OCTOBER ODE

 

Oh October, glowing gold and bright reds,  

in fields and leaves and mountainside beds.

Changes around me are much like my life.

They glow with delight as they smother inner strife.

Taking walks and driving through fields that glow,

knowing that soon they will be filled with soft snow.

Opines we feel knowing summer has passed,

sharing fond memories that forever will last.

Beings and gardens share much in common,

as we lament in remembrance that blooms must say, “Amen.”

Ever and often we glance out from inside,

as rain pummels down and washes leaves that died.

Reverence fills my soul as I look out and see,

the changes out there are like changes in me.

So ends this ode to October but more lies ahead . . . 

as I linger in thoughts and lie longer in bed.

while swirling of memories goes about in my head.

My life is like October which moves like a song, 

even if parts of me feel like they are gone.  

My memory is not what it use to be,

but I cling to each though like a crimson leaf on a tree.  

Life is filled with north winds that blow, 

and parts of myself might get lost in the flow.

But I am strong and eager and often filled with delight,

as I linger in warmth by the fire at night.

I see the changes out there beyond us.

Do I ponder the same that goes on inside us?

Is my soul ready for the drama of Fall?

Is it filled to overflowing with the One who loves us all?

Do I keep walking forth against the North wind,

if I’m blown and spin in a swirl that turns me outside-in?

I keep walking forth at a steady pace,

knowing my Lord embraces me with His GRACE.

God’s riches I see in October’s color.

They glitter and explode this month as none other.

Riches unearned but with humility accepted,

as I ponder the beauty God’s earth has reflected.

Always with me, His Spirit in my soul,

I marvel at the glory of His presence, my goal.

Cheering me on, embraced by His love,

I shuffle through life as I’m led from above.

Ever, forever, God never lets go, 

reminding me always that I must go with the flow.

Today I feel blessings I am unworthy to receive,

but God’s presence fills me and does not deceive.

October brings forth deep desires,

to ponder and sing of all that transpires.

I see leaves swirling frenzy as winds blow hard,

to remind me of my own debris in my heart.

I breathe out a long sigh as I release all my woes,

and breathe in new freedom from my head to my toes.

I feel a release as I see the fall sights,

and my heart twirls with glee as I grasp new delights.

I’m open and empty to grasp all I can, 

in these dim lit days as winter is at hand.

I bundle up in layers of wool,

 as I brave the north winds before winter’s snow.  

I keep moving forward against the brisk rain,

 knowing that God in my life is my gain.

New awareness that Fall is very much in my life,

I keep moving forward, my heart empty of strife.

I feel renewed daily with deep joy inside, 

knowing my Lord, my God is with me, my guide.

And so I end this long October Ode,

and hope all who read this enjoy this month’s treasures like gold.

I could write little diddies all the day long,

but then the delight would fade in this song.

May blessing abound as we move into winter,

May our hearts ponder thoughts that give us delight.

May God in His grace give us all we desire,

May God be with us every day and each night.

May our Lord spread His bounty so full in our hearts,

Let our minds mull the generous gifts He imparts.

SEPTEMBER SWIRL

 It is through God’s grace that we are alive and well and able to enjoy God’s creation.  It is through his Son, the second person of the Trinity, that grace blooms.  I seek to see God’s creation not only with my eyes but with my soul.

That’s why I see God’s grace through these September swirls of color. 

As I have stated over these past few months, we had an amazingly beautiful summer with frequent rain, plenty of sun, just enough warm days and a surprisingly cool entry into Fall.

September is one of those months where we sense a transition into Fall apparel but too often it is hot and dry and too uncomfortable to wear more than one thin layer of clothing.  This year is different.

I was ready to embrace a hot Fall when cool winds swirled through this hilly dale and surprised us all.  I’ve been wearing sweatshirts most of this month.

Needless to say, the Mums and Asters dot front yards a month early.  I exchanged my pots of red, white and blue petunias for gold mums, blue asters and a pop of rose from a plant I’d never seen before.  It’s from India so it will not last long.  But WOW!  With my mums already popping up all over the garden, these large pots added to our show-stopper front yard.

So, one might ask, “Why do I focus on my garden each month?”  Because I never had a garden until I ‘retired’ almost ten years ago.  I actually went back to work part time but I finally found time to build terraces with little stone walls down our hill.  Now all we see is abundant variegated green, blue, rose, yellow and odd pops of color.

Over these several years I have marveled at God’s amazing creation that is now permanently planted on only one-quarter acre of land. I enjoy digging in the ground, creating my stone-edged herb garden, hauling dirt and bricks for days, and transplanting perennial blooms that may fare better in another spot.  I also have an excuse to enjoy these balmy summer months outside.

