Too much time and energy
Spent fretting over things
Far beyond my grasp
Tension…all it brings
Why such a battle
Between control and trust?
Learn to embrace the latter
Learn to ignore the first
There is a bigger picture
One I hope to see
If only I will let go
Allow myself to breathe
Do you find the word nest interesting? I do. Appearing in a wide variety of phrases, it easily connects with the idea of home. These phrases bring images of feathered friends as well as our own lives as parents. I thought it would be fun to make a list.
I recently noticed a bird gathering supplies to build their nest. Twigs it would weave into a home. This lead to memories of various nest observations from the past. Tiny blue eggs one day, newly hatched chicks the next. Baby birds with their mouths wide open, clamoring for tiny bites of food from their mom. Little chirps silenced only by the care and protection of parents.
Memories of deserted, empty nests followed. Sometimes seen in trees or found on the ground. Both sad and beautiful at the same time. Intricate weaving still intact. Leftover fuzzy feathers stuck inside the twig walls. Reminders of the former flurry of activities. Now quiet.
Much like parenting…
What brought on these notions concerning nests? It certainly could not be the fact that our youngest graduates high school in less than a month. 😉 We feel the empty nest rapidly approaching. So before our flurry of activities has come and gone, here is a little poem from this mama bird.
The moon fascinates me. As a kid, I referred to it as “my moon!” It catches my attention quite often. Sometimes while looking through a perfectly placed window.
Outside the window
Amazing sight
Ring around the moon
Translucent and bright
Second look, many hues
Eyes deceiving me?
Rainbow around the moon
What a sight to see
Morning sky still dark
Ring as clear as day
Rainbow around the moon
For daybreak, lighting the way
Some days, quiet
Remaining unnoticed
Content simply to whisper
Other days, turbulent
Disruptive, unsettling
Causing all in my path to shiver
Swaying the trees
Spinning the leaves
Singing my blustery song
Clouds in the sky
I'm moving them, too
Remaining, as always, headstrong
Creating my path
Traveling alone
Yet, never really going away
Though effects linger
Remaining unseen
Maybe you'll notice one day
Wishful Thinking-A Triolet
To feel the sunshine on my face
As it peeks from behind a cloud
Providing warmth, no need to chase
To feel the sunshine on my face
Although today it shows no trace
Wishful thinking, I am allowed
To feel the sunshine on my face
As it peeks from behind a cloud
The above poem is a reflection of recent cloudy days, but today the sun is shining! Except for some thin, wispy clouds near the horizon, the sky is so blue. I really needed this today, to both see and feel the sunshine on my face. A welcome relief.
The dreariness of the past few days had me focused on the sunshine or lack thereof. One morning not long ago I woke up with these words playing through my mind.
There is sunshine in my soul today
More glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky
For Jesus is my light
I have not heard this hymn in years. It was a standard in the small church I attended as a child. So, what made me think of it now? Possibly all the complaining I’d been doing concerning the absence of sunshine…
Or maybe I needed to be reminded of God’s love. Always present, ready to provide light and warmth for my soul if I’m willing to accept.
Today the warmth from the sun is not just wishful thinking. For that I am thankful. I am also grateful for songs, old and new, which remind us of all things sunshine, both physical and spiritual.
Here’s one more of my sunshine favorites. Give it a listen. 🙂 https://youtu.be/Fb5ZyPH41vE
At first glance
A stage
Colorful curtains
Light shining
From inside the piano
Second view
A forest floor
Animated trees
Light shining
From inside the piano
Finally-imagination
A woodland revue
Enchanting melodies
Light shining
From inside the piano
Took down the tree today
Feeling a little sad
No more green or lights
House looks rather drab
Ornaments and nativity sets
Each piece carefully put away
So many sweet memories
Saved for another day
Perhaps I'll buy some flowers
To bring back some of the cheer
Which was put away in the boxes
With Christmas...until next year
I was listening to some James Taylor today and the following phrase from Before This World/Jolly Spring Time struck a chord. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/before-this-world-jolly-springtime/980668059?i=980668068
Yes the winter was bitter and long
So the spring'll be sweet
Come along with a rhythm and a song
Watch creation repeat
I know winter is just beginning but the hope of spring is ever present. Trees will once again bud and flowers will once again bloom. We must look for it in the moments of sunshine and patches of blue. Or in store-bought flowers placed in a favorite vase.
