Sunday Schoolism #34: Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

II Corinthians 6:10

Sorrow was beautiful, but his beauty was the beauty of the moonlight shining through the leafy branches of the trees in the woods. His gentle light made little pools of silver here and there on the soft green moss of the forest floor. And when he sang, his song was like the low, sweet calls of the nightingale, and in his eyes was the unexpectant gaze of someone who has ceased to look for coming gladness. He could weep in tender sympathy with those who weep, but to rejoice with those who rejoice was unknown to him.

Joy was beautiful, too, but hers was the radiant beauty of a summer morning. Her eyes still held the happy laughter of childhood, and her hair glistened with the sunshine's kiss. When she sang, her voice soared upward like a skylark's, and her steps were the march of the conqueror who has never known defeat. She could rejoice with anyone who rejoices, but to weep with those who weep was unknown to her.

Sorrow longingly said, "We can never be united as one." 

"No, never," responded Joy, with eyes misting as she spoke, "for my path lies through the sunlit meadows, the sweetest roses bloom when I arrive, and songbirds await my coming to sing their most joyous melodies."

"Yes, and my path," said Sorrow, turning slowly away, "leads through the dark forest, and moonflowers, which open only at night, will fill my hands. Yet the sweetest of all earthly songs-the love song of the night, will be mine. So farewell, dear Joy, farewell."

Yet even as Sorrow spoke, he and Joy became aware of someone standing beside them. In spite of the dim light, they sensed a kingly Presence, and suddenly a great and holy awe overwhelmed them. They then sank to the knees before Him.

"I see Him as the King of Joy," whispered Sorrow, "for on His head are many crowns, and the nailprints in His hands are feet are scars of a great victory. And before Him all my sorrow is melting away into deathless love and gladness. I now give myself to Him forever."

"No, Sorrow," said Joy softly, "for I see Him as the King of Sorrow, and the crown on His head is a crown of thorns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of terrible agony. I also give myself to Him forever, for sorrow with Him must be sweeter than any joy I have ever known."

"Then we are one in Him," they cried in gladness, "for no one but He could unite Joy and Sorrow."

Therefore they walked hand in hand into the world, to follow Him through storms and sunshine, through winter's severe cold and the warmth of summer's gladness, and to be "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."

Streams In The Desert

Daily Devotional Readings

Muley

I had two amazing great aunts and their impact on my life is immeasurable.  When they would get irritated with each other, which didn't happen often, the word 'muley' would creep into their dialogue.

This is my interpretation of muley: adhering to only one way of thinking because you are blinded to other perspectives. Now what blinds us is a topic for another day, but I wanted to share with you a Ted Talk that convicted me about the consequences of being blinded.

(Let me give a shout out to my daughter, Katherine, 

who lovingly prohibits blinders in our family. 

Thank you, KP!)

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story

Until tomorrow,

Shelli

Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom. 

~Merry Browne

O Lord, help me not to despise or oppose what I do not understand.

 ~William Penn

Weed?

Look carefully at the tall weed growing in the bed by the front tire of the truck.

After chopping down dead roses and cleaning out the other weeds, I just didn't have the heart to pull this weed(?). It had gotten so tall and seemed to have buds. 

Now let me be clear, I have pulled up thousands of these weeds(?) this summer and if it blooms and is gorgeous and turns out to be something valuable, I will live forever in Master Gardener shame.

Until bloom day,

Shelli

If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn. 

~Andrew Mason

Conquered

I have conquered it - that gigantic, overgrown flower bed in front of the she shed!!! It is without a doubt the hardest gardening job I have ever tackled, but I am victorious!!! The weeds are pulled, the briars are poisoned, the saplings have been dug out, and my muscles are reminding me I am almost sixty years old!!!!

But as with remodeling a house, reclaiming a garden often reveals hidden problems. Once the dangling briars were removed, we realized that the retaining wall was dangerously bowed. I wanted to cry just because I had no energy left to start unexpected repairs. Thank goodness for James!!

My sweet husband, probably realizing I was nearing a breakdown, dug out soil, buried and set posts in cement, and then pulled in the retaining wall boards with 7 in. lag screws while I just stood by and cried tears of joy and appreciation.

Then I hauled home a truck load of soil and mulch that was spread over everything. And finally it was done - my nemesis, foe, enemy, specter, was gone.

Before...

After.

During....

After.

I will stalk this garden for the next year, clippers in one hand and Round-up in the other, and turn my attention to the pathway that has been settling all summer. It needs minor adjustments and mortar. But the hard work is behind me.

I wish I had had a bottle of champagne on hand. Then I could have toasted the end of this yucky job...

To you, overgrown flower bed,

I toast the demise of your weeds and briars

and I curse their future offspring.

May bountiful bulbs adorn your future

And bring beauty to future generations!!

Until tomorrow,

Shelli

Yahoo!!!!!

Dear Friend,

 today is the first day of the first week of the first month without a chemo appointment on your calendar!!!!

You did it!!!!

You are a rock star!!!!!

Congratulations 

and 

much love!!!!

Shelli

We acquire the strength we have overcome. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday Schoolism #33:Seeing is Believing?

The world says 'seeing is believing', but God wants us to believe in order to see.

 

The psalmist said, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps. 27:13 NASB).

                                                                                                                      Streams in the Desert 

Porch People

Our addition of the porch has truly completed this house. It made me remember a post I wrote years ago about our family's deep rooted relationship to porches. I thought it might bear repeating....


Summer 2014.....

