Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

I have already had a God Wink and I haven’t even started the post. As I was typing the title from the quote… twice I made the same “mistake”… (from letting my fingers get ahead of my brain.) After I “messed” up the title for the second time…I paused and then laughed. It read:

“Today is a god day for a god day.” I get it God…every day with You is a “God Day” made “Good” through You! You just open up Your arms to allow us extra “o” people into Your care and embrace. Each “o” is completely different from any other “o” You created and You know each and every difference.

When I first wake up in the morning…in that beautiful in-between stage connecting unconsciousness to consciousness…I slowly start thinking about the day ahead. What day of the week is it, do I have any medical appointments or get-togethers with friends or family, or check-off items that need tending to like the garden, oil change, gifts for special occasions and special someones (like Mr. Rutledge whose birthday is a week from today)…or tasks around the house that need my attention.

Yesterday I had an “Open” Day…the kind I love. However it was ‘grit’ time and I needed to clean out closets, take surplus items to *Goodwill , throw away junk mail, dust and clean my bedroom and change sheets on the B&B side. Normally this would not have constituted a particularly “good” day but actually I was ready to charge ahead.

*(Okay, here is a true confession senior moment…Here I am writing about “good” days and “good” things to do on “good” days but could I think of the charitable drop-off name on Trolley Road where I literally had just dropped off clothes and items earlier in the day when I got to the paragraph above? How pathetic is that…and the irony, of course, is the name: GOODWILL! Heaven help me!!)

Isn’t it funny how if you change one thing inside or outside your home…suddenly you notice all the other items that need throwing out or moving locations or whatever?

After a good night sleep on my new sheets and light comforter I wanted the rest of the bedroom to look good and smell that yummy clean good aroma. I grabbed the paper towels, large garbage bags, cleaning materials and went to work ridding the bedroom of “stuff”…that seemingly innocuous “stuff” that has sat around long enough to gather dust and cob webs.

Two bags and a box later…I was off to Goodwill!!!  As I drove away, not only did my car feel lighter but I felt lighter too. Ridding our lives of “stuff” constitutes a very good day for me!

The reason I have so more good days than bad ones…is this blog. There is definitely a connection between creativity and the soul. I feel it every day when I start to write. I have never dreaded writing a blog…in fact it is the best time allotment in my day. How can I not have a “good” day when I know I am going to get to do something that makes me happy every single day!

Apparently I am not alone with this sentiment. Carolyn Gregoire, in her article titled “Why Finding Time Each Day for Creativity Makes You Happier” has discovered scientific evidence that supports this theory.

This isn’t just good news for people who work in creative fields. Anyone who finds time for creative hobbies and side projects like writing in a journal, trying out a new recipe,  sketching, crafting or playing the ukulele is likely to experience the same effect. 

Creativity is defined as coming up with new ideas, expressing oneself in an original way or spending time engaged in artistic pursuits. 

Making time for us to create allows us to rise above existence and instead experience “flourishing…” which researchers define as experiencing positive personal growth ― by assessing things like how engaged people feel in their daily activities and how rewarding their social interactions are.

Creativity can also help lower stress and anxiety , enhance resilience and contribute to a sense of playfulness and curiosity. Engaging in creative activities and art-based therapies has also been linked to improved physical and mental health. 

…………………………………

When I think back to that time period between my breast cancer diagnosis in May of 2008 until starting the blog in July of 2010…I was really struggling physically, mentally, and spiritually to find a purpose for my life…a way to reach out to others and use what time I had in the best way possible.

*St. Jude’s Chapel of Hope and the blog came together and since then I have “flourished.” I do feel a sense of purpose now that was missing from my life.

So until tomorrow…Even though the fight against this disease continues…emotionally and spiritually the spiral keeps climbing.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

I had a couple of inquiries asking me about the plant below with the yellow spikes…a new addition to the garden. It is called Sunset Ixora. It comes in my two favorite colors…yellow and orange…loves the sun and the spikes turn into beautiful blossoms.

 

 *Honey and Mike just stopped by the Chapel of Hope on their way to a musical festival…it looks like the stained glass in the front of the chapel has been damaged or has a leak or something and she discovered some rock mounds nearby but not sure of their symbolism. The first picture I left in 2010 of me, Mandy, and newborn Eva Cate is still on the altar…amazing!

