Sunday, January 31, 2010

january afternoon


white wicker
on a winter's day
bids me come
watch
and stay


as twlight's pink pastel
spreads far
before me

Saturday, January 30, 2010

homemade game



we’re playing a lot of Pollyanna

these days

it’s almost a craze

at our house

such simple things involved

in the making of games and

memories

Friday, January 29, 2010

full moon


have you ever wondered
what it would be like
to be nocturnal?
imagine the sights
night after night
under the light
of a winter moon

Thursday, January 28, 2010

sparrow and me


yesterday evening
we watched
as the sky unfurled
an astounding glory
part of the ongoing story
of grace

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

winter grey


i love the grey days
the blue haze
the subtle ways
that winter shows
His splendor

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

magic markers


i so enjoy color
and couldn't pass up
the sight of these three
sitting kingly
on my husband's desk


if i had a palette of pink
the shades could number in hundreds
not to mention the hues
of red, purple, blue, and
wonderful yellow


so do colors just "happen" to be
or like you and me
come from the mind
of someone



Monday, January 25, 2010

Sunday, January 24, 2010

birdhouse miracle



it was a grey day
the melting snow, muddy
some would say
the ugly part of winter


but something as simple
as this bright blue
can infuse in me and you
a sudden ray of
happiness

Saturday, January 23, 2010

crossing the line


my prayer
is that like he
it can be said of me

she finished strong



*footnote: this is the final posting from last week's race.
Hope you enjoyed. Tomorrow i'll be back to "everyday slices
of life." Happy Saturday!

Friday, January 22, 2010

finisher



run on
run strong
those gone before
will be waiting




*footnote: I think the following words from the Apostle Paul go well with this image:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."



Have a good day!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

replenished




water passed out along
the way
reminds me
of what He said one day


"if you give drink
to the thirsty
you've done it to me"


and for what do men thirst
in this age
of scientific proof
and technology?


be it money, fame
power


or be it love?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

cresting the hill


he reminds me
that even when it's an uphill climb
the decision to smile
is always
an option

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

together



when the way
becomes weary and long
friends keep us going
keep us strong

Monday, January 18, 2010

preparing


in the moments before
runners were called
to the line

i couldn't help but
notice
the focus
of number one, three, zero

for him
this wasn't a saturday jaunt
just something to do

and when he finished first
far ahead of the rest
i felt jubilation
for his quest
accomplished

Sunday, January 17, 2010

before the race


the announcer asked everyone
to place their hands on their hearts
as he sang the national anthem

amazing, how many
bowed their heads and closed their eyes
were they moved by thoughts of patriotism?
saying prayers of thanks for the ability to run?

or perhpas petitioning ONE
for the men and women of Haiti
whose race of "another kind"
has barely begun?


I’m pausing today, the 17th of January to write a note concerning the next week’s blog entries. If you have been following along, you know the photos I’ve chosen to use thus far have been from “slices of my everyday life” since January 5th. It is my hope to continue recording words and images everyday through this year of 2010. I wanted to let you know that this coming week will be a bit different. Yesterday, I had the opportunity of witnessing my son run in his first half-marathon. I took my camera, of course and shot several pictures before, during and at the end of the race. I found the day, and the resulting images quite inspiring. I have decided to devote this next week, (beginning today) to posting images from that race.


Seeing “life” as a race or journey is a well known metaphor. It is used in many great works of literature. I know it best, however, from the Scriptural references found in the book of Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews says in Chapter 12:1-2:


Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us strip and throw aside every weight and encumbrance, (the sin that clings so closely) and let us run with patient endurance and steady persistence the race that is set before us
focusing on Jesus who is the leader and source of our faith and also its Finisher…….



I can’t describe in words the feeling I had yesterday at the 4 mile mark as I began to see runners emerging from the fog. The verse quoted above flashed through my mind and I thought of those who have gone to heaven before us, watching as we run our individual races here on earth. Then, later, at the 9 mile mark and finally at the finish. On a cold, wet, overcast, January morning, it was truly an inspiring thing to see. I hope the images to follow will be an encouragement to you. I know that a few of you who follow the blog are runners. I hope you are especially encouraged. Thanks again for taking time out of your day to check out the blog.


Saturday, January 16, 2010

muffin mix


i finally made
the chocolate chip muffins
with zuchinni and
flaxseed
magnificently moist they be
and nuts on top
i'll store some in the freezer
(my secret stash)
shhhhh
don't tell

Friday, January 15, 2010

at lunch, on a lighter note


have you seen the commercial on t.v.
that uses all the happy faces?
well, it's got me seeing them
at unexpected times
in unexpected places
what do you think
of this green and blue
i see spontaneous joy
do you?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

meant for another kingdom


it is my feeling
that horses
bear on their hearts
the marks
of majesty

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

another world



yesterday, i was in Narnia

where remants of a world gone by

are transformed





there

the old and crippled

are beautiful





you may not believe me

but that's ok





they didn't believe lucy

either

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

fencepost


something happened
during the night
that left the land
and all that was on it
changed

Monday, January 11, 2010

favorite place


at day's end
such stillness
as i've ever known

settles here

Sunday, January 10, 2010

walking boone


we needn't go far
to find wonder

Saturday, January 9, 2010

sun dog


i wonder where they got the name
sundog?
formed by ice crystals
or diamond dust as some would say
a refraction of the sun's rays
i'd vote for "crown of God"
or "heaven's halo"

Friday, January 8, 2010

the field and years gone by


its curving rows, fragile
catch my eye
and as i stand on the road nearby
the silent scene
speaks loudly
of childhood rides in pickup trucks
and walks through winter fields of white
illumined by pale moonlight
and laughter

Thursday, January 7, 2010

arctic air mass


it's two degrees
wind gusting at thirty miles per hour
from my kitchen window
i count six cardinals tucked tightly in the pines
a stunning sight
as snow swirls round about

chili's on
and all is well
in my world

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

serenity


the blue of the snow
and the rust of the trees
what could be more innocent
or gracious
than these?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

secret snow


it came quietly in the night
transforming
trees
fences
and old porch chairs
layer on layer
like love
covering loneliness

Monday, January 4, 2010

lesson of the lowly


see how he sits
tiny heart beating inside his breast
adequately dressed
for a day such as this
content and lovely
this small one

Sunday, January 3, 2010

consider the birds




“consider the birds” he said

and as i stop

to watch these very three

hopping and bobbing

under the tree

something new

like the fresh snow from heaven

is given me










So, I asked my son on the way home from seeing the movie Avatar if he could help me set up a blog. Just what everyone needs, right?? Something else to read. But what if James Cameron had decided there were enough movies already. I would have missed out on his visual feast. And though sci-fi is not my meal of choice, I did find parts of it delicious.

My son, fresh home from 2 years in the Peace Corps, (and having maintained a successful humorous blog during that time) wanted to know the purpose of such intended blog.

“Two things”, I answered. “To keep me stretching and growing in photography and writing and to have an outlet for them.”

“Alright,” he said, “just don’t expect any hits”.

“You mean I won’t become famous like the Julia girl???”

Oh, well. . . Onward!

The subject matter: “Slices of Life”

The goal: to record by images and words something beautiful, enlightening, and hopefully surprising from my everyday experience for each day in the year 2010.

The promise: to keep it short, to the point, and interesting for my future readers. (sorry son!)

So, if there are any of you out there…interested in what a “would be” photographer and writer sees in the course of her everyday Kansas existence…..WELCOME!