Our family is getting together at our parents' house this week - sisters, daughters, nieces, nephews, sons, and dogs.   We have several things planned; a birthday/retirement party, a fishing trip, Chinese checkers, building a marble rollercoaster, and a day trip to Natchitoches, but the main event will be sittin' on the porch. (Sitting on the porch would imply straight backs with feet on the floor. Sittin' is leaned back, feet thrown over the arm of the chair, and an ice cold something in your hand.)

     We're porch people, always have been.  When we were little and visited our paternal grandmother, the adults would sit on the porch drinking coffee while we chased little toads, picked dew berries, and raked pine straw into floor plans of imaginary houses. Every now and then the deep laughter of our dad and his brother, Darrell, would come rolling off the porch bringing the assurance that all was well with the adults in our world so everything must be all right with us too.

     As teenagers the porch was often the scene of our life lessons.  Dad would call us out to the porch to sit on the swing.  Here he and Mom would hand out reassuring wisdom when we were sad or discipline when we were bad.  One particular disciplinary action holds a famous place in family lore. That night Dad innocently asked one of us sisters to come sit with him on the swing where he said, " The moon sure is pretty tonight." "Yeah", she answered.  "Well, you better look at it really good because you're not going to be seeing the moon for a while.  You're grounded!"

     Now that we're grown, Dad has taken the art of porch sittin' to new heights.  He has replaced the swing with a "swing-bed" so he can even sleep out there; weather permitting.  The old swing has been moved out to a tree in the yard.  Mom says they sit out there as often as not.

     When we are all together this week, the mornings will start with each of us sleepily drifting from our beds to the porch; one at the time, old folks first - young ones later.  There we will start visitin'.  We'll catch up on local gossip and share what's been going on with us.  If anyone is in a "low swirl", we'll boost them up.  If anyone is riding a wave of good fortune, we'll ride it with them. There is nothing that sittin' on the porch can't solve or celebrate.  Our laughter will roll off the porch and out into the pasture, and our little ones will know all is right with the world.

  

Until tomorrow,

Shelli

My family lived off the land and summer evening meals featured baked stuffed tomatoes, potato salad, corn on the cob, fresh shelled peas and homemade ice cream with strawberries from our garden. With no air conditioning in those days, the cool porch was the center of our universe after the scorching days.

 -David Mixner

Porch Decor

Sorry, Dear Friend!!!

 Mom and Dad decided to stop by on their route home from Carole's in Mobile, so instead of posting porch pictures I made them a pecan pie. 

Now, onto the porch!

It all started with the goose!

I had been planning on legitimate porch furniture, but discovered this goose planter in one of the antique shops downtown. Out the window flew the idea of grown-up 'real' patio furniture and we were off on a quest for dog hair and potato peelings décor.

Many of the furnishings came with us from Ruston, but had been in storage in one of the sheds. It was wonderful to have more of our old things around us again. 

We didn't have a table large enough for dining, so we found this one downtown and found six chairs for next to nothing in Natchez.

Of course, they were next to nothing because they didn't have bottoms! We cut these out, stained and stenciled them, and James attached them with the screws showing. 

Dog hair and potato peelings décor is so relaxed that anything goes and the more primitive and 'put together' the better.

 We enjoy our old swing being in the front yard, so a new swing had to be purchased for the back porch. And what says 'relaxed' more than cup holders on your swing!! Can't decide whether to paint it or let it weather....

We are still training the dogs not to run through the screen, hence the crime tape. So far, so good.

This morning it was 70 degrees outside and we were so glad to have the new porch to sit on while enjoying a hint of autumn.

Until tomorrow,

Shelli

I'm an old-fashioned guy...

 I want to be an old man with a beer belly sitting on a porch, looking at a lake or something. 

-Johnny Depp

Finished!!!

The porch is finished!!

We had a christening party- my parents and sister came over to shell peas and drink wine. 

How else would you christen a porch?!!

We'll do porch décor tomorrow...

Until then,

Shelli

As a child in South Carolina, I spent summers like so many children - sitting on my grandparents' back porch with my siblings, spitting watermelon seeds into the garden or, even worse, swallowing them and trembling as my older brother and sister spoke of the vine that was probably already growing in my belly. -Jacqueline Woodson

True luxury is being able to own your time - to be able to take a walk, sit on your porch, read the paper, not take the call, not be compelled by obligation. 

-Ashton Kutcher

Succulents

I've jumped on the succulent bandwagon. I must admit that I have not always been a fan. Succulents just weren't as appealing to me as vibrant, lively flowers; frankly, succulents looked half dead.

But in this forest environment, I don't know, my attitude began to change.(Do succulents even belong in a woodsy environment?) I found myself giving them a second look at the nursery. Then I found my self actually lingering over them at Lowes and thinking which ones I would buy 'if I liked succulents'.

And then there was this log. It had fallen down by the dry creek bed last winter and when James went out to drag it to the burn pile, I asked him to put it behind the pole barn instead. There was just something about it and a little idea started to form.

Finally, James and I were out poking around the antique shops and came across this old syrup tray and all the pieces of a plan for a succulent garden fell into place.

James attached the syrup tray to an old rought iron stand. Then he cut the log into pieces with his chain saw. I laid a base of cypress mulch and then added the pieces of log that were hollow or had interesting cavities and I filled the cavities with succulents.

I also added some coral, rocks, and a turtle shell from my earth science teaching days.

We love it, but have NO idea how to care for succulents!!

 We'll see how it goes!

Until tomorrow,

Shelli

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks

- John Muir