 

Dear Reader:

Haven’t we all heard the expression “Well he/she made his bed and now must lie in it.” In other words we must accept the consequences of our actions.

It felt good to still have my quilt from the winter on  my bed Wednesday and Thursday nights when the temps dropped and a quilt felt good. But Friday, yesterday, I decided it was time to pack up the quilt and bring our the light white comforter. We might have an occasional drop in temps but they wouldn’t last long and the comforter was more than enough for me to keep warm on those rare occasions.

I went to Ross and lucked up on getting a 1400 count package of sheets for thirty something dollars…I came home, washed the sheets, and oh my goodness they feel so soft. Come on summer…I am ready for you!

I really believe in the quote above….Every time I have gotten down and started thinking that there is no tomorrow for me….something wonderful has happened to show me that God is still watching over me and making sure that I have my share of happiness on this earth. It never fails to happen.

Late yesterday afternoon I noticed a Lowe’s truck had stopped at my neighbor and friend’s Vickie’s house. I remembered that she said her refrigerator was making funny noises and that she thought it was on its way out. I was planting some more lantana while I curiously watched some hefty men lift a stainless steel refrigerator out of the back.

“You go Vickie” I thought and went back in the house and checked my own refrigerator. There was an un-opened bottle of white wine in the fridge left over from some family holiday. After the truck left I grabbed it and headed over to Vickie’s to congratulate her on her new purchase…a stainless steel refrigerator.

She was putting up food in it when I knocked and we ‘oohed and aahed’  together. I took a picture of her with her celebratory glass of wine to send to her granddaughter Christy!

We sat down and had a wonderful time remembering the past with old and used fridges and how nice it was to finally buy our own refrigerator after all these years.

So until tomorrow…I think it is important to pause now and then to remember just how far we have come!

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Debi Baker sent some pictures of her two children, Julie and Bubba, and Mandy and Walsh- swimming lessons at Miler!

Dear Reader:

“Grit” is not a word that is used in everyday jargon, but it is on my favorite “Top Ten” word list. I remember asking my grandmother what “grit” meant one time when I heard her use it in a conversation. She paused, thought for a moment, and said “backbone” and walked away.

“Backbone” I thought, what does somebody’s spinal column have to do with the word “grit” …which I still didn’t know the meaning of…?

Hummm….there are some words that simply take living out life experiences to fully understand the definition. “Grit” is one of those words.

Personally, I just love to say the word…”Grit” is short and concludes on a resounding “T” note  that gives it a powerful, unexpected ending. The word sounds like it means business…crisp and sharp!

In my favorite John Wayne cowboy movie, “True Grit” (that I saw as an adolescent)I finally came to  understand what the word meant…yet it is still not an easy word to define unless the person you are defining it to…has either seen it in others or felt it themselves.

I found an interesting tidbit about this word while ‘surfing the internet.’ Apparently some psychologists have discovered that the two most important ingredients that need to be implanted in our childrens’ psyche at an early age… the two items that become indicators in their success as adults: Grit and Gratitude.

The more I thought about these two words…the more I understood their importance in the ultimate outcome of our personal, individual journeys through life.

*(Historical tidbit)

I remember, with some humor, reading that Theodore Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy under William McKinley, was furious with the President for not declaring war, immediately, on Spain when the “Maine” blew up in Havanna Harbor. In one newspaper article he told reporters that “McKinley had about as much ‘backbone” as a chocolate eclair!” In other words…Roosevelt did not think McKinley was a “Grit” man!

Unconditional love is the catalyst towards creating a mindset that recognizes and understands what true “grit” means and is.  If we meet each child where they are and accept them for who they are at each stage in their lives…then they have a strong foundation of secure love which allows them to reach out and  find the “grit” needed to withstand problems and barriers that arise before them.

Gratitude...It is so important that our children feel genuine gratitude towards daily items in their lives as they grow up…even things as basic as food, clothing, and shelter. The nice thing about gratitude is what we learned when small…“There is always, always something to be grateful for!”

