Month: March 2023

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature, Poetry, Writing Life

King of the Canopy ©1988, 2014 Molly Lin Dutina

We have more mighty wind storms this year than Bob and I can ever remember. Starting to think this too is a result of climate change? Seeing so many fallen trees the last couple months reminded me of this poem. Enjoy!

High in the canopy of the forest
	In one of the tallest trees
Four buds set themselves
On the end of a twig.

Sealed tight with scales
	They set themselves firmly
	Determined to survive the winter’s
	Thaw and freeze, thaw and freeze.

Then the unthinkable happened
The unimaginable,
 not even remotely pondered, occurred.

In that last big wind storm
	When we wondered what 
	Might be happening in the woods ….
This mighty home of the buds fell.
King of the canopy came tumbling down with a groan
And crash
Many splintering sounds as
The hollow trunk gave way to wind and decay.

The young saplings braced themselves
As branches flew past,
	Rubbing trunks
	Leaving lost members lodged in other’s forks.
The creak and the crash unsettled
The whole forest as small critters
Ran out of the tumbling parts’ way
Wondering why the canopy 
Would want to visit the floor?

With a sigh the mighty giant
Folded into the contours of the forest floor
And lay still in the windy gusts
The four buds, sealed tight, 
waiting for the spring sun to call them forth,
cling to the twig at my eye level now.

There’s a strange new light now
As we walk this bend in the forest.
Sunbeams pour in on a cloudless day asking
“Who will next attempt the role of
King of the Canopy? Come forth! Come forth!”
How many other buds of last year’s canopy 
have become a white tail’s fodder?
Posted on in Faith, Family, Illness and Health, medical treatment, Prayer, Thanks

Black Ice Consequences

This winter our son fell on black ice while walking into work. He suffered both knee injury and shoulder injury.

For those of you living where ice does not happen, good old Wikipedia describes it as: Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on streets. The ice itself is not black, but visually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it. The typically low levels of noticeable ice pellets, snow, or sleet surrounding black ice means that areas of the ice are often practically invisible to drivers or people stepping on it. There is, thus, a risk of slippage and subsequent accident due to the unexpected loss of traction.

He has been under medical care ever since. This afternoon he will finally receive shoulder surgery. There is a tear and they are going to repair it. Please pray for successful surgery and rapid thorough healing. He has been in pain for months.

If you have ever had shoulder surgery you know that getting comfortable afterwards is a major deal. He will not even be able to use his right hand for a long time after the surgery. And yes, he is right handed.

He is hoping for some major pain relief from the surgery and we are lifting that to the Father also.

I ask your prayers for him and his family (wife and son). I look forward to updating you with great news soon! He has been in physical therapy for his knee (same fall) and it seems to be healing nicely.

Concern for our kids never goes away, even when they are in their mid-40s!

Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.

Elizabeth Stone
Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Illness and Health, Just do it, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Traveling

Unrest

How does it hit you?

Anxiety that would never name itself fear, yet it usually is just that!

The experts, both travel agents and psychologists agree that planning a trip is the most exciting thing. Experiencing the trip can be delightful unless one gets too stressed. Having completed a vacation can leave you with many pleasant memories. Our upcoming trip to Hawaii has been filled with anticipation, will be filled with enjoyment and then we will have many happy memories. Unless of course, my fears come true!

My mother always wanted to go to Hawaii to see the many flowers. She never had the funds to get there before she died. We have been planning a trip since 2020, the year of our 50th wedding anniversary. During the pandemic Hawaii said you could travel there, but had to be in quarantine for 2 weeks. We could not afford a month in Hawaii! So we put it off and all but stopped planning. Except we talk to Dan and Betty often about sights and experiences they have enjoyed in Hawaii. We most often add their ideas to what we want to do!

We have been meeting with a travel agent for this trip. That has not been delightful. We talk about things we want. She looks up the item and prices. Later she sends us an itinerary and often parts of it are wrong. She is seriously keeping Bob on his toes!

