

It was hard to choose between a smile photo or this serious one.

Makenna's flight through space has always brought smiles.

She's her daddy's girl!

Landon . . . almost twin cousin to Makenna . . . 

at that time showed up with his sister when his cousins did

and he smiled best sitting still.

Lacey usually gave us just the slightest grin . . .
but so content.

Koen sat enamored . . .

watching siblings and cousins flitting about the yard.

Teddy looked at us dreamily or
played the "I'm watching an ant now" game.

It was seeing Everly in there for the first time, just recently,

that had me reminiscing  . . .

about all the times Papa has gone out to play with them while in that swing.

He always gets the best giggles from them with his games.

I love when they enjoy grapes from the garden lined up on that tray and 

stare up with that amazed look that  the leaves in the "tee" are dancing with the sway

. . . heaven in their eyes.

There is just one more left to come for her first swing.

Hopefully soon.

From the Garden and into the Garden

This past month has given me numerous opportunities to quickly put together

a bouquet from the garden.

I wish it were always so easy!

 But maybe that is the joy of this short season . . .

beauty in the blooms that appear almost as though to tease us.

It's around this time that I head to the nursery and fill my trunk with

those that will last all summer long.

The old pots come out of the shed and get a good scrub.

I remove old roots and turn over the soil, adding some new potting soil.

I line up the purchased little plants and stuffers alongside the pots

they should go in.

and then simply scoop out a place for each plant and tuck them in.

They get some fertilizer with their first watering and

then I anticipate the joy of blooms taking us right into Fall.

But let's  not go there yet.

One Year of Gratitudes

It came in a brown paper package in the mail one year ago . . .

a little blue book which she suggested I use as a

Gratitude Journal.

So I have had it in open view in our family room this past year

to remember to daily write down two or three "thankfuls"

Last week I got to #1000!

I knew others had done this and there was no reason not to.

So, today I'm grateful for Kari starting me off

and to God for giving me more than 1000 reasons to give thanks!

To name a few

 . . .

   a moment of quiet

   for a walk in the park

  God's protection

    visit around a fire pit

    sleeping in

    shopping for summer tops

    rhubarb pie

    God's Word to encourage

     finding an old lace tablecloth and distressed wood

    chiropractor treatment

    dinner at friends

joy of serving

tooth implant done

Rollkuchen and watermelon 

forgiveness

God's faithfulness

texts 

pedicure

a day at home in the kitchen

for the dads raising our grands

lunch with my girls

jam cooking

watching cousins play

good relationships

my mom

coffee brewing

new shoes

God's loving kindness

facetime smiles

very special news!

God's sovereignty

tender-hearted grands

a husband who loves coming home

granddaughter tea party

peach jam

health

pitter patter of rain

the park with kids

a good book to read

talking to God anytime

shopping date

holding a new born 

skype-time

my heritage

(snail) mail

friends

seeing traditions passed on in my kids

the smell of wet earth

clean windows

birthdays

. . .