my favourite things/my Eduardo

what is it that speaks
to the heart
that voice without words
that moves us
when words cannot

what is this feeling
of up and down
but has no touch
just feeds on emotion
and not always on a truth

let us hear always the True One

faith says we are His
so we need never feel alone
His Word says we are
the sweet savour of God
we do not need to be more
or different from what we are

He is enough
His grace is sufficient
His love is abounding
His joy is strength
He has taken all that is wrong
and gives what is pure
and honourable
and just...
He is all we need
ever
He is enough
Jesus
----------------
my Eduardo... sixty-three today
I love watching the morning light on you each dawn as I awaken before you
I love to trace the shadows and light along your face
I love to hear your soft short breaths... quiet and rested
your days are busy
often rushed
these morning moments watching you and listening
help me savour you through the day
I pray a year of quiet joy and peace in your heart
no matter the busyness around you
I pray laughter for medicine
I pray you will know how much you are loved
I love you
your kids love you
with Jesus love
your cup is overflowing
-----------
enjoy this cup of grace
it is enough
--------------
Eduardo
my beloved
------------
my favourite things

my favourite things/ building with family

two summers
a son home

and friends come to help
all from the heart~ true family

a daughter and her family
home for a season to milk
and hide love gifts of
tasks done with heart
to bless me and others
while I visit far and distant Afrika

to have two summers
with our little boy all grown

he used to play in the sawdust
building booby traps for his sisters
holes with wood stick rooves
all covered again
with sawdust
also with laughter

and now again building
a home for a sister
and her kiddies

from the bottom up
all the little boy genius
making a real home
taking trees from our land
milling it
shaping it

from the bottom up
a fine home
a labour of skill and love

I miss the people that filter by all summer
I miss the summer and its warmth and dryness
long days short nights
work hard play hard
Willow River raft rides
with Neumanns
with Dad
hot days left refreshed
raspberries
fresh garden
breezes
horses and goats around about us
grazing lazing
geese and hummingbirds
owls
ducks woodpeckers
robins
and always the sparrow

and always His eye on us
pouring out His blessing
day by day
at the right time
the right moment

the little boy all grown
an engineer now
new horizons new visions
us alone
still day by day remembering
love's labour
and carrying on
piece by piece
little by litte
this Home love is building
with God's strength
His joy
His help

A little Afrikan family
is coming Home one day

we want to be ready

my Shoshi
four precious grandkiddies
new visions
little feet running to and fro
laughter
hopes
smiling ones
a desire satisfied
from our hearts
and God's

God gives good gifts to His children
all these memories

building with family 

my favourite things

my favourite things/ to be so loved

I settled in my kids

the boys in their pasture
little girls in theirs
milkers with hay feeders full in theirs

off I went to teach
some little people "kids"
how to swim

natural fish they were

and loved

their wonderful Grandma giving all she is
to fill and make their lives full
it isn't hard for her to give
but comes with tiredness
and grey hairs
and smiles

It was after that I saw him

I looked down the stairs on my way out
He sat with blood dripping
down his legs
his face

He held cloths on his face
pressed tightly
still blood dripping

the lifeguards
were the first aid people
they donned blue gloves
opened first aid kits
knelt before him

he began sobbing

I can help I said
they said no
they had it covered

they only saw his wounds
I saw something more

I came close to him
the guards held up their hands and said no
again

but he said
let her

he had been sobbing that no one cared
that he had no one that loved him
that yesterday he tried to put a noose around his neck

still they saw only his wounds
his face swollen
God showed me his broken heart

I heard the calling out in his voice
I said there is one who cares
He made you and loves you
you are young and strong
He has a plan for you
to do good

He loves you

Can I pray for you
I asked

I am religious
he said

please pray
he said

his sobbing stopped
his breathing settled
his faith returned

they said they would care for him

he was hungry
they said after they patched him up
they would feed him

my name is Elijah he said

a strong name
my prayer and tears lifted for him

I wondered if there was ever someone who cared for him
like my grandson has
he rests between his parents' hearts
when teething hurts
he knows who cares for him

Elijah
a strong name

I wonder if he has siblings
to laugh and play with
like my Shoshi's  have

and a grandma who thinks the world of the five

Father God
hold this broken Elijah
in your kind hands
and make him strong in You
that he would know
what it is
to be so loved

my favourite things

my favourite things/ our littlest man

you were loved long before

you were yearned for long before

you were imagined
years ago
decades ago
a half a century and maybe more before

I remember playing barbies
at six
with Carolee
on her stairs
in her room

always it was real
and we had children
and grandkids
and it was all about what we would name them
and how we would live

and now
here you are

precious one

loved upon long before
you came to us

Each time
my photo of the day arrives
my heart does this little leap

you see
precious one
I saw you in my heart of hearts
long ago
and your mom
and your dad
and brothers and sisters
and me