In The Academic Minute’s “The Benefits of Gratitude,” psychologist Jeffrey Froh of Hofstra University, concludes, “The feeling of gratitude can positively influence all the other factors of one’s life.” He goes on to speculate, “If there was a new wonder drug on the market that got kids to behave better, improve their grades, feel happier, and avoid risky behaviors, many parents around the world would be willing to empty their bank accounts to acquire it. Amazingly, such a product does exist. It’s not regulated by the FDA, and it’s free and available to anyone at any time. This miracle cure is gratitude.” (Source:Huffington Post/Stephen Gray Wallace/Contributor)

These days I find  gratitude in all aspects of life….plants, too, show grit and bring me much gratitude for their efforts to survive in sometimes trying conditions. (All made easier these past few days with cooler temps and lots of rain…lots of gratitude there for sure!) Here are the latest photos of gratifying beauty within and outside my home…Thank you my “true grit” green friends. (Some newcomers joining the garden.)

Also…thank you Vickie for sharing the photo (below) of wild morning glories you took on your morning bike ride. Vickie said they reminded her of me. What a nice thing to say. You “is” the “bestest” neighbor!”

 *Anne… these morning glory wild flowers remind me of Ireland! (They grew in abundance along the side of the road!)

Vickie also let me cut some hydrangeas from her huge abundantly-“endowed” bushes. They look so pretty in the house!

So until tomorrow:

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Jackson came home yesterday and was very happy to do so. Now comes the reality of figuring out how to get where, when, and how to do it without falling. The physical therapists will begin soon coming to her home for about a week until she can drive again. She also has Matthew and Jhasmany there to support her physically, and spiritually for a few more days. We are proud of you Jackson and so glad the surgery is over.

I was so happy to bump into Gene and Debi Baker’s daughter, Julie, at Castillo’s yesterday. She and Mandy did a lot together when they were little…swimming lessons, sleep-overs, and birthday parties!

*

It was so good to catch up with all her comings and goings and especially meet Hudson, her five-year-old! Julie, you are beautiful…like your mom with your good “genes” or should I say “Eugenes!” 🙂

Dear Reader:

I remember, as a child, watching the old black and white mystery series of shows filmed in the fifties and sixties (both here and in England) that showed occupants of apartments or houses always peeping through their peepholes in front doors to check to see who was outside knocking.

I always thought that was so cool and I kept asking mother to get us a door with a peephole in it too. I had an uncle who had one door with a peephole and I was always running to it…pulling a chair up next to it to peep out. My sweet uncle would purposefully ring the door bell and stand outside while I peeped away.

Today, of course, there is so much new technology in this department that video cameras and all kinds of gadgets can let anyone know who is outside before they get close to the door (for a hefty price of course.) *Now as an adult, having this technological addition, doesn’t interest me in the least. Cameras just don’t hold up to the excitement of tiny peepholes in old wooden doors.

Some days, if I have time left over after writing the blog for the next day, I will scan quickly through Facebook to see if anything exciting is happening with friends or acquaintances. If I am scanning fast…I mostly see a blur of smiling faces as people of all ages are smiling back at me from all kinds of different locations and situations.

It dawned on me one day, while sending Kaitlyn some old pictures of Tommy growing up and other family pictures for the wedding, that I could remember particular smiles from certain photos…and the smiles were “fake” –  bribed with candy or some other reward. The smiles didn’t come from the heart but the watering mouth.

This thought made me realize that when we skim through life… accepting at face-value what we see before us…we are only watching one small part of the puzzle. Behind all these Facebook smiles are real people with real problems trying hard to create images of self-confidence and control over their lives…at least for the fraction of a second the camera catches them in this “act.”

I am a “smil-er”…somewhere way back in my adolescent development I realized that smiling came more natural to me than frowning. (And if one has to choose between smile wrinkles or frown wrinkles I prefer the smiley ones.) I just intuitively dislike negativity…a lot.

I avoid negative people and situations as much as I can and instead look for people who can smile and laugh at themselves. ( A lot of my laughing is self-directed at my own ridiculous antics over the years.)

I think I got my daddy’s upbeat personality from the few stories I have been told about him and if this is so…then I thank him for this very precious gift. Like everyone I have my moments when I ‘get down’ but something in me doesn’t allow it to stay and fester. I have to get out and be with people again….I love people.

