The Mystery

Always beyond the gates.

Outside the city.

To the desert. The wilderness.

Beyond the limits of my control.

For that which I seek does not dwell

in temples of stone made with hands,

or sanctuaries of words made with pen or mouth.

Just because I write a fence for the Mystery

doesn’t mean I’ve captured it,

for my fences are always full of holes,

and the Mystery has already moved

while I turned to construct the compound.

The Mystery is wild and will not be owned,

but has condescended to freely dwell

in the smallest of vessels.

I dove into a cup and found

an ocean without shores.

-David Hayward

Fall

Atlanta Botanical Gardens tree photography - courtesy of Savannah-Jane

Awakening to sunlight

Streaming through the window

Leaves fluttering, falling from the birches.

Trees undressing, disrobing,

Becoming naked and bare.

This is Fall.

And I fall.
Into His arms.

Helpless.
Realizing His presence.
Warming my face.

And grace falls, cascading like the leaves.

Taking off, stripping me of my shame, my guilt.

gina 2010

"Don't resist helplessness—

it's the power of your prayer life."

-Bill Thrasher

Hmmm...

I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.”
[Amos 5:21-24 - The Message]

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

This is the basic Pumpkin Bread recipe I used for the Pumpkin Muffins today. Note that I glazed the muffins with a delicious spur of the moment topping that made me fall to my knees and ask for forgiveness. Seriously.

1 cup sugar
1.2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1.2 cup corn oil
2 eggs
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1.2 tsp salt
1/2 nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugars, pumpkin, oil, and eggs in bowl; mix well. Add sifted ingredients; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour into well-oiled 5x9 inch loaf pan. Bake until loaf tests done, Remove to wire rack and cool. 

"Fall to Your Knees and Ask for Forgiveness" Glaze topping:
Stir  ingredients together on low heat til butter melts. Pour mixture on top of muffins and then sprinkle with chopped pecans. YUM!

8 oz. evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter... the real stuff

Home....a dearer spot than all the rest

Last weekend daughter and oldest son came home.  A weekend spent at home. Ahhh...Family, food, laughter, friends, and dirty clothes filled the house. Really miss those kiddos! Yep, I know, I need to get a grip. They are grown now. And, good news...they know how to wash clothes.

But occasionally, you know, they need to think of home. Be reminded of their Mom, who birthed them without pain medication, lovingly nursed them, changed their diapers, stayed up all night when they were sick, drove them 10,000 miles weekly to and from school, dance, soccer, fed them at least one home-cooked meal a week,washed at least 5 loads of clothes daily, and, of course raised them to be the fine young adults they are today. With a little help from the Mister. Just Kidding. He helped a lot. He always did the dishes. Really.

Anyway, I decided to skip church today. I baked pumpkin muffins and glazed them with melted butter, milk and brown sugar. (Lord, forgive me)

Well after a little coaxing, the Mister and Max (the last four-legged child at home) volunteered to taste them and give their unbiased opinion. After sharing two muffins and chasing them with cold milk, they reached their decision.

On a scale of 1 to 10 they were ranked an 11. 

Because these muffins have been officially tasted-tested and approved by a panel of unbiased consumers, and the fact that I am the best mother my children will ever have, I decided to send a little bit of lovin from the oven to those who now do their own laundry.

Because home is where their heart is. And where they can get their favorite meals, ignore dishes in the sink, and be served in (clean) underwear.

“Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.”

-Robert Montgomery

Time

Welcome October

  

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes' sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost--

For the grapes' sake along the wall.

 

-Robert Frost