The Roots

tree saga part 3

The men arrived early in the morning. The day was really too hot to be outside doing much of anything let alone attacking the evil that lurks under my front yard. Yes, roots. Big ones. LIfting up deck ones. Raising driveway and sidewalk ones.

So I did what any good hostess would do. I let the men use my umbrella and kept them plied with large glasses of cool, refreshing beverages. I k now they were being paid and it was their job, but I just felt so guilty that these guys had to endure the oppressive 100+ degree heat to eradicate the evil in my front yard.

Before seeing what lay underneath the soil, I was told they would be done in a day. By my calculation, two men armed only with shovels, pick axes and saws would be around for two or three days.
My overactive imagination went into hyper drive as I watched the battle unfold. I thought about how those massive roots had anchored and fed our tree that was cut down in the prime of its life last autumn. How could a something so nourishing and good turn into such a destructive power? The tree relied on those roots for life and support, but those roots ended up being the cause of the tree's demise.

That relationship made me think about things in my life that started out innocently enough but took a turn for the worse. It's about balance. It's about turning to the owner's manual for life instruction.

If you accept My words and store up My commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding ...for the Lord gives wisdom...then you will understand what is right and just and fair ~ every good path...discretion will protect you..(Proverbs 2)

Let's Play Jeopardy

answer: "time racing by" ~ question: How did it get to be June 29th already?

"100+ degrees for too many days in a row" ~ What is global warming?

"air conditioning" ~ What is a welcomed relief from the heat?

"shopping" ~ What is my mother's favorite sport?

"the mall" ~ Where can we get welcomed relief from the heat and indulge in Mom's favorite sport at the same time?

"being a good daughter" ~ Guess where I'm taking Mom today even though I hate the mall and dislike shopping even more?

What's It Going to Cost You?

A new yogurt concept has come to town and the place is packed with eager buyers.

It starts with your choice of cup ~ large or larger. Then you walk down a wall of spigots that sprout forth the yogurt of choice ~ all nonfat, of course. Take as much, or as little, as you want of one or more flavors.

This is followed by a parade of little bins filled with toppings that range from fruit and granola to miniature M&M's and gummy bears. And if that's not enough, a half dozen squirt bottles await your squeeze to release their syrupy concoctions.

After all this self-serve mania comes the final reckoning. What is this creative, cool confection going to cost you? Just put it on the scale to find out. Now we are talking about seemingly lightweight stuff ~ nonfat yogurt not the heavy fatty kind, a sprinkle of this and a spritz of that. Call it greed, call it eyes-bigger-than-stomach, call it total denial, but most of all, call it expensive. Not only do the calories add up but so do the pennies.

The first time I participated in this new self-serve smorgasbord, I was shocked at the price of my evidently-not-so-innocent creation. Yet the first bite assuaged any guilt I had over price or calories. My tongue wrapped around the cool flavors and crunchy toppings. I was hooked.

Besides with a multitude of ever changing yogurt flavors and a myriad of toppings, I am compelled to return again and again to the scene of the crime to create new combinations that delight my taste buds.

I'm sure that there is Biblical application here but I'm too busy stuffing my face at the moment to consider it.

Boomerang

tree saga part 3

It just kills me to dig up our beautiful plants and throw them away. I know they will make great mulch somewhere but they have been so faithful. They grow and flower and re-seed and do all those wonderful things that faithful plants do. All they ask for in return is sunshine, water and love. Sounds like a fair deal to me ~ and now I'm breaking our covenant. I feel bad.

So I decided that one way to assuage my guilt would be to give the plants away ~ to neighbors ~ neighbors who would love them and enjoy them and let me have visitation rights.

First step was a note in my neighbors' mail boxes with the enticing offer of free plants. Free works for me. I'm a sucker for adopting free plants and giving them a new home. So I hoped that free was the magic word. The next step was leaving my uprooted plants on the sidewalk waiting for their new owners.

