Lash Out

John Barry Theme Out of Africa

What My Life Depends On

Barbara Brown Taylor contemplates, "what is saving her life now," in her book An Altar in the World. Which raised the question for me, of course. What is saving my life now?

The story my parents tell comes to mind. When they were in college, at the University of Colorado, they went out for dinner with friends. They traveled quite a ways from Boulder. The significance of the evening, in retrospect, was the weather.

In fact, the blizzard that followed dessert was so threatening, one fellow drove while the other walked a pace in front of the car, making sure they stayed on the pavement of the mountainous highway.     

What is saving my life now is one foot in front of the other. With little inclination to look back or worry about the next day, I can engineer my life quite well, staying smack-dab in the moment.  What does your life depend on today?  

Christmas Wishes

Dear Santa,
My list is short. No wrapping necessary. Refreshment for you and the team will be waiting!!

Stay warm, pam 

P.S. Sending nice diamond engagement ring for young couple who need one.  

Sunny Side of the Street

For every sunny side of the street, there's the shady side. Except in Texas, where the sun is simply all-consuming. 

So, for every bloody 'Lucky Penny' I spy, year after year, some poor schmoo has lost his change fumbling around in his pocket for keys.  

Who doesn't like FOUND!?

But here's the trick: finding FOUND! when all else seems lost.  How sharp will our eyes be to seize on the shiny penny, the rainbow, the thrillingly wonderful, never-thought-this-could-happen-to-me, in the midst of life gone awry? 

We Always Have Hope (and Hopie).

I read a sweet story this morning about a child whose pet had died. No matter how his parents had hoped to shield him from that eventuality, they could not. Together, they prayed, the parents hoping it would help with their little one's sorrow, pain and anger. 

The child, continuing to hold onto his parents' hands after the Amens had been said, told his parents, "I said 'Thank you to God, for Nibbles.'"

And, so it is that we can begin to heal and be whole when we focus on the blessings that live on. As painful and lonely as that is, time after time. Nonetheless, giving thanks is a practise of great value, for where would we be without the blessings richly heaped upon us?     

Peaches Are In Season!

OK, I admit it: I find little children charming.  Not to the exclusion of babies and older kids but those 4 to 10 year-olds tend to have a delightful perspective on life and say such marvelous things!

Like the Second-Grader I know whose mother told me her daughter was reading a story recently when she started giggling. The giggling gave way to laughter and Mom and Dad just had to ask, "What's so funny?" The little girl looked up from her book and replied, "That just tickled my peach!"    

As if it weren't cute enough that her 'peach was tickled, it was also the way that little southern 'belle' says the word peach . . . all three syllables. 

Whether it's your fancy or your peach that gets tickled, I wish you the delight of a good giggle and the pleasure of children in your life!