Deep or Wide?

Confession time. I have become a Facebook addict.

It's just too darn fun! I've become reacquainted with old friends, the kind you wonder "What ever happened to so-and-so?" And people find me, too; and sometimes I then wonder, "Who IS this??" and have to pull out the dusty high school yearbook. I can keep up with my kids and family who are spread far and wide, see their recent photos, live their adventures vicariously with them. I can keep up with political and social issues, and post my own which I'm sure is irritating to some of my Facebook friends. It's been great! But, I've also found it has shallowed out my time and thinking.

I can quickly post something political or cultural on Facebook which I agree with, but if I don't actually write about it or think through it so well, I'm not as enabled to defend my position. On Facebook, my thinking can cover a wide range of subjects, but it only goes about an inch deep. It's a very broad, very shallow lake, and I believe my thinking and writing have suffered.

Not only has my writing suffered, but so have certain responsibilities around the house, books I could be reading, actual letters/emails I could be writing. Oh, it's just soooo distracting to plop down in front of the computer "for just a second to check."

So, I've seen the difference in deep or wide, and I've spent too much time splashing about in the shallows rather than treading deep water for good exercise. Dare I make a resolution not to spend so much time on Facebook, since resolutions are made to be broken? Well, I'll certainly begin to discipline myself more and set time limits. Besides, there are so many good things to think through and write through in a blog and I've missed that. For Pete's sake, here it is the end of April and I still have wintertime photos heading my site. And, most important, what about those beautiful grandsons that I can wax on and on about? So, I repent! More deep than wide for me. I'll see you again soon.

Old Dimes and New

A winter storm blew through Tennessee three days ago. It began it's work of snow and ice in the southern plains and basically travelled on I-40 East all the way through North Carolina, leaving a white-covered world in its wake. Though we received several inches of snow and a thorough coating of ice, we were more fortunate than some and didn't lose power, which is good for more reasons than warmth and convenience since our water well runs on electricity!

The storm began innocently enough with gentle snowflakes, but before it was finished we had horses looking more like horscicles with their icy manes and tails, and a thick crust of ice over the snow, making it necessary to punch through with every footstep in order to walk up to the barn. Good exercise, especially going uphill, but a little more treacherous going downhill!

Then last night the clouds cleared away and the incredible, unearthly beauty of a full moon shone on all that snow and ice! How to describe such a scene? I could either use a hundred words or condense it down to one ... silvery. As John and I stood on the front porch and gazed at the scene, it was like looking out on a world wrought in silver. Now I've spent the last several days cleaning coins both old and new (a story for another blog), and all I could think of while surveying the beautiful night time view, was "old silver." The charcoal grey of the sky, the soft, white shining snow, the brilliant twinkling of stars and ice-covered trees and ground showed forth that old, warm brilliance of aged and worn silver, the kind of silver you've seen in old china cabinets in the homes of old families; well-used, well-worn, and well-loved with years of service and beauty. That's what the night looked like.

The next morning was another picture altogether! Such sun-dazzling, sparkling, brilliant white! Every ice crystal on the snow leapt up in the sunlight - it was as if there were 3-D sparkles everywhere! Again, after haying and chores, I stood on the front porch surveyed the view, thinking of the difference between last night's snow and ice scene and this morning's scene, and again I thought of silver; but this time it was the silver of a bright new dime, stunningly beautiful with it's brilliant pristine polish. But as I looked and pondered, it occurred to me that perhaps I preferred the softer glow of older silver."For you, O God, have tested us;

you have tried us as silver is tried." (Psalm 66:10)

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord." (Malachi 3:3)

Perhaps after all these years I have become more like those old silver coins; rubbed and refined to a good, old polish. The flash and brilliance has faded, but hopefully what is true and pure has remained, to the glory and praise of the Refiner.

Meeting Omari

Omari has been a busy boy since he arrived in Franklin. Family has been at the top of the reception line, and he's also had a virtual parade of friends bearing gifts dropping by to "ooh" and "ahh" and welcome him.