I still teach and attend meetings via Zoom as we deal with the various anomalies of the continuing COVID challenge.  Annual medical and dental appointments, errands, visits with friends and jaunts outside our town sometimes seem like mastering a maze for a few months.

I can count on the relaxation of digging soil, pulling weeds, cutting back the endless growth or simply sitting on my little bench and viewing acres of beauty that surround us.  Blooms burst forth in spring with vigor, die back a little in the summer heat, then gracefully show their beauty again about this time of year.  My Clematis is blooming again and the Daisies, cut back months ago, are showing off their white faces!

Tarragon and Garlic Chives nestle between vibrant rose bushes.  Russian Sage leaps forth, covering endless varieties of hasta, some so large they press against the larger bushes. The Hydrangea bushes are filled with massive pom-poms of rose and blue with a hint of antique white.  Creeping blue geraniums wind around salvia.  Most delightful are my Winterberry bushes that are bursting with bright red berries.

This swirl of beauty stimulates all my senses and reminds me of our benevolent God.  Just as colorful beauty surrounds and fills me, I am also reminded of the all-encompassing embrace of God’s grace holding me tight and directing me as I journey forth, one day at a time.

The JOY I feel each day as I focus on what is laid before me seems overwhelming in the same way that these garden blooms overwhelm my soul.  I see and touch God’s creation daily and hear God’s creatures as they flit by like a butterfly or a grasshopper or a hummingbird or even big, noisy groups of geese.  The swirl of infilling is wondrous.

One more month and all will remain as it is for the winter.  For now, I linger in my garden and enjoy each part of this tiny world of wonder.  

"It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.”  Jeremiah 10:12

AHHH AUGUST

 Do you remember a time in your life when everything seemed topsy?

When ‘right-side-up’ seemed like up-side-down?

When you could not articulate the constant swirling in your soul?

When life lived in fullness seemed too far away to connect?

This August, life around me seems topsy.

Up is down.

Yes is ‘no’.

In is out.

ReJOYce is reversed, turned around, skewed.

Indeed I rejoice daily but then I read the paper or listen to the news or receive a devastating prayer request.

My heart skips a beat.

The world is so crazy!

Is there no one left in this world who thinks beyond personal gain?

Is satan taking vulnerable people and twisting their souls until dead? Where is the logic?

Where is the step-by-step pondering over difficult situations?

Is there no hint or sign that things could be otherwise?

Is each day so spontaneous that there is no forethought regarding solutions to years-long problems or suggestions for better health before catastrophe happens?

August is a time to linger in the shade with a glass of Ice Tea.  

It’s a time to lazily read a book if there is time to spare each day.  

It’s a month that signals the coming of another school or church year.

It’s a time to plan, prepare, move ahead of the curve so that we are ready for another great season of being, of learning, of rejoicing with others.

After all, being in community is important to most of us.  

How we linger with one another can either be spontaneous or scheduled with well planned opportunities.

August is one of my favorite months because hubby and I take one day at a time.  

If the weather is good we may take a day trip.  

If it is too hot, we eat ice cream.  

If we want to be lazy we give ourselves permission to do so.

On the other hand, it is also a time for me to think of all I’d like to accomplish when the air is cooler, when more people have settled back home after vacation or when most schedules are being set for the coming year.

I love learning and teaching.

Therefore, I must think ahead:  Specific dates and times for classes, resources needed to complete the goals that I set, contingency plans so we leave no one stranded if times and events change. 

Planning ahead is part of our daily lives.  

One adage I live by is, “Make a structured plan and then feel free to deviate from it.”

It’s sort of like building a house.

We dream of decor or the finest kitchen but if the house foundation is faulty, all will collapse.

Life is that way.

If we move through life with little ‘form’ to our days, we may feel like we’ve accomplished nothing even though simply being awake and breathing is truly an accomplishment some days.

However, if we formulate a plan and create simple habits we most likely will have a sense of stability, a strong foundation. 

For instance, each morning I choose to accomplish tasks within a two-hour period.  No matter when I wake up, I focus on these tasks.  

First, I tidy up the bedroom and brush my teeth.

Second, I put on comfy clothes for 30 minutes of exercise.  This could be a swift walk in the neighborhood or cardio on my glider.  This exercise is not an option but a necessity to maintain my health.

Third, I fix my own breakfast that is simple and specific.  [Hubby has already enjoyed his so we later share a mid-morning time of oatmeal and meditations.]

