Canyons & Fireworks

A recent visit from my family has reminded me of a truth. Most children end up marrying a version of their primary caregiver. Below is a poem I wrote reflecting this fact, as well as a blog post from May 14, 2023. <My Spoon Full of Sugar> I married Mary Poppins. It is true.  No surprise for Mary is my mother too. They sing in the morning and like things tidy and clean. No time for nonsense or excuses, only good behavior will do. They are stern, responsible and  sensible…  a little vain and irritable too. They never explain anything but are diligent caretakers  paying  their  due. Yet he is my spoonful of sugar helping the medicine of life  go down. He loves with delicately balanced   quesadillas and grilled cheese. She loved with neatly cut and arrayed platters of fruits and veggies. He is “practically perfect in every way,”  or so they say. Attractive, enthusiastic, and well dressed, busy but playful. They cook and clean, work and...

This week's revisited archived post is from May 26, 2023.  Yesterday I finished the short series Howard's End . The main character, Margaret Schlegel, gives a beautiful explanation of worth in regard to her marriage choice. Margaret's wise words to her sister, "I do not intend to correct him, or reform him. Only connect. That is the whole of my sermon. I have not undertaken to fashion a husband to suit myself using Henry's soul as raw materials." Wisdom & Worth Wedding season is peaking! What better book to read than the Song of Solomon in a month full of marriage? The book of poems is rather sensual for biblical times and reflects God's intense desire for us, His bride; but there is more... Interestingly, the Song of Solomon is considered one of the five books of wisdom and, more specifically, one of the three books of Solomon's wisdom.   In chapter two the bride says, "My lover has arrived and he's speaking to me!" (MSG) What is He ...

Today's repost is from August 23, 2023. Remembering David's exchange with priest Ahimelek is timely for me. David had to leave everything behind but God highlighted which part of David's past was still anointed. Goliath's Sword  When I worked in childcare, I noticed almost every little boy's favorite Bible story was David and Goliath. Any other narrative was a distant runner-up. I remember one preschooler coloring over a handout of Goliath looming tall above a sling in David's hand. The enthusiast declared he was going to take Goliath's sword and "kill Satan with it, just like David!" We teachers enjoyed the toddler's zeal and rested in the knowledge that his theology had time to mature.  Who doesn't admire King David? The neglected son who became a giant killer, the harpist who dispelled an evil spirit, and the anointed king who was reduced to a hunted fugitive tugs on heart strings of men and women alike. Young David had more life experie...

I have decided that July and August will serve as a type of Sabbath rest from blogging. Instead of writing something new, I will repost from my archives.   This week, I am reposting from March 4, 2023. The title is "Low and Slow." I hope you enjoyed it. It certainly was a good reminder for me.  LOW & SLOW    I am trying a new pot roast recipe with a surprising ingredient: dill pickle juice. Garlic is one of the not so surprising elements. Aw garlic... extra garlic, onion, and herbs have always found their way into dishes I prepare. Recently, I upgraded from minced garlic to fresh garlic that I roasted myself. Yum!     Today, I am especially grateful for my friend of busy days, the crock pot. A long list of demands and errands will fill my day, but I still would like a nice dinner, and pot roast is one of my favorites that does not require constant attention.  All I had to do was get everything in the pot so it could cook low and slow.  On...