I Believe God Is Belly-laughing with Me

A fun fun prayer!

On this final day of my 31 Days Seeking Inspiration, I want to share a video that my 86 year old mom sent me.  No, she isn't the woman in the video, but she very easily could be.

~Enjoy!

Yes, I Can

I have several friends who are sharing this week from their wealth of knowledge

... about the ancient art of canning.  

At first, I didn't think I had anything to say about canning.  Then I decided to hunt down my canning jars.

But they were almost all busy.

That's when I realized that I've been 

"canning" for many years.  

...in a way.  

In my quest to use less plastic, I started using canning jars for storage of items I buy in bulk, like nuts and seeds... 

...teas and tablets..

...and things I make in the kitchen, like bone broth

... plant fertilizer and latex gloves in the laundry...

....and in the garden window...

Q-tips, cotton balls and Epsom salts...

...extra toothbrushes in the guest bathroom.

From a purist's perspective, this isn't REAL canning; real canning is STORING today's abundance --produce, meats, jellies -- for another time. 

From a recycle enthusiast's perspective, however, my version of canning is SAVING and USING today's resources over and over in beautiful glass jars, rather than disposable plastic.

I don't have bushels of apples, tomatoes and squash. I can't can what I don't have.

Now, what should I do with the only empty one I found?

What would you do?

_________________________________

Day 25

Next Time You Look...

"Look at it this way,” I advise, tapping at lettered keys.  “See it my way,”

...I silently plead.

Looking at outward appearance is not going to tell you what’s inside.

...not always

 A life-changing gift can be wrapped, deceptively small.

...a prayer, perhaps?

A house can fit inside an envelope,

...a cure inside a nut.

But, next time you look...

...See

Sometimes we look with our eyes closed , 

expecting things to appear as we have conceived. 

But truth has a discernible shape

...a shape that can be relied upon

If  you look with your heart,

...especially.

________________________________________

                                   

I'm linking up with Five Minute Friday

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Oh and Ahem, if you would take pity and turn off comment verification, it would make leaving some love on your post that much easier for folks!

OK, are you ready? Won’t you please give me your best five minutes on:::
Look…

Day 19

Wonder-Filled Quiche

Isn't it WONDERFUL that we have today?...

...to remember yesterday 

and to plan tomorrow?...

My two granddaughters made some wonderful spinach quiche in my kitchen yesterday. I enjoyed a leftover slice today while preparing my shopping list for next week.

The recipe we used had been scrawled onto a piece of scrap paper while chatting on the phone with my sister-in-law. My 13-year-old granddaughter is compiling a notebook with recipes that we make together each Monday; this one was so messy, I sat down today to make her a tidy copy.  That's when I thought of sharing it with you.  It is soooooo good. 

Patsy's Wonderful Quiche

One recipe NO FAIL PIE CRUST. 
(You can also use pre-made or even no crust.)
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 minced onion, cooked until soft in bacon fat
1 cup heavy cream
4 fresh eggs 
3/4 cup crumbled spinach ( I freeze bags of fresh spinach leaves and crush when ready into lasagna, soups, and quiche.)
1 pinch love (I add this to everything I make.)
2 lovely granddaughters wearing aprons (optional)

Set oven to 400 degrees
Prepare bacon, onion and pie crust
Precook pie crust about 5 min and cool
Beat eggs and add cream, cheese, bacon, onion and spinach
Pour into pie crust and bake at 400 until knife comes out clean.
(about 20-25 minutes)
Cool on rack and eat room temp with a fresh salad.

~Enjoy

"Taste and see
the Lord is good."

 Day 16 

I'm linking up with Deborah Jean's Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

Ever-changing and Essentially the Same

Needing some perspective and rest from the routines we trap ourselves inside, my prince and I headed to the top of one of the mountains that stands guard over our city. 

We longed to see the colors Autumn makes when she lets go of her summery green, revealing her gold and reddish low-lights.

Following an old path to a certain meadow where we camped about 32 years ago, we greeted several couples going the opposite direction who resembled younger versions of ourselves. My heart and my face gently smiled as I realized once again that we are in a new season of life. We're in Autumn, when youth, like chlorophyll pulls back, drains out, revealing the profound pigments of wisdom and experience.

Unaccustomed to the sometimes cobbley, sometimes steep upward path, our gaze was downward much of the time. I was both drawn and pleased by the places where trees had sent out roots to anchor themselves, creating sturdy and sure steps  for our sneakered feet.

Each step along the path, took us deeper into the restoration we sought.

Wings of bugs made the sound of tiny zippers as they moved past us.

We inhaled the essence of forest -- all piney and earthy.

In one spot we suddenly entered a place of cool, dark shadow, and it felt almost as though we had stepped into a separate experience.  Here, a huge pine arrested our walk and drew our eyes the long way up its craggy, old, bug-holed trunk as though we were marionettes in a puppet show. Here was something demanding awe as a toll before we were allowed to pass. And awe is what we gave. 

A few years ago, the mountain suffered a devastating fire that made skeletons of  some of the trees we would have passed all those years ago. And a few of them had fallen clear across the path that was also dappled with baby trees as tall as a sparrow on one side, as tall as an eight year old child on the other. 

The end of the path led to a view of our   city stretched below from east to west. Standing among the tree remains, we could see the grid of streets and highways spread across the land like lines in sand.  But just on the other side there was a vista equal in size that was virtually untouched by man. It was as though we could see the ages advance and recede. The change in perspective we sought was dramatically displayed from above.

Today's vistas and turning leaves, the elderly tree, the young couples, the burned forest, scattered rocks, and the root-shaped steps all told the same story.  

