Category: Look

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Journal, Listen, Look, Nature, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Yield

Finally Rain!!

My journal entry 25/10/07

I am waiting to hear it. Supposed to rain all day long! I am eager to listen to it. Hoping Lori can work from home with the window open. I told her when I walk the dog I will be tempted to just stand in the rain without a raincoat! 

In the center down silence
At the altar within my heart
I come to adore You and listen for Your voice

As the rains come down from heaven
and water the earth
And do not return empty
So is my word which goes forth

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isa 55:10-11 NRSVUE

And I listen …it is here…Drip, splatter, patter, drop, wash. Prayers answered. Leaves dip as they are washed, grass bends as ground absorbs. Blue jay continues to sing from some place as Cardinal calls. Rain continues, individual drops that in the gutter form a rush of water.

Individual drops that form a cloud, pour out and fill the dry place to make a puddle. Individual drops that converge on one place and transform that place into something new.

Individuals that are transfigured into something new. Leaves in the garden seem to wave at me. Then the rush of rain changes to a torrent from the sky. How do the birds navigate through that while being pelted on the head? 

Come Lord, rain upon me and change me too.
Fern frond twitches
Not a rabbit, rain.
Lily pads at the pond ...

My poem from long ago rings true today in my heart.

The rain gauge tells me 2-1/4 inches have fallen so far. I will gladly walk the dog in this rain we have needed so very desperately. We have a neighbor who calls with some regularity to find out how much rain our gauge has collected. I considered buying him a rain gauge, but then we might never hear from him!!

Lord, this rain is wonderful to us. My friend just texted it is heavenly. I so agree.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Just do it, Look, Nature, Poetry, Praise, Prayer, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Writing Life, Yield

Poetic Phrases

Walking Lucky around the pond one early morning these words filled my head as I saw the glistening surface of the water.

The pond seems to be sparkling,
Just tadpoles kissing the surface.
Father make me sparkle as I reach to kiss You, I pray.


Watching the autumn leaves out the window during prayer time I wrote:
The gentle breeze here is loosening the leaves. 
They drift to the ground. 
Reminds me to release burdens and 
move into a new season. 
We breathe in the new day, exhale the old burdens.


Have you turned random moments into prayer? I believe each of us can! What would this image have you pray?

The Burr Oak tree out our front window has delighted me this autumn. During the summer the leaves were so thick we could not see the little birdhouse hanging there. Then the tree began to drop leaves. The mowers have cleaned up fallen leaves from under it at least twice. Today it is green, though the leaves are more sparse than in the summer.

It is almost as if she declares, “Steady as she goes!” Let’s not have too much autumn too soon! Besides it is still running in the high 80s here. They promise us a change in temperatures this week. Once again, I am not holding my breath on that!

We can see the bird house clearly now. I do not think any birds were housed there this year. Seems I would have noticed with all the feeders and activity that occurs at times. As the Burr Oak continues to lose her leaves I will once again be reminded of the Brother Lawrence revelation about a tree in winter. Until then I am delighted by the lingering green.

Nothing gold can stay, Frost taught me
so the mighty sycamore tree
in form of tiny leaf
shows me how to change
from green to gold to brown
and be refreshed with drops of golden rain
as I rest upon the ground
be still my soul   ~Molly Lin Dutina 
(For photo above)

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Listen, Look, Music, Nature, Praise, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Open The Window

The weather has been too awful to keep a window open at night. The sound of the crickets this morning had me opening the window. And poof the cricket symphony poured in! Sweet, sweet sound. Then I noticed the twittering song of hummingbirds fighting over the feeder. The air was cooler than the house. The breeze pouring in through the open window was refreshing. Not a huge wind, just a tiny movement among the leaves.

And I noticed the thrasher was here again.

Once he found the berries on the spice bush he has been a regular customer. This is also called lipstick bush. Remember the tiny lipstick samples that Avon used to produce and give away? These berries are a bright red and just about that size.

They must be difficult to get into as he spends a long time pecking each one as he picks it and takes it to the mulch. He is so camouflaged that Bob had some difficulty seeing the bird.

“It can be tricky to glimpse a Brown Thrasher in a tangled mass of shrubbery, and once you do you may wonder how such a boldly patterned, gangly bird could stay so hidden. Brown Thrashers wear a somewhat severe expression thanks to their heavy, slightly downcurved bill and staring yellow eyes.

“Brown Thrashers may come to backyards if food is offered. Sometimes they visit feeders or the ground below to pick up fallen seed. There is a better chance they will visit if dense cover is close by. You can also attract them by planting shrubs that produce berries.” Cornell Lab https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Thrasher/overview

We have the shrub with berries and the dense cover is provided by neighbor. I first noticed the thrasher in the spice bush when I saw his long body along the branch.

Not a great photo but there he is!

I praise God from whom all blessings flow. I encourage all creatures here below to praise God, too!

Spice Bush berries 2024
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Look, Nature, Praise, Prayer, Yield

Orange Sherbet

Yum. We have visited two different creamy whip places for orange sherbet mixed with vanilla ice cream. The place across town had the best. The local one called it creamsicle and the orange was mixed with vanilla. Not as tasty or refreshing. They also sell an orange/vanilla swirl. Across town is the most flavorful. Look far right. Yum!

Then there is my New Mexico rock that I think of as Orange Sherbet, actually called orange calcite. We bought it at a rock shop. I just love it! This morning as I looked out the window I realized it captures the brilliant orange of the nasturtiums.

The nasturtiums are lovely this year. Sadly the ones that were to bloom red did not prosper as far as a bloom. Rabbit found they were tasty. The others have me cutting, smelling them and trying to capture the differences in photos. I just noticed a few are out of focus. Drats.

Look at the accent lines in the back of the flower. Blotches of dark orange like flames!

I used to have 2 photos from National Geographic that showed how we see a flower and how a bee sees the same flower. Wish there was a program to do that! Wait, there just might be one out there!

Common Dandelion in both lights
The pale peachy colors amaze me.
Solid petals and deep accent lines.
The variety is glorious!

Flowers to rocks to frozen desserts. What a wonderful world we inhabit. Just as the orange colors can be amazing so can the variety of ways to see life. I pray you yield your eyes to the Lord of all Glory. May that same Lord open your eyes to see the power of the Almighty in the universe and in your heart.