Category: Memories

Posted on in Memories, Faith, Poetry, Yield

Theme on The D’s

Written many years go, but I did not date it.

Daring 
to do
differently
As she has
desired 
for decades
damaged but not decayed
She develops ...
and decides
to desire growth
and divine interaction
as a way of life.

Decrepit death tries
to devour
her delight
but no demon
in the depths
of hell 
can derail God 
as God determines
to deliver her.

As she differentiates delight from darkness
deceit, deception, duplicity all drop off
her diet is determined
by the choices and decisions
made in light of the Dayspring.
She of God's love
disdains the deadly darkness
digesting His desire for her
Donna diagnosed her
deviations and depression.

With depth of insight
she demonstrates
the degree of deep love
the Deity has for her.

She decorates her decorum
with daily doses of love and light
her dimensions decrease.
She learns to declare the glory
decry the falsehoods and decrease the lies in her life

Her life is a dual effort
her push dwarfed by Diety's pull
the dynamic of duality with Deity
demonstrates dominance in Donna's duel with darkness.

Diety's diamond
begins to shine
as she disperses holy light.
The drumbeat of time discloses a detainer.
The decree of God declares 
"the truth continues to set free
{even Donna}.  

From dementia and death
into delirious joy and 
deluxe diversity
of durable daily dozen
steps to wholeness.

Divinity she doth don
as she disentangles from the darkness
Detested dormouse role
does a duet with duty in the dustpan
disavowing her of dowdy and destructive ways
destined for the dump of
determinations unfit for disbursement
in the light of life.

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Memories, Music, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Thanks, Trust, Yield

Every Day

I first heard about CeCe Winans many years ago when I worked at “Having The Courage To Change,” a housing center for women who were coming out of prison and/or drug and alcohol treatment. The women there loved her music and soon I did too!

Do you worship every day? If not, try this one.

All my life you have been so so good.

I’ve known you as a father. I’ve known you as a friend.

As the saying goes: “No god, no peace. Know God, know peace.”

I do not care how you worship. Do you know Jesus and have you spoken with him today?

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Family, Joy, Memories, Nature, Poetry, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender

Mother’s Day

This year to celebrate Mother’s Day my daughter decided we should visit the butterfly show at our local Krohn Conservatory. We had not attended for several years. It was a warm and humid day. Just what the butterfly’s love. The title was Monarchs, but I was disappointed that there were not more Monarch butterflies present. In fact, I saw none, even in the hatching cages. The children however never disappoint me at such a display. They are always in wonder and delighted when a butterfly lands on someone and they can see it up close! I just love when a child declares, “He likes me!”

closed
same subject opened

The above is the Morpho, largest in the display. The butterflies suffer damaged wings mostly from being caught in the covers of the circulating fans. They are still lovely and majestic though.

One subject, moving around for another sip and another. I believe this is a Julia. We grew these “Mexican Sunflowers” once at the edge of our compost pile. They were very tall and draw hundreds of butterflies!

A child pointed out this transparent winged specimen. How lovely!

It was a hard angle to capture this beauty. Called a Glasswing from Central America !

They loved feeding on the dishes of cut fruit.

It was fun to put another butterfly memory in the books. Thanks, Em!

How many butterflies can you spot this week around your home?

Butterfly Living © Molly Lin Dutina 1982 
Butterfly living, now that's for me!
Glory bound and incredibly free!
Made to be a joy to Thee!
Strengthen me for wings of liberty.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NRSVUE
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:2 NRSVUE
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Just do it, Look, Memories, Nature, Obedience, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Surrender, Trust, Worship, Writing Life, Yield

New Project

My new project entails gathering the object lessons the Lord has given me over the years to encourage me and keep me walking the road laid out before me. I will likely post of few of these during the coming months. The following is entitled “Called At the Beach To Write More.”

How does an object lesson usually come to you? Mine can jump up any time I call upon the Lord for guidance. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    so I shall be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:3 NRSVUE

While walking the beach in Florida we were searching for shells. I came upon this one. It is called Sunray Venus Clam.

It reminds me of lined paper. (College ruled is my favorite).

Then I came upon this one.