Fourth, I study scripture, read from a theological book and dive into prayer, not necessarily in that order.  Often I begin while I am sipping my early morning tea.  Then I take more time to linger over a variety of options.  I love to study so I have to watch my time.

Fifth, I clean up and dress for the day which could be running errands, a meeting on Zoom, an adventure with hubby, addressing specific chores or ‘all of the above’.  

On gardening days this step may be moved far beyond my “two hours.”  Gardening days are my JOY.  I can linger in dirt for hours.  

Why is my morning so structured?  

Because I have tried to move these habits to another part of the day and I have failed miserably.  

If I do not accomplish the basics in the morning I might as well forget it.  Some days are like that.  I get up too late or have an early morning meeting.  

When I break a habit, even when I cannot help it, I feel a bit topsy, a bit up-side-down.

When the world spins about me in what I perceive to be total chaos, these habits keep me grounded, focused, grateful and joy-filled.  

These habits are part of my foundation, just like that of a little house.  When built strong my inner foundation stands firm even when storms blow hard around me.

Ahhh, August.

I’ve been slacking off a bit this summer.

It’s a time to get back into those habits that ground both body and soul.

It’s time to linger a little longer doing the things I love to do.

It’s a time to rejoice in the fact that I crave my little schedule of habits knowing that I am solidly grounded as the Lord leads me.

There is a passage of scripture that I have loved for years from Philippians 4:11-13  “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being filled and of going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

As I retain my foundation of good habits, I am strengthened for any circumstance and know intimately the One who strengthens me.

Ahhh, August

Ahhh, Life

Ahhh, the Breath of life for both soul and body in these crazy times 

Ahhh, My God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Ahhh, Grateful

Ahhh, Rejoice !!!

JULY THE MISSING PIECE

 July is my favorite month.     

RED, WHITE and BLUE is my theme all summer but especially this month.

I’m taking time to linger in the garden which is amazingly gorgeous this year.

I’m taking time to read and take walks even though the temps and humidity are high.

Rain gives some relief but early morning hours are the best time to accomplish anything outside.

All the pieces of my summer seem to fit nicely into our continuous activities with visitors and friends.

This summer we have had to ‘re-learn’ socializing in person!

I never realized that, for hubby and me, who did not suffer from the isolation of Covid, getting together with people takes practice.

We have to clean up the clutter and figure out what to eat.

Food is central to hospitality.

I make scones and give them away by the dozens but actually fixing a nice meal where we can linger between healthy courses takes practice.

It’s almost like putting a puzzle together and finding there is one missing piece.  This summer I actually took time to form a 1000 piece puzzle on our dining room table [wrong place if you are entertaining].  There was one piece I could not find until I removed the cushion of one chair as I was dusting.  Voila!  My heart, at last felt peace.

A few weeks later I decided to try another puzzle.  Although only 500 pieces, it seemed more difficult.  It had been in the box about twenty years so perhaps the way pieces were cut back then were more challenging?  Indeed, any excuse will do for lingering a little longer with this one.  This time I used a table in our basement rec room so it would not impede any entertaining.  Alas, this puzzle also had a missing piece . . .  which I have yet to find!!!  It’s missing from a less prominent place than  in the other puzzle but each time I look at the puzzle my eye goes right to the empty space.

So, I began to wonder.  Why is the empty space more important than the incredible feat of completing two puzzles when I have not worked any puzzle in years?  Why doesn’t my eye focus on the lovely picture, the intricate placement of tiny cardboard pieces or simply the sense of accomplishment I should feel?

This focus on the ‘empty space’ seems to be a metaphor for life.  Hubby and I give thanks daily for all we have.  We give glory to God for our incredible life, our health, our faith and the protection and guidance we feel as we walk with Christ.  We bubble over with blessings each day as we read scripture together and read a meditation that unpacks a chosen verse.

We have all we could ever want, are busy enough to feel satisfied at the end of each day, and have amazingly good health.

Yet, we have dreams and unmet expectations that still seem to linger deep in our souls.  I’d love to travel to Europe again but there are some very realistic roadblocks that keep us from doing so at this point in our lives.  Overnight trips to familiar destinations seem to be all we can handle right now.  No complaints here.  Just a reality check.  This ‘empty space’ is filled up with travel documentaries readily available to us via the internet.

I think of friends I have not seen in years.  We all live so far away now.

Yet, Zoom and phone calls have filled in those empty spaces.  There are those I may never see and then, unexpectedly, a few are ‘in the neighborhood.’  Last winter unexpected guests took a vacation thousands of miles from their home and we lingered over a long meal together and hours of chat.

