It's Been a Year!

I have been blogging for a whole year this month - March - but it seems like yesterday and an eternity at the same time - if that's at all possible!

It is really neat to look back at what the year held - some good, some bad, some funny and some sad. I had forgotten some things I blogged about, and was surprised when I read them.

I am just putting the finishing touches on my first "blog to book". It has been a challenge to say the least, but very gratifying just the same. I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to use for my cover picture, so I settled for generic. Heidi had suggested lemons and lemon trees, but I had a hard time finding anything that would keep it's resolution when downloaded and I didn't have time to stage my own pictures, although that would have been fun. Once I get it ordered and in my hands I will have a better sense of what to do next time. I, hopefully, will be more prepared!

My desire is to leave some kind of written thoughts on my life and the people and things that impacted me. No one will care a hundred years from now what my daily comings and goings were, but maybe for those just down the road it will be enlightening (or scary). I would like to write more about my past and my ancestors, my brother and sisters, my nieces and nephews, my parents, or what I know of them, and any stories that would be of interest to my family. So many traditions and "tall tales" are lost from generation to generation. Stories need to be told or they're not stories!

I would like to let them know how I came to be who I am - those lucky ducks!

It might just change the way they look at life - or cause them to run for the hills at neck breaking speed!

At any rate, they will be affected and I will have accomplished what I set out to do!

My Favorite Easter Candy!

You just can't get any better than this when it comes to Easter candy. Yep - I love, love, love my dark chocolate - but I have to admit it has to ride shotgun when it comes to having to choose an Easter candy. Cadbury Mini Eggs - hard shell, yummy chocolate center, whew! Makes me melt just thinking about it! And. . . . . lucky for me - right now, no one else cares for them! ! ! !
Pop a couple in your mouth, let the shell melt down, or if you can't wait, go ahead, chew 'em, won't matter, still divine, but I like to let mine melt a bit and savor the flavor with a hot cup'a Joe.

Ahhh . . . .

Mmm . . . . .

Ahhh . . . . .

Note the tiny tear in the corner? This is so I don't dump the whole bag in the palm of my eager little hands! Just a couple at a time - well, okay then, 20ish.

It's my flaw - Cadbury Mini Eggs at Easter

Don't look at me like that - I know you have one too! You just won't admit it!

"Showers" of Blessings. . . .

It surely seems, as of late anyway, that when we get showers, I get blessings. Today was no different. As the result of one person doing a kind deed for someone else, I got a blessing as well.
I don't usually get "coffee company". But this morning I did! !
Divine Di stopped by on her way home from dropping some kiddos off at school here in the great metropolis of Hebron. It was so nice just to sit and sip coffee (chocolate flavored, none-the-less), chat, laugh, feel sad, understand, not understand, relate to, agree with, listen, interject, advise, take advice . . . . . . . I think you get the picture. It was just plain nice. No. Lovely. A blessing.
On a rainy day - a Monday - a good day.

These kind of blessings are surely the silver linings in the gray, drab clouds!

Thank you, Diane.

Count Your Blessings, Name Them One by One . . .

I'm not sure how today will play out, but my morning offered me an unexpected blessing, actually - two.

When I woke up this morning the first thing that came to mind (and ear) was the wind and rain and having to take the girls to the bus stop in the mess. It was pouring and blowing to beat the band!

But, you know, God is good. By the time the girls got here it had stopped and the sun was peeking thru. But that wasn't the best part. The best, to me, was the way it looked outside. When we walked to the stop - the robins and doves were flitting about, the sun was out, and there was a warm, gentle breeze. But what affected me most was the way the wetness hung in the air. It was beautiful. It wasn't rain "cloudy". It was more like what you see when the sun hits the snow or cold ground. The "foggy" appearance that results between the marriage of the two - a warm mist - a grayness that belongs to spring alone - a calmness stretching out beyond the sunshine. And . . . . . the smell. A smell that only a spring rain can produce. An intoxicating aroma of things to come.

