We took a walk at the Nature Center June 12. Absolutely gorgeous weather! Cool, not too humid and sunny.
At one pond pond this red wing black bird was singing for all it was worth. Bob took this video for me. What a delight!
Month: June 2020
Romans 8 Portion
Many years ago I made a retreat at the Convent of the Transfiguration. Bishop Gore was the speaker. He had taken a sabbatical and used the time to study Romans 8. He shared with us his translation of a portion. Read it below.
“His love is our security. And that love is so strong that nothing on earth can come between us and it. The sea of troubles that a Christian has to face, hardship and persecution of every kind, are powerless against it. For I am convinced that no form or phase of being, whether abstract or personal, not life nor its negation, nor any hierarchy of spirits, no dimension of time, no supernatural powers, no dimensions of space, no world of being invisible to us now, will ever come between Jesus and us now – will ever come between us and the love which God has brought to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Now and then, I just need to be reminded of this eternal truth. Be encouraged. Cling to this.
Prayer for Native Americans
Perhaps you have heard that the Tribes are having a terrible time with the Corona Virus. When we traveled the southwest with our friends, the Cookseys, I purchased this CD.
I offer this song asking that you would pray for the healing and recovery of the Native Americans being hit so terribly hard with the pandemic illness.
Grandgirl #1
Our first grandchild, Lizzie, graduates today. The child was born September 2001, on our wedding anniversary and a few weeks after the terrorist bombings of New York City, attempt at Washington and crash into the Pentagon. School was closed and began on-line classes in March this year. Her Senior prom was cancelled due to Covid-19. She had already purchased her dress.
Now it is time for graduation and it too will be peculiar. The school decided to have each graduate walk across the stage to get their diploma. BUT there will only be one family in the auditorium at a time. The staff will be there from 8:30 to 9:30PM, or some such. Long day for them. Lizzie’s time is scheduled for 10:30 AM. At first they were limiting attendance to four people per student. That meant Bob and I would have to decide which one of us was attending. Then they changed it to seven people per student. Whew! now we both get to attend.
This child has always been shy and does NOT like to have her photo taken. Recently, she did like her new shirt and let me get this photo.
This sweet girl won three academic awards her senior year. The program was on YouTube with teachers and administrators making the announcements, before no in house audience. Two years in a row she won an award in American Sign Language. She will enroll in the local branch of University of Cincinnati this autumn. The world is in store for a great young lady!!
As a volleyball player she is ALWAYS in motion!
Please pray for her future! I often sang this to her when she was very young. If I am not mistaken the “I love you” at the end is done in American Sign Language!
Out My Office Window
Bachelor Buttons reseeded themselves again and have been gigantic this year of mild weather. In the yard recently I captured a shot of this guy.
As I type this I can hear his honeybee cousin out the open window on the same group of flowers!
I think the heat and rain have about finished the poppies. And then, they keep blooming! I may try to thin them and move them about when they go dormant. Then again, I hesitate for fear I will damage or kill one!
Planted this cheery yellow perennial a couple years ago. It is flourishing this spring. Would have to go out to the garden and get the tag to know it’s name. I keep forgetting it. I can use it in cut flower arrangements as long as it keeps access to the sun.
Purple Salvia and Lemondrop Oenothera – no wonder I can’t remember it!
PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS: Bob has hidden some sunflower plants just next to the poppies. Perhaps we will have groups of birds at the window in those sunflowers if the deer do not eat off the flower heads before they bloom!
Find the Focus
Some days as a writer and one who journals it is difficult to get my footing and direction as evidenced in Find the Focus© 2014 Molly Lin Dutina
Cannot find the clipboard poems in process of revising. Cannot find the journal life in process of being noted. Where is my concordance trying to find that verse never finished notes in my Bible negligence has made this worse. Too often cover important With mundane and lowly Help me find the focus to tell forth the eternal and holy. Fighting back the darkness bearing forth the Light partake in eternal struggle get any pen, any paper note on computer the calling compels you to herald the glad tidings: God wins.
Retreat 2011
The theme was icons and how to use them for deeper communion and prayer. This is what I heard as result of that experience. Retreat ©2011 Molly Lin Dutina
“Yes, my dear, I AM the teacher and so much I have yet to teach you. You want to, now will you incline your ear to Me? “Will you turn your heart from lesser things to feast upon Me? Will you take My discipline and correction that your soul may live in fatness? “Christ, the Teacher, is the icon I AM chose for you. I AM your Teacher.” Yes, my Lord, come and teach me. Show me the discipline I need to embrace. Help me to feast upon Your correction.