I waved roses, a small Japanese maple and ground cover goodbye. Some left under cover of nightfall. One such plant couldn't bear to leave home and moved literally right next door in plain view. I had to laugh because I adopted that heather from the neighbor across the street years ago when she was re-landscaping her front yard. I can look out my window and see it waving at me now from its new home.

I feel much better.

Tree Saga Part 3

The tree continues to haunt us. Not in a good way, although certainly there are many wonderful memories of hours spent underneath the canopy of its massive limbs. It really was a wonderful tree but even wonderful can turn to woeful when out of control. And that's exactly what happened with this magnificent tree. Through no fault of its own, it was planted in a yard far too small by the builders, and despite years of faithful and beautiful service, the tree was doomed to death by chainsaw.

If you have been following my blog, you bore witness to its death last autumn. It took 35 years to reach its glory and less than one hour to be cut down. All that remained was its stump above ground and a clandestine network of roots underground. Holes were dutifully drilled into its core and appropriate root killer poured in. And in part 2 of the tree saga, a new driveway was installed to replace the one that was in the way of the spreading roots.

And so here we are again, revisiting the scene of the crime because now it's time to remove the stump and offending roots, and to start anew. This means that the deck and the plants must be removed so the crew can come in and begin the massive upheaval.

I could mourn the further loss of plant life. I could complain about the work ahead. But somehow, the very idea of digging everything up is a bit exhilarating. I have a chance to design a whole new front yard. No more invasive roots, No more deck getting slowly lifted to an angle unfit for sitting. What will remain is fresh soil and a virgin yard ready for rebirth.

Okay, I'm going to make the leap so stay with me on this. I'm the tree and the yard at the same time. Above ground, all seemed well but the roots of sin were anchoring my life in a way that was negatively affecting others as well as myself. Now don't go all People Magazine on me. I wasn't out there doing outrageous stuff but my sins of pride, judgment and selfishness were beginning to creep into every area of my life. It was time not just for a pruning but for a clean sweep. It was time to knock down the old me. And so the "tree" had to go, and along with it the very roots that kept it alive. What was left was a fresh patch of soil for new, healthy growth.

I am thankful that Jesus was my gardener. I am thankful that He wasn't afraid of the hard work that had to be done, and continues to be done, to convict me of my sin and prepare my heart and mind anew. I am thankful that He paid the price for my forgiveness and rebirth. I am thankful that His work was free to me, all for the asking. I am excited about the new seeds being planted in me.

So What?

I am a Christian. So what?
What if someone asked me that question?
How would I respond?

So what if I believe in God?
So what if I believe in Jesus Christ?
So what?

Does it make a difference to me?
To anyone who knows me?
To anyone who doesn't?

Is my Christian faith visible?
Measurable?
Believable?
Reliable?
Accountable?
Impactful?
Desirable?
Life changing?

Do I know God's will?
Do I obey?

Do I glorify God?
Do I live my faith?
What does than mean?

I am a Christian. So what?

Declaring His Glory

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.


There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Their voices goes out into all the earth,
their words to the end of the world.

(Psalm 19:1-4)

We Have Farmers in California, Too

One of our honorary Groovies, who now lives in Colorado, posted on her website that her city-boy husband has turned suburban farmer thanks to his sit-down tractor and land to roam. I'm here to say that my husband who was born and raised in the farm country of California never lost his farmer roots even though he moved to the Bay Area immediately after college 'lo those many years ago.

Oh yes, he could teach that young whippersnapper from Colorado a thing or two about farming. Important things like when is the best time to steal fruit off your neighbor's tree, how to look like you are working, and most importantly of all, the art of taking an afternoon nap.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

The ancient Jews of the Old Testament found God's name to be so holy that they would not utter it. Do you uplift the holiness of His name?

We only know as much about God as He reveals to us. Going beyond divine revelation is pure guesswork. Is truth or guesswork your basis when you question God's wisdom or the decisions that He makes?

