Seasons

So...it has been a long time since I last posted.  Seasons have come and seasons have gone.  Now I find myself in a new season of life.  We have just returned home from moving our two youngest girls to college, and here I am in my empty nest.  My house is very quiet.  It is not a bad thing.  The girls keep me posted with all that's happening on campus.  They are very happy.  And they are very happy with their roommates.  (Ah, the blessings of happy twinship!)  And, I am very happy with my roommate.  (Ah, the joy of committed relationship--we have been married more than 35 years!)

And even better, I am very happy in my relationship with God.  Forty-six years ago I responded to His calling me into a relationship with Him.   He gave me new life by His Spirit.  He saved me from darkness and loneliness.  He has been faithful to me.  When I have questions, when I have joys, in the hard times, and in the times when life feels "so good",  He is my Rock and Salvation.  He keeps teaching me that when I look towards Him, acknowledging Him as Creator, Sustainer, Almighty,
All-Knowing, God, then I know the peace of living in His Presence.  And it is good.

Thank You, God, for your faithfulness to me.  May I be more faithful in my walk with You!

Cry, the Beloved Country

We just finished reading Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Can I share with you Annie's response?



"The great red hills stand desloate, and the earth has torn away like flesh...They are valleys of old men and old women, of mothers and children. The men are away, the young men and the girls are away. The soil cannot keep them anymore."


"Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child who is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply."


It is with such musical language that Paton tells the story of South Africa--of a land where the soil is sick and the tribe is broken; a land that is ruled by fear. However, Paton does not stop with the hopelessness, but presents hope in the midst of the deepest suffering of the human soul, and tells of the love of an Almighty, All-knowing God--the love that is stronger than fear.


Note: Paton tells his story with the deepest, humblest empathy I've ever seen. You can tell by reading it that he has loved the land too deeply himself; been broken by it; humbled to the lowest; surrendered to its Creator; redeemed, recovered, rejuvenated to go on loving and building in a land--a world--that persists in fear.


**Note: With all of Paton's loving empathy, the thing that grabs me most out of this true, whole story, is that it's not just South Africa's story, but my own; for the United States of America is a land where the tribe is broken and the land sick.

The family is broken.


The land is polluted with flatness and fear.

My Note: Let me emphasize that last sentence before the Notes...Paton does not stop with the hopelessness, but presents hope in the midst of the deepest suffering of the human soul, and tells of the love of the Almighty, All-knowing God--the love that is stronger than fear. When we are humbled and surrender to our Creator, we, too can be redeemed, recovered, and rejuvenated to go on loving and building in a world of fear.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In honor of this day, and my two followers (who both happen to love green)!

Beautiful Ballerinas...

Half way through one more busy (and blessed) semester of dance! I took this picture Friday night after Cast List was posted for Spring Recital. This year the studio is presenting excerpts from Cinderella. Grace and Annie had a fabulous week of classes, rehearsing all the pieces of choreography they had learned, enjoying every minute of it. It is, perhaps, the best time in the semester--they have already learned much of the choreography, and have the freedom to dance all the parts--before it is cast, and each begins to zero in on her particular pieces. But what fun they have reading the cast list, and seeing who is cast for each role. This year it was fun to see that one of their dearest friends is Cinderella! Grace will be Cinderella's Step-mother, and Annie will be featured as "Sunshine" during the "Summer" piece. Here they are, working on a poster to congratulate their friends on their parts. I love how the girls all support one another!

Happy Feet!!

Happy feet in hand-knitted socks!!

First Flowers of Spring!

What could be more cheerful than the first flowers of Spring? Maybe the first flowers of the Spring that comes after a very long, cold winter...presented by a dear friend, and tucked into a corner of the kitchen freshly cleaned by your high school daughters...just because they love you.

(To top it off: A recently remodeled/relocated kitchen--full of reminders of Father's extravagant provisions, husband's hard work and handiness, and older daughter's determination to complete the cabinet overhaul with new paint!)

Yep! I'm blessed!!

Yes, I am Knitting Circles Around Socks!

(This one's for you, Nancy.)

I never dreamed I'd knit socks, but thanks to a random encounter with another customer in the yarn department of a hobby store a couple of years ago, I began to think about (consider, ruminate on, muse, mull over) the possibility. Knitting is a pleasant way to pass the time as I visit with other ballerina moms in the studio lobby. I have knitted scarves and afghans in many colors and patterns, a variety of hats, and even a baby sweater or two. But socks seem so complicated.

Then my sister, ever the encourager, took up the cause, recommending favorite needles, patterns, and suggesting that I get some self-striping yarn. She even sent me some gorgeous, colorful socks she had knitted!

Cautiously, I purchased supplies for my first attempt. The self-striping yarn worked its magic, as did the amazing process where you take 4 or 5 "pointed on both ends" sticks, looping and passing yarn back and forth, and you end up with a tube of fabric that fits your foot! (Who thought this up? I can understand looking at the wool on an animal, or the fibers in a boll, and coming up with twisting it into yarn...but who dreamed up knitting?)

Two years of knitting later, I find I have made several pairs of socks. My oh-so-helpful sister has talked me through a better heel flap, turning the heels on socks where I had sort-of made up the pattern, and grafting the toes. Now, with the help of a delightful book by Antje Gillingham, I am about to complete my first pair (knitted at the same time) on two circular needles. I confess, it has taken three attempts, and some prayer, for my brain to begin to grasp the concept. As you can see, I have made it through the "easy" legs and heel flaps, and have even turned the heels and picked up gusset stitches. I am in the "gusset decreases and working the foot" stage, then I'll shape the toes, perform the amazing toe graft...and a pair, completed together.

So, thanks random customer in the yarn department; thanks whoever thought up knitting in the first place; thanks Nancy, for your encouragement and instruction; thanks Antje Gillingham, and all other brilliant knitters who write books and post instructions to motivate us to try something new.

What will you do to encourage or motivate someone today?