There is a book I’d like to write.  Perhaps it’s an unmet goal that I set decades ago.  Although I do not ache over the idea, I have yet to ‘check the box.’  Perhaps I’ll take the time some day but I have so many other goals to reach that are easy and very enjoyable.  I have piles of unread books which I’m tackling . . .  one book a week.  They feed my soul, tickle my intellect and a few even take me away into fantastic spaces.  My greatest challenge is finding enough ‘empty’ space to read each day but I make time as part of my daily schedule.

My greatest source of ‘empty space’ is the garden.  If I find too much dirt between plants I immediately want to plant something.  Our side yard is a result of years of expanded growth.  Every space is filled with colorful beauty, some tall bushes, some small perennials.  Each year is more glorious than the last.  It’s the sunny parts that take more work to keep spaces filled and alive with sun-loving blooms.  

And then there is the herb garden.  Spring shoots expand the oregano far beyond the perimeters of the brick path.  Cutting back bags full of Thyme, sage, oregano and so much more adds plenty to the larder but empties out the overgrowth that covers bald spots.  So, I add an annual for color . . .  which takes ages to grow . . .  then wilts because it should not have been planted in that space in the first place.  Oh well, so I have a ‘bald spot’ here and there.  I breathe deep and give myself credit for maintaining so many beauty-filled gardens.

It’s like maintaining rose bushes in July.  Impossible!  Japanese beetles fly from the meadow below toward the sweet smell of yellow, white and red roses.  Rains pound the white roses to pieces.  Beetles gather in mounds on the red roses.  The delicate yellow roses are the big prize for these appetite driven little beasts.  So, I fill my empty spaces of time popping these menaces into my suds-filled container.  Five here, one there, twelve at a time, fifty in an hour.  Three times a day for about three weeks I’m vigilant.  Then my roses are free to bloom the rest of the summer.  They fill the empty spaces of the garden with glorious beauty.

All in all, I do not suffer from seeing ‘empty spaces’ where I do not want them.  I’m simply aware and try to find solutions when I can.

Otherwise, I breathe deep, linger as I ponder and give thanks that I have such simple challenges to overcome.

The greatest empty space we enjoy now is retirement . . .  sort of.

We are busy helping others grow in Christ, listening to heartbreaking stories, loving people right where they are and helping others to deal with their own empty spaces.

Perhaps the next time I try to complete a puzzle I’ll count all the pieces before I start? I hope not.  That takes all the fun out of the process even if the task does not seem complete in the end.  

Life’s puzzles are what keeps us alive, keep us moving forward, as we seek to find answers or seek peace when the reality tells us we may never find the missing piece.  That’s OK.  That is part of our journey.

And we all know that it’s the journey that is so important.

As has been quoted so many times before.  It’s the ‘dash’ between birth date and the date of death that is our story.  The ‘empty space’ between these two dates is far too small to say anything.  Yet, it’s this empty space that is of the most importance.  

I thank God for the missing pieces in my life.

I thank God that I am still alive to fill in ‘empty’ spaces.

I thank God I can serve our Lord with gladness each day as He directs my journey.

I am thankful that hubby and I are a team who gains strength through the ‘third strand’ of our lives, our triune God. 

Through the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we keep moving through life, empty spaces and all, filling the missing pieces as our Lord directs.  

God is good.

Life is good.

We are good.

And we give thanks every single day for rest, blessings and outreach to others.

I know deep in my soul that the PEACE of God that surpasses all understanding will always fill the  those 'empty spaces' when I am unable to discern the missing piece.

 

JUNE TRANSITIONS

 We usually begin our transition in May but this year I was needed a little longer in Florida.  What a difference a few weeks makes.  June is a great month to 'transition.'

By the time hubby and I packed up for the northern environs we experienced 95 degrees with 95% humidity daily.  I do not mind the heat but the humidity makes one feel mildly limp as we slog through mud.

Almost immediately, upon exiting our train up north, we felt the first joy of our transition from South to North.  We breathed in fresh air even though it was already quite hot in the early hours of the new day.  Far less humidity has made a huge impact on our well-being.  

The terrain of wide freeways and overpasses was not much different than our southern environs but once we left the suburbs surrounding D.C. we entered vast expanses of green, deciduous foliage.  Breeze swept through the aged trees until we entered the much anticipated openness of endless farmland.  Barns, hay, oats, animals and the vast patchwork of green, gold and brown reminded us of the place we’d left seven months earlier.

