Views from the Trampoline

Love these views -

this little one,

 willow trees,

and this sky.

Snuggling and looking at all there is to be seen.

This 6 year old mouth.

A blanket and reading in the sun.

And even from here, I love the view of my favorite kitchen table spot :)

Looking forward to many evenings like this,

as this semester of Chemistry and Physics is finally coming to a close.

Ones where I stop - and enjoy the view of where I am...

A Little Lemon Tree

I have always wanted a lemon tree...

And look what my hubby bought me (us) :)

The flowers have the most beautiful smell! 



 And these teeny little lemons are too cute!

Picked out a nice spot yesterday evening, with Joshua's help.

Just lovely

Since I am a gardener want to be, without present knowledge,

I can't wait to see how the tree grows and how long till these are brightly yellow

and ready...

A perfect springtime planting!



Mornings

I love mornings...

I so do.

I am off school for the rest of the week, and the kiddos too.

4 whole days of not having not having to run out the door early.

And the happiest thing about that is, getting to savor my most favorite time of the day.

In my favorite morning time spot.

Soaking in scriptures and coffee,

and reviving my weary soul.

"On the day I called, you answered me, my strength of soul you increased."

Psalm 138:3

I so love the way mornings offer promise.

A brand new day, a clean slate.

Sparkling like the morning sun off leaves.

When I make the time to face Him,

I can be like this tree.

Reflecting the light.

Mornings make even Blue's path, drenched in the night's rain,

a sparkling path.

All is green and fresh and bright.

The skies seem bluer and clearer.

And I begin to realize, it's not just because it's morning that all seems clearer.

Could it be instead, that I, like the grass and the trees and the path,

were dry -  needing a good soaking?

That I too needed to clear the clouds and feed this soul?

That when I fill first with Him, in the morning, everyday could be like this?!

The Changing Seasons of Life

Oh the seasons of life.

Some are such happy ones.

Some, you had no idea how sweet they were until you look back.

Some you are happy they are over, never to return.

And some, they are... the ones you just have to get through -

 Not bad, just not what you want.

Life the past few months have been a rush. 

A blur of busy activity, rushing from one event to another.

Like these pink lovelies.

For weeks we noticed the buds as we rushed by, in and out of the house.

And finally, blooms.  Lots and lots of them.

I do so enjoy them while they are here.

Filling vases here and there.

And they are already gone... until next Spring...

And this busy season of life? It too will pass.

This time of school and shuffling, and forgetting what needs to be done,

of rushing this one up and to school, and this one too, and dishes and cooking,

and grocery shopping and laundry. Of college and studying and homework and tests.

Of little ones with fever and sickness, of doctor appointments,

and of me - getting wisdom teeth pulled, at my age.

Of not having time for even an overdue phone call or sharing of hearts over coffee.

This season too shall pass.

And one day, a new will come.

It will spring up possibly without notice.

Like this little tree, growing in a shady corner of the backyard.

Some seasons have been just how I wanted them. 

All in order and under my control...

Time to linger, time for friendships, time for a spic and span house,

and planned out cooked meals.

Time when it felt easy to encounter God.

To see and hear from Him.

To be in a wonderful bible study with dear friends.  Curled up on couches.

For long quiet times while little ones slept or napped or played nearby.

But what to make of this blurring time?

 It doesn't feel nice and orderly or under any control.

And then I wonder why think it should?

I know that at anytime, I can look up...

In between the rushing of life events, all the need-to-do's,

He is there...  A prayer away. 

And only He will give me the strength to endure - all the seasons of life.

New Directions

Now that I have switched majors,

I have had to switch schools.

Technically it's the same school, but a different campus.

I still have to drive to New Orleans, but in a different area

and to a campus I have never been to before.

One where I know no one. 

No friends on this journey with me.

No one to explore this big campus with...

Or to help me as I am nearly freaking out over not knowing

what on earth I am doing in Chemistry and Physics...

I thought I'd be studying science - not math like I've never seen before.

Math with Scientific Notation to the 1000th degree hard,

and vectors and graphing and compasses, oh my!

And yet, even in this, I find peace and beauty.

This big and strange new campus is right across the street from

City Park in New Orleans.

I purposely park farther from my classes, just so I can face this park.

 Magnificent old Oak Trees, lovely enough to calm this fearful student.

I park here under this tree.

Only in New Orleans, do you find Mardi Gras beads hanging like fruit in a tree!

And even on a wire...

And so in between one hard class and the other,

I make my car a sanctuary.

I eat, I read, I soak in the words and the view and pray for strength to do this...

I gather strength from He who is with me at all times.

On a Lunch Break

What does one do on a rare break between one errand and another must do?

One with not quite enough time to go home,

but too much time to arrive early for the next thing of the day?

I choose a quiet spot, near a boat dock, on a cold windy day.

Warming in the sun and sheltered by my car.

And a view of a bayou.

But the view I really want to look to?

Oh, I need to look into the Word.

To spend some time hearing and learning from God.

In my bible and a great bible study.

Over a peanut butter and apple jelly sandwich and a Diet Dr Pepper...

A delightful way to spend one's lunch break  :)

I want to be the (wo)man in Jeremiah 17...

"But blessed is the man who

trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in Him.

He will be like a tree planted

by the water

that sends out its roots by

the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of

drought

and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8



Season of Beauty and Change

Fall has to be the prettiest of seasons...

Everywhere, the red, orange and yellows catch the eye.

Here in the deep South, it can't decide to be cool and stay cool,

or turn warm again.

It reminds me a bit of myself right now.

So happy for this time of year,

the holidays, the leaves, the trees, the joy.

But so many winds of change in my life right now...

Do I live in peace, or live in fear?

Do I live in joy or give way to sadness?

Seems a season of reflecting,

a season of bits of regret - does that come when one needs to think and does think too much?

A season of what to do next?

And how did I get here?

One of teenager, a preteen and a 1st grader,

and all the deep issues with each age - and boys and girl.

All at once.

And a mom that wonders how she was just the teenager...

and she's not ready to parent one...

or two.

A season to take it all in.

To open the blinds and just to look -

at the colors and the leaves and the trees and the blowing of the breeze.

One where I wonder what will blow in next?

Where will God lead, and what will open and what will close?

What will take shape, that I cannot begin to make out right now?

A season to draw close to Him who holds all of it in His hands.

To listen, to read, to hear, to question, to soak in, to saturate,

to stop the clenching of my fists -

to open my hands...

To all that He brings,

blowing in - like these leaves on this breeze.