God has no missing attributes. Do you experience a God who seems lacking because you yourself are lacking in your knowledge of Him?

The perfection of God speaks of His character and ways. Human beings, on the other hand are imperfect in their makeup and behavior. Do you challenge a perfect God with your imperfect reasoning and understanding?

To My Father

On this Father's Day, I do not have my father here to hug or to call. I must rely on photos and memory of who he was. I must rely on the place in my heart where he will reside in eternity with me. I must rely on the life lessons that he taught me, the joy that he brought me, the love that he gave me.

I think of him sometimes as the small boy that he once was, playing in the fields with his five brothers without a care in the world. Did he ever think, even for once, that he would grow up to be a man of influence ~ a self-effacing man who simply reached out to people in the best way he knew. He offered his life for others ~ serving in the military for his country, leading his employees at work, being a steadfast and trustworthy friend, loving and caring for his family.

His life lives on in his children, grandchildren and every person whose life he touched during his 86 years on this earth. Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you.

Living Water

The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statues of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

(Psalm 19:1-8)

Small But Tenacious and Taken Care Of

I watched a bird do something this morning I've never seen before. This little guy (or gal) was collecting twigs for a nest. That in itself is not so unusual. However, I always assumed because of their small size, that birds took the path of least resistance and collected sticks and twigs that were readily available. This morning I saw just how hard some birds work for their building materials.

This little guy was perched on top of our back yard lattice which supports a very vigorous creeping fig vine. So vigorous, in fact, that I must trim it back two or three times a year to keep it under control. This vine is tenacious and even the dead branches hold on seemingly forever. The bird was even more tenacious.

I looked up to see him perched on the overhang, dead vine branch in beak, twisting his head back and forth, back and forth, shaking that vine for all he was worth. He shook so hard that at one point he shook himself right off his perch. But his persistence paid off and he flew away dragging that branch in his beak. I'm sure he was giving himself a mental high five!

Watching birds always reminds me of a particular Scripture. I've quoted it on my blog before but it is just so appropriate to quote once again.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink...Is life not more important than food?.....Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they...your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:25-34)

A Good Kind of Desperation

Lucky me. I get to gather together with 6 to 10 wonderful young women every Wednesday night to study God's Word. This week we explored the character and attributes of God. We are incapable of fully understanding Him, yet I stand in awe and am overwhelmed by a living God who is so good, so right, so true, so safe and so holy. I am desperate to experience Him not just in the extraordinary but in the ordinary.

LIfe Lesson

Sometimes a life lesson comes from an unexpected place. Sometimes it comes in the form of a small furry creature, no bigger than a minute. A creature who was severely traumatized by a painful accident when he was literally just a handful of a puppy. An accident that left him so scarred both physically and emotionally that he remained very, very wary of everyone his entire life ~ except for one special woman who showed him unconditional love.

She took in this little dog when others would not. She patiently cared for his wound, although she was told that there was nothing they could do to save his leg. Even though he snapped at her in the early days, she patiently held him when he shivered in fear, fed him when he was hungry, talked to him in soothing tones.

And eventually he came to trust her. He even came to love her back. Even more, he came to live his life to the fullest in spite of his three-legged gait. He learned to frolic with other dogs and even allow one or two to live in the house with him. He learned to trust those whom this woman trusted. He learned that as long as he dwelt in the safety of her love, all was right with the world.
I watch the woman and her little dog and I think of Jesus ~ how His patience, unconditional love, care and trustworthiness has the power to change lives, even broken ones.

Recycled Joy

I'm always amazed when people take something old and recycle it into something new. It takes an ability to think outside the box, to look at things the way no one has before. My husband was thrilled when he received a newly recycled treasure this week, a treasure that reminds him daily of a sport that brings him much joy. Can you follow the clues and guess what it is?


Yep! It's a chair made out of rental skis that were heading for the dump. Clever, clever, clever. Comfy, too! Now my husband can enjoy his passion year-round.