Here's Papa John holding his latest grandson who has, of course, dressed appropriately for the occasion!

Aunt Kristin was the very first to meet Omari since she bribed Nana and Mommy with coffee and Christmas cookies to stop by her apartment on the way into town from Kansas! It worked.

Here we have Uncle Justin showing off his littlest nephew. Uncles are great for teaching their nephews how to wrestle and run and high-five.

Gilbert is finally getting to hold his little cousin and he's so pleased! He'll also do a pretty good job teaching Omari about wrestling and all that boy-stuff, too! 2-year-old Patrick also got to meet his new cousin, but he just couldn't manage to stay still enough for a photo.

Uncle Jerry and Aunt Patty brought Aunt Lorelei and Grandad to meet Omari, and spend a pleasant afternoon visiting and admiring the latest family member. The aunties had a lot of fun baby-shopping, and Omari definitely benefitted!

Aunt Lorelei snuggles with Omari. What a blessed baby boy, he is to have so many who love him, and he's looking forward to meeting all the rest of his very large family!

A Prayer for the New Year

"O LORD,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are spent in thy presence,

in thy service, to thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,

sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,

that I may not be one moment apart from thee,

but may rely on thy Spirit

to supply every thought,

speak in every word,

direct every step,

prosper every work,

build up every mote of faith,

and give me a desire

to show forth thy praise;

testify thy love,

advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,

with thee, O Father, as my harbour,

thee, O Son, at my helm,

thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,

my lamp burning,

my ear open to thy calls,

my heart full of love,

my soul free.

Give me thy grace to sanctify me,

thy comforts to cheer,

thy wisdom to teach,

thy right hand to guide,

thy counsel to instruct,

thy law to judge,

thy presence to stabilize.

May they fear by my awe,

thy triumphs my joy." From The Valley of Vision

December's Journey

December is usually a fast, full month because it's a Holiday month, but this December set a speed record for our family! Fasten your seatbelts and come with me on a quick pictoral trip through one amazing month.

Justin moved out of the house and into his first condo (complete with roomies), so John and I worked fast and furious to transform a former bachelor pad into a nursery. No small feat! When Kelly arrived she put all the finishing flourishes to her little nest.

We commemorated Beau's life at Harpeth Hills' annual Candlelight Christmas service. Though this shot doesn't show it, there were crowds and crowds of people celebrating Christmas and their loved ones.
Decorate the house, do the baking, pack the bags, check the lists, and off to Kansas we go, where the sky is big and the prairie wide ... and windy ... and cold!
We spend a day in Independence, getting the lay of the land (which isn't hard since it's such a small town) then learn we'll need to go on to Wichita for a couple of days. Baby Omari won't be coming that day after all and we are rather bummed to say the least! So we visit THE Little House on the Prairie located nearby to cheer ourselves up. We learned why the Ingalls family spent only one year there - it's too COLD AND WINDY to live in a log cabin on a high prairie!We also spend a little time getting acquainted with tiny Caney, Kansas where we thaw out in a little Soda Fountain/flea market. Kelly and I had a comforting bowl of vegetable beef soup and find a few treasures as well.Whiling away the weekend in Wichita, we found a beautiful little stone Episcopal Church and attended both their morning Advent service and the evening Celtic service. Such a beautiful way to worship and contemplate the first advent of Christ! On Monday morning, after hearing the news that Baby Omari is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, we pack our bags again and move back to Independence. This time, we take a different 2-hour route across the prairie through the Flint Hills and marvel at the barren winter beauty of the plains.