Atlantic Pen Shell

That got me thinking about ink wells, and fountain pens. Oh my, this was a call to write more!

Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
    make it plain on tablets,
    so that a runner may read it. Habakkuk 2:2 NRSVUE

Years ago a cousin older than me gave me the above verse to hold to. I was not certain she heard right. Time has shown she evidently heard exactly right for me!

The shells comprised another confirmation that I am to write and keep telling what God is doing in my life and can do in the lives of others. I keep these shells around to remind me, lest I ever doubt the call again. Or for the times I get just plain lazy about it. Lord, prod me with the shells and forgive me for being lazy, I pray.

Posted on in Challenge, Faith, Memories, Praise, Thanks

Mahalo

Simply put mahalo means thank you. We saw it on the flap of garbage cans, seeming to say thanks for putting your trash here.

When we were in Hawaii I bought a sticker to remind me of this word. Recently I set up a new keyboard case for my iPad. When I affixed the sticker to the outside I noticed the wrapper said, “Mahalo means to be in the presence of the Divine.”

WAIT! That means so much more than a trash receptacle!!

“Mahalo means thank you in the Hawaiian language —a common word of gratitude that should be familiar to every person who visits Hawaii.
“According to the Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary, mahalo (pronounced mah hah loh) can express gratitude, appreciation, or praise.” from https://collectionsofwaikiki.com/mahalo-meaning/

“The Cultural Roots of Mahalo

“Mahalo predates Western contact with Hawai’i. The word appears in the earliest Hawaiian-language dictionaries compiled by missionaries in the 1830s. Its roots connect to the broader Polynesian language family. In Maori (New Zealand), the cognate “maaharo” means to think or wonder. In Tahitian, “maharo” means to think or reflect.

“This linguistic connection reveals something about the original depth of mahalo. It is not just a transactional “thanks for the coffee.” It carries an element of reflection, of pausing to recognize what was given. The Hawaiian value of gratitude runs deep. In traditional Hawaiian culture, reciprocity was a core social principle. Receiving something obligated you to give back, and mahalo was the verbal acknowledgment of that cycle.

“The word also appears in the Hawaiian translation of Christian hymns and prayers, where it took on the additional meaning of praise and admiration. Missionaries translated “Give thanks to God” as expressions using mahalo, reinforcing the word’s association with reverence.” https://www.hawaii-guide.com/mahalo-meaning

“The word mahalo is more than just a thank you in Hawaiian thinking. It is a divine blessing on a spiritual level with a deeper meaning. This is used in everyday life and also on special occasions like the birthday of an elder or for sacredness like prayers or single-word blessings. Use this word respectfully.” https://thewordcounter.com/meaning-of-mahalo/

“A divine blessing on a spiritual level with a deeper meaning.”

So I utter, “Mahalo,” to you the readers of this blog. Your comments and encouragements promote me to write more. If it were not for you my writing might just be entombed in my private journals.

Mostly, Mahalo to our creator who does wondrous things beyond my imagining!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Memories, Thanks, Traveling

The Smokys

Why do we return there as often as possible annually? We hunt for wildflowers. Not to pick or dig up. Wildflowers to photograph. We have favorite spots and favorite flowers.

Sadly, this year, most of the flowers we love had already bloomed, faded, and sent their leaves back to fertilize the ground. It was quite disappointing. The entire time we were there we did not see a single Jack-in-the Pulpit! Not one. I understand you can purchase the plants. I just might consider that. We had one plant at our previous house. It was always magical when I would venture outside and there was Jack preaching to the heavens!

I especially like Bluettes. We could not find the tiny flowers at any of our usual places. Finally a Ranger told me to go to New Found Gap. Look for the restrooms. Beyond the restrooms I should be able to find wildflowers still in bloom.

We ventured up the mountain. It was a sunny, lovely day. We stopped at a pullout to photograph one view of the mountains. I heard a bird who was unfamiliar to me. When I asked the Merlin Bird app to listen I was told it was an indigo bunting. I was not able to lay my eyes upon it, but man could that little critter sing!!

The rough ridges of the mountains lured me to take photo after photo trying to express what I saw. I saw the same rough ridges were mimicked in a huge rock along a stream.

