Deep Calls to Deep

I love to body surf.  I grew up on the beach and had plenty of opportunity to practice, and I'm pretty good at catching a wave.  However, on occasion the wave would catch me.  Then down and round, and round and down you tumble in the wave, till you don't know which way is up until your face lands in the sand.  The power of a wave when you're in it's grip is awesome in the strongest sense of the word.  You realize who you are and what the wave is.  And sometimes that's how the power of God rolls over you.

"Deep calls to deep

     at the roar of your waterfalls;

all your breakers and your waves 

     have gone over me.

By day the Lord commands his

          steadfast love,

     and at night his song

          is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life."    ~ Psalm 42:7-8

The beauty of these verses has long haunted me, but it is only lately that I began to understand what the psalmist was saying.  There have been (indeed, are) occasions in my life when I've had no idea what is up, what is down, what is anything.  I only know that I am not (never were?) in control, and the best I can do is not swallow the mouthful of sand.  Or maybe I do.  But even as those waters break over me and I've lost all control of the situation, I'm not cut adrift.  I am indeed in the grip of God, and by day He commands that His steadfast love be with me, and by night He sings over me.  Therefore, I - and you - can have hope.

"Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God."  ~ Psalm 42:11b

Unlikely Beauty

Springtime in South Texas where I grew up is just glorious!  Texas wildflowers are an amazing sight to see along the roadsides, in fields, and stretching forever across prairie land.  You'll see Texas Primrose, Indian Blankets, Indian Paintbrush and of course, the famous Bluebonnet, among many others.  The citrus trees are blooming, too, along with gardenia and jasmine - absolutely filling the air with perfume.  But one flower you may not expect to see is the sunshine yellow bloom of the cactus.  It's always a surprise and delight to see them, because you just don't expect a cactus to be beautiful!  Even if you've grown up with them.  I am thankful for my Father's sweet reminder that beauty comes even from prickly, painful places.

So, I was surprised and delighted once more to see these cactus blooms in an email my brother sent this morning.  He found this beauty near Gregory, just northeast of Corpus Christi.  I hope you enjoy their beauty, too.

More High Meadow Creatures

High Meadow has been overrun!  In our 17 years here, I've never seen soooo many caterpillars!  They are everywhere.  You can't take a step without encountering them which is really, really gross.  They're on fence rails, gate latches, door mats, you name it.  They seem especially drawn to water, so I guess they're at a very thirsty stage of development.  Fortunately, the organic pesticide I've used has kept them from my garden.  Time will tell whether they'll be butterflies or moths, but if they're butterflies we're in for a spectacular summer sight.  

                                              Caterpillar-go-round.

                                                     Marching, marching, marching.

                                                      Caterpillars with ladybug and spider.

It's tricky getting through the walk-through without getting caterpillars on you.  

                                             Horses and caterpillars.  

What Is It?

Something lurks beneath our feet.  On some days it's more apparent than on others, so on one of those more-revealing days, I captured the creatures with my camera.  Can you guess what they are?

Prehistoric fish nosing their way up to the surface of a murky bayou?  Mummified road-kill?  A gaping, large-mouthed sea serpent?  The remains of an antelope's head?  Images from a previous time left stamped in our own time?  

You tell me.

Easter Fun

On Easter Sunday afternoon, the boys arrived looking all springtime fresh and ready to hunt MORE EGGS!  It doesn't take long to learn that those colorful plastic eggs contain CANDY!  Here Gilbert stops to open his first egg and see what's inside.

While Gilbert has learned that you must go looking for the eggs, Patrick still needs an assist from Uncle Justin and Dada.

Gilbert politely asks St. Francis if he may take the Easter Egg from off his cowl.

St. Francis was agreeable on this most Holy of days!

Patrick has found a blue sucker, and you can see from his expression that he's very pleased!  You'll be seeing more of this blue sucker, trust me.

Patrick brings the blue sucker over for Mommy to unwrap while Gilbert checks it out.

                              Lookout!  Ladybug has entered the picture!

Aww.... she only wants to help clean the sticky off Gilbert.

See, I told you!  The blue sucker shows up again.  Shall we title this photo BLUE BOY???

God's Servant Made

"Death, thou wast once an uncouth hideous thing,

                    Nothing but bones,

       The sad effect of sadder groans:

Thy mouth was open, but thou couldst not sing.

For we consider'd thee as at some six

                    Or ten years hence,

       After the loss of life and sense,

Flesh being turn'd to dust, and bones to sticks.

We lookt on this side of thee, shooting short,

                    Where we did find

       The shells of fledge souls left behind,

Dry dust, which sheds no tears, but may extort.

But since our Saviour's death did put some blood

                    Into thy face,

       Thou art grown fair and full of grace,

Much in request, much sought for, as a good.

For we do now behold thee gay and glad,

                    As at dooms-day,

       When souls shall wear their new array,

And all thy bones with beauty shall be clad.

Therefore we can go die as sleep, and trust

                    Half that we have

       Unto an honest faithful grave;

Making our pillows either down, or dust.

Death by George Herbert

Death by George Frederick Watts

Easter Reality

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.  And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."  And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened."  ~ Luke 24:1-12

"Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"   ~ John 11:25-26
Do I believe this?  Do you believe this?  We all come to a day where push comes to shove - do we believe?  Yesterday, Easter Day, I sat at the grave of our youngest grandson and grieved his loss.  The loss of his precious life, of our own dreams and hopes and expectations of life with him.  Grief is sharp and dull and heavy all at the same time, and a difficult burden to bear.  As I sat there with my burden of grief, it gradually lightened as hope in Jesus began to bathe me in its comfort.  Our Savior, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, bore the entire burden of all the grief and sin and brokenness of the world and rose again to life eternal, our elder Brother, our righteousness, so that we, too, may rise to life eternal.  Yes, I believe.  Beau was not at the cemetery.  So, with grief subsided, I could gather myself and go home to enjoy the small delights of the grandsons who play here on earth."Come and see, look on this mystery:

The Lord of the universe nailed to a tree.

Christ our God, spilling His holy blood, bowing in anguish

His sacred head.

Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame,

Lord of our sinful hearts, He is our great Redeemer.

Sing to Jesus, honor His name,

Sing of His faithfulness, pouring his life out unto death.

Come you weary and He will give you rest.

Come you who mourn, lay on His breast.

Christ who died, risen in paradise,

Giver of mercy, Giver of life.

Sing to Jesus, His is the throne;

Now and forever He is the King of heaven.

Sing to Jesus, we are His own.

Now and forever sing for the love our God has shown."

~ Fernando Ortega