The antics of the neighborhood squirrels makes me chuckle. While I do run them off sometimes, other times their determination makes me laugh. And, then there’s Sparky, the hunter cat. He patiently sits, waiting for the opportunity to strike.
I’m not sure if I want to cheer for Sparky or the squirrels.
Today is Earth Day – Google said it so it must be true. I did a bunch of extra-but-ordinary tasks. Did they make a difference in the protection of this beautiful planet? I don’t know. However, they were pleasant and I enjoyed the slow-paced-yet-steady busyness of the day.
In honor of the day I did the following:
All in all, it’s been a nice day.
Happy Earth Day!
To say our life has been a whirlwind of activity the last several weeks is an understatement. I’ve long said that May is the new December between sacraments, graduations and end-of-school-year events. This May was no different as we celebrated two separate sacraments – First Eucharist for our granddaughter and Holy Orders for two fellow parishioners/friends, a college graduation for our niece and a high school graduation for our son, Patrick. Throw in several end-of-school/senior concerts and meals and our calendar was pretty packed.
Each event brought together family, friends, lots of food and many toasts for the happy occasions.
So many good times!
My biggest highlight was the high school graduation of our son, Patrick. Just like every other parent I know I am very proud of all that he accomplished and the bright future he has ahead of him.
The Graduate
The Graduate with family
His whole senior year brought ample time for reflection and a big ole’ mixed bag of emotions but, now that it’s officially ‘done’ I need to stop for just a moment and take-it-all-in. After all, the older I get the truer it seems to be that life happens in the blink of an eye. It feels like yesterday that I was despairing over getting him potty trained and then all of a sudden he was finished with classes and final exams.
But, for something that seemed to pass so quickly we accomplished an awful lot of living. There were vacations both near and far, girlfriends and breakups, new friends and old friends, births, deaths, emotional distress, torn ligaments, band, sports and driving to name a very few. Goodness….so much of life experienced and, yet, I also know he has only touched the tip of the iceberg.
As he leaves behind the high school life and prepares to step into the world of college – and all it brings – I will pray he continues to make good choices while choosing to love and respect all those he meets along the way. I will also pray that God will protect him in his stupidity because it wouldn’t be a complete life without mistakes, blunders and his share of what-was-I-thinking choices. And, when those harder life-times happen, I hope he remembers that failure is most often just a step to better. Finding the courage to face the difficulty and move forward – with whatever the circumstance is – makes the better that much sweeter.
However, if he forgets and begins to despair in the hard times – I trust he will remember that I am always just a phone call and/or text away.
Graduations and sacraments, family and friends – so many really good things to be thankful for.
Romans 12:9-12
Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.
Maybe it is the time change, but my 14-year-old Westie, Lucy, woke up this afternoon and was feeling feisty. Lucy, who is mostly deaf and partly blind and spends most of her days sleeping wanted to play so – taking advantage of a pretty afternoon and the extended daylight – we went for a walk.
Cool temperatures, budding trees, blooming grape hyacinths, and one of those amazing sunsets turned a quick walk into an opportunity to meander.
These moments are always good. And appreciated.
**The Strife is O’er
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The strife is o’er the battle done; now is the Victor’s triumph won; Now be the song of praise begun: Alleluia!
Death’s mightiest pow’rs have done their worst, and Jesus has his foes dispersed; Let shouts of praise and triumph tell: Alleluia!
He closed the yawning gates of hell; the bars from heav’n’s high portals fell; Let hymns of praise his triumph tell: Alleluia!
On the third morn he rose again, glorious in majesty to reign; O let us swell the joyful strain: Alleluia!
Feeling discouraged on Friday our hope is given new life when he overcomes death and the temple is raised on Sunday. We thought he was destroyed but he conquers and triumphs. Hope prevails!!
All Glory and Honor and Praise be to our KING!
HE IS RISEN!
ALLELUIA!!
Psalm 30: 5-6, 12-13
Sing praise to the LORD, you faithful;
give thanks to his holy memory.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
his favor a lifetime.
At dusk weeping comes for the night;
but at dawn there is rejoicing.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
you took off my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness.c
So that my glory may praise you
and not be silent.
O LORD, my God,
forever will I give you thanks.
An ordinary Sunday afternoon spent enjoying my boys, my dogs and lots of sunshine. (The Hubster was out of town)
Luxurious Green-ness is abundant during springtime in this great state of Texas!
Summer is around the corner and the countless bluebonnets of 2016 are past their peak. Always a beautiful sight to see here is one more look before barbecues, beach parties and bug catching ( that is, lightning bugs) sets in.
See you next year Spring. Hello Summer!
Senioritis: that time of year when seniors in high school or college are so close to finishing but aren’t there quite yet. When time slows to a crawl, and it seems like graduation day will never arrive.
Eighth Gradeitis: Senioritis for 8th graders.
The next generation of 9th-12th graders are finishing their middle school years and are on the cusp of that great big new exciting world called high school.
My own 8th grader, Ben, said to me a couple of weeks ago, “I am soooo ready to be in high school.”
“I know you are – but you still have to get through these next few weeks of school.”
Saying that also prompted me to remind him to slow down and live in the moment. Don’t forget about today because you’re so focused on starting high school.
After all – as an 8th grader he is doing many things for the last time. Like the sports in which he participates. High school will be much more competitive, and chances are he won’t be able to play volleyball, basketball, soccer AND baseball.
Also, for now, he and his classmates are the BIG kids on campus. Next year….it’s back to the bottom of the heap.
I told him, “Be excited about your future but don’t live just for tomorrow. Enjoy today and relish all the things you have going on right now.”
Isn’t that a good lesson/reminder for all of us?
The 8th grade class of 2016 – blink and it will be 2020. Just like that they’ll be graduating high school.
Reminder to self – enjoy this remarkable young man now. The next four years will go by way faster than I think they will.
Joshua 29:11 For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.
A beautiful and perfect spring day resulted in a 3 mile walk around town. And, even though Allen, Texas is a busy place there was no shortage of solitude found.
This dove looked a little lonely.
The turtle was having a little mid-morning adventure.
And a duck found a water-filled ditch to have a little swim.
You would never guess the amount of traffic surrounding this little oasis of abandoned tracks.
The tracks provided a treasure of wild blackberries.
And, that resulted in this delicious blackberry cobbler for dessert.
I love my little town.
A whisper of beauty, serenity, and peace to start off this morning and a new week.
Happy Monday!
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.
Psalm 118:24
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/whisper/
My Crazy Graced Life 