Kelly and I check back into our friendly little hotel in Independence again, and are greeted by the staff who are by now acquainted with our adoption adventure. Even the cleaning ladies know, and they are very excited for Kelly! On Tuesday morning, Kelly packs herself a bag and packs the baby bag, and off we go to the appropriately named hospital. It's December 15th ... the day Eric and Kelly and many, many others have looked forward to for a long time! It's the birthday of their son!At 12:33, Aric Omari comes lustily into the world, healthy and whole! He weighs in at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and is the most amazingly beautiful baby around! At 1:45 the caseworker ushers us into Omari's room and Kelly meets her son for the first time. God's faithfulness inexpressibly fills our hearts ... how can one pack all the meaning of "thank you" into just those two words? Thank you to our Father, and thank you to a birth mom who makes such a sacrifice for the sake of a child? Kelly and Omari spend the night in the hospital, while I return to the hotel to announce the good news. The next morning we pack up again and by afternoon we are on our way again to Wichita and the comfortable Capitol Inn on McConnell Airforce Base. Kelly and I unpack and settle in again, but this time it will be for a few days as we rest and wait for the interstate compact to come through so we can cross the state line and go home. Though we have no guarantee of being home for Christmas, we are sure hoping that we will be.

"Judgement Day" comes on Friday and it all goes wonderfully well. The judge verifies that Kelly and Omari are indeed who they are, issues the adoption decree, and it even works for Eric to join in from Afghanistan on speaker phone! Friday, however, doesn't bring the interstate compact, so we can't leave on Monday as we hoped. So we spend another Wichita weekend, but this time we are spending our time getting to know Omari and delighting in the newborn-ness of him! We're also watching the weather closely because a winter storm is on the forecast horizon.Monday comes ... and by noon we learn that the compact has gone through! We can leave on Tuesday ahead of the storm and be home by Christmas!! So, we start packing again, and by this time we could do it in our sleep! So long, Capital Inn! So long, Kansas! You've been great, but we're headed back to the gentle land of trees and hills.Two days on the road, and by the afternoon of the 23rd we are HOME!! Praise be to God for His marvelous gifts! Thank you for tracing our December journey, and check back in for more photos of Omari and musings about the mercies of the Father."The Lord is faithful in all his words and kinds in all his works." Psalm 145: 13b

Autumn Surprise

Every spring the Williamson County Garden Expo is held right around the corner from us and it is so much fun to go. There are so many different types of plants and gardening implements, workshops and exhibits, home and garden decor. My pocketbook could get into so much trouble there!

This year I picked up only a few things: a few different types of Basil and Thyme; some Swamp Grass, which was really cool-looking, like a thick bundle of fiber optics; a Caped Sundew - which is a little carnivorous plant that is fond of fruit flies; and a trio of miniature Foxglove. The herbs did marvelously and the Swamp Grass looked good draping over the edge of a rock wall. The Caped Sundew is in a pot by my kitchen window as is an Aloe and Jade. I think it's fun having two plants from totally different environments (swamp and desert) in the same window. And the Foxgloves.....?

Well, the Foxgloves just sat there all summer. They were nice and green and vigorous-looking, but didn't produce any blossoms. So, I surmised that they just needed a year to get established and then they would bloom. But, guess what happened in October? First one bloomed, looked beautiful awhile, and then faded. Then the second one followed suit. And now the third Foxglove is blooming! Did they forget that they are summer bloomers? Nevertheless, I am enjoying their staggered performance immensely!

Here are a couple of photos of Foxglove bloomer #2. I hope you enjoy this beautiful little plant in its backdrop of autumn color.

Here's a close-up of the blooms.

A Precious Providential Gift

Who can ever know or anticipate the ways of God? He is a God who works wonders, and His Providence never ceases to surprise and amaze me! Earlier today I wrote about Beau and letting go of pain and grief in order to live life fully and abundantly. Even in just writing about it, my soul began to feel the relief of letting go. And then we got a text from Eric.

His text was very simple: "It's a boy!"

The joy that has welled up in our hearts is beyond telling. Again and again this year we have seen the Lord redeem our loss and pain, and though this little boy is not a replacement for Beau, he is a beautiful example of the Lord's love for Eric and Kelly and for the rest of us, too. His own little story-short as it is thus far-is also a beautiful example of the Lord's redemption and love. This precious one is a great gift from the Lord and I can't wait to welcome him home!