Rock, Truth and Love

I was caught off guard yesterday. It started innocently enough. I have company coming for a couple of days which means my office gets converted into the guest room. Now my office is a 10 x 10 space so you can imagine that things get put in this corner and that. If I don't stay on top of it, well, my stuff takes over. That means it's organizing, sorting and cleaning out the room time ~ and music just makes this task so much more enjoyable.

So I clicked on Pandora.com, chose the Steely Dan "station, and got started. I was really grooving to the music ~ MY music. Music that transported me back to my 20's and early 30's ~ and suddenly I found myself crying. Say what? This music made me happy. It brought back terrific memories, but with the good came back the very, very sad.

I've read that music is deeply associated with our memory I don't know the science behind it. We all know that a song can transport us immediately back to a memory. And out of nowhere, I Can't Tell You Why by the Eagles brought tears to my eyes. I became very, very sad at the loss of a dream. How does life end up so differently than envisioned in our youthful exuberance and trust that everything will always be right with the world?

It reminded me that the only rock I can stand on, the only truth I can believe in, the only love that is forever is the Rock, Truth and Love that is my God.

The World is at It Again

Item 1 ~ A Different Kind of Spa

Reflections Dental Spa. Sounds like an oxymoron to me yet that's the very name of a business near me. I don't possibly see how you can combine the words "dental" and "spa" unless maybe, just maybe, you were going for the cosmetic surgery angle. The only other thing I can think of is heavy use of nitrous oxide which gives one the la-la feeling while the drill is grinding away at one's tooth.

As for me, I'll take the traditional spa ~ facials, massages, soft music and maybe even a manicure and pedicure if I'm feeling girlie.

Item 2 ~A Need to Escape

Member's Only Exclusive Clubs in London. Some strictly male, some strictly female, others integrated. But this is not the kind of exclusivity that these clubs are about. Exclusivity includes no vulgarity, no cell phones, no photography, no laptops. These clubs are rapidly growing in popularity because members are looking for civility, manners, face-to-face interaction and peace. What a social commentary! In essence, they are seeking a haven from the crazy, in-your-face, impersonal world that is spinning all around them. They are looking to get off the treadmill, if only for a few blissful hours, to enjoy good company, a nice meal and conversation without technology. Sign me up!

Character

Our character says a lot about us. What we believe in. Expectations of our behavior. How we will act and react. Indeed, our character is very often a predictor of the consequential outcomes, both good and bad, from our interchange with the world.

I read an interesting article yesterday written by syndicated columnist Thomas Sowell which advances the notion that a nation's character has a far reaching impact beyond general social, economic and political dynamics, a ripple effect, if you will, that directly touches the personal lives of its citizens. It's a symbiotic relationship where culture affects government policies, which in turn, can impact that very culture, for better or worse.

Sowell's column focused on Angelo Codevilla's book, "The Character of Nations," which promotes the thesis that in recent years, American society has engaged in behavior patterns that are producing negative results for our nation's existing entity. And I quote:

"Among these patterns have been a concentration of decision-making power in government officials, an undermining of the role of the family, a 'nonjudgmental' attitude toward behavior and a dissolution of the common bonds that hold a society together, leading to atomistic self-indulgences and group-identity politics that increasingly pits different segments of society against each other...."

This antagonism eventually leads to loss of personal freedom and self-respect; the latter personally, culturally and nationally. Codevilla asserts that "the character of the American way of life is up for grabs perhaps more than ever before".

Which brings me back full circle to the issue of personal character. We are what we believe. We act in alliance with that belief system. We all believe in something. So the questions that beg to be answered are: What do I base my belief system on? Is it based on Truth that does not sway with cultural preferences or political pressure? Does it uplift not denigrate both ourselves and others? Does it shy away from the hard stuff or courageously face it head on? Is it self-indulgent or "other" purposed? What is the way of life that I have chosen to embrace, why and do I strive to consistently honor that choice?

