Monthly Archives: April 2015

Sweet, gentle spring unfurling

This year, spring came like a dainty fairy from a children’s storybook. In my own story, I am like a plodding Mrs. McGregor raking leaves and twigs, pruning, tidying beds, cleaning bird houses, filling the birdbath and feeders. Meanwhile, the tiny sprite stirs wrens to sing, tufted titmice to flutter in the bath. bluebirds to dash about the yard and golden finch to chatter in excitement at the feeder.

There is soft warming air to breathe and I take joy in finding tiny gifts of spring: violets, mosses, greening grass and the ever lovely daffodils.

And softly stirs a bit of Mother Goose, “Daffy-down-dilly has come up to town,
In a yellow petticoat and a green gown.”

And that day ended in blue all around.

Country gold

Heavy weighted fog pressed down, but along the roads and parking lots, there were golden bells proclaiming spring! I captured these if full ring outside the library.

Inside, I captured Melissa Michael’s new book and Karen Kingsbury’s too. At home Jeff Goins new book had arrived!

A bounty of riches waits on my table, urging me on through my work sessions, teasing me with promise of inspiration, fresh insights and ponderings.

I have followed Melissa and Jeff on their blogs for a number of years. And while I don’t read much fiction, I do enjoy Karen Kingsbury. Her new series, Angels Walking, is compelling. This is book two. Now for some long quiet evenings!

During the longest, coldest winter, I sorted through my sewing and crafting things like a squirrel in semi-hibernation turning over her cache of nuts and acorns looking for choice specimens to savor. While at first it was almost a sad endeavor, I now feel the freshness in it. Encouraged by the writing of Bonnie Grey, Cheri Gregory and Kathy Lipp, I came to see that my stash had actually become a hindrance to creativity and productivity.

Cheri had a great post that helped me. Projects get interrupted in my life and when I go back to them, sometimes I couldn’t figure out where I has stopped and what I should do next. My notes, if any, where like a code I couldn’t crack. And so I would set them aside, again. Procrastination. Frustration.

After reading her post, I went through my supplies and created a small collection of future projects and wrote out my plan for each in as much detail as I could. If I didn’t have a plan, I chose not to keep it. I freed myself of leftovers from past quilting projects and other crafts this way too. And the good news? I have actually been sewing again! I’m finishing things, and fluffing the guest room. Projects seem fresh and exciting. And more good news – I’ve found a place to gift the overflow, investing in the creative lives of young women. This makes me smile, big!

The plans? Itemized and amplified to included any other needed items; typed, saved, printed! No little scraps of paper written in mysterious code!

He is Risen!

Glorious now behold Him arise; King and God and sacrifice:

Alleluia, Alleluia sounds through the earth and skies!

John H Hopkins, Jr. – We Three Kings

He is risen indeed!

Blessings to you and all those you hold dear this Easter!

To sparkle

I drink in the beauty long delayed and so welcomed. No matter the time of day, these lily-like flowers enchant. Life locked in bulbs with a mysterious time clock – leaf, bloom, rest – go round the seasons.

I’m honored that my minor contributions to their wellbeing allow the cycle to continue and they flourish. The name Amaryllis means “to sparkle”.

Outside, the same clock of life ticks. Green leaves push hard through frozen ground, leaf litter, snow and ice.

And morning surprises with snowdrops seeded into lawn and weed patch – nature’s seed time and harvest continues. In the gentle rhythm of seasons, the light of life can shine deeply into dark and hidden places. In prepared soil or hostile environment, in tender care or neglect, snowdrops grow and bloom.

I’m observing lessons of both hope and warning to consider what is growing in the soil of my life and heart. Today, I choose hope for myself – to see in these blooms a willingness to embrace life, the new thing springing forth even in what seems to be wilderness. Choosing life, growing in obedience to Creator God, persevering as from a seed growing through harshness of soil, sometimes bitter cold, flood or drought and even life’s mowing seasons and on to maturity, bringing forth beauty to delight the soul of another whether or not they understand my name or words or calling. Perhaps then I would sparkle too.