As we got higher on the mountain the famous smoke of the mountains became more like a heavy, dense fog. And it got chilly. It was so thick it was hard for Bob to discern the road! We found the driveway and grabbed jackets, cameras and took our expectations to the bathroom area.

We were not disappointed! Oh that Ranger was SO RIGHT!

These flowers are tiny. Smaller than my pinky fingernail.
So sweet. What a blessing to me!

There were even a few Trillium.

And scattered all over the place were White Fringed Phacelia.

We had to stop ourselves from venturing too far. We were still sore from the long walks the two days prior to this. As we returned to the beginning of the trail I had to capture a photo of May Apples for my friend Phyllis!

I am pleased you can even see the flower under two of the umbrellas. Guess I learned a bit about this camera!

We were at an intersection with the Appalachian Trial. The hiker only had 1,972 miles to the northern end at Katahdin, Maine. I wondered why they did not post how many miles to the other end in Georgia? In the parking lot were dedicated hosts to help Appalachian Trial Thru hikers. Not a service I have ever needed in my life!

I told Bob I wanted to go back and see if that ranger was working. We did. She was. I kissed both of my hands and planted them on her cheeks, thanking her for making my trip more memorable and much less disappointing! She was truly a gift to me!

And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Matthew 6: 27-30 NRSVUE

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Memories, Obedience, Praise, Prayer, Rest, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Writing Life

Mist on Mountains Will Pass; The Mountains Abide

We visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week. It was wonderful. Bob let me experiment with one of his cameras. I needed lots of coaching! When we created the cover for the book Poems we discovered that the iPhone photos I mainly take did not have enough dpi (dots per inch) to create a good book photo cover. So I set about learning a new skill. Tried to relax as I fudged the photo up then took it again, repeatedly.

The opening photo is from New Found Gap, elevation 5,048 feet. We had to travel there to see most of my favorite spring flowers. With global warming they had already bloomed and faded at the lower elevations. First photo is a hillside just covered by May Apples that were still in bloom.

Just before we arrived I had read this selection from The Edges of His Ways by Amy Carmichael: April 26

Sometimes we wake feeling “down,” and we feel like that all day long for no reason that we can discover, only it is so.
It is useless to try to feel different; trying does not touch feelings. It is useless to argue with oneself; feelings elude arguments. Be patient–feelings are like the mists that cover the mountains in misty weather. The mists pass; the mountains abide. Turn to your Father; tell Him you know that He loves you whether you feel it or not, and that you know that He is with you whether you feel His presence or not. “I beseech Thee,” said one long ago, “let the power of my Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken, saying, . . .” I suggest that you ask the Holy Spirit to bring some “saying” of His to your mind that has helped you in the past. That saying wherein He has caused us to trust, “the same is my comfort in my trouble: for Thy word hath quickened me.”
Our Lord can enable us so to live that of our inward “toil and dejection” others see nothing.

photo by r m dutina

“The mists pass; the mountains abide.”

I do love the writing of Amy Carmichael! The Lord can enable us so to live that others see nothing of our inward toil and dejection. I am certainly not there yet, but it is a lofty goal. Amy Carmichael suffered “For most of her life, she suffered from a nerve condition called neuralgia, which caused chronic pain, fatigue, and migraines. Then, due to a spine injury, she was bedridden and in severe pain for the last twenty years of her life.” Today Neuralgia is defined “Neuralgia is the medical term for severe, shooting pain that occurs due to a damaged or irritated nerve. Neuralgia can affect any part of the body, causing mild to severe pain.”

Then a spine injury that left her bedridden for 20 years?!? I can hardly imagine. Yet she carried on her Christian ministry in India and wrote booklets that comfort us even to this day.

Lord, thank you for her life and writings. Thank you that she is no longer suffering with pain. Bless her memory I pray.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Art, Challenge, Faith, Joy, Look, Memories, Prayer, Traveling, Trust

Forward Day by Day

This appeared in Forward Day by Day devotional. We sent it to our friends in New Mexico. They took us to this church to see the wonder of the staircase. None of us took photos that day as the postcards were spectacular. The photos here are from online.

THURSDAY, March 19      SAINT JOSEPH

Luke 2:48b. Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.

There is a legend that Saint Joseph built a staircase here in New Mexico. In Santa Fe, the Sisters of Loretto built their chapel with the blessing of Archbishop Lamy. When it was nearing completion, they realized there was no way to access the choir loft. According to the story, the sisters prayed to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, and a stranger appeared. Working only with simple hand tools, this man built a spiral staircase with incredible technical precision and beauty. Carpenters to this day regard the staircase with awe. The man reportedly vanished when the stairway was finished, never accepting his pay.

Did Saint Joseph build the staircase? Many have debated, but as in the case of Joseph’s appearance in the gospels, the details are few. The question of faith also plays a role in the telling of the story. Rather than saying “Saint Joseph built it,” the story relies on the connection between the prayer and the mystery carpenter who arrived. It isn’t certainty but rather faith that has us reach out to God in our need and see God’s action in response.

MOVING FORWARD: Where could you use less certainty and more faith?

“a carpenter appeared with only a hammer and carpenter’s square. He built what is now known as the Miraculous Staircase with simple tools, wooden pegs and a rare wood that is not native to the American Southwest.” https://www.lorettochapel.com/our-story

Isn’t it just lovely?!? I always remember that Jesus was a carpenter, too!

Posted on in Faith, Listen, Memories, Poetry, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Writing Life

Mockingbird

I wrote this in 2018. Now we live in a different neighborhood and a mockingbird comes occasionally. I hope it does not take residence here and stays 3 blocks over!

Mockingbird © Molly Lin Dutina 18-4-12

A mockingbird has moved into the neighborhood
More specifically our lot
When I awoke this morning he was using
Everyone else’s songs from our rooftop
Mostly a good imitation 
Yet, when I hear the actual individual birds
I realized it was just imitation
Not the rich variations that the actual singers give

The woods are full of spring songs
Bird after bird seeking a mate
Singing and flitting through the branches
(Or racing) each other
To impress the perfect mate

Mocking bird is like the enemy in my ear
Repeating phrases of accusation 
Condemnation and insult
No fresh life-giving inspiration
Such as the Holy Spirit brings

I’d like to shoot at this bird to scare it off our property
As a child there was one who attacked whenever
We tried to hang up the laundry or take it down
Now it is just annoying and incessant
Yet there are likely lessons to learn here

Listen carefully
Do not assume every repeated phrase is from God
Just like the Sheriff will never call and 
ask you for money over the phone
God speaks in that still, small voice
Not the raucous jack-hammer of a mockingbird 
Try to be still in the cacophony of that chorus
Quiet your soul and rest in the peace of His Presence


 “And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down-he who accuses them day and night before our God.’” Revelation 12:10

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  1 Kings 19: 11 b-12

Quiet your soul and rest in His Presence.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Focus, Look, Memories, Nature, Praise, Rest, Thanks

Glimmers

Remember those? Things that make you pause and be glad. Little things throughout the day that have you stop for a breath and rest momentarily? Here are some recent ones I experienced.

Grass is an impossible shade of green (after several days in the 70s and lots of spring rain)

The honeysuckle bushes are leafing out, a sure sign of spring

This sunrise with glorious shades of pink and gold

A truck center named Rush (my maiden name)

The Sandhill Cranes are in large numbers in Nebraska where we once saw them migrating.

It has been said that if we look for glimmers and for things to be grateful for we will see more and more of those things throughout our day. Have you tried this practice?

My granddaughter gave me a manicure as part of my Christmas gift (five of them actually). The first one was a couple weeks ago. My nails are still shiny and I think of our sweet conversation and her love each time I notice them.

The tulips I planted when we first moved in are emerging again. Each year I say I am going to dig them up. They never get to bloom because the rabbits eat them. (I think it is rabbits? Perhaps white tailed deer?) This year I decided those tulips are just a spring salad for some critter that likely needs the leaves more than I need the flowers. I hesitantly think, MAYBE. I am learning to smile when I see the mowing job the critter has done. It proves a Glimmer of life I do not get to witness, but I see the results from their presence under that front tree.

Watch today for things that delight your eyes. Even if it is just a momentary thing it can be important for your health.