welcome to my blog. Sharing God's goodness with you in a wide and wonderful world.. so glad you are here.

Friday 28 September 2012

A Door These

                                         - could not resist that title!
The other day I took the opportunity to walk around my hometown.
Well actually I was waiting for my daughters who were at an after school event. I had my camera with me thankfully,and came across some very intriguing doorways...

 
Mysterious
 
 
Enchanting
 
Gothic
 
Homey
 
Inovative
 
Sooo charming,right?
 
 
Beckoning 
 
It's been fun sharing these with you.
May every door you encounter be flung wide open,
brimming with endless possibility.
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday 27 September 2012

Lingering Longings

It is one of those perfect,fall days today.On days like this I am almost tempted to say it is my favourite season...

My kitchen is basking in the aroma of freshly made salsa.

                             




 
The flowers are still beautiful,  in a wild sort of way......                                  
                                                  

Beautiful bouquets still too be had...
 
Sheep and horses still grazing....
 
 
 
 and
it was a great day for the run we do at our school every year, in memory of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF8k8hpyp_A
the inspiring Terry Fox.
 
 
I hope you too, lingered long at some moments in your day.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 24 September 2012

Hydrangea, My Favourite Flower




My fixation with hydrangea began innocently enough.
 It was spring and I was browsing at my local greenhouse. It almost jumped out of the corner at me as my mind began filling with visions of a profusion of blooms.The scent lazily wafting visitors as they approached.







                                                                                                                                                

I saw endless dried bouquets and wreaths and centrepieces and knew how I wanted this plant!

After purchasing it eagerly,I went home to plant it at once.






Now anyone who has been gardening at all knows how patient you have to be. Growth and blooms require time - much patient time.

The season passes and the following spring my hydrangea is a nice ,green plant. But no blooms. A tiny,speck of anxiety goes through me, but I am convinced I can correct this inefficiency. I start reading all the material on hydrangea I can get my hands on. I picked any poor unsuspecting gardeners brain, until I thought I had heard every remedy and method to correct my hydrangea.
I tried pruning,  replanting in various spots, watering with vinegar,aluminium sulphate and fertilizer.
Still the plant flourishes,but no blooms.
One spring I was hopeful when some buds appeared,but the flowers were small and weedy looking.

Finally, almost ten years later,I am in the same greenhouse and it dawns on me to inquire about the particulars of this hydrangea.
 

" I see," he nods."yes, I understand, but that certain hydrangea is native to these parts. Oh, that flower is all you are going to get. It will never bloom like those other hydrangea."

What a poignant reminder this was for me....... to accept and appreciate what I can't change.

How often I try desperately to change something,       only to realize it is doing or being
                                  exactly what it was created to do.

                              The good Lord knows this~ as for me?
                                             I'm still learning.
 
                    .
      
                                 My hydrangea today. Finally what I had envisioned so many years ago.
                                                      I am so grateful. Yes, for its beauty,
                                           but also; for the passionate lesson I will never forget.






                                                                                                                    

Thursday 20 September 2012

It's That Time Of Year...


With the evenings getting dark so early,
I find myself indoors more, sipping tea, rearranging surfaces for the inevitable emerging of fall....
                                                                              
                              
I like the effect of mixing real and artificial flowers.....Not quite so predictable.
 

    it didn't take long too add a few touches of fall here...leaves and an aromatic candle...



















I love my hydrangea against my sea green walls......










                                                                                                         

    I was happy to find this picture at the thrift shop recently.Great addition to my kitchen.










,



Each night my heart kneels down to pray;Thank-you Lord for this day.
For all the blessings it has brought;lovely things - real and thought.
But teach me ,Lord, that thought things end unless I leave them with a friend.
So help me, please,to store away a part of You with them each day,
So they will one day come to feel You hold the key to thoughts made real. (June Masters Bacher)








 

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Children ,You're Embarking On an Unforgettable Journey

                                                                              
Dear children,
As you travel the road that is not always kind....
There will be days when you feel all alone.

Remember; God is good even then.

Give respect and dignity to your fellowman,
And treat others the way you want them to see you.

For remember;your true heart does not wear a disguise indefinitely,it will come through eventually.


Value truth and integrity and seek them out in your relationships.

May you never wander the globe, for the happiness that can be found on your own doorstep.

GIVE; blindly.In it lies your key to success.
Life is an adventure,filled with mountain tops and valley low.
                      Each beautiful in it's own way.
Travel it with grace, gratitude and gusto in the light
                                                                     of a heavenly goal.


