FUNKY SPACES

Regarding funky spaces, the last blog post offered a grand edifice and a simple, 'weighted' structure of neatly piled wood.

Here is another rendition.  So simple and no nails needed.

I became curious.

I looked for more funky spaces.

Would I dare live in any of these creations?

Some, like the neat dome of piled wood, will not protect us but the skeleton is a good beginning. 

 I'd love to drape it in canvas and paint wild flowers on it.

But then I would miss the beauty of the perfectly placed wood.

What about this one?

The covering for the lost window pane does not seem too difficult to fix.

I hope the door is bolted shut.
That's a long step to the ground.
Could I live above a store?
I could if it were here: Georgetown Washington.
Funky! . . .  and Red, White and Blue if you include the lamp globe.

I want to move in but the front door won't open.
This sits one-dimensional piece of wood sits
 in a tiny garden along with other unique art forms.
A funky space IN a funky space nestled between Smithsonian museums.

No matter where we reside, we can enjoy some aspect of our own space.
To make my living space 'funky' I sometimes place something unusual on the front porch . . . like this ratty yellow chair I found for $5.
That was last year.  Don't know what I'll do this year.

Silly stuff, odds and ends . . .  makes for funky space

I'll share more from our last trip after I return from another jaunt.
This time I will be inside, listening and learning and sharing with others . . .  for many days.
Glad it is cold and rainy outside.

SPRING FORTH!

After weeks of quiet leading up to Easter, we now SPRING FORTH into new discoveries and a little jaunt to our old haunts.
We took a bit of a break and went traveling . . . way out of the quiet countryside . . .  to the great city of Washington D. C.   Oh my! 

We have not been there in about eight years!
What a change!
We lived in that area for ages and back then I took few pictures.
This time I was like a little kid with a new camera.
My 'point and shoot' was clicking away!
I lingered over cobbles and enjoyed each moment of discovery.

New buildings surrounded these old cobbles.
Only foot traffic was allowed.
An arch gave added protection. 

We arrived on a Sunday so we thought we might visit a house of worship.

The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Visited by thousands on any Sunday.

The Mosaic work was stunning.
Every space told a story about
our salvation history.

 

A beautiful banner is displayed for each unique Sunday.
The beauty of the outside is as grand as the inside.

                 

                                                                                                                                       

Azaleas everywhere!

Everything was in bloom . . .  still.
We have had the longest Spring on record . . .  starting in early March.

The blooms keep on coming.
Oh JOY!

My little camera was unable to pick up the vibrant RED!
The sunny day made these Azaleas POP!


Spring has come again.  We have the most glorious weather and then it gets cold again.  This time the heat burst through and reminded us that Summer is not too far away.  

This was built with no nails.
 It is not only a unique art form, but a unique
form of architecture.  The weight and placement
of the wood actually makes it quite sturdy.

A study in contrasts.
I love the grandeur of the old buildings as
well as the unique statements of simplicity.

I am off on another jaunt . . .  this time to a conference.

I have so many more sights to share . . .  next week.

CELEBRATE!

What a glorious day we had.
Alleluia, He is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed!
CELEBRATE the transformation . . .
From stark emptiness . . .
everything removed that brings glory to God . . .
 as Jesus was removed from us.

An then the church became full again . . .
in glorious recognition of the risen Christ.

I linger at the sight of . . .
people crowded together . . .
flowers . . .
music . . .
affirming words from God's Word . . .
singing . . .
everyone in their finest . . .
wearing our best for this grandest of all celebrations of the year.

This Cross is an Icon.
It tells the story of our faith.
One must be 'up close and personal' to
 'see' the story 'written' for the eyes and heart. 

We celebrate the presence of the One we worship.
He never left us but his disciples did not know that until Jesus walked among them after He rose from the dead.
We don't know it until we make the choice, by faith, to connect with God's son.

                                                          

Ann Voskamp shares a blog with the world.
Her children put together this scene annually.
It speaks LIFE!  The stone is rolled away!

The stone is rolled away!
There is nothing inside.
Celebrate?
How did they know the body of the One who brought new life to us would walk among them?
How did they know the One would . . .
return . . .
fully in the flesh . . .
chat as he walked about from group to group. . .
 eat fish because he was 'hungry'. . .
 return . . .
for Thomas . . .
 to make a statement like, "No kidding! He's alive?"
 "I don't believe it!"
He was not doubting like, "I don't believe" but, like any of us might say . . .
"Ya gotta be kidd'n!"
"WOW!"
Let's CELEBRATE!

