Leaf by Elizabeth

I did a little beauty-foraging out back the other day. I love the macro-focus setting on the camera. Now I just need to find out how to take nice pictures of big things! For this first one, just turn your head 90 degrees to the right (it's supposed to be horizontal, but I can't make it work!). These are little spores from moss.

I love how much beauty there is in the world, and how easy it is to find and take in. Mostly all you need to do is to stop and look. It reminds me of the excerpt of a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees takes off his shoes. The rest sit by and pluck blackberries. Here are a few glimpses of some common bushes afire... Night sounds from the woods behind our house. I love the little tree frogs that chirp (or whatever the right word is for what they do) every evening starting in the spring. It's a very peaceful, summery sound. Brook music. I always think of brooks as friendly; I'm not sure why, but I do. And for the finale, mesmerizing sun ripples.

I've heard recently from a few friends of mine who have experienced loss or are facing the prospect of losing ones close to them. And I've had my own minor bouts of loss too, though nothing on that level (thankfully). I made this collage as a way to process one of my experiences of loss, and hope it might be an encouragement for others who are in this place. I think of the rock on the left as a "Jesus rock"- a safe, solid place where you can sit with Jesus as you process and heal. And below are the green pastures and quiet waters from Psalm 23.

(a dancer) Do you have any wild hopes, or tame ones for that matter? The possibility of acorns becoming towering oaks, or caterpillars blossoming into butterflies, or that dawn will chase away midnight fears? Wild hopes! That all creation will learn the dance of joy, and all humanity might taste the wine of peace, and that our loving God will become transparent through love. "Recast the earth, O Lord, and move our hearts with wild hopes." - From Resurrection to Pentecost by Robert F. Morneau I found this passage recently and love it. It speaks perfectly to this time of year; to the feeling of spring coming and the longing that we would experience Jesus coming to us in the same way. Almost every spring I re-read The Secret Garden . For the story, but also for the images of gardening, growth, transformation. I often have felt like those flowers, trying to push up in little points through the ground. It's a confusing time, wanting to be free and out in the open, but fearing...

Over the past 5-10 years, I've been realizing that the way to my heart is not through black and white words. Don't get me wrong-- I love reading (always have), but I use it mostly for gathering information, learning about the world, or relaxing. All great things, but they generally don't involve my heart or emotions. And as I've had to learn (though this is probably obvious to most of you!), the heart is actually pretty important--vital, really--for relating to people, including God. The thing is, I grew up in a Christian protestant tradition (mainstream evengelical and then non-denominational- say that 5 times fast!) which emphasized reading (and studying and memorizing) the Bible as the main way to connect with God. These are all awesome things, but if the goal is nourishing a deep, emotionally-connected relationship with God, I would suggest they may not be the best tools for everyone (or at least, for me). And so that brings me to the world outside of words. Durin...