Even upon entering our lovely abode we embraced new spaces.  Dark wooden floors, comfortable furniture, some over a century old.  Our eyes rested upon familiar artwork as empty counters greeted us.  I’d stored all our old, blue, ‘Ball’ jars in the fridge so the contents would remain edible.  Small appliances, the pitcher filled with wooden spoons, cutting boards, containers to hold fresh produce, our little condiment tray, a Kleenex box and all those little do-dads that lay around were all neatly stored away.  

We found we were slow to remember where we placed our beloved tools for daily living.  We opened each cupboard, drawer and cabinet in the house as we hunted for the familiar.  We are still hunting.  Did we leave that in Florida?  Did we place this in such a safe place that there is no way to find it? Was it that important?

And then the shopping.  We eat very simply but purchasing the basics was a bit mystifying.  Our local farmer was first on our list.  Fresh everything we could find, so cheap and no preservatives, fully organic.  Next, Costco.  We buy in bulk as much as possible but hubby is the real shopper.  He knows what is a bargain and what is best to purchase elsewhere.  We only shop at three to four places but it was the list-making and the decisions that exhausted us.

And so we are now well ensconced in our home-sweet-home, ready to enjoy a little ‘down’ time.  Our heavy work schedule was actually in Florida.  Our ‘vacation’ is in the middle of Lancaster farmland.  Amish mow the lawns, buggies vie for space on two-lane roads.  Farmers plant corn where they just harvested oats and hay.  Tractors, lawn mowers and the clip-clopping hooves of horse-drawn buggies sometimes drown out the melodious songs of a great variety of birds in the meadow at the bottom of our little hill.  

I sit on my back porch and stare out at the vast expanse of farmland as I listen to happy sounds.  Cool breezes make large tree limbs, filled with a variety of vegetation, seem like they are dancing.  Mama birds flit about grabbing endless food for their greedy babies.  How am I to get any work done?  I’m mesmerized!  

It’s still not warm enough to wear less than three layers before noon.  I cautiously peel one layer at a time.  By late afternoon I am ready to wear one layer as we take our daily walk around the neighborhood.  The days are 15 hours long so there is plenty of time to work in the garden each day. 

And then there are the gardens.  We have back and front yard gardens, tiered gardens filled with perennials and the herb garden overflowing with green beauty, flowers, and an abundance of herbs that will keep us going for the next five years.  Sometimes I think I should begin a small business to dry and sell herbs.  Instead, I choose to cut back large bags full of Oregano, Tarragon, a variety of onions and garlic, Russian Sage, Cat mint, Spearmint and so much more.

The rose bushes are heavy with colorful blooms that smell divine as I poke my nose especially into the yellow ones.  Garlic surrounds them so no aphids.  Japanese beetles have yet to pop out of their nests as rain still floods the gardens with soft swigs of moisture.  Our tiers of blooming perennials are so happy that I must cut back reams of foliage so we can see everything.  Salvia, Laurel, Hastas galore, Salvia, reams of Hydrangeas on three huge bushes and variegated leaves of green invite the eye to swirl in all directions.  Blue ‘climbing’ geraniums grow like weeds as they slither between larger bushes.  Winterberry, such a glorious red in the winter, is fat with green berries.  I have much to do simply to enjoy the beauty and trim a bit here and there.  

The garden provides a place of beauty and purpose.  In order to remain beautiful as the summer heat creeps in, we cut and dig and prune as much as possible.  Watering will be our August chore but for now, we simply enjoy.

So, as we transition we also see our surroundings transition.  From the plump and plentiful foliage and yellow, red and blue colors of spring flowers to the dryer stillness of deep summer, we look forward to the beauty of the massive trees that divide the farms.  All too soon we will embrace fall colors, pumpkins, a golden landscape, much cutting back for winter and another time of transition.

I drink in every single moment because time flies faster than I can catch it.  All too soon we will be in the midst of a transition that will return us to the South.  I will joyfully enter into a very busy schedule down there as we share our lives with others.  We do so all year but more-so when we return as ‘season’ begins in the Florida.  

Church activities draw us into the lives of so many who seek more and who choose to grow more in their Christ-Journey.  As we grow, we choose to help others grow.  We can never grow enough, never know enough, never stop in our journey as we transition into the fullness of knowing God in Christ Jesus.  We will never stop our transition while in this transitory place we call ‘the world.’  

I love every minute, no matter where I am or what I am doing.  

God is leading as I simply follow from one ‘transition’ to the next.

May we each enJOY the beauty around us, no matter where we are, and embrace any and all ‘transitions’ set before us.  

God is Good, 

Life is Good 

We are Good . . . through any and all ‘transitions.’