BREATHE

When something drastic happens I sometimes catch my breath and forget to take another.
I'd forget to breathe if it were not for my autonomic system that kicked in the minute I entered this world.
Remembering to breathe takes a huge burden off of me.

I seem to have to remember so many things:
Like remembering to breathe when we watch the portrayal of Jesus being hammered onto wood.
Like remembering to breathe when we see the blood dripping from a human body.
Like remembering to breathe when we hear the last words, "It is finished."

It is finished.
The trauma is over.
Peace at last.
My heart still races after watching the movie, "The Passion" for the third time in my life.
 This time I kept my eyes open for the hard parts.

I am breathing a little easier now but it's still hard.
Breath . . . inhaling air . . . breathe
The life force that keeps us moving, thinking, being.
Breathe deep.

Today is a day to breathe deep . . .
really deep.
Inhale . . . ever - so - slowly . . .
as deep as is possible.
Hold that breath . . .
as long as is possible.
Exhale . . .  ever - so - slowly . . .
as slowly as possible.
Now do it again.
We are suppose to take twenty deep breaths a day for good health.
How often I forget.
In fact, since this deep breathing is not part of the autonomic system,
I have to be very intentional each time I breathe deeply.

What if we were intentional about breath prayers?
Breathe in deeply the fullness of our lives as God-followers.
Release just as deeply the frustrations that keep us from focusing on God.

I choose to picture God's Son, Jesus, as I pray.
It is that mortal part of the trinity I seem to connect with . . .
especially as I imagine God's work through Jesus as related in scripture.

I take time to think of what I want to release . . .
Then I think of affirming words that I would like to receive.

I breathe out anxiety . . .
and breathe in "Jesus . . . my faithful one"
I breathe out insecurity . . .
and breathe in "Jesus . . .  my rock."
I breathe out stress . . .
and breathe in "Jesus . . . my provider."
I breathe out fatigue . . .
and breathe in "Jesus . . . my strength."
I breathe out . . .
Twenty times . . .
Twenty words I do not need to hoard in my heart.
I breathe in . . .
Twenty times . . .
Twenty phrases of assurance from God.

It's not automatic.
It takes time . . .
most of the morning . . .
slowly . . .
surely . . .
I feel so much better . . .
released . . .
less full of 'stuff'
I let myself simply BE.
Today is simply a day to BE and to BREATHE.
Tomorrow. . .
Oh, tomorrow . . .
I can't wait . . .
but I will wait . . .
Tomorrow is the most exciting day of the year.
Breathe!

EMPTY

The empty space echoes.
We emptied out the sanctuary last night . . .
nothing in the tabernacle . . .
gleaming brass candlesticks vanish . . .
anything that can move was taken away . . .
 the huge cross was draped to remind us of emptiness.

Jesus emptied himself out for us . . .
   emptied of all his blood . . .
he bled to death . . .
for us.

At 9am this morning I linger a little longer than usual in my favorite chair.
I choose not to read or study or listen to music.
I simply sit.
I pray nothing . . .
I try to think nothing . . .
I simply stare out the window . . .
I empty my thoughts . . .
I empty my senses.

At Noon I begin reading the Passion according to John 19.
At Noon Jesus heard from those around him . . .
Crucify him . . .
 Crucify him!
The words pierce my soul . . .
just as the thorns pressing into Jesus' skull pierced his skin.
I cannot imagine the pain . . .
the humiliation . . .
the human endurance needed for this ordeal set before Jesus.

At Noon, Jesus' life begins to empty . . . one drop of blood at a time.
At Noon, Jesus' suffering begins with words . . .
then continues with the physical . . . scourging . . .
the crown of thorns pressing into his skull . . .
as he carries a heavy beam to the place he would die . . .
refusing the gall that would numb the pain of nails driven into the most vulnerable parts of his body.

Jesus still attended to business after he was nailed to the Cross.
Jesus pardoned another . . .
on the cross next to him . . .
when the criminal asked if he could be remembered in God's kingdom.

