Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Digging Deep


I think we all have moments when we feel like the earth is
falling out from under us.

Sometimes its just the slow stripping away of our sanity -
one temper tantrum,
bank over draft or
lost set of car keys at a time.
From time to time there's a life altering storm, 
and the ground really does wash away.

I stood and looked at these roots.
And noticed that even in the middle of the winter,
the roots are reaching for soil.
The rain nourishes.
The sun sends its goodness.
The tree will fight for itself.
And the elements of the earth around it will fight for it too.

I'd like to think I'm like this when times get a bit tough.
Fighting for myself.
And secure in the knowledge that there are many
loving me and fighting for me too.
Easier said than done, right?




Black and White Wednesday

Friday, February 24, 2012

Snow?


What's that? A few flurries outside
the office window? Falling only to 
remind us that winter's not over.
The season has been kind to
us this year ~ made up of
blue skies and warmish days...just
the bare minimum of wintry white.

I haven't minded that one bit.



This week's word: Bare

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Fitting into the Bigger Picture


I'm a very gracious person.
I'm pleasantly kind, benevolent and courteous.
I am merciful and compassionate.
I genuinely seek to love and understand and learn from other people.
I struggle to find the soft place in my heart that allows me to forgive others.
Even those that have hurt me the most.

Problem is....
I have a very hard time treating myself with the same spirit of grace.
I have lived, since childhood,
with a gnawing sense that I am not enough.
Not pretty enough, not smart enough, not talented enough,
not disciplined enough...not enough.

Now...
I know that's not true. I really know it.
I hold on to spiritual truths that teach me otherwise.
I am loved.
And that constant love from my husband, children, family and friends
teaches me, reminds me and helps me to love myself.

So....
On valentines day I bought myself a present.
I've wanted a cross necklace for several years...but just couldn't find the right one.
When I saw this one ~ well, I knew I had to have it.
With the cross is a mama bird {that's me!}
and a pearl...a kingdom pearl.

Buying myself a present seems insignificant.
But for me, it's a big deal.
It's permission to treat myself as I would treat others.
It's a reminder to live as I am - I am loved.
It's a kindness that I've shown myself.



Photobucket
Linking up today at Melissa's

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

I wonder...


Sweet little frog.
Nestled along the side of a neighborhood yard.
Did a little girl play there?
Place him delicately in a moment of fantasy, whimsy?
Did a little boy bury his first pet here?

I wonder.

So many windows, doors, driveways, mailboxes, cars, trucks and bikes.
So many lives.
It's nice to walk among them.

And wonder.



and
 then, she {snapped}

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Winter Reds


Red.
Berries and Bushes.
Popping out in fields of beige.
Dangling from broken, winter branches.
A hint that more color is soon to come?
A reminder of colors long gone?
Either way.
It brought me joy to 
find these winter reds.





Friday, February 17, 2012

Chicken Soup in Six Words


Here's a splendid 'six word' quote.
"Guilt: punishing yourself before God doesn't."
Alan Cohen, the 'Chicken Soup' author



Found a six word quote that
perfectly fit this week's theme: guilt. 
I just had to share it!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

How Whitney Fits in to my Bigger Picture

File:WhitneyHouston BodyguardTourUK1993.jpg
 I have been to two real concerts in my life.
I'm 51, so that's saying something.
My husband took me to see Whitney in Paris
{don't get too excited, that's where we lived at the time}
in November of 1993.
It was the Bodyguard tour.
She was at her best.

As I was walking this morning, I was thinking about her.
Praying for her daughter.
Turning this tragedy over and over in my mind.
Wondering if I had an opinion about it all.
On the one hand, there's no excuse for the excesses in her life.
On the other hand, what a gift.
And what do I really know about what it took to "be" her.

And I thought about a passage in the Gospel of John where religious people
drug a {probably} half naked prostitute before Jesus.
For judgement.
To make a point.
For punishment.
Then the parallel dawned on me - how utterly and totally humiliating.
To die alone and naked
and to be dragged before the world
to be judged.
And I thought of Jesus' heart towards the prostitute -
a heart to love her, to see her as a person and not an object.
Or an object lesson.
His gift to her that day was one of grace.
And, with that, he also asks her to walk away from her way of life.

But it was his lesson for the crowd that struck my heart today.
To the crowd watching this,
and to the religious leaders that drug her there,
Jesus simply says,
"Let any of you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her."
And that's my lesson for today.
Let me not throw any stones.
In my mind.
With my mouth.
In my heart.
I found myself wishing that Jesus would silence today's crowd.
The hungry crowd that's watching and waiting.
That we would all examine ourselves,
stop pointing fingers and criticizing someone elses life... 
and just walk away from the
show.

I'll cherish her music and the fact that I got to see her in concert.
The big notes,
the beautiful performances.
But what's got my heart this morning,
is the scene from Bodyguard
where she's sitting alone, quietly outside on a snowy day
singing
Jesus Loves Me.

Linking up with the Bigger Picture Blogs
at Jade's today

Mama's Losin' It
And with Mama Kat's
for the Writer's Workshop


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Dinner for Two


Cozy dinner for two last night.
Nothing fancy.
Just us.
And just us is just right.