Bottom line ~ What is my footprint on the world?

A Forever Hero

I have the pleasure of being in community with a group of dynamic young women. They give me an "insider's" view to what it's like to negotiate today's culture from their point of view, and I must say that things haven't changed all that much since I was their age. Oh sure, the culture has changed tremendously since my generation started the unraveling of the fabric of morals and behavioral conduct that glues our society together. However while the culture may be different, many of their personal expectations remain the same.

The other night our conversation steered to books we're reading or have read. Love was the number one topic. Romantic love. Sweep me off my feet love. Knight-in-shining-armor love. Yes, they are still looking for their hero ~ the he-loves-me-so-much-he-would-die-for-me kind.

And yet he already exists in their lives. He is loving, compassionate, forgiving and kind. His love is unshakable, relentless, passionate and never-ending. He deeply desires relationship with them. He understands them completely, and gives good counsel and guidance. And He has already died for them so that they may live.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the (ability)...to grasp how wide and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge ~ that you may be filled to the measure of all fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18)

Friendship

There is something really satisfying about being in friendship with women of different ages. We often tend to stick in our age cohort because we define ourselves by what we are dealing with at a particular stage of life, but I think that limits the scope of our connections. Younger women remind us of the joy and expectation of the limitless future. Older women remind us of the richness of viewing life through experiential lenses. Women our age remind us that our journey is both unique and global. We have much to teach and learn from each other. We have much to give each other. We have the gift of love.

Oh it will hurt as much as it enriches; it will disappoint as much as it delights, but friendship is a box that must be opened time and time again to fully appreciate the gift that it is. A truly satisfying friendship is one that is not afraid to go to the difficult relational places in truth and love and then walk out the other side together.

God desired friendship with mankind. Imagine, a God who desires an intimate walk with us at every phase and age of our life. A God who doesn't walk away from the difficult places. A God who loves us enough to hold up a mirror of truth; who loves us enough to catch us when we fall; who loves us enough to hold us in His strength; who loves us enough to forgive us and set us back on our feet only to stumble again into His arms.

oh for the days...when God's intimate friendship blessed my house (Job 29:4)...the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend (Exodus 33:11)

Hope and Joy

I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; He's right by my side.
I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I've pitched my tent in the land of hope. (Acts 2:25 from The Message Bible)

You have made known to me the paths of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence. (Acts 2:28 from NIV Bible)

Memories

Today is the second anniversary of my father's passing. It's shocking to me that two years have gone by when the pain is still so fresh. So instead of dwelling on sadness, I'm going to share a couple of photos of Dad in his later years sharing family time. He so loved his family.
Louis S Clark 1921-2007 beloved husband, father, brother, friend ~ We miss you but know that you are celebrating your second anniversary in heaven with a new body and a restored mind. Enjoy the party, Dad!

PD and the Groovies

The Groovies have been grieving the loss of Plastic Dude ever since his demise at the mouth of one Ginger Steer, a furry, four-legged denizen of the secret places in a particular Colorado basement. But PD was resurrected at the Groovy beach house weekend, thanks to our honorary member, owner of said furry creature. He may look a little different to you, and he is!
And I quote, "I had PD all packed and ready to send far, far away but something happened. My copy of (Debbie Alsdorf's) A Different Kind of Wild arrived. PD saw me reading it...next thing I knew, he started reading it. You wouldn't believe it, but he started applying it to his life. Many times a day I would read him praying quietly to the Father, "Less of me, more of Thee." A tranformation started to occur and little by little, I saw something different in PD's eyes. He no longer had that creepy perverted look ~ those shifty eyes changed into true reflections of grace."

PD spent the weekend reveling in his renewed spirit and frolicking with the Groovies.

And so our Groovy beach house weekend celebrated friendship and the power of love.

The Reality of Home

road trip - post postcript

Is this an innocent-looking clothes hamper? It is not!