Look back
Through laughter and tears
Remembering when both occurred
Look ahead
With anticipation and hope
Not knowing what lies ahead
Live today
Remaining firmly planted
In this moment where life is lived
My first memories of listening to music on my own involved carrying around my Bicentennial ’76 transistor radio. There were no headphones. I just walked around the yard holding this little treasure up to my ear. I’m certain I heard James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend” and “How Sweet it is” many times on that tiny device.
My first memories of actually playing James Taylor songs came from a pink songbook entitled, “Contemporary Sounds of Music of Today.” “Fire and Rain” & “Country Road” graced this collection, and quickly became two of my favorites. I would play them on piano and quite often an aunt or cousin would be standing behind me singing along.
Fast forward through high school. Although I heard some of JT’s new releases, I was busy working on my bachelor and master’s degrees in music. Much of my time was spent in a practice room or rehearsing with other musicians. Very little time was left to simply listen to music for pleasure.
But there were moments…a concert in Fayetteville, AR during grad school comes to mind. Here I heard “Your Smiling Face” live for the first time. This was like a second beginning of my love for James Taylor’s music, and the first of many concerts I would attend.
Though it feels like a lifetime ago, there is one song, one small moment in time, which stands out above the rest. Grad school again, my future husband, Gart, and I had just met. My life was kind of a mess.
He introduced me to the song “Like Everyone She Knows” (by James Taylor, of course.) I listened to it on repeat one entire weekend while visiting my family. The more I listened, the more it seemed to be talking about me.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/like-everyone-she-knows/169612785?i=169613674
The more I listened, the more I realized Gart was someone special.
I often tell people Gart rescued me. He would say I’m being overly dramatic, but I would have to disagree. Somehow, he was able to see through the mess and here we are twenty-six years, three kids, and six cities later.
I’m thankful for the way he encourages me while challenging me to stretch myself. He likes to say things like, “Life is hard, life is messy, but it is also awesome and beautiful.” And if feelings of doubt or guilt creep in, he reminds me that the difficult times helped make me who I am today.
I’m thankful for the beauty of poetry and music, creating a song with the power to touch my heart. A song which somehow felt like it was written just for me. A song written by my favorite singer, James Taylor (in case you haven’t already figured that out), and introduced to me by a cute guy wearing a Calvin-n-Hobbes t-shirt who was willing to take a chance.
Merry Christmas, Gart. Thank you for continuing to rescue me. I love you!
Loving my neighbor is not optional. It is an expectation, a command. I don’t get to pick and choose based on my own preferences and opinions, even though some may be easier to love than others.
Many headlines in today’s news and on various social media platforms seem to blatantly ignore this truth. Reading them makes me feel sad, disappointed, even angry. Responding in frustration provides no solution. Remaining silent also is not the answer. So how do I put actions to this truth?
Loving the people who cross my path daily is the first step, but it cannot stop there. What about people who are not right in front of me, not in my immediate sphere of influence. Do I have a responsibility toward them? Yes! They are also my neighbors.
I must search my heart, making certain my words and actions do not place one group over another. Each person has value, no matter which group they belong to.
I’m reminded of the Good Samaritan story. A man was beaten and robbed, no different from current headlines. People in church and leadership roles had the opportunity to help, but were either too busy or chose to avoid the situation. A man who the aforementioned leaders would not even speak to was the only one who chose to do the right thing.
“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.”
Luke 10:33-34 NIV
““Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.””
Luke 10:36-37 NIVI
I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of neighbor I want to be. Not only that, that’s the kind of neighbor I need in my life. One who will accept me for me, flaws and weaknesses included. One who will take time to bandage me up, care for me, and help me back on my feet if necessary.
One who will always choose to love their neighbor.
Piano Girl 