In May’s edition of Azalea Magazine, Lili Hiser, had an interesting ‘take’ on this subject called “The Bigger Picture.” Here are some excerpts from this column I really liked.

“The reality is, we are all on a frayed tightrope somewhere in our life—there is no filter tool or posed selfie that can truly hide it. When others see just a millisecond snapshot of our life, they don’t see the bigger picture. Behind the smiles and sunset landscapes could lie a relationship on the rocks, tears of infertility, unimaginable pain due to the death of a loved one, chronic illness, divorce, lack of self-esteem, mental health challenges, financial crisis, a shameful past, depression, the darkness of addiction, the cycle of abuse… and the list goes on. Even with the best spin on life, however, there is someone who sees each of our struggles and knows every detailed brush stroke on our life portrait.

God cannot be fooled by personas; He sees us struggling with each of our balancing acts in life. In Hebrews 4:13 it states “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight…”, which is a reminder that the bigger picture, the one even we cannot see, is known only by Him.

As humans, we need to remember that many struggles are unseen, even to the keen eye; so let’s be kinder, loving and non-assuming. In an age where perfection is glorified and promoted, remember God offers rest to the weary, comfort to the hurting, and power to overcome.”

*Amen.

So until tomorrow let us remember that our smiles hide many scars obtained along our life journey. The smile is our badge of honor showing the world that we might be battered…but never beaten while holding God’s Hand.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

* I am smiling as I am typing this morning….I have “Old Faithful” back with my big keyboard…my fingers are literally flying across it… so happy not to be pecking away like a chicken with two fingers.

…And to add a ‘cherry’ on top…it is still raining as I type away…the rain pitter patters outside my window while my fingers do the same on the keyboard…life has a beautiful rhythm this morning. It is a “Yeah Day!”

*…And speaking of “Yeah” Days Matthew let us know that the surgery went “beautifully” … now the hard part is starting…the healing and therapy. Thanks everyone for all your prayers…no doubt in my mind they guided that surgeon’s hand with the sharpest precision. We love you Jackson!

…Now to leave you with a smile on your face…

Dear Reader:

I have come to the conclusion that there are two types of people in the world.. and I am not referring to  the glass half- full or half- empty folks!

Instead there are the people who believe in connections and patterns to life and the people who believe we live in a world where random acts befall us and our destinies are determined by some kind of cosmic luck. ..or lack thereof.

These two polarized philosophies of life are as  opposite as our country and world today.

We have to remind ourselves daily that the human race is more similar down deep than different. No matter where we live, our culture, religion or race …we all long for peace, security,  well- being, and hope for a better tomorrow for our children.

Recently an internet summit called ” Mindful Relationships” took place. A favorite blogger of mine, Kate Wolfe Jenson, shared some of her thoughts on it.

“The universe IS connection. Everything is connecting to everything everywhere all the time.

Since we are threads in the tapestry of the universe we also are connecting. Connecting is our nature. It makes us feel fully alive, joyful, and there is  sense of wonder.

You cannot NOT connect because that’s what reality is. But you can lose awareness if there is negativity in the interactive space between you and another human being.

If you can talk without judgment and listen without criticizing then you can connect through your differences.

…When you do that then you enter the flow of being and that’s where joy is. That is where you feel fully alive.”

So until tomorrow let us all strive for a new goal- to learn to talk without judgment and listen without criticism.

*Guess what? My computer guru, Izzy, a former eighth grade student of mine, was able to get by yesterday afternoon! He worked hard cleaning out the “gremlins” and extra “stuff” I no longer needed. Together we simplified everything I had acquired on my computer over almost a decade. It was a l-o-n-g afternoon but so gratifying.

I told him that we had a “God Wink” going on with the process of finding the connections where the computer was overloaded and the connections that needed erasing…because my upcoming blog was on just that topic… universal connections.

Izzy said he saw that every day in his work…discovering new ways of doing things and making the right connections technologically…had helped him see connections and patterns in his personal life too.

