my favourite things/ fireflies in the night

we had a cooling rain
tonight

refreshing
the garden happy
seeds sprouting
my heart singing

all was quiet walking home
two full milk buckets
in hand
Sam and Blue dogs quiet
the goats settled in and quiet
the horses sheltered and fed
quiet
the song of the robins silent
while they sleep
yesterdays showing off their young
all done
fledgling celebration
done
young sheltered and settled for the night
the hoot owls quiet
the train quiet
the coyotes and wolves silent

the cloud cover was embracing
a deep breath
arms stretched to the heavens
another breath
long and slow
prayers lifted to the Keeper
my heart quieted

in the damp thickness of the air
there just wasn't a lot to see
night settled snug around me
~when there it was
the dance of the fireflies had begun
little sparks in the night

they celebrate the King
and His keeping us well
though the storms rage around us
He is there to bring us through it
and like the little fireflies
He shines His light for us to see
He leads the way
out of the storm
and always
Home

some go early

others
watch
the dance of the
fireflies

fireflies in the night

my favourite things

my favourite things/ way after the storm

we were wet
through and through
through to the bone
drenched
sopped
sopping wet

this explains most days lately
out on the farm
caught in the forest
pulling out trees
at the millsite
milking goats
washing logs
goat herding
peeling logs
dropping hay
just walking
tilling the garden
planting

there had been thunder
each day
and the downfalls
dogs and cats they say
more like elephants

but
here I was
walking across
the grass pasture
to put a halter on Celina
who was waiting at her gate
my feet making funny squish sqweak sounds
my crocks you know
the ones that let the water in
the ones with holes
naturally
my socks were collected at the toes

I hadn't noticed the amazing warmth on my back until just that moment
nor had I noticed the brilliance of the green all around me
nor had I heard the glory song of the sparrows and robins

until that moment

it was overload of all these great things...
that took my thoughts off the storm
a storm which had passed without my noticing

Though I was wet to the core
I was suddenly steaming
and the warmth felt like a God hug
and the song He was singing to me
was like a heaven lullaby
sent down by a dove

There was no place so beautiful as that spot of grass
on which I stood
In all the world
there was no place
I would rather have been

I stopped to embrace this gift
and then laughing
brought out my beautiful mare
we jogged lightly across the field
she felt it too

this feeling good

way after the storm

my favourite things

my favourite things/ trees

This boy of mine
Home

today
Father's Day
a slow wake up
sun golden through the windows
just thanking God for all the new and old fathers in our family
we had just mentioned Beth's Stephen
when the phone rang
and there was Bethany
joyous and bringing
greetings to her 'dad'
we had to laugh at the perfect timing

there was a special lift to Eduardo's mood
spunk and vitality suddenly appeared
the feeling good ...this being remembered...

Shoshanna left her Skype message for daddy

Jedaiah made light and fluffy with a bit of soft crunch
waffles

just perfect

we sat in church together
the only ones for Sunday School
which instead was Jedaiah and I chillin
while Daddy practiced his guitar and hymns for the service

It was just perfect

A barbecue after church
after all the praying
after all the singing
all the Daddy Day stories
Art and Elaine dear on our hearts
the two so weak and feeble today
her caring for him
him not ready to leave her
the two so tired trying
but not giving up
such perfect love

Outside
chairs set in the grass
hamburgers and salads filling plates
friendship flowing
and when there were only two hamburgers left
two guests arrived who had come earlier and not found us yet there

so instead they had visited
'a neighbour'
a man whose children have grown and gone
he had waited for the phone call
of 'Dad, I remembered you'
he had started the barbecue and had food all ready
~but his children did not call
and his children did not come

our two church guests felt led to visit this man
they sat at 'his' barbecue
they shared 'his' friendship
they filled the gap
with their laughter
and
caring

it is what good neighbours do

then they came to us
and our happy little community
our yummy barbecue lunch
they made doggy bags for their supper
and we sat warm in the sun together
talking old times and new
and of all our Father's many blessings