Written across the pages of time, life is always transforming itself. From season to season, it renews as it ages, grows as it replicates, lives as it dies. And, like its Creator, it stays essentially the same. 

Day 13

  

You Are Loved

God loves the human race

He loved us then

He loves us now...

but...we only have one lifespan

to love each other.

Should this be my last day

....my last opportunity...

I want you to know you are loved.

Linking up today with: Five Minute Friday

Sometimes Simple Satisfies

Day 11

Linking up with Deborah Jean's Dandelion House

These Three Words

At the conclusion of yoga practice today, my teacher left us with these three words: IT IS OKAY. She knew everyone in the class had some sort of problem or situation making them unsteady. For some of us those problems are manageable; others might be facing something that threatens their balance enough to knock them down.

Do you remember when you were a child and you fell and scraped your knee and ran home to Mom?  

I do.  

The closer I came to the side door, the closer my tears would come to the surface, becoming a complete wail as soon as I saw her. Mom's calming embrace, some salve and a band-aid would bring reassurance that it would be okay, mostly because I knew someone bigger and smarter was in charge. 

Eventually, we learn to cope with the tumbles and scrapes of life.

Mostly.

But sometimes we can't cope. Then what? As adults facing situations beyond ourselves where do we run for consolation? In my case, sometimes it is still Mom. She's always got 30 years of wisdom greater than my own. But she no longer has band-aids and salve for all of life's bruises.  

The big problems send me sprinting to God.

It is not his job to prevent illness or injury, though he often does. It isn't his job to fix every problem, though he can.  He is there to give reassurance that in the end, all is well. 

He is bigger than our problems.

Back in the 1870's the writer of a famous hymn had suffered the loss of his only son to scarlet fever at age four. Not long after this, his vast investments burned to the ground in the Great Chicago fire. He planned to take his family to England, but last minute, he was detained. His wife and his four daughters went without him, and were shipwrecked. All the girls perished. On his voyage to meet his bereaved wife in England, the captain told him that they were at the location of the wreck. He returned to his cabin and wrote this hymn:

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

  When sorrows like sea billows roll;

   Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

     It is well, it is well, with my soul."

God did not spare Horatio G. Spafford from sorrow and pain. But when this Chicago lawyer sought God, he received assurance and hope from the One who knew his pain. And when he did so, Heratio brought consolation to many people through his song.

When you face difficulties beyond your ability to cope, it doesn't matter where you live or what your trouble is; run up the stairs to the side door, and into his arms.

Day 9

The Lost Coin

Today two of my adorable grandkids came over to play. One of them brought a very special gold-wrapped chocolate coin. And within minutes, she had misplaced it.

We looked and looked. 
We looked in ALL the logical places. 

....even thought of accusing the dog.

Then we started to search in the illogical places.

We dismantled couches, and searched through cupboards and other places she had never been, finding all kinds of lost items ...

Then we did it all over again. 

and suddenly

bewilderingly

Found!

 There is was all along!

We rejoiced for a while. Then we ate it and got back to normal life.

This experience caused me to think about all the hidden things that are around us just waiting to be found; some things we are looking for, some things we've stopped looking for. It reminds me that if we look long and hard, if we persevere... sometimes, just sometimes we find gold. 

Day 8

A Broken Heart

Benediction Sunflower

Her heart is broken and there is little anyone can do or say to make her feel better. All we can say is how sorry we feel for her and her family. Her son was handsome, smart, and kind -- full of promise. All we can do is bear witness.

I am certain that even though she is willing to believe there was a reason for him to die at 24...no reason will satisfy.

NONE! 

Grief will be as deep and long as he was beautiful and young.

"Dear Father God, you are familiar with sorrow; surround her with compassionate people to hold her, silently close; people to bear witness to the beautiful life of the boy she loves, as she passes through the pain of grief that sears her broken heart.

This hurts...there are no words to make it stop.

NONE!

And, Father, help the rest of us do the only other thing we can do at this time: help us to actively love the people around us today and every day that we are given. " Amen

Day Seven

Our Soul Purpose

nineteen  hundred and seventy nine 

my best friend

agreed to be my husband

i said, let's get married

jim said, okay

his mom was sick

we went to see her

i said, tell her we're getting married

and he went into his mother's room,
where lilian lay in her earth-suit,
the one she was about to leave behind
she knew she was close to heaven's gate

she thought of her wedding and engagement rings,

 she offered them to him,

he said, okay.

i was in her kitchen washing dishes

he approached and said,

beck, you want this?

and he handed me the ring

i said,

okay.

we didn't know then

what we know now

we didn't know that we were agreeing

to share a life-long friendship

that we would both turn to Jesus

as our savior

that we would bring four beautiful girls 

into being.

...thirty three years later

we don't know what our future on earth will be

but we do know

we're part of a plan

we have a soul mate

and a soul purpose

together.

and it is much more than okay
jim

i loved

you then

you were handsome and funny

i love you more now
for more reasons than i can count or express

happy anniversary!

days 5 and 6

WELCOME

The door will be opened.

I receive and accept you with pleasure.

You will not cross my threshold unnoticed.

Your presence is something I cherish.

Your face is a welcome sight; 

your voice a welcome sound.

I welcome your advice.

You are welcome to the blessings each day brings.

You are welcome to my love.

Forgiveness.

...to our gratitude.

... Liberty.

Feel welcome to grow here.

And to just be you!

Linking up today with: 

Five Minute Friday

Where writers spin words right from the heart for five minutes flat.  

and The Nesting Place

Where bloggers are writing on a topic for 31 days.

and Dandelion House

Where people write about topics relating to home and garden.
and Katie's French Language Cafe
C'est la vie

Day 4