Repose

Blog 114 …

Finding space and repose intertwined in our surroundings is pure delight.  From the vast spread of soft, fresh greens afforded us, we could temporarily claim a spot to still our souls or we could occupy a welcoming bench and make it a perfect haven for our quiet reflection.  The breadth of our open and dedicated natural world gifts us with possibilities to explore  both lofty and transcendental thoughts;  it affords us to wallow into or to unpack our life aspirations.  Best, it stirs in us and it invites us to experience an overwhelming thankfulness for God’s magnificent creation!

Splendor

Blog 113 …

Behold the marvelous expanse.  It is there, here, and everywhere … verdantly vast, magnificently beautiful in repose.  Take a step … a stride … then stop to feel its permeating soft breezes brush and tickle all senses. The bog world, the natural world explodes in splendor!







Marked

Blog 112 ...

Graffiti canvas ... memory wall ... vengeance forum ... whatever was on your mind when you carved that message, that name, that thought on a tree trunk ... suggested extreme emotional expressions of the moment, but why perpetuate it on an innocent tree trunk? It was there - the unbearable scream.  It shed tears of pain as you mercilessly imposed that knife blade onto it, but you ignored it. You failed to see its scarred heart afterwards as it openly bore your marks of frustration and anger.  You couldn't have felt the timeless harm exposed wounds had done to its psyche.  Worse, passersby no longer are drawn to stop and rest under its shade; they don't anymore have the comfort to lean on its once sturdy covering. What would you do if it were your body skin violated? Would you not also carry the brunt of shame?





Reach ...

Blog 111 ...

Always, we are in search for something or someone. We even look up to the sky for something transcendental.  We as well try to reach out for something beyond our realm. We aspire to reach out for something we easily could not.  We even attempt to reach out to and for God.  The absolute wonder of it all is that we do not even have to.  God already has reached down to us, and constantly holds us in His hands. Advent reminds us of life’s great and abundant hope, joy, and peace in the love God bestows.  Live out God’s love, and celebrate it!  

Hearth

Blog 110 …

     Literally, the hearth is our HOME, our sweet home.  It is our household, our family life. The hearth, when lit up, is also the source of tremendous warmth.  No wonder we huddle around it.  We want to take in all its comforts especially when the cold air sets in.  The fireside light has a lot more  drawing effects, however, as it pulls us together.  It breathes tenderness, cordiality and affection much like the effect brought by a circle of two or three of us gathering, celebrating, praising, giving thanks, and remembering all whom we love.  The Hearth reminds us too of the Brightest Light, our Lord Provider of love and warmth, who constantly shines on our spiritual paths.  We must embrace, and sustain the gifts a hearth gives!

AutumnBerries

Blog 109 …

As As summer dries up and fades all the juicy, edible berries we could just pick and harvest from our backyard gardens, landscape-brightening and adorning holly berries come stealthily.  Clustered like grape bunches ripening at orchards and vineyards, holly berries  ring in autumn and announce not only season change, but also the festive holidays right around the bend - the Great Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year.  How beautiful indeed is the landscape that God’s hands makes over and again!

Pumpkins

Blog 108 …

Puny and ginormous, flat fat and well rounded, pure orange-hued and white or green-spotted ones, pumpkins generously blossom and then line up our community gardens until we pick and harvest them.  We love pumpkin cakes, and enjoy as well pumpkin soufflés and soups that we make out of them.  We like them candied or freshly steamed crunchy in our mouths.  We pleasure our palate with their sweet, smooth or textured preparation.   With all the creative recipes we could make with pumpkins, and the satisfaction they give hungry stomachs, isn’t it a wonder why we deck our surroundings with them?