it was perfect

to be where God needs us to be

to encourage the downhearted
to bring hope to the discouraged
to share laughter
to weep with those who weep
to know that a Father in Heaven
has a plan
to rekindle
an image that long ago was lost
but now is refurbished in his Beloved Son

just perfect

we walked our trails today
we found all the trees which had been blown over by the great wind gusts these past months

they lay scattered over each other
they once held each other up
it was what friendships do

hold each other up

but all is not lost
it is 'these' trees that we need to build a home
these fallen ones
these ones tried through the storm

they will be milled on our little portable sawmill
and lovingly shaped into posts and beams
and roof timbers and walls

they will be a shelter for family
it will be a refuge for friends
for neighbours
a joy place
a safe place
a fun place

these disappointment
falling through the cracks
being forgotten
being challenged and failing
hurting
being broken
disillusioned

none of this really matters to the Father~ in a bad sense
all of it really matters to our Father~ in the good sense
He was there when it happened to His Son

His plan is to refurbish

We fit perfectly into His plan just as we are

there is always Hope

mixed with Faith
and Love
it builds a Home

Fallen trees
tried through the storms
in the hands of a Master
will build a Home

Trees

my favourite things

my favourite things/ a pancake birthday

she got to choose
any meal
a home cooked meal
whatever she wanted

a birthday girl
Sihle
six years old
Oh Treasure

she went to bed so excited
and I am sure her dreams were filled
with tables of all her favourite foods
I am certain her dreams were filled
with squeals of pure delight
clapped hands
birthday singing
cake
and
ice cream


candles
six of them

this little girl
is a dancer
she runs
and climbs rock walls
she falls and says she is fine
she draws and paints
tells wonderful stories
and
she loves a party

pancakes
"Mom, I want pancakes... O joy... pancakes please"

of all meals
it will be pancakes
and peanut butter
syrup from Canada for some others
jam for some
whipping cream and strawberries for mom

there is an excitement about pancakes
which makes everyone happy

Sihle loves laughter
her birthday will be filled with it
inside and out
wrapped in pretty paper
and with every card
laughter will roll around the room
leak out of every seam
and fill her little girl heart

this Gramma will sneak a Skype peak
will sing her birthday song

will hear 'her' story
and see all the smiles

Nomusa said it was a surprise
her present and Mario's

Sihle
this little treasure
worth everything to the Father

God set a big love into a woman's ordinary heart
it leaked out and touched a little baby
she knew she could not live without this little one
and another one
and another
and one more

she told me she has cared for hundreds of infants
and loved them all
but something tangled in her heart of hearts
that wouldn't let go of a certain four

They will all get a birthday meal one day
and one day Lord willing
it will be at Gramma's
so I can catch all these leaky giggles
that wrap these kids up in so much love
in a forever family

Sihle was much younger
when she said her daddy was God
and they all said their heart mommy was my Shoshi

just last week they said
in Canada
in our new home Uncle is building for us
Grampa and Gramma
and all our friends
are building for us
~it will be the house Love built~
can we walk to Gramma's?
can Gramma come to our house for a sleep over?

I will make them pancakes
and see all their leaky giggles
and feel all their leaky love

a pancake birthday

my favourite things

my favourite things/ this little person

his photo
sits on my desktop

something deep within me understands
what every grandmother knows

he is perfect
just as is
and loved
completely cherished
and somehow
this smile never really leaves my face

when I need some encouragement
I just sit and look again
and this heart swells up full
and nothing else quite matters

he is perfect
just as is

and this grandmother's love
will only grow more fond
as she watches
breadth of days added
and smiles scattered
and giggles filling the hours
and discoverings
and fun
some tears
and all that love wrapped up
in mama papa hugs
and somewhere
a special spot

for a gramma
who will always love
this little person

just as is

my favourite things