Theme Thursday

hands on the wheel of my life
course confidently mapped-
suddenly
i found myself

overboard

into the unexpected
flailing with fear
swallowed whole
disoriented
longing to breathe and
desperate for direction
struggling alone
against the unknown


--------------

against hope

the hand of innocence appeared
initially stubborn to accept the offered choice
of survival
only exhaustion forced me
to surrender
reaching for the hand of a child
she pulled me into the Light--
into the heart of God
reborn
baptized in the sea of unconditional love

this is a Theme Thursday tribute to my granddaughter who has "temporarily" lived with us for almost 4 years

mag 25

some say

the eyes are the keys to the soul

i know where the key lies

the key is to see

the lies

with the eyes of my soul

swallow the key

close the I's

never to be opened

unless

picked by an

unwelcome intruder

...or blind trust

there is no key

only the i of my soul

a magpie tale

Striving

Once again I find myself sitting in my sun room overlooking the backyard. This is the place I am drawn to lately...my meditation room. Each morning I try to steal some time to sit, pray and prepare for the day.

The windows overlook an area of my backyard that was the focus of my attention this past spring. Trees provided daily shade and a very tranquil feel. Many an hour and dollar were spent planning and planting  a nice shade garden that included multiple varieties of hostas, impatiens, and ferns. As the perfect backdrop, I hung three coconut straw baskets that trailed vines and flowers.

About a month ago I came home from work after a very long, grueling shift to find that a storm had taken out a large branch of the center tree. My shade garden was now filled with sun for most of the day.
For weeks  I have struggled for ideas to salvage my original plans. As a quick aesthetic fix I planted some sun loving plants in my coconut baskets but every thing wilted and died.....or so I thought.

Two weeks ago I noticed a squirrel in a basket gathering pieces of the coconut hay. He jumped from basket to basket trampling each and every plant. My first reaction was to put cactus and succulents in their place to deter the pest but gradually I've come to notice many a bird gathering straw from the same baskets...wrens, cardinals, robins and finches.

This morning I sat down and began to offer up my usual prayer of forgiveness.....frustrated with myself and my inability to be what I long and strive to be.....

Looking up at the frayed baskets outside the window, an idea occurred to me...instead of spending so much time and effort trying to deter the squirrels and birds---I will just allow them free access to the straw and place feeders in the center of the baskets. (Maybe as a compromise, I could cut holes in the bottom of the baskets and plant some trailing vine ;).

Absolute Surrender

For some reason it never occurred to me that everything I've been through in life may not have been God's perfect and holy will, but He did allow it to happen.

Just like Joseph and his many colored coat.....chapters of my life that brought so much pain and anguish....were transformed from years of isolation and misunderstanding into the exact person at the exact time in history to fulfill God's plan.

Have I fulfilled the plan???
am I fulfilling the plan???
will I fulfill the plan???

Regardless...

With my absolute surrender comes His absolute sovereignty and the peace that indwells knowing I am who, where and what He wants me to be--right here---right now.

I am a mere interpretation of the "me" He truly sees.
I am just an image of the eternal "me".


Layers of life
perfectly placed
against the backdrop of my heart


Beams from heaven
dissected into various hues
by the prism of my flesh


Images----
of divine nature
cast upon rippled pools
----ever shifting
----ever changing


Reflections----
of what only a
Master could create


I pose
in
Absolute Surrender

serendipity

dollars... tucked away
some in pocket
some in purse

held close...fearing loss

eager for adventure
giggling with anticipation
innocence tumbling
through an open door

searching for a treasure...

one finds easily
one watches carefully
one takes inventory
     and moves on

longing to find their desires...

one spends freely
one holds tightly
one coaxes a toddler
     away from the street

praying I will always remember...

moments
tucked away

held close...fearing loss

A beautiful Saturday spent garage saling with three grandchildren. I was blessed with a newfound perspective and appreciation for each of their unique personalities and how they approached the endeavor.

Every day children are subjected to acts of horrific violence.

Today my heart is heavy with grief.

My thoughts led me down a path that could only attempt to imagine what it would be like to live in an impoverished environment where violence, drugs  and other unspeakable acts of darkness are considered commonplace.


Innocence collected by gloved strangers
Echoes of childhood--
boxed and shelved

Peace is a prayer
Fear the companion