Ordinary Life

The listing read "Stitch me back together." It was a hand-turned vessel, made from grapevine, that had cracked under pressure.  It caught my attention. I am drawn to finding beauty in broken things because I am a broken thing. If we were to have a show of hands, I'm probably not the only one. So it was that I adopted this broken vessel as a kind of self-portrait. When it arrived, I discovered 'FRAGILE' apparently means something like 'Please shake til glass breaks' in post office speak. The test tube had shattered. While it retained its shape, it would not retain water. What's more, it was not keen on leaving its cozy wood lodgings; it was stuck. The two vessels were broken individually and together.  Yesterday, I finally found a chance to sit alone with 'myself' and consider the broken vessel.  Before contemplation:  I started to use gold paint with  kintsugi  in mind, but rather quickly had a different inspiration. After contemplation:  Fault...

    I let my full weight fall against Burger King's heavy glass door and pushed against it. By nature a fairly passive person, I knew the door would absorb my unusually forceful shove with no loss of dignity. I even imagined it welcomed me a little. Better doors than people. (or...doors are better than people?)    We were en route to the bedside of a very sick relative and I knew we may not make it in time to say good bye.    Over the course of the morning, I had morphed into a tiny black rain cloud, prone to outbursts like thunder claps and sudden showers that washed away any semblance of "strength".     Once inside the ladies room,  I wiped away what streaked mascara could be budged and sighed a prayer of "please".    I wasn't praying for extra time. I wasn't praying to get there. I was praying for peace and that all would be well with my uncle...soul wise...you know..." It is well...it is well...with my soul ." And I wa...

The real problem with a hard-hitting, right-on-the-money-Sunday-morning-sermon is my propensity to quote parts of it against my fellow man (and myself) for the rest of the week.  I don't think that's how they're supposed to work. Leave Space For Grace, Kelly .  (Ah yes...I've heard she was quite the dancer.) 

PaPa and Grandkids @ Waycross 2013 This is one of those days that leave me tongue tied. Not for a lack of good things to say. Rather for trying to find a new way to say what is good and true and known and noteworthy about the man that is my father. And then to repeat that quest for the man whose Adventures in Fatherhood I get to watch in 'real time' as he plays dad & hero to my crew of 4. Words just fail me, that is all. Lots of people, in assorted tributes today,  have pointed out  what makes a man a good man- qualities that carry over into their fatherhood, making them, by default, good dads. Then there are folks who talk about what was missing- either because Time robbed them or because certain qualities or values escaped their fathers (like sobriety.) These people too, are affirming that a good man makes for a good father. Also that those of us blessed to have our father still living here amongst us are truly blessed. I think that what makes a list about any give...

Our hearts are in Beaufort today. We stand in Spirit and in Prayer with the Cushman Family as they say "Good-Bye-For-Now" to their sweet little Ellie.

Last night, in our continuing journey through Experiencing God (or back thru, as it were for some) we covered God's desire for a relationship with us that is both real and intimate... the scriptural base for last night was Hosea... Today, when the kids and I started to catch up on our archived DVR Wretched episodes, the topic was Depression--- we were told if we are depressed, we may consider reading our Old Testament... and where else, but Hosea... we were also reminded that we should read it with ourselves in the place of Gomer... A video was shown throughout the television broadcast-apparently a sermon supplement for the included church/ sermon series below. It is a modern take on Hosea & Gomer -  The Big Kids all thought it was an interesting story until I told them that they were Gomer... "Oh, wow ... o.k.... that's c oo l!" said one of my big kids... (not being Gomer, mind you... rather understanding how very, very loved they are by God.) Try it.  You mig...