Jesus made sure his beloved John took care of Mary, Mother of Jesus.
Jesus disconnected from his Father in order to take on all our sin . . .
Past . . .
Present . . .
Future  . . .
Nothingness . . .
            For one instant . . .
one speck of time . . .
Jesus separated himself from his Father . . .
 nothing . . .
nada . . .
zip . . . communication.
For years Jesus was connected to his Father . . . 24 . . . 7 . . . 365 . . .
 not one millisecond was Jesus detached from the One who gave him life.
Now, for one instant  . . .
NOTHING

3 pm . . . The final moment of excruciating pain  endured. . .
 for us.
Jesus shed his last drop of blood . . .
 for us.
Totally empty . . .
Jesus became thirsty . . .
and sucked a little of the thirst-quenching vinegar . . .
enough to make his voice heard . . .
enough to give his final words . . .
to us.
IT IS FINISHED . . .
and then he breathed his last.

Some say Jesus spoke his last words with fortitude and resolve.
It was like he was saying,
 "I have done everything my Father sent me to do on earth . . .
 including this excruciating death."

Jesus was now ONE with his Father.
Jesus, through this act of love for us was telling us,
"We triumph over darkness,
We triumph over evil,
We completed this final sacrifice . . .
so no other sacrifice need be given for the sins of God's chosen people.
We: Father, Son and Holy Spirit . . .
WE . . .
as ONE . . .
have conquered death . . .
Once . . .
for ALL."

Jesus emptied himself out for us . . .
 that we might become empty of all that keeps us from relationship with God.
Today is an empty day.
But this is only Friday.
As Tony Compollo said in his famous speech many years ago . . .
 This is Friday . . .
Sunday's coming!

FOCUS

It's Thursday.
Maundy Thursday . . .  from a root word, 'mandate' ... which we translate into "Commandment".
This is the commandment . . .  to love one another.
We are mandated to love one another as Christ loved us.
We are mandated to love another by following the precepts written for us in scripture.
This takes FOCUS.
Intentional, time consuming, every-word digesting focus.

How can anyone love another enough to actually die for them?
It has been done over and over again.
We hear stories of one choosing to die instead of another slated for death.
Young men go to the battlefield . . . a constant . . . to die for our freedom.
A mother does not think twice about enveloping her children in a fire.
 The children survive.  She does not.
The stories are endless.

Yet, THE story of stories might be the best example for us to follow for the rest of our lives .
Jesus knows this is his last Passover feast.
The disciples closest to Jesus, the twelve, anticipate an evening of remembering.
They plan to remember their salvation history, as do all Jewish people.
 'This is the night . . .'
The night of remembrance . . .
Yet, this night with Jesus would begin a new story of remembrance.

The table was set.
All were huddled around Jesus.
All were focused on Jesus' words, Jesus' movements . . .
      Jesus held up the bread.
He blessed it and broke it and said, "Take, eat, this is my body."
He held up the chalice of wine, blessed it and gave it to them saying,
"This is my blood, God's new covenant, poured out for many people."
And then he said, "I'll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God."
 [Mark 14, Message Bible]

All but one focused on Jesus' words, Jesus' movements. . .
These words were new, different, not yet understood.
What did Jesus mean?
They remained focused on Jesus, waiting for more.
More would come later.

One, totally focused on self and his own 'mission', endured the ordeal of allowing his mentor, Jesus, to serve him.
One, ready to flee at any moment, even allowed Jesus to dip the morsel of bread into the wine and be fed by the leader he followed for three years.
One lost his focus on THE ONE who could save him from the curses of his soul.
One lost THE ONE in an instant because he could not understand the mandate to 'love one another.'

It is so easy to be the one who loses focus.
In a millisecond, as a tiny spec in this huge universe, we can lose our focus on the ONE who has the power to keep us focused on God for an eternity.

Let us focus on the mandate to 'love one another':
by humbling ourselves as Jesus humbled himself before his disciples when he washed their feet,
by eating the bread of Jesus' presence, his life given for us,
by drinking the wine poured out for us, his blood-sacrifice shed for us.
by remaining focused . . .  vigilant . . .  for the next three days . . . and more.
Focus on what we read in scripture,
Focus on what we hear from another who tells the story,
Focus on the taste and smell of bread and wine turned into his presence.
Focus on touching another's life with the mandate, "love one another."

Let's simply FOCUS

BE PREPARED

I believe that is the Boy Scout motto.
It is a good motto for all of us.

As I reflect through this Holy Week, I think of that motto often.
Am I prepared to take the next step with God's son . . . as time speeds faster toward Maundy Thursday and Good Friday?