One of the joys of returning from a road trip is the dirty laundry that returns home with you. Every trip, I put my husband on notice that I will be doing the laundry the very day after we return. All of the laundry. Every bit of it. So that at the end of the day, I have the satisfaction of fresh clean clothes, an empty hamper and lovely memories of our trip. And
after every trip, when the deed is done, my husband immediately throws a soiled piece of clothing into the newly emptied hamper. I mean, he hasn't been home long enough to get anything dirty so it had to be a shirt or pair of pants left over from his suitcase. I submit to you this is the reason that wives and mothers lose it.


Don't talk to me about serving others (joyfully). Don't talk to me about job security (mine). Don't recite verses about the Proverbs 31 woman. Tell me how I can get my husband to keep his dirty clothes to himself at least 24 hours after I have emptied the hamper.

Thankful to Say Happy Birthday

I am so thankful to be able to say Happy Birthday to my Mom who turns 93 today!

She's vibrant, curious and still has a great set of legs!

The Good Life

Road Trip ~ postcript

There's always a wonderful time of looking in the rear view mirror upon returning from a road trip. Photos to be looked at. Places to re-visit. Memories to be cataloged.

Tor would have said that his favorite memory was his spa experience or hanging out with the bears.

What we were reminded of upon returning from this 1,200 mile tour was that the good life is connection with family and friends, food to share, the beauty of God's creation, a little fun along the way, and the love of the Lord ~ no matter where you live or where you go.

When Oh Yes Becomes Oh No

road trip - where in the world is Tor?

No road trip is complete without food. My husband and I consider ourselves to be fairly healthy eaters ~ lots of fruits, veggies and other non-boxed, non-fried, non-preservative-laden stuff. But something just happens to our sensible eating habits when we hit the road. We carry snacks to munch on while driving ~ being hungry has nothing to do with it ~ some people are seduced to sleep on long car trips, we're seduced to eat! And while we attempt to eat at restaurants that are quasi-healthy, something nutty happens to us when we get inside. So I'd thought I'd share with you some of our more memorable spots. (Tip: If you want a LOT of home-cookin', The Black Bear Diner can't be beat. Try their steak salad. It's even kind of healthy.)



And of course, dessert is a must, followed by a nice spot of tea.


Our last day in Oregon, however, took the cake ~ or should I say ice cream ~ when it came to going waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off our healthy eating habits. It involves two spoons and a pint of ice cream. Oh yes, our normally self-paced, self-monitored selves went right off the cliff.

It started out innocently enough. We pulled into a small town to refuel. Now for us, refueling isn't just about putting gasoline in the car; it's about putting something, preferably ice cream, in our tummies. This being the hot spot for city-boy motorcyclists to stop on their tour of the country side, the small gas station ran out of all things deliciously cold except for three pints of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. Not knowing this, I innocently sent my husband inside to pay for the gas and fetch our cold treats. When he walked out with a pint of cookie dough vanilla ice cream I was dumbfounded. Oh yes.

I would love to say that I was dumbfounded that he didn't buy our usual, sensible ice-cream-on-a-stick. No, once he explained why he bought an entire pint instead, I was okay with that. What I was dumbfounded about was that he bought cookie dough. I mean if I'm going to share a pint of ice cream it's not going to be cookie dough. So I went back in and exchanged it for vanilla heath bar crunch. Now THAT's more like it! Oh yes.

Of course, the unspoken truth between the two of us was that in the hot weather with no ice in our ice chest, and no desire to waste food or money, we were going to eat the entire pint. Oh yes. The entire pint as we drove away and continued our journey.

Half way through we were giddy with sin. It's was such a guilty pleasure to eat all that fat and sugar and throw sensibility and caution to the wind. Oh yes. As we got to the last few teaspoons, we were both beginning to have regrets, but what the heck, we'd come this far, why not eat to the very bottom of the container? We'd knew we'd pay for it later, but there was no stopping us now.

