What is that beautiful thing that just happened?

Hmmm, I'm suprised by how long it's been since I last wrote something here. Surprising because all these thoughts, ideas and random musings are in my head and then I realize I enjoyed thinking them, but never actually wrote them down. Sounds a little bit pyschotic doesn't it? Oh, well. I'm determined to do better.



Here's what touched my heart today:



At BlackwaterPond the tossed waters have settled after a night of rain.

I dip my cupped hands. I drink

a long time. It tastes

like stone, leaves, fire. It falls cold

into my body, waking the bones. I hear them

deep inside me, whispering

Oh, what is that beautiful thing

that just happened?



-- Mary Oliver, from "New and Selected Poems"

What is enough?

So I was putting some thoughts together to share with a group at church (hurrah for the Wednesday nighters!) and kept coming back to something God has brought to the forefront of our time together. What is enough? How much is enough?

From Exodus and "Thou shalt not covet...." to Philippians and "I have learned the secret to being content." We, as mortals, are predisposed to covet. We're apt to latch on to some thing to fill that soul deep longing, pursuing it without regard to God's love for us, loving Him or loving other people. Add to that predisposition a culture in which the voice that reaches into every nook and cranny is that of advertisers whose very purpose in life is to cause us to be discontented with what we have (what God has given us - ouch!) and you have a potent mixture.

Paul says the secret of contentment is the strength of Christ. The strength of a love that gave all, conquered all, and is, in fact, the source of our longing. The beauty of that slays me. Maybe that's a good starting point.

Walking the dog

I was walking Moose, the dog, today. I'm not a pet person, how did this creature make his way into my life? (Oh, yeah, the daughter has a tender heart for all things that require cleaning up their poop.) Anyway, every walk for Moose is a grand exploration - he's the canine Lewis and Clark. But I noticed that when he sniffed something that he found especially interesting, he stiffened all four legs to avoid being pulled away from it and got so excited he just quivered all over.


So, that's my new barometer: what in my life causes a Moose-like reaction? Family (great husband and fabulous, creative, passionate kids), the chance to explore (cities, food, books, music, art) are at the top of the list....and we'll see what else gets added.....