Am I truly preparing my surroundings . . .
and myself . . .
for the Tridium?
Tridium . . .
three of the most holy days of the Christian calendar.
Just as the Jewish people begin counting the days of the Passover at sundown Friday this year,
we begin counting our three most holy days at sundown Thursday.

In order to remain totally focused on what God wants to show me during those days of enveloping myself in His presence during the tridium,
I need to
whirl and swirl through . . .
what I think are important chores . . .
in order to remain focused on a very special time.

I need to be prepared for whatever may touch my spirit . . .
whatever might move me into a closer walk with Christ.

How do I prepare?
Let me count the ways . . .
I'll finish my study in James that was to be completed by now anyway.
I will read my lessons on the book of Acts so I feel ready when I teach next week.
I will continue writing three words of gratitude daily so that I do not fall behind in my goal of 1000 gifts of gratitude by the end of this year.
I will wash clothes,
    prepare a few foods to have on hand,
          clean the house as best I can,
make sure odds and ends are in order and then . . .
and then . . .
Tomorrow . . .
 I will linger  . . .
I will pray  . . .
I will focus on Jesus' last Passover celebration.
I will wash feet at church.
I will celebrate the passover feast one last time this week.
I will remain open to God's leading.
I will breathe deeply.
I will drink in the beauty of my surroundings.
I will feel the pain that Jesus felt, knowing fully what was ahead of him.
I will simply BE.

I will BE prepared.
I will be PREPARED . . .  as best I can.

God's Provision

It's Tuesday . . . quite late.
But I am following the challenge for Tuesday . . .  offered in my other blog.
We are invited to remember and give thanks for three of God's provisions.
God provides everything . . .  especially the ability for me to breathe . . . but my mind lingers elsewhere.

God provided just enough time for Jesus to complete his life on earth.
Time.
Limited,
finite,
calculated . . . just enough.

Jesus had limited, finite, calculated . . . just enough time to teach the twelve  to understand the events that would happen at the end of this week.
It's the last Tuesday that Jesus would spend on this earth.

My time is also finite.
I do not know how much time I have on this earth but I do know I only have
 24 hours each day,
 7 days per week,
52 weeks per year . . .
I have been given this gift for MANY years.
What have I done with it?
I have slept through one-third of it.
I have spun through a part of it.
I have wasted much of it.
I pray I have used wisely the rest.
Only God knows.
Time.
A precious gift . . . given to me . . .  whether I deserve it or not.

Second, God provided me with the use of all my senses.
It's an incredible gift.
Many are not given this gift.
I can see . . .
perhaps not perfectly . . .
but the gift makes me speechless.
For that matter, the ability to speak and hear what I say may be far more pleasing to me than anyone who might listen.

To smell what I see and taste without looking, is beyond comprehension.
When I read of Jesus' last days on this earth, all my senses are activated as if I were there.
 That's hard.
 I don't want to walk to the Cross with him.
But that's how I understand God's best provision for me.

Thus, the third gift God gave me is His presence . . . forever.
According to God's Word, I can take it or leave it.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God . . . not the result of works so that no one may boast" [ Ephesians 2:8,9]
I can accept this . . .  or not.
For years I chose "not".
But then I spent time . . .
lots of time . . .
reading . . .
listening . . .
meditating . . .
letting God's words touch my heart . . .
gaining a taste for eternal life . . .
trying to understand what God was showing me.

God's gifts led me to the greatest gift I could ever know.
And it's only Tuesday.

Stepping Back

Today I follow the advice of my other blog.
 It's Monday.
It's time to STEP BACK.

I STEP BACK from the frenzy of cleaning the weekend messes.
I step back from my 'to-do' list . . .  although I will get to it eventually.
I step back from the shoulda, coulda, woulda moments of my life and simply reflect on one 'manna word' for today.

This is my Winter place. It's cozy warm.

I wait.
I wonder.
I linger in my lumpy quiet time chair.
It's getting late.
What is my 'manna word'?
O, silly me.
Its 'STEP BACK'!
Its time to breathe deeply.

I take extra moments to scribble notes in my journal and on my blog.
I linger a little longer as I slog through weekend emails . . .  all good.
I pop a couple U-Tube videos on my facebook page.

This journal is full.  Time to begin again.

Ahhhh, what a delight to breathe a little today.
Holy Week is upon us.
Reflection time each day will take a bit longer.
As the end of the week nears, my heart will become heavier.



 Today is a time to step back . . .  breathe in the day as I linger with the Lord.