Oh yes. I would dig out a spoonful for my husband and one for me, and we would feel that cold creamy ice cream slip past our lips and down our throats. Oh yes. Our pleasure centers were on overload and we murmured "yum!" and went back for yet another spoonful. At my husband's slight protest over the last few spoonfuls I admonished him that we had gone this far, why not go all the way? Oh yes, Adam and Eve re-visited.

Oh no. We repented of our greed. We repented of our our sinful overindulgence. We repented of our eyes-being-bigger-than-our-stomachs. We begged our tummies for forgiveness. But oh no, we suffered the consequences of our actions. Not only did we by-pass dinner because we felt a bit ill, we slept terribly that night thanks to a sugar overload.

I am so grateful that I have a God who despite my sinful nature, will forgive me my trespasses through His Son. I know that I may suffer consequences for my poor choices, but I will never suffer the ultimate consequence of being eternally separated from my God.

The Possibilities of Hope and Faith

road trip ~ where in the world is Tor?

I am passionately in love with the desert. Not all deserts. The stretch on I-10 from Phoenix west to Arizona's border with California is just plain ugly to me. I'm more of a fan of deserts like Joshua Tree, Death Valley and areas of eastern Oregon.

I came to this new-found love of the desert since moving to California. Having spent most of my life enjoying forest-covered mountains, I have always wondered why the desert appealed to me. The mountains are lush. The mountains are big and bold. The mountains are about "now." Certainly, there are vistas to be seen but a typical hike or drive is really about what is right in front of my face. The trees withhold the horizon and the ground beneath my feet requires scrutiny for careful stepping. I need to be in the present to navigate the mountains.

If the mountains are about the "now, then the desert is about "possibilities." I love the possibilities of the desert ~ the wide open vistas, the never-ending night sky, the life that sprouts with the presence of water. It's that tenacity of life that I think I love the most. In a landscape that looks uninviting and even hostile, drops of water offer the hope of life.

Maybe that's what takes hold of my soul ~ hope. I don't know how people live without hope ~ not a wish or a dream but a hope that is solidly grounded in faith.

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him...Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts...Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope... May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him (Lamentations 3:25, Romans 5:5, Acts 2:26, Romans 15:3)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see...Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith ~ and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Hebrews 11:1, Romans 10:17, Ephesians 2:8)

I Got Me a Cowboy

road trip - where in the world is Tor?

We have left the lush green of coastal Washington far behind, transversed the Cascades, passed through wine and apple country, and finally turned our car south as we head towards Pendleton and eastern Oregon. Pendleton is world renowned for their exquisite wool blankets but did you also know they are home to some of the finest leather goods a cowboy could ever desire? In fact, cowboys come from afar for an annual, very-big-deal rodeo and cowboy gathering. As we drove out of town, I'm thinking, "I gotta get me a cowboy." Not that my husband isn't hunky enough or out-doorsy enough, it's just, well, he's not a real cowboy.

As we traveled through the high desert and marveled at the scenery, my eyes swore they saw a mirage ahead.

Was that really a cowboy ahead under the rusted metal sign for Wagonfire International Airport? I don't know which felt more surreal ~ seeing a real live cowboy or the "international" part of a sign for an airport in the middle of high desert in the middle of nowhere.

Oh yes, it was a cowboy alright, and I almost peed my pants yanking my camera out of its bag and setting the sights on get-as-many-pictures-of-this-hunky-cowboy-as-you-can. He was rustling (is that the right cowboy term?) a herd of cattle up the road-a-piece to graze in another pasture (if you call clumps of desert grass a pasture). His trusty companion was an itty bitty but determined dog that ran its little legs off keeping those cattle in line.

I'm going to stop writing now and just let you take in and savor a cowboy at work.

I know, I know. It's worth a second glance. The thing is, we never did see this guy's face. Totally incognito. So take one long last look below and envision the face of your man on this body astride this beautiful horse ~ and let him be the real cowboy in your life.

Yep, I got me a cowboy.