Wow! Izzy was supposed to show up yesterday and be right where he was…with each of us helping the other in different ways.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Our YA friend Jackson is having knee replacement surgery today! Please say a prayer for her that all goes well and that this is the beginning of a renewed lease on life!🤗👍

( Jackson is standing to the right of me)

If anyone needs a good computer man (who won’t leave until he has any/all problems solved) do call Izzy…his company is Izzy’s Mobile Computer Service. You can call 843-597-5377 or email him at [email protected]

Wasn’t the rain yesterday wonderful? It was the first day I didn’t have to water in what it seems like…forever. Thank you Father for this much needed rain. You brought a smile to every lowcountry gardener.

Dear Reader:

One month to the day and the orchid Susan gave me is still alive… and still blooming! Those three ice cubes once a week must be the trick!

Happy One Month Anniversary Tommy and Kaitlyn! Time flies faster and faster these days! But the nice thing is there is always something new and exciting just waiting around the bend! Only time will tell what it is!

I am hoping Izzy can find an easy solution to my computer’s problems Wednesday when he stops by. If not I am looking at a new computer and a rocky transition period.

In the meantime I am having to learn how to completely post on the tiny IPhone- which is quite a challenge when I am used to a large standard keyboard!

So until tomorrow say a prayer my computer survives its surgery and it gets rid of its viruses!

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Pictures from my stay at John and Mandy’s- Jake can tolerate regular milk now just in time for summer and ice cream cones! Mandy and Eva Cate are getting ready for Disney World and a girl day at the pool!

Dear Reader:
Patience is still a wonderful virtue but I woke up Sunday morning  and the computer started freezing up on me???

I headed over to John and Mandy’s Sunday afternoon to spend the night to keep Eva Cate Monday- while Mandy finishes up with school… the ending is almost here for Charleston teachers!

I believe my old desk computer is nearing its end so please be patient until I can get this checked out… sometimes seemingly good fortune is disguised when Pandora’s Box is opened!

But hey… life goes on and Gerber Daisies keep blooming!

*Just know that I am fine if there is no blog – just working on ridding the world of  a few less gremlins!

So until tomorrow…Fingers crossed,prayers sent…gremlins scattered and blog back on line”

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I am beyond excited! Patience has paid off for me in a big way…and truth be told, my “patience” was the only option I had… lesson learned.

Some of you might remember that several weeks ago ( a couple of months actually) the computer gremlins came to see me. When I went to open my email (Outlook) one morning there was a warning notification that several viruses had been detected and they were closing down the email site until the matter could be further explored. They would try to expedite matters in a timely fashion.

My email…oh no…I needed that to transfer photos to the desktop in order to insert them into my WordPress blog posts. Bummer! (I will have to say that I have become somewhat paranoid about Facebook Friend requests…and have stopped accepting any temporarily until further notice.)

Right before Outlook “crashed” I had gotten some friend requests from people I knew were already friends and recognized this as a red flag warning. Even though I didn’t open them…the requests kept coming.  So I apologize to any and all readers if you have put in a friend request in the last two months and not heard back…it is not that I don’t want to accept…I am just stopping that potential virus risk right now.

Since the Outlook virus calamity happened a few weeks before Tommy and Kaitlyn’s wedding…I really didn’t want to have to spend big bucks (that I didn’t have) on a new anti-virus program and /or change passwords and email addresses with so much needed communication on-going concerning last minute important wedding information. Like most disasters, big or small, the timing was awful.

I went to Plan B. I went into my Iphone and learned how to transfer photos from the camera to my WordPress blog post. There were some trial and error mistakes…but slowly I learned how to do it. Now I am very proud of my self and realize Plan B is actually easier than the original Plan A. Who knew? The “virus” forced me to take some risks and learn some new technology techniques.

Patience paid off. For the first few weeks I checked my email constantly on my hardtop computer to see if it had been cleaned out and cleared. Nothing. The warning sign remained…eventually I stopped checking and started using my IPhone for emails and Facebook communications.

Then yesterday I hit the wrong icon….Outlook instead of Chapel of Hope Stories…and there was my email website…all intact…crystal clear and clean. Patience had saved me money and taught me new lessons in technology “to boot.”

It felt like a Homecoming Celebration! It makes me so happy to be able to open Outlook and and click on big keys (on a keyboard) instead of hitting wrong letters with my big fingers on an IPhone. Life is good! Life is beautiful!

