Month: February 2021

Posted on in Faith, Poetry, Spiritual growth

The Lord of Hurt and Wounded Beings

The Slave’s Ear© Molly Lin Dutina 2020

 Oh Malchus,slave of the High Priest
 When your ear was cut off and began gushing blood
 Were you startled? In anguished pain?
 When the Lord Christ restored it
 Did you then refuse to go with those who
 Came to arrest Him?
 Did you ever believe He was the Christ?
 He healed you and what was your response?
  
 Jesus, besides being saddened that 
 The slave’s ear was cut off
 Did You heal him to keep
 Your disciple out of trouble
 Knowing that harming the slave of the High Priest
 Would bring that disciple harm?
 Or did You heal him on the principle
 That hurt and wounded things
 Are Your specialty?
 Did he believe when You restored him
  
 I want to know the end of that story
 Many times I have lashed out at others
 Not with sharpened sword but
 Words or actions as sharp as swords
 And You delivered me
 You made it right
 Offered healing to those I have hurt
 Keep me from myself 
 Help me to give You glory
 To my last day and dying breath
 I pray

We can experience physical pain, emotional pain and mental pain. When the three arrive simultaneously our tipping point can occur.

When that happens it is time to withdraw from one thing or another to preserve our ability to cope.

Are you nearing the edge of your tolerance?

Can you see where and how to preserve your coping self? What might bring you solace and relief, what might raise your shield of defense? Lord, You are our shield and Mighty Deliverer. Lead and guide us in Your ways.

Posted on in Humor, Moving, Spiritual growth

Two More Weeks!

Do you know the joke about the construction crew that kept saying “Two more weeks!” They warned us when we signed the contract that the house would be ready for us to move in by the end of April or early May – unless – one of those polar vortexes came through. Well guess what arrived several weeks ago? You got it. Our own delay due to greater than average snows and temperatures MUCH lower than average for our area.

I did not really believe it when they told us the end of April.

Image from a vacation sort of fits 2021 experience of home building in the winter of 2021.

Meanwhile the realtor came to discuss when to list and how much to ask for our current abode. A moving company came to discuss how much they would charge to pack and/or move us. They will even unpack us for another charge and do it rapidly! Having had much of our lives in boxes for several months that sounds appealing, but also exhausting.

So we try not to run out of ideas of things to do until the move is imminent. Bob is not fun when he is bored! Every time I mention starting a jigsaw puzzle he sort of cringes. Today the snow is melting rapidly. Blue skies, bird songs. Almost time to work in the yard (oh I should have typed mud).

Posted on in Aging, Family, Humor, Memories

Rhythm or Melody?

Grandma Snapp played the piano most of her life. My Grandfather was a preacher. Grandma played the piano. My mother, their only daughter for 21 years, was made to lead the hymns standing on a soapbox.

In her last years Grandma Snapp drummed her fingers on the table. That made my mother crazy! I always imagined she was perhaps playing part of a piano piece?

When I turned 65, I found myself unconsciously drumming a rhythm with my fingers. When I realized what I was doing I wondered, do I do it because Grandma did? Is it hereditary? I am not a pianist. The rhythm seems comforting.

iPhone will let you set your vibration signal. I have mine set for incoming calls. Guess how I set mine? Yep, same rhythm! Find it under ringtone, custom vibration.

Posted on in Covid 19, Faith, Social Distancing

I Cannot Comprehend

500,000 people in the United States dead from Covid-19. Sad history being made in our midst.

I just cannot comprehend that much loss, that much death in one year, that many families grieving. I was in shock March 21, 2020 when the numbers were 24,000 deaths from Covid-19 in the USA.

I understand grief. I understand death. Recently Marvin died, Jay died, Art died and Gary, too. Most were ill. Some were older than others. My brain struggles to get around 500,000 people dying from one disease in one year. It is very likely that I have not even met 500,000 people in my entire life. Internet statistics report the average American knows about 600 people and may meet upwards to 10,000 in a lifetime. 500,000 is difficult for me to even conceptualize.

National Geographic published the article below to help us get a grip. It was comforting to read “our brains are not wired to comprehend this much loss“. They end the article saying “These figures do not include tens of thousands of deaths that may have been related to the virus but were not recorded as COVID-19 deaths, such as deaths before testing became more widely available.”

