Contemplations - Marriage

"What if God designed marrige to make us holy more than to make us happy?"

Gary Thomas

Ouch! This quote is from the cover of "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas. I haven't even cracked open the book, but I'm already convicted. Keep working, Lord.

Walk Therapy

The bright spring sunshine and gentle breezes wooed me right out the door today. Actually, I probably was headed out the door anyway even without the wooing because at least once every 6 months I am overtaken by a compulsion to get out of the house, leave all responsibility behind, and take a walk.

No, I'm sorry to disappoint, I do not exercise regularly! However, I am up and down 16 stairs about 36 times a day and at least a half dozen times in the night. Does that count for anything? 'Fraid not. There is no column for that on the Aerobics Points chart.

I tucked my camera into my pocket because not only did I want to breathe fresh air, I also wanted to see anything alive, green, colorful, significant, inspirational, or refreshing. (I need to do this walking thing more often!!)

First up---my neighbors' nandina bush, positively dripping with beautiful red berries. I seriously covet these every Christmas for decor, tablescapes, wreaths, etc., but because she has an infrared security camera at all four corners of her house (no lie!!), I have not yet succumbed to the urge to snip off a few in the night.



Doesn't this empty nest just tug at your heart? It was home---where babies were hatched and fed and learned to fly and now it stands empty. Maybe it's the fact that my oldest will be 17 this December that brings this rush of emotion over the empty bird's nest!! (Okay, deep breath!) Do birds ever come back and reuse nests and build them up, refurbish them, put them to use again?



Look at the edges of this camellia. Winter is over, the time of the camellia is done. It's browning at the edges. But what a gift camellias are in the winter!! A beautiful, bright spot of color when you think nothing in the landscape will ever bloom again. (A lesson there, no?)

And right below this fading camellia, was the intense green and purple of the viola just bursting up, dazzling with its purples and greens. New life, new color. Goodbye camellia, hello viola.

Here is the pond from the farm that lies next to our subdivision and drives me nearly to a madness of longing when I look at its rolling pastureland, miles of white fences, and this mirror-like pond. I'll take one of these, please, PLEASE!

Sometimes you've just got to shake your head and say, "What ARE some people thinking???" A frog with a crown? Significance?

I actually thought this blue-speckled orb was a beautiful piece of art glass until my children told me it's an Aqua Globe. You fill it with water, invert it, and it will slowly water your plant down at the deepest roots. Wow, neat! And it's garden art!

I love this little arbor. With an entrance like that, there's got to be something magical going on inside!

Don't these look good enough to eat! Definitely one of my favorite bulbs. Wouldn't you love to see a whole field of them. Mmmmmm!

This empty planter must just be waiting for the weather to warm up a few degrees so it can be filled up with about 5 different varieties of coleus like it was last summer . . . lemon yellows, burgundies, strawberry pinks, and variegated greens, all spilling over the sides.

Okay, the walk has worked its magic. Bring on the dinner prep, 5 baskets of laundry to sort, and the new stain on the upstairs hallway carpet. I'm good to go for another 6 months!

The Shady Side of the House

The only bad thing about putting a row of pansies down the middle of your dining room table on the shady side of the house



is that the pansies spend more time outside soaking up sunbeams than they do inside making "A Table to Welcome Spring."


Hmmmmmmm, not quite the look I was going for!

Glimpses of Easter

Easter fun got off to a rousing start when I got the plastic eggs out of the attic and discovered that many were gnawed and many were covered in mouse . . . uh . . . excrement . . . droppings . . . poop. So, the first order of the day was a nice, warm, relaxing bleach bath for the plastic eggs.

I know you've seen plastic eggs before, but I just had to take a picture of all the eggs drying. Something about those mounds of shiny color just makes me happy!

For a change this year we decided to blow out eggs and paint them rather than the standard boil and dye Easter routine. I always have a hard time knowing what to do with all the eggs in a family with an aversion to hard-boiled eggs and egg salad sandwiches!

(Youngest Son starting on his creation.)

After painting her 3 blown-out eggs, Youngest Daughter went on a mad, creative painting frenzy and began to paint every egg in the house she could get her hands on, including full dozens of fresh raw eggs.

Here are a couple of the lovely creations. We even had an egg painted in grey, black and red plaid. I do believe we must be the only family on the planet that has an Easter egg in grey, black and red plaid on their tree. I feel very special.

Look at this dear, little egg tree. So delightfully colorful, handmade, childish, heartwarming . . . at least to me!!

Youngest Daughter helped me to sort plastic eggs into their different color groups for the "hunt." One color for each child. You find your color, you get your candy---makes for no arguing, no complaining, no competition.

Eggs are hidden in the early morning hours of Sunday, and it's off to the hunt.

Even a 16 year-old Oldest Daughter is not to be left out of the fun.

With 14 year-old Oldest Son, I always feel like the annoying papparazzi with my camera. Looks like the feeling's mutual. But, hey, he still wants his Easter candy!

Can someone please explain to me why Middle Son must accomplish his indoor Easter egg hunt with a winter hat on? What am I not understanding here?

Later in the afternoon we're off to another Easter egg hunt with friends. Lots of friends. 20 kids worth of friends. Can there ever be too many Easter egg hunts? Can there ever be too much Easter candy? ::sigh:: Yes! Yes, there can!!

Good times with good friends. Lots of yummy food, lots of happy kids, lots of bright sunshine, lots of Easter joy.

Here I am with a good friend. (I'm on the left. I wanted you

to know I'm more than just the feet you see on my profile!!)

The Nicest Sort of Husband

Only a nice sort of husband would drive out of his way after leaving church late,

Head to an empty lot in which grows a beautiful dogwood tree,

So that his wife could cut off a sprig,

With which to decorate her Easter cake.

(I made the Perfect Lemon Cake again!! We're all in love with it! Oh, except the Man of the House. He doesn't like lemon cakes! Who knew?? I find this out after almost 19 years of marriage!!)

Thank you, dear Man of the House.

Contemplations - Easter

There is Love that came for us

Humbled to a sinner's cross

You broke my shame and sinfulness

You rose again victorious

Faithfulness none can deny

Through the storm and through the fire

There is truth that sets me free

Jesus Christ who lives in me

You are stronger

You are stronger

Sin is broken

You have saved me

It is written

Christ is risen

Jesus You are Lord of all

No beginning and no end

You're my hope and my defense

You came to seek and save the lost

You paid it all upon the cross

You are stronger

You are stronger

Sin is broken

You have saved me

It is written

Christ is risen

Jesus You are Lord of all

"Stronger" by Hillsong

Grandma

How utterly sweet is this! My (dear) Mom has been coming over to the house for about 6 months now and starting Youngest Daughter on her learning. So, here they are, arm over arm, hand over hand learning to write the number "3," (which right now is looking more like a worm you found on the sidewalk than the number "3"!)

My Mom gives Youngest Daughter several hours of her time a week, learning sounds, gluing, writing letters, learning numbers, and, best of all, reading books together, with Youngest Daughter perched on her lap (where all books are best read).

And, as a result My Mom is knitting Youngest Daughter's heart together with her own in a special relationship that only Grandmas and little girls can have. Thanks, Mom!