Hope for My friend

Today's blog is a prayer for my friend. A little over three years ago, she was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. After a year of surgeries and chemo, she was given the happy news of "remission" - a great word to someone with cancer.

Today she heard those horrible words that no cancer patient ever wants to hear. "It's back, we start chemotherapy immediately"...

My heart aches for her.

Soon after her initial diagnosis, we got our dog, Winnie. Her middle name is Hope, because the puppy pictures brought a smile to our friend. I gotta find a cute picture, something nice and send it to her right away.

She is looking for hope today....

D and S

These are the most wonderful and wondrous grandchildren in the world.... D is the a-typical teen. Straight A's, athletic, Christ-centered, and balanced. No selfishness. No silliness. Her mother did an amazing job- she did not marry my son until this girl was in adolescence! So her mother gets all the credit.

And then there is S. 20 months old... Sweet, unaffected, and all boy. Now I can give my son some credit, as he has my son's beautiful green/gray color eyes.

Yes- Grandma is all so happy. It was an amazing Easter, time with these kids!

Unafraid to be Smart

There was an interesting question posed in church today. Do we know so much that we have become too smart to need God? Have we, in discovering the wealth of the internet, the wisdom of vast ages and sages at our fingertips, moved past needing an omniscient God?

And yet, I feel that God, is not intimidated. He who loved our communication and companionship in the garden welcomes our intelligence. Maybe he has waited for these moments, when he can talk with adult children about things beyond what we first knew. We understand more.

When my children were small we talked of insects and flowers and young friendships. Now that they are grown, we speak of adult things. Marital relationships. Homes, loans and adult things. And we welcome the conversations.

I think God is the same.... He has waited for our growth and increased companionship for our walks in the garden...

Blossoms

We moved into this house in October. Little did we know that 2 triple blossom cherry trees were outside in our backyard. They are beside the little balcony porch attached to our bedroom. There is a third tree - just outside the other bedroom window. Starting right about on my birthday (how amazing is that??) they burst into a pink puffy bloom-cotton candy extravaganza.

My birthday is 4 days away. this is one of the first starting it's way out of the bud-cocoon.

Spring - ing

Last week I pruned the heck out of my roses.

Today I saw this bud.

From the pain of pruning, we see the promise of spring...

to all my friends

I am copying this from my niece, with whom I have recently connected on facebook. This was so good, I had to share it with this community as well.

♥ ~ A true friend doesn't care what you're wearing, if your home is tidy or not, if your car is making funny noises, that you only have $5 in the bank this week, or that you and your loved ones aren't perfect... A true friend just loves you for you! ~ ♥

Why I love gardens

First, Gardens are playful. Even the dirt is fun. We are allowed as adults to play in the mud and be kids.... How fun is that!

And then, Gardeners are creators. We design and plant and plan, and make things grow. Sometimes what we grow we get to eat, like tomatoes and basil, lemons and limes. Yummy!

And Gardens are calming. There's something soothing about working with your hands, seeing the fruit of your labor of love. Smelling the good smells. - unless it's manure. But that has purpose, so it's good.

And maybe the most important is the realization that we started in a garden. The Garden of Eden. Paradise. Whether that was a few thousand years ago, or millions of years ago - it doesn't matter. I think the whole point of that story is that it all started when we had a friendship, an intimate relationship with God. And the whole purpose for this life is to get back to that garden-relationship. He wants to talk to us, walk with us, smell the smells and play a little.... Have a place in our life = and we have a place in his life.

Yes, gardens are good...