The Last Word

Remember yesterday when I showed a lovely photo of my pear tree in full bloom.  Well April had to have the last word and this is what greeted me outside my window this morning . . . .

The "nice" thing about a spring snow is that this will all be melted by tomorrow and the bad thing about it is that this will all be melted by tomorrow and I will have a soggy, wet, muddy mess everywhere.

It's like April has a grudge and is telling May to get ready for the floods.  That or they ran out of Head and Shoulders in heaven and all the angels have really bad dandruff.

April's Fool

You know the movie Groundhog Day?  The one where Bill Murray's character gets stuck in a time loop and has to re-live that day over and over and over and over again.

Well that's how I feel about April.  Mother Nature has been playing tricks on us all month.  One day you are playing in the sand box enjoying a little sunshine and the next you are stuck in the house snuggled up in your wool socks and fleece pull overs.

Or the next day she says spring is here and shows us the pear trees in full bloom and the next the perennials are struggling under the weight of last nights snow fall.

Or you catch yourself singing "pants on the ground" one day and "put another log on the fire" the next.

Then you can't decide if the watery eyes and runny nose are from the forsythia or winter serving up its leftovers from cold and flu season.

Although . . . upon reflection isn't that really how seasons change, the transition is rarely a smooth one but can be rather rough at times.  It seems to be all about how you weather the storm.  You can choose to accept the unexpected in each day as a gift, a blessing, a reason to be thankful or complain about not having your expectations met and that things aren't the way you think they ought to be.  After all we really do need both the sunshine and the rain.

Choosing Thankfulness

When you least expect it a friend sends you a gift.  One Thousand Gifts of kindness and generosity.

I am blessed.  A reminder to be thankful for the gifts found in each and every day.

Today I'm thankful for  . . . 

. splashes in the bath tub

. grey eyes dancing

. little boys giggling

. snuggling under the covers

. bedtime stories about "Green Eggs and Ham" 

. singing a good night song

. the rest that comes at the end of the day

What are you thankful for today?  

I'm linked up here today.

Hosanna!

It is a tradition at our church on Sunday's for all the children to congregate up at the front of the sanctuary for a mini sermon before they are dismissed to sunday school.

Today was no exception.

But today . . . well today they came down the aisle waving palm leaves and shouting Hosanna and the whole congregation joined in adding their voices and shouting "Hosanna, hosanna in the highest!" I would be lying if I said that I wasn't moved by the display of joyful adoration at the re-inactment of the coming of the Messiah into "Jerusalem". But behind my moist eyes and wet lashes hid a jumbled up mess of conflicting emotions.

I long for the coming of Christ but would I shout with joy at the coming of my savior or would I mock the sacrifice? Do I live what I believe? Or am I all talk and no action? My actions most days would contradict my words. I get impatient with my kids, frustrated with my husband, petty with my siblings and selfish with my time.

Then today I see Jesus, I see him enter triumphant into Jerusalem. I see him accused, put on trial, condemned and crucified.

And I am convicted.

Luke 23:32-46 tells us something about this most shameful of Roman executions. Jesus hung on that cross between two others likewise condemned. He was robbed of his dignity, three times mocked, three times told to save himself.

Hanging from the cross in the midst of suffering Jesus offers grace and salvation, compassion and forgiveness.

I am renewed.

My hope is in the Lord.

::

Last Sunday after service the gentleman sitting in the pew in front of me was someone whom I had not seen for a while, a long ago acquaintance of mine and my dads. After a polite exchange of the usual small talk he tells me how he is reminded upon seeing me about his visit to see my dad when he was in the hospital. He had gone to pray with him and for him. But instead of him praying for my dad, my dad prayed for him and how that really blessed him, that here was his friend on the edge of eternity praying with sincerity and conviction that God would bless someone else. In the midst of his suffering my dad offered grace and compassion.

We shared a tear and a hug.

Sometimes God gives you an example of what it means to follow Him.

I am touched by his words and my soul is warmed.

My hope is in the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

While I live I will praise the Lord;

I will sing praises to my God

while I have my being.

Psalm 146:1-2

Flashback

Saturday will mark my parents 56th wedding anniversary, so I thought that this picture would be fitting for today's flashback friday photo.  This picture is from Christmas sometime in the late 80's.  I find it delightful and funny that my dad would give my mom a new toilet seat as a present and so did she.  I wrote about their anniversary last year, you can read about it here, and see a picture of them on their wedding day.

And since today is my nephews birthday I will also include this picture of him.  He is twenty-five today. Happy Birthday Warren!

I'm linked up today with Alicia over at More Than Words.

Let Them Eat Cake

I'm pretty sure everyone has been to a wedding where the lovely couple, perfectly groomed and dressed up in their finest, feed each other the first slice from their wedding cake. The perfect ending to a perfect day. At least it's supposed to be.

The couple together cut the cake, put a slice on a plate and then in turn feed each other a bite, only they don't always do it kindly or gently or respectfully. Instead, with their friends egging them on, they shove that little bite of cake into each others mouth, pushing it down their gullet as if they are trying to push a watermelon through a straw. And everybody laughs. If you have not witnessed this in person then certainly you have seen it on "America's Funniest Home Videos". Sometimes the bride or the groom is unsuspecting of the impending smear and will get upset and decide that in revenge they are going to throw the cake at their partner or spread it all over their face in which a food fight ensues. And still everybody laughs.

Well, everybody but me. It has always bugged me when couples do this. I don't believe the first act together of their married life that these two people who say they love each other should be one of aggression and disrespect. I mean these two people are planning to spend the rest of their lives together (hopefully) and why would you want to start out with a bitter taste in your mouth, one of resentment and anger. Not only that but think of all the money that was spent to make their wedding day perfect. The brides gown, her hair, her make-up, her manicure and pedicure, not to mention the grooms suit or tuxedo, which has probably been rented. A wedding cake alone can cost several hundred dollars or more. So if you are getting married please think before you act, those people who are laughing and egging you on aren't the ones with cake on their face or in their hair or staining their clothes. Or if you know someone who is getting married, remind them to be respectful of one another.

In conclusion, I just want to say that I am so proud of my nephew and his beautiful bride when at their wedding last month the cutting of their wedding cake did not turn into a food fight.

I love you guys!

Aunt Syd