"You've got to give,
give,and it will come back to you.
When you can give without feeling sad about it,
then you've truely given.
But not until then."
Margaret Becker,


Wednesday 12 September 2012

The Quest of Contentment


Contentment; it really feels like that elusive attribute to me sometimes. This is the thought I have while I pull out my trusty garden journal and jot down what to plant where and what not to 
                                                                plant there.

  


    Does a human being ever reach that pinnacle of contentment here on this temporal planet?


       I have felt like I am often dancing around contentment in my quest for purpose,
                                         voice and expression.


Don't get me wrong, being a mom is definitely the vocation and epitome of contentment for me.

But some aspects of contentment are that proverbial "pipe dream" that "pie in the sky" maybe
 " some day "dream.
I used to be discontented with my house. I thought I should have a charming two story ,rambling, stone mansion. Instead it is a simple, unpretentious ,brick bungalow. And believe it or not I am actually content with it! It has some uniqueness just like me ,and it is home sweet home.

There are some physical attributes that took me a long time to chalk up to being content about, but thankfully age brings a certain degree of wisdom and I realize what a futile battle some things are.
 
"There is nothing like the thrill of the hunt" oh how I have discovered this to be true, as many times when I have been searching for just the right item for my home, I discover after I have gone ahead and purchased my treasure, I find out my treasure was the quest not the destination.
 
Godliness with contentment is great gain.....1 Timothy 6:6 This is my goal, that thing I strive for as earnestly as this flesh lets me. Thankfully His grace is abundant and His mercies new each and every day as I walk in step with the Spirit towards eternal contentment.




                             



 

Sunday 9 September 2012

Journey To Surrender



                                   My times are in Your hands,O God.
                                     Psalm 31:15




                      One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong
                                             can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”
                                                                  ― Elisabeth Elliot




            




Thursday 6 September 2012

My New Favorite Old Hymn

On Sunday ,at church we sang this beautiful hymn. I think I may have heard it a couple times before.
I think the words which I believe were written by Gloria Gathier are absolutely beautiful.
Isn't it such a gift to live in a world where music in all it's forms and varieties can be experienced?
                      Kind of makes me wonder sometimes
                        what Heaven's music will be like?

The sweet image here was created by the lovely Megan athttp://lilac-n-lavender.blogspot.ca/ 

( I printed this out earlier in the week and hung it on my fridge so I can learn the words by heart)
                        

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Must I Be Melancholy?

It's true, I had fully intended to leave that moody door called melancholy firmly shut.
Besides I am no stranger to this and I have learned if I open it even a crack, it seeps into too many aspects of the present,spoiling the potential of new moments waiting to be released.

Pinned Image
via pintrest
But then, even the sky had opened up in torrents of tears.

So a few of my own  did not seem out of place at all.

Why does the beginning of a new school year always remind me so harshly , the passage of time and years in my children? Incredulously I realize that my baby is the only one left at the small school that I have had a child attend since 1998. Really?

I am happy though, as no thing can remain intact forever. Why would I want it too?
I love seeing my children discover their  potential and do things I have never tried, and succeed and sometimes fail.
I love giving them wings; this is a parent's prerogative.

The tragedy lies in letting them fly away with a piece of my heart.





 


"the eldest ready to begin her second year in college"





First day of school jitters,concealed by beaming smiles. I just love that I get to be home and see them off with hugs and prayers.I am so blessed.
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 3 September 2012

Forgive The Fickle, Lord

While we were shopping at the mall recently my ears picked up the conversation of the young woman behind me. She was talking on her cell phone and it was apparent from the conversation that she was deciding where she would meet her mother.
As the conversation ended she sweetly answered back "yes I love you too.Okay bye." My heart was warmed at the display of affection expressed so warmly to someone she was planning on seeing so soon, but as soon as she finished she turned to her friend and exclaimed
" Huh, she really is just a very stupid person. No like, she just isn't as smart as she thinks she is."

I listen in shock and disbelief at the sudden shift in her demeanor as   she continues to insult her mother to her friend.
This makes me feel sad as I see two sides of this person revealed in such a small space of time.
But as I ponder this more I decide this is humanity. How fickle the nature of man can be.
I was reminded of these verses in scripture....


                    "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:"
Isaiah 29:13, KJV

"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."
Matthew 15:7-8, KJV




Oh, how it needs to be more than lip service to our God.
He wants our whole hearts and life.
Words are empty when that is all there is.

The song came on the radio the next day as this instance was still in my head. It nails it completely.
Just wanted to share with you; as I pondered the meaning for myself.