Our health has challenged us as this trip draws closer. Bob needs a medical test that he is considering putting off until after the trip. When I question him about that he tells me, “So what if it indicates something should be done?” He would rather not know. I want certainty that he will be okay traveling. He quips, “Hawaii might be a cool place to die.” That does not comfort or sooth me. Think about that. If it happens do I just bring his ashes back or arrange transport for his whole body. What a logistical nightmare! Not to mention ruining the trip. Just yesterday, come to find out, they cannot take him for the test until we return!

I have had pain in my shoulder since Thanksgiving. Doctor’s assistant sent me to physical therapy. PT made it worse. Doctor said I need an MRI to find out what is going on in there. It seems worse with certain movements. This has become pain that cannot be ignored when I move a certain way. That breath-taking kind of pain that makes one gasp and see stars. I dread lying down in bed at night. MRI is scheduled for Tuesday evening, March 28, but return appointment with doc is not until mid-April. He said I might require an injection of steroid or surgery. NO SURGERY at least until after Hawaii. Surgery now would interfere with Hawaii. Oh, I get Bob’s reasoning now. Departure date is early May. 

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

So there it is. The fears laid out in the open. What do they require? That I trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding. In all my ways I must acknowledge Him and He will make my paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Oh.

Oh. That “T” word. It begins with a cross – t. It ends with a cross – t. And the letters in the middle ask, “R us?” Or better English, are we? Or Are U? (skip the ‘s’)

T r u s t

At one season in my life I set Psalm 56:3-4 to a melody. I would sing, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You, O Lord. When I am afraid, I put my trust in You, O Lord. In God whose word I praise, In God whose word I praise, in God I trust without a fear.” I am starting to sing it today, through the travel to Hawaii, and back home.

Shoulder, medical test, all of it can likely be something to be classified as false evidence of impending doom, appearing real, to ruin my anticipation of this trip of a lifetime. I refuse to let the devil steal my joy.

Instead of 50 years of marriage celebrated as we visit our 50th state, we will be celebrating almost 53 years of marriage as we visit our 50th state. Pray for us please! Especially scaredy cat, worrywart, Molly. Put it down Molly. You cannot receive His full blessing if your hands are full of fretting.

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Listen, Music, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Easter is around the Corner!

During the pandemic many choirs picked up this song by Andrew Peterson and created videos on YouTube. I just have to share it with you again to bring honor to our Christ! I just love Andrew’s smile in the top video. There is more than one person shedding tears during this song. Yes, there are 3 versions! Why not? Review the lyrics and confirm your heart in the truth! So many Scriptures in this song!!

Pandemic Version
Youth Version
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Family, Illness and Health, Just do it, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Give This Thought and Practice

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

Omar Khayyam

This moment. Right now. Just now.

How many of us even think about that idea? We are so far off in “If only” and “What if” that we are usually barely conscious of right now. But we can be conscious of right now? We most likely will have to train ourselves to do this present moment thinking. I cannot overstate the benefits!

Can you stay focused on God for more than a moment?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Mark 12:30 NIV

This moment is your life and your chance to love the Lord your God. This moment. Right now. Just now. Many people before us have tried multiple methods to accomplish this. What is your method? Have you developed a practice towards keeping happily with His presence in each moment? Turn your heart towards Him as you sip iced tea or hot coffee? As you walk through a door frame do you remember you are walking in His presence.

Photo by Benjamin Rascoe on Unsplash

There are countless methods to mind the moments. What is yours? As we turn our hearts and minds continuously towards the Trinity we will find more satisfaction and happiness in each moment. Take the challenge for yourself. Practice His presence and find ways to be happy in this moment with Him.

Recently I was hit with a bout of nausea and other sickly symptoms. I had to stop everything I was doing to cope with my body and symptoms. Talking with a dear cousin she also was ill for a few days. She mentioned that she just cried out to the Father, “I know You have taken care of me and met all of my needs. I know You will do that just now, even while I am not feeling well.” And indeed, God did. Though she was not as energetic as usual, she was able to take care of herself and her attitude by staying conscious of God’s good care.