It's times like these that I wish my eyes were a camera - that I could project exactly what I see to print, to be able to visually share the beauty that I admire in my world. They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The artist, the Creator, has painted a pallet so breathtaking that it can be interpreted in hundreds, no millions, of ways. Our whole world is an art gallery. It's "subjects" are designed to stimulate our very soul, if we just take the few minutes to admire the "Fruits of His Hands"!

We walk the same route every morning. I have learned not to expect the beauty that could be waiting for me on this trek, but to look for it. In odd places. At unexpected moments. I may overlook it at times, but when I least expect it, a fresh new portrait lays before me. One that may be there for just a fleeting moment, but there just the same. And it was for me. To enjoy. To share as best I can, in words, things that only God can create. And it humbles me -

That was the first blessing. The second:

was receiving an unexpected phone call from Alicia! She is such a blessing to me. She and her mom have endured trials that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. She is finally at a point in her life where she can truly smile again and it is beautiful! She is beautiful. And I love her more than I can describe. She is part of God's canvas! ! ! A wonderful work in progress.

Did Imention how much I love her?

The Ides of March

I have always been intrigued by this date. Don't ask me why. Maybe it was the first thing I learned about Roman history that stuck in my brain? Maybe it's the ring of the phrase? Maybe it's about the betrayal of one's subjects? Maybe it's about not listening to one whom one thinks is a lesser person? Don't know - but it sure intrigues me. You don't really hear much about it - or maybe I'm not talking to the right people - or maybe its not as significant as it used to be. Who knows. At any rate - if you've forgotten, I am here to enlighten as best I can:



"Beware the Ides of March!"

The ides of March in Roman times simply meant: March 15th.

But for your reading pleasure I wish to recount Roman "history", if you will. Caesar - ruler of Rome - had been warned by a soothsayer to "beware the ides of March". (said soothsayer was "leaking" info to his emperor). Caesar, however, didn't take this warning seriously. I am thinking he was not a favorite amongst the Senate. On his way to the Theater of Pompey on this particular day, Caesar saw the soothsayer and laughed off the prior warning saying "Well, the ides of March have come.", to which the seer replied, "Ay, they have come, but they are not gone." The rest is history. Caesar was killed by an uprising led by Brutus - possibly Caesar's best friend? - in the Senate, which lead to the infamous quote: "Et tu, Brute?" (and you, Brutus?).



So . . . . . if paranoia is your thing . . . . "Beware the Ides of March!"
Or . . . . . if you are a bit "testy" with folk, you may want to . . . . . "Beware the Ides of March!"



Sorry, couldn't resist!

Happy Birthday, Sarah Sponda! !

Well, what do you say to a beautiful young lady on her birthday? ?
Happy Birthday, of course!

We love you bushels little lady.

Love,

Mom-mom, Pop-pop and Ben

oxoxoxox

MY POETRY

"Our Little Kites"

Our little kites are in the air
They frolic here, linger there
They dance around without a care
On breezes soft, light and fair.

We guide them gently toward the sky
And as they're carried way up high
We stand below and expel a sigh
Watching our wingless birds glide by.

Within us burns a deep desire
To make our kites rise much higher
And our efforts cause us to admire
Our talents as novice fliers.

We play the string with all our might
Sending them upward to greater heights
Like large birds on wing-ed flights
We've conquered gravity with our kites!

But on occasion they will plummet
They have fallen from their summit
To the earth from which they cometh
Leaving us feeling not quite triumphant!

So we get our little kites back in the air
And watch as they frolic here, or linger there
And dance around without a care
On breezes soft, light and fair!

Crickett


Yes, this is one of those poems that started in my head after I went to bed (after midnight) What's a girl to do? :)

Who's Flying Your Kite?