Anne Peterson  put this excerpt of a poem titled “Homecoming” from John O’Donohue on-line Friday concerning a special tea room we frequented on our Ireland trip in 2014…it had the most beautiful garden out front. Later when Anne’s sister arrived in Ireland, Jane, they continued to frequent it too!

(Tea Room and Gardens in Ballyvaughan Ireland- right down from the house Anne rented- Summer 2014) *Photo Ann Cahill)

A SENSE OF HOMECOMING

John O’Donohue (excerpt from Beauty)

When we experience the Beautiful, there is a sense of homecoming. Some of our most wonderful memories are of beautiful places where we felt immediately at home. We feel most alive in the presence of the Beautiful for it meets the needs of our soul. For a while the strains of struggle and endurance are relieved, our frailty is illuminated by a different light in which we come to glimpse behind the shudder of appearances the sure form of things. In the experience of beauty, we awaken and surrender in the same act.

……………………..

O’Donohue is right…doesn’t amazing beauty not only take our breath away but also brings on a feeling of nostalgia for something lost…perhaps in the past…perhaps in another place, another world. I certainly feel it…and that feeling is always accompanied by a longing to return back home to it again.

Speaking of beauty…my “morning glories” are so ridiculously glorious…they don’t just bloom in the morning…but they bloom brilliantly throughout the whole day. I think I have “day glories” and I love them!

So until tomorrow…“Awaken and surrender” to the beauty around you.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

****If you didn’t get a chance to stop by Anne Peterson’s home last Saturday for the Spring Art Show and Sale…you still have time. 

Since so many people were out of town over Memorial Day Weekend…the artists are opening the walls of Anne’s home one more time today from 12:00 – 3:00. Come check out the talented artisans in our own communities. Homespun and amazing!

Dear Reader:

I don’t remember when I decided to plant a Japanese Maple for each grandchild as they came along…but I am so glad  I did. I can’t think of a better gift than the gift of life…the gift of a tree that gives back such beauty to the world. This is what I want each of my grandchildren to do…give back the beauty of themselves.

I, in all my lack of knowledge, didn’t really know anything about Japanese Maples except I loved them…delicate but yet so strong…and so beautiful in the fall and spring. So I decided to form one side of the perimeter of the garden with them.

They are all growing but have also struggled with the amount of sun they get, particularly in the summer. My backyard gets lots and lots of sun…there are few places where there is any substantial amount of shade.

Some Japanese Maples…the lighter ones can take it a little bit better but the darker maples get the white spots on them after a long, dry blistering summer. I pray each summer that each of the four maples can survive another relentless summer heat wave.

It all started in 2013 once the garden outline had been designed…I planted the first Japanese maple. It is a beauty…a beautiful shade of green with orange shades in the fall. It is about four years old now and finally getting established.It  has grown several feet this past year.

2010 April 27- Eva Cate

*

It is named after the oldest grandchild…to date my only granddaughter…who is seven. This summer I think I will be able to put a little bird-feeder on her tree for the first time.

*

This one Japanese Maple stood alone for two  years…and suddenly things starting “popping” …like three more grandchildren…all boys! So in the fall of 2015 I returned to the Hollow Tree Nursery and got three more Japanese Maple saplings. They were all on sale and quite small.

I didn’t realize it at the time but the boys’ maples were different colors…none of them green. The boys were brownish/red except for Rutledge’s which was a deep dark red. ( since he has the darkest hair-beautiful- I think this tree was meant for him)

I placed the trees around the garden in chronological order. Eva Cate’s was already growing (2 year head start on the boys) and the boys all were planted when Lachlan was born two years ago.

June 18 2013- Rutledge

*The trees are all “precious in His sight.” (Jakie has learned that line at the Citadel Square Baptist Pre-School he attends) …Every time Jakie and Eva Cate get into an argument and she calls him a “Brat”…he responds by saying, “I’m not a BRAT…I’m Precious!” And he is…along with all my grandchildren…”They are precious in my sight.” So next…

2014 September 24 – Jake Turner

Then last ( but not least) our little lepracham arrived on St Patrick’s Day 2015.

2015 March 17 – Lachlan

So until tomorrow…I hope one day to sit in the shade under the grandchildren’s Japanese maples and tell them stories about the time when they were planted..and remind them that “Great things and people take time to grow!”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*I took the rescued orange Gerber daisies and moved them to the children’s bench near the fountain…they look quite relieved and very happy.