Black and White Wednesday

Monday, February 13, 2012

my baby turns 22 today


this is one of my favorite pictures of my boy
takes me back to France
{where he was born, and spent nine of his years}
takes me back to cuddles
and giggles
and days of batman, star wars, legos, pooh and peter pan.

as wonderful as all that was
{i mean, look at all that sweetness}
i wouldn't trade today for yesterday

celebrating 22 years with him today ~
celebrating the life he's building as a young man
and the true, loyal friend he is
to me and to so many people...
i love our long talks
the cards he makes
and the way he makes us laugh


i do love him to pieces
happy birthday 'baby' boy




and
 then, she {snapped}

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Will My Garden Grow?


"You are never too old to set another goal
or to dream a new dream."
C. S. Lewis

In January, I learned that pretty white flowers could easily be grown indoors.
I mean, if Debbie could do it, maybe I could too!
So, I ordered an indoor growing kit and
followed the directions. 
{which basically means I added water}
And now I have some pretty white flowers in my kitchen window.
On one of the coldest days of the year, 
they are a lovely reminder that spring will surely come!

I've always wanted to grow things.
To have flowering plants around me.
But I've never taken the time to learn how or pay attention to plants.
I think this might be the year.
I'd love to grow some of my own sunflowers.
And fill some flower boxes on our back deck.
Stay tuned!




Friday, February 10, 2012

Getting Chattier


To chat, or not to chat,
That is the question. Whether 'tis
nobler in the mind to blurt
it out and suffer the slings
and arrows of those who judge;
or swallow it up and face
the outrageous fortune and the sea
of troubles alone. There's the rub.

I've often wished I was a
"blurter" ... but I've always weighed my
words and held a lot inside.
 Lately I'm believing it's not one
or the other. I'm finding balance.
I cherish times of reflection, and
I'm getting chattier as I age...

{with my apologies to Mr. Shakespeare}



Linking up with Melissa ~
our word today: Chat

Thursday, February 9, 2012

The Small Strokes that Paint a Bigger Picture



A simple text.
A hug.
A scribbled note or a pretty card.
A knowing glance.
A hand held
A joke shared.
Please.
Thank you.
The child's hand picked dandelion.
The husband's call from the car.
The friend's "Are you OK?"

We have so very many chances every single day to express our love.
And each smile, each gesture, each word
is the stroke of a paint brush.
Taken by itself, it doesn't seem like much.
But when added up over days and years
the masterpiece of a loving relationship is created.

Today began with a text from my son.
A college kid on his way to class.
He didn't have to ~ we don't have any "check in" rules.
He could have thought of it and just not bothered.
I know he loves me, so I don't really "need" it.

But it sure was a nice way to start the day.

Simple BPM
Bigger Picture Moments are at Hyacinth's today.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Seriously Secretarial


"Good Morning, DMB Construction. May I help you?"
{my 9-5}



Black and White Wednesday

Linking up with Heidi ~
No clue what motivated this "self portrait"
but here it is!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Our Cheer Leader


It was a rough night at our house.
A rough loss.
But this little gem of a girl managed to cheer us up.
We do love her so!!


Linking up with Rachel for:

and
 then, she {snapped}

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Stillness


"Learning how to be still,
to really be still and let life happen -
that stillness becomes a radiance."
Morgan Freeman




Friday, February 3, 2012

Charmed, I'm Sure!


What would you like to know
about me? That I love photos
and coffee and Boston sports teams?
That I'm the queen of scrapbooking?
Or {perhaps} that my son gave
me a penguin charm because he
loves those arctic birds. And then
there's my daughter who gave me
the cute alarm clock charm...which
really, really made me laugh...because
I was her personal wake up
service for many years! When I
look at my pretty bracelet I
think of my kids, and my friends.
But, hmmm....someone's missing. My one
true love's nowhere to be found!

So...

Thought I'd share this now because
Valentine's day is right around the
corner, and I know he's racking
his brain for gift ideas...wonder
what charming token he'll find to
add to my much loved collection?!!



Linking up with Melissa ~
Cause it's Friday...and I love her link up!
Our word this week: Share

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Capturing the Bigger Picture


I took this photo several years ago.
We were sitting at dinner with my husband's family in Oregon and a summer rain
started pounding the deck.
Then came the thunder and lightening.
I opened the sliding glass door and snapped -
and the first shot caught the lightening bolt!
I couldn't believe it!
What a cool moment. This photo has always been one of my all time favorites.


I've got it hanging on my bulletin board next to my desk at work.
I keep it there because it reminds me of Oregon - and my family.
And that's important.
But it also reminds me of something else.

After I got this cool shot, I stood with my camera for a long time
and tried to get another shot.
To capture another lightening bolt.
And I just couldn't do it!
I managed to capture some that were further away, 
as the storm moved out of the valley and settled over the hills.
But not another bold, strong, all-the-way-to-the-ground strike.
It's as if the first lightening bolt came to me as a gift.
And try as I might I couldn't "make" it happen again.
Isn't life just like this?
Full of moments.
Spectacular moments.
And, although we contribute to the making of many, many special moments,
there are also countless gifts that come our way
without us lifting a finger.
Sometimes without us even knowing it.
This photo reminds me to stay alert, stay open!
And, most importantly, 
to not worry too much if I can't make things turn out the way I want them to.
At some point lightening will strike.
And I'll be amazed.
And might even manage to catch it on "film."





Happy to be linking up over at
Alita's place for Thursday's simple moments,
Simple BPM