Gramma
loving you
as always I have
and always I will

It has nothing to do
with what you do
It has everything to do
with just you

our littlest man

my favourite things
-------------------

Psalm 139

my favourite things/ they still live beneath the step

they still live
beneath the step
and as I venture out
for my midnight watch
they remember me
and come out of hiding
grandaddies
princes
old mamas

tonight one so little it could have hidden
away with ten others
on my smallest nail
the rain so fresh and light
it tagged along
to hear the retelling
of tales of old

of little girls and boys
and wagon rides
and always the tucking away after
where they all belonged
beneath the step

Sam and Blue
joined the parade
the two deer stay hidden beneath the poplars
knowing I saw them too
their hearts were in
they had already paraded by us for a week now
unafraid
satisfied with the peace
and rest this land
affords to
all who come
to play
in the
midnight hour

rain drizzling fresh
on the planted garden
new life breaking forth from little dead seeds
awakening
a mystery unveiled
with patient waiting

thoughts of African loves
building all the memories they can
while dreaming and hoping
with the coming future

a little family over the mountains
discovering puddles
and spring blossoms
a little black and white cat
and Spring birds
a dog's friendship
and new birthings of beauty
of life all around
gardens planted with good seed
a happy waiting
for the harvest

a son building
like a carpenter's Son
from many years ago

hearts all content
learning of a certain goodness
that always floods the earth
no matter what sits before
the goodness
covers still

the midnight hour
is the game we play
of remembering
and thanking
a little dance with the frogs
a few dog hugs and scratches
a few who who's
with the night birds
a smile lifted
to my God
a deep breath
one with His
a sigh
satisfied
and
so free
to be
me

they come from beneath the step
for this game we play

my favourite things

my favourite things/broken glass

                                                                                          ~ broken glass art by Bing Wright

broken mirrors
they seem no use to us
but when held up to the light
show a world of Kaleidescope beauty
like a stained glass by a Master's touch
we stand in awe and catch our breath

broken lives
they seem no use to us
but when held up to the Light
The Master's touch
shows what is really there
and piece by piece reflects
a glimmer never thought
by human heart
could ever be restored

it is the Master's touch
that takes a broken piece
of glass or human heart
and gently bends His Light around
and a Master Piece
is born

He bends His knee to heal us
He comes in gracious mercy
to take us in His arms and hold us
He comes by His gracious Spirit to woo us
and what seems no use to broken man
to God is how His heart
is born in us

broken mirrors
broken lives
His love that holds us

my favourite things

-----------------------------




I saw this wonderful broken glass art by Bing Wright.... I know you will love the others~ God is making you something beautiful, even in our brokeness... God works a miracle
http://www.bingwright.com/

my favourite things/ God's grace is always kind

This was an end of the year posting that ended up 'not here' but grace must always be shared~ His grace is always sufficient~ peace to all my beloveds~ so precious to Him you are, and to me.

God’s grace is always kind
it is life that is hard
and though so often joyous
life has a way of pulling the carpet right out from under us
at times
we just don’t understand God
but
God’s grace is always kind
in that hard spot
when life seems to just swallow us
and we would shout out at Him
and say Why God
Why me God
Why all this pain
or all this joy
or all this sorrow
God’s grace is always kind
and comes to us
and puts its arms around us
holds us up
binds up our woundedness
waits with us
for healing
or gives us better
God’s grace is always kind
don’t ever think there is not enough
don’t ever think you are not worthy
that He is blind and does not see
or understand
your depths
of agony
God’s grace is always kind
its purpose is life
and that abundantly
in our hearts
in our minds
in our whole beings
not just for now
but for Always
this grace
has tasted life’s agonies
and joys
its victories
and triumphs
it is God’s grace that holds us
when all is lost
when we are found
Be still and let it hold you
rest in its embrace
you are His Beloved
let His Grace show you
the kindness of God
——————-
beloved let us love one another
for love is of God
and he that loveth not
knoweth not God
~I John 4:7,8
——————-
Greater love hath not man than this
that he lay down his life for his friends
~John 15:13
——————-
Love is patient,
love is kind
and is not jealous;
love does not brag
and is not arrogant,
does not act unbecomingly;
it does not seek its own,
is not provoked,
does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails…
~But now abide these three; faith, hope, love,
but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13
————————————
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.~Romans 8:38-39
God’s grace is always kind

my favourite things