signs of life

this evening, i finished planting the pretty-rather-than-edible plants i purchased last saturday. i was waiting to make sure that the first few i planted did not suddenly die. in the process of planting and moving from backyard to front yard, i started noticing how many things have sprouted and grown just in the last few days (not from my planting...just in general) - tree's budding, rose bushes greening, everything, everywhere. i was particularly intrigued with the grape vine in our backyard just now sprouting leaves which are these lovely furry pink-edged leaf buds at the moment. so - i had to do camera duty. these are just digital snaps - but i ended up taking "real" photos, too, so hopefully those will turn out even better.

saint patrick

a man who was stolen by irishmen from his home in scotland at the age of sixteen.
a man who in the midst of slavery found & surrendered to God.
a man who after six years finally ran away to freedom, only to seek out enough learning so
he could return to his captors and preach the gospel of Christ to a nation of pagans.

The determination to accept suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of God’s instrument [Patrick] for winning most of Ireland for Christ.

and a little something from his own confession:

I am, then, first of all, countryfied, an exile, evidently unlearned, one who is not able to see into the future, but I know for certain, that before I was humbled I was like a stone lying in deep mire, and he that is mighty came and in his mercy raised me up and, indeed, lifted me high up and placed me on top of the wall. And from there I ought to shout out in gratitude to the Lord for his great favours in this world and for ever, that the mind of man cannot measure.

Therefore be amazed, you great and small who fear God, and you men of God, eloquent speakers, listen and contemplate. Who was it summoned me, a fool, from the midst of those who appear wise and learned in the law and powerful in rhetoric and in all things? Me, truly wretched in this world, he inspired before others that I could be-- if I would-- such a one who, with fear and reverence, and faithfully, without complaint, would come to the people to whom the love of Christ brought me and gave me in my lifetime, if I should be worthy, to serve them truly and with humility.

nearly there

saint patrick's day is nearly upon us and these seemed cheerfully expectant.


dublin mBláth, 2005

hidden no more

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’
But the only swiftness you are going to see
is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!

A thousand will flee
at the threat of one;
at the threat of five
you will all flee away,
till you are left
like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
like a banner on a hill."

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
He's gathering strength to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for Him!

O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. Cry for help and you'll find it's grace and more grace! As soon as He hears, He will answer you. Although the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!”

Then the LORD will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. The oxen and donkeys you use for hauling and plowing will be fed well. In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. Moonlight will flare into sunlight, and sunlight, like a whole week of sunshine at once, will flood the land when the LORD binds up the bruises of His people and heals the wounds He inflicted.

[Isaiah 30:15-26 NIV/NLT/MSG]

yes.

i thank you God for this most amazing day,
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,
and for the blue dream of sky
and for everything which is natural,
which is infinite,
which is yes.

-ee cummings-



crocus are the hope of spring to me.

about six

my youngest nephew, jon, turns six today. since he probably doesn't read my blog, and he may have already gotten his gift in the mail, i can tell this story:

i was failing at all my creative birthday ideas, so i finally buckled and asked my sister-in-law what was on his list. i, of course, wanted to pick one of the super cool or fun items (this is one way aunts keep their special status); i first tried looking for a colts' helmet, but wasn't quite sure what i was looking for so figured i'd leave that for my brother. my second pass at the list, i focused in on the alarm clock. alarm clock? for a six year old? there's got to be something to this one - so i looked online and found a really cool one that tells you the date and time and temperature; can show the numbers on the ceiling; all kinds of stuff. i ordered it and then emailed my sis-in-law to find out why he wanted one. apparently it's the item he has repeatedly reminded her about. this was his reason:

jon's the only one in the family who doesn't have one, and when he gets up in the morning he has to go into his parents' or older brother's room to see what time it is. my brother has told jon he can't get up before 6 or something like that, and jon likes to check and make sure he is allowed to be out of bed in the morning.

absolutely ridiculously cute and awesome - all wrapped up in a six year old. :)

oh mother MAY i

bought my plane tickets today. nothing makes me nervous like that final click on a flight site. whew. i will be out of the country from may 7th through june 6th. i'll fly into madrid (spain) and out of london. inbetween - i'll be in basel, munich, prague, bath, penryn, saffron walden, oxford, and windsor.





the folks above will be my introduction to mainland europe.

kate & andré are currently in spain while kate works on her masters. i'm a little nervous about going to a non-english speaking country. and spain in particular b/c i should know way more spanish than i do. but kate said she expects me to try, so try i shall. :)

taryn is starting her second year in germany working with younglife. told this girl i'd visit her at some point during her three years there, and so i'm excited to make that a reality. i'm not quite sure what to expect of germany; i don't know much about it except for holocaust history. so i'm intrigued for this first part of my journey.



these folks will welcome me back to the grand ole uk. these pics are actually from my last visit over in 2005.

i haven't seen beki, damon & lucy for over two years, which is way too long considering that beki & i have been friends since we were four and grew up living just two doors down from each other. can't wait to see them & cornwall again.

jackie & clint are still in oxford and i hope to at least pop in for a day or so
to visit and see their new lodgings.