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/graphics/what-500000-united-states-covid-deaths-look-like

Stay strong. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. Wear your mask, or two. Get your vaccine when available and stay grateful for the many, many blessings which overflow our lives.

Posted on in Faith, Humor, Memories, Spiritual growth, Traveling

In the Gap of a Stone Wall

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;  but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

-Luke 12:19-21 New Revised Standard Version.

When I was a child my mother collected Betty Crocker coupons points from flour and box mixes. When we had saved enough points we could order things from the Betty Crocker catalog. Researching this article I realized that is likely where she ordered my baby spoon from!

When I was a young teen we had a Home Economics class. The teacher told us to to choose an everyday flatware pattern based upon our preference of design and how easy it would be to keep the pattern clean. My mother let me use her coupons to order this spoon.

Yep! I still have it. The design is great to get frozen hard gelato out of the container! 🙂

When we were in Ireland we were fascinated by the multitude of stone walls. The land is so rocky that those smart people used the stones to build with. Walking in a village one day the roadway was lined with stone walls on either side. I noticed something shining out of the wall. I pulled on it and much to my surprise was the item below!

At first glance what does it remind you of? I could not have been more shocked!

Side by side you can see they are not identical, but I was shocked to see the similarities! Was someone walking to work eating and finished their food? Decided to store the fork for later? Then forgot where it was? I will never know, but it became one of my found souvenirs. The tines are a little bent but I treasure it. I do not value it over my Lord. Unless He fills me and guides me with His Holy Spirit I am as useless as a fork stuck in the gaps of a stone wall.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Poetry

One Autumn Week

One Autumn Week © Molly Lin Dutina

 
 The other morning
 woods bathed golden with
 sunlight shining through autumn leaves
 making butterscotch in LED format from on high,
 amazed.
 The depth of the woods has been
 secreted all summer in leaves and shadows.
  
 I awoke next morn to gray sky
 shaking pillowcases full of snowflakes
 upon fallen leaves and naked trunks.
 No surface was chilled enough to hold
 the flakes for more than a few moments
 murmurs of winter to come.
  
 Today the woods are bare
 the sunlight shows brown trunks and black
 punctuated by an occasional leaf
 all this
 within one autumn week.
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Memories, Nature

Picking Daffodils in The Rain

Picking Daffodils in The Rain © 2014 Molly Lin Dutina

 I ran out the door 
 to pick daffodils before the rain beat upon them.
 Wandering up the hill I looked over the white Trout Lilies,
 Then noticed something most unusual!
 The time for tapping maples has passed
 Yet here bubbles sap - at base of the walnut tree?
 No!
 Rain is simply percolating through the rugged bark!
 In concert with gravity it creates a bubble fountain of joy.
  
Trout Lily by r m dutina
Posted on in Family, Humor

Language Humor 2

We lived near a firehouse when Emily was small. We often talked about fire trucks and the ambulance. She insisted it was an “Ambliance.”

When we went to the zoo we saw the “Efalant.”

The delight and challenges of toddler language!

At the grocery Jeff made me nuts one day. Sitting in the cart he kept asking for “Woo Bea.” I kept telling him if I could only understand him I would gladly buy that. Finally, I got it!

Barq’s Root Beer

Many, many years later we took Jeff’s son for a walk. We had him in a stroller because the walk was about a mile in length and he was quite small.

Photos by r m dutina

He could not wait later that day to tell his Dad he saw a “Cowpidar!” I love those chubby knuckles!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Poetry

Exceeding Expectations

 Exceeding Expectations © Molly Lin Dutina  21-2-9 
 
 As forecast
 the snow fell in the night
 surpassing the expectations 
 of excited meteorologists
  
 There are no rough edges on our 
 world this morn
 only smooth brush strokes
 from the palate of Jack Frost
 he was heavy handed with his snow
 flat surfaces are now domed
 the squirrel baffle on the suet post 
 resembles the Pope’s miter cap
 the dog labors to walk at all
  
 Finally we let her off leash and she ran 
 in laps like a maniac
 leaving few traces of her joyful gallop
 when we got the bird feeder filled
 the chirpers seemed delighted
 all other foods were buried 
  
 Soon leaf blowers, shovelers, plow trucks
 snow blowers all joined the chorus of removal
 It will be days before the entire pavement is seen again
 unless some winter exceeds
 Expectations once again!