Many, many moons ago, I had the privilege to do a topic at a Mother/Daughter banquet at the church I was attending. The theme for that particular year was a "Calendar Party" with 12 groups of ladies dressing 12 tables that corresponded to a month of the year. The table I was assigned to was March. We ladies decorated the table with bright colors and a beautiful centerpiece. We used pinwheels as part of the theme and kites hung above the table. I was given the dubious job of "delivering" our topic to the rest of the ladies. (each of the 12 tables had a designated spokeswoman - bless her soul.) Now mind you, I'm not very good at these kind of things. Standing in front of anyone and delivering any kind of message makes me quake in my boots and my mouth gets dry as cotton. . . . I sweat just thinking about it! Anita (who was part of 'March') came up with the topic idea and presented it to me - I did try - very hard - to get her to do it, but nope, no way. Sweaty palms here. So, I bit the bullet, took the topic and ran with it, and did my best to come up with something that was befitting and somewhat understandable.
So without further delay - here is what I chose to say:

When we think of March we usually think of wind and what goes better with wind than kites?

Kites are wind supported devices (consisting of a wooden or similar framework, covered with paper, cloth, or a synthetic material) used as a rudimentary airfoil, flown for pleasure or "work" or study. (yaaawn. . . .)

In many ways our lives can be compared to kites. Let's look at mothers and their daughters for instance.

The mother holds the string of daughter's life . Like flying a kite, we want our daughters to reach higher and higher (or grow stronger and stronger - pyhsically, emotionally and spiritually). The kite can be set aloft by the action of the wind on its surface - (compare to the teaching process). It's distance or height is controlled from the ground by "playing out the string".

Once we get our kites aloft though, our job is just beginning. We really have to work at keeping that kite in the air. There are power lines, trees, buildings and other obstacles to take into consideration. We have to be careful and maneuver this kite thru these obstacles or trials , always watching, always praying, lest they become entangled.

But what happens if your kite does go out of control and it starts dipping, curving erratically, spinning uncontrollably or gets entangled? (welcome to adolescence!) What if the string breaks and your kite plummets to the ground?

You have a choice to make:
you run after that kite, pick it up, brush it off, mend it and get it right back in the air . . .or
you just stand there wringing your hands and leave the kite laying.

Most of us are right back at that kite! We get her back into the air. Then we stand back long enough to take in the breathtaking beauty of our kite. But . . . we realize . . . . we are no longer in control of the string. We were so involved in flying our kite, caring for it, that we didn't notice that God now has the string. The transfer was so subtle, but so needed.

At second glance we notice our kites are all grown up. Now she has to make the choices. She is flying up there, but she will fall if she doesn't yield to the string holder - her lifeline.

I realize that some of you may not have children. But the same applies to us. Just like the kite, we need an experienced string holder. Without One we would be aimlessly meandering with no purpose or hope. But with God as our string holder we can soar, never fearing our string will snap. We may dip, or spin a little but God is in control. He will "play out our string" to keep us away from the power lines, trees and buildings. His strong hands will safely and lovingly hold the string, giving us direction, purpose and meaning to our lives.

So. . . .how about you - are you drifting around aimlessly or is God holding your string?

Spring is "Springing"!

The Primrose is in bloom, as is the Crocus! And . . . the Flowering Pear Trees are showcasing their buds! Oh yea, Spring is definitely "springing"! ! !

By George, I'm Doing It! !

Well, I bit the bullet. I'm doing it. Making my blog into a book. I figured I put so much of me, my time and energy into this blogging thing that I may as well preserve it for posterity's sake.
I thought it would be nice to do it on a yearly basis - more cost effective for me and not so time consuming. I am just about finished - just need to add a couple of pictures that I didn't have and try to figure out what I want my cover to look like.

Doing the book was just as time consuming, I think, but worth the effort. Besides, I like the challenge of trying to figure things out. (Things I like to do, of course.)

But, in doing the book, I realized that my entries are more than just random thoughts, they somehow bring me to a place of understanding. Part of that understanding is how I want to blog. It's not only become more personal, but more public as well. Of course I don't and won't share my deepest thoughts and feelings, ones that are between God and I, ones that maybe only 2 or 3 people closest to me know. But sharing my everyday going-ons can be therapy for me, especially when life drives me nuts, or blessings fall like rain from the sky, or the most unexpected thing can make you smile, or if you just need to be sad. Because. . . . . .that is life
(and that is my story and I'm sticking to IT!)