*Then I took these beautiful potted Angelonia and moved them to the Ya bench….um…purple on one side of the fountain and orange on the other…those colors sound familiar? 🙂

Today is our Ya Libby’s Official Birthday! We love you dear friend of ours…the most giving Ya and person in the world! Happy Birthday!

Dear Reader:

Quilty as charged…June is here… so the past several days I have stocked up on my summer reading list…between libraries, borrowing/swapping and ordering off Amazon…. the books are pouring in. I talk a lot about de-cluttering and simplifying…having done a decent job in several areas in the past two or three years….except when it comes to my books. “I always want more!” I am guilty of literary avarice...a desire for more books. (Isn’t avarice one of the seven deadly sins…..oh well just count me in!)

All the ‘beach reads’ are hitting the stands now just in time for summer and I will definitely share some with you (local authors and not-so-local)…but today I would like to introduce you to another book…definitely more serious…perhaps best read on a rainy day when you can’t go to the beach…but definitely worth the read.

It is called Ordinary Grace. Jackson told me about it while we were at Edisto and she chose it as her ‘pick‘ selection for this year’s book club meetings. I was thinking it must be something along the lines of the writings of Anne Lamott or Max Lucado or John Maxwell. I didn’t realize it was a fictional story about a murder in a close-knit family and a coming-of-age epiphany.

Here is the prologue from the book..You will discover that it goes much deeper than just a typical “who dunnit” mystery novel… This tragedy affects everyone in a small town to some degree…the emphasis is more on unraveling the consequences suffered by many from a  tragic incident that turns the world upside down for one family. It is also the story of how GRACE appears in the most unexpected way from the most unexpected person.

Prologue

All the dying that summer began with the death of a child, a boy with golden hair and thick glasses, killed on the railroad tracks outside New Bremen, Minnesota, sliced into pieces by a thousand tons of steel speeding across the prairie toward South Dakota. His name was Bobby Cole. He was a sweet-looking kid and by that I mean he had eyes that seemed full of dreaming and he wore a half smile as if he was just about to understand something you’d spent an hour trying to explain. I should have known him better, been a better friend. He lived not far from my house and we were the same age. But he was two years behind me in school and might have been held back even more except for the kindness of certain teachers. He was a small kid, a simple child, no match at all for the diesel-fed drive of a Union Pacific locomotive.

It was a summer in which death, in visitation, assumed many forms. Accident. Nature. Suicide. Murder. You might think I remember that summer as tragic and I do but not completely so. My father used to quote the Greek playwright Aeschylus. He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain, which cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.

In the end maybe that’s what the summer was about. I was no older than Bobby and didn’t understand such things then. I’ve come four decades since but I’m not sure that even now I fully understand. I still spend a lot of time thinking about the events of that summer… 

(It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.)

………………………………

Grace-  the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

As Jackson and I talked more about the novel yesterday (on the phone) I told her that, speaking from personal experiences, I have felt grace when I have been at my lowest points in life… when I was questioning my beliefs and faith and wondering if life is just some kind of badly written joke.

It is at rock-bottom that I have felt the grace of God flow through me.

I, also confessed to Jackson that I read books as much for their quotes as the story. Quotes, to me, are little gems waiting to be picked up off the beach, taken home, and polished. Here are three quotes from the author in this novel that I like to re-read and think about…

“The dead are never far from us. They’re in our hearts and on our minds and in the end all that separates us from them is a single breath, one final puff of air.”

“The miracle is this: that you will rise in the morning and be able to see again the startling beauty of the day.”

“That was it… That was all of it. A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it. Yet I have never across the forty years since it was spoken forgotten a single word.”

……………………………

So until tomorrow…Find time to read and get into the “zone” …we all need to travel outside ourselves to get a better glimpse of what lies inside.

Life never ceases to amaze me..you know how much I love Gerber daisies- Tim came yesterday and we got a lot of yard work done! Late yesterday afternoon as I was coming up the steps to the deck something bright caught my eye! Two bright orange Gerber daisies had managed to survive under a table under the deck placed there two years ago. It had gotten little to no light and water- yet somehow it had bloomed!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh