Furlough Friday #9

To Bed for Winter, originally uploaded by AnnieElf.

Elaine and I roadtripped today and drove to Locke, CA. Lots of history there and much to share. This shot is actually a marriage of two photos of the community garden that has been put to bed for the winter. Between now and Sunday, there will be much more to see.

Sepia Scenes - The hand

The hand, originally uploaded by AnnieElf.

Her figure rested against the table
waiting for her coffee order to arrive.
Deep in thought, her chin rests against
her right hand, her left falls gracefully
across her lap. The day is young and yet
she has already been hard at work
running for her life.

Gratitude and Despair and Humility

Quanah just called. After two years of unemployment, he has connected with a temp agency that apparently is actively involved in placing people to fill a variety of jobs.

After several days of substituting at various elementary schools, he went to a scheduled interview today for a temp position with what he thought was for a temp position with the Red Cross. Instead, he walked out with a job assembling 3-D glasses. I have to tell you, I didn't know what to say beyond "You're kidding?"

Nope, not kidding. As I think about it, I am torn between gratitude for the job, despair that his talents are seemingly wasted, and in the end, humility taking me by the hand and circling me back to thankfulness for this opportunity.

As I think of the hard time he has been going through and the lessons that God has been giving him about patience and trust and faith, I realize that I have been learning lessons too, the most important of which is letting your adult child stand on his own, help where you can and stand back when you must. Learning this lesson has made me a better parent, I think, and it has definitely made him a better adult.

At this moment, the opening of this door doesn't make a lot of sense to me but then, it is not my door to walk through. It is a door that will lead him to a sense of his manhood not being crushed anymore; it is a door that will lead him to other people, other connections; it is a door that will lead him to a stop-gap position that will give him time now to breathe, to plan, to get his and Erin's lives going in the direction of a solid foundation, not the quicksand they have been living on.

So - I feel great gratitude and a lot less despair now as I write this. Humility tells me to shed false pride. (Rom. 12:3) says - For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned.

Wise words, indeed.

Ruby Tuesday - Fiery Sky

I looked out my back door one evening last week and
was stunned by the beauty of the pink and blue sky.

I took several pictures and later was surprised to find the my sky blue and pink sky had turned into a

passionate and fiery ocean of clouds crowning a quiet, and windless night.

Mellow Yellow All Souls Day

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Please remember Mandy

I just received this email from my blog friend, Mandy.

I am not in good health
I shall be moving into a hospice shortly.
I shall be deleting my blog and closing down my email account in the next few days.
It has been nice knowing you
Please do not grieve for me I have had a grand life with no regrets
love and goodbye, Mandy
http://mandysmeanderings.blogspot.com/

It is hard not to grieve for the passing of a life well live. We so want the example of that life to live forever. Please take a moment to remember Mandy in your prayers. If and when I learn of her final passing, I will post again.

This Week in My World

Click to see me bigger

I love to people watch and eavesdrop on my world. This week I saw a woman resting after an early morning run. She's waiting to be called that her coffee is ready. A little girl has a new gold fish. Stacked suitcases make a clever side table, the ultimate in reinvention. Sunset was brilliant out my back door a few nights ago. The detail of an old church door warrants close inspection and red and green berries erupt from a tree in front of the art building. Soon they will shrivel and harden into little brown nuts.