“Be happy for this moment.” Were either one of us happy to be sickly? Absolutely not! Rather than wasting time awfulizing or bemoaning our state of being we both made a decision to stay aware of our good Father and invite Him into the situation.

Photo by Valentina Ivanova on Unsplash
Posted on in Beagle, Humor, Thanks

Humor While Walking Lucky

Like most modern subdivisions we have a drainage pond. There are usually Canada Geese there spoiling the sidewalk with there stool. Sometimes on the water we get Wood Ducks. They are so lovely. Last year they hatched their eggs at our pond but I think the local coyotes got most of the goslings. The wood ducks seem particularly fond of one yard where they keep the feeders filled year ’round.

While walking Lucky the other day, I wondered if the Wood Ducks thought they were camouflaged? You decide!

Mr Baker, why do you have decoys in your yard? Oh, those are real!!
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Poetry

Just Silliness

Is a hearse on a tow truck twice dead? Not what Scripture teaches:

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment

Hebrew 9:27 KJV


“Going to hell in a hand basket.” Now wait a minute. you cannot fit very much into a hand basket! Maybe a dozen eggs; certainly not a person! If you study the idiom, it means is to be rapidly deteriorating – on course for disaster.


Sign said, “Right on red arrow after stop.” Explain that to me! Lane only goes left.

And for a snippet of poetry:
The moon smeared the cloud strips with a large brush
She used a small brush to paint through my window
Posted on in Faith, Humor

Humor at Church

We recently visited an Episcopal church to worship with friends and to hear a presentation from a series on Healing. Both of the altar boys were wearing the alb.

It is not unusual to see various brands of gym shoes and jeans below the alb. What startled me was the edge of a hoodie inside the alb collar that read under armor.

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Ephesians 6:10-11 NRSV

Hoping the kid knows that Scripture!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Turning Away?

Is seeking for treasures in plain sight a turning away from the things of reality, especially challenging things? Not at all! The goal of seeking treasures in plain sight is to bring the reality of a relationship with the Almighty into the everyday world. Learning to seek the blessings surrounding us, regardless of the bleakness and in times in spite of the bleakness that sometimes accompanies human day to day life. Our paths are strewn with delights if we will open our eyes to see and believe.

Paul wrote:

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Philippians 4:8 NRSVA
God used a donkey, (Numbers 22:21-39) He wants to use you, too!
Petrified Wood – Lord, protect me from congealing or solidifying!

Brother Lawrence, named Nicholas Herman, “Seeing a dry, lifeless tree in the dead of winter, and realizing that soon it would burst forth into life as the sap rose in the spring, Herman knew that he was spiritually dead and asked God to give him a rebirth. It happened, too.” https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/brother-lawrence/

photo by r m dutina

I am ever aware that the LORD blesses me with seeing things for encouragement. He did not have to let me see this land snail in the heart of the nasturtium backlit by sunshine, and yet He did.

Blessings surround you and me. As I watch snow squalls whip about our yard, the male and female bluebirds are perched at the top of the oak tree. The tree is barely more than a stick!

Keep your eyes open for blessings abounding to you!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Posted on in Faith

Weird Advertising

In Cincinnati we have some good advertisers that are creative and humorous. They have a bakery ad for Busken’s that shows a high school graduate and says “He’s done. Put a fork in him!” They decorate sheet cakes with photos and cookies with school colors, etc.

Recently I saw a billboard by some other company that I found weird and distasteful. If you were searching for joy, would you search for it in a cemetery? With the rise in suicide awareness I think the idea behind this billboard is objectionable. Maybe it’s just me? Maybe I am reading it wrong? At another location teh same billboard for the cemetery reads “Find peace here!”

Really?

And then Bob found this one a few years ago. Thankfully it is starting to fall apart now so maybe we won’t have to endure it much longer?

Yuck, closet space and divorce!

There are companies that help arrange things so you have more closet space. In my opinion, this is not how anyone should do that.