Rain, Rain, Go Away!

 It's been raining here almost everyday for a month.  Some days just a shower, but many days the rain comes all day.  The past few days it just hasn't stopped.  The major rivers are all over their banks and many homes are being threatened.  This is so unlike our normal weather here in North Texas.

 Over the years in our home we have developed a low spot in the front yard.  We actually had a little water in the house last week.  You see above some hastily made sand bags we made to divert the water away from the front door.  The garden is very overgrown!  It is too wet to weed, but the lemon tree is loving al the rain.

Mr. Golfer is away on his annual golf trip, this time in Alabama.  He and two very close friends have been doing a trip for the last 9 years.  A different location every year.  He looks forward to this time; just stripping away all the daily concerns and being able to relax. I do so find it  blessing that these men take time each trip to gather for Mass.  Searching for a church has become almost as much fun as searching the trip destination.

Over the last week we have been doing a little renovation. When all the girls had left home after college, I took over one of the front bedrooms for my sewing room.  It has the best light in the house and I loved being in there.  Mr. Golfer also took over the small bedroom in the back of the house for his golfing equipment and reading.  With the upcoming wedding, we knew we were going to have to shift some things around for guests.  So last weekend we cleaned out his room and painted.  All of my sewing has been moved back there and his golf equipment has been arranged in the closet. It has been a real challenge to fit all my yarn and fabric into this small room.  I did a lot of cleaning and purging this last week!

 I am currently painting the front bedroom and it is being turned back into a sleeping area.  We really needed to do this anyway with the grandchildren getting older.  They needed more than one room when they are here.  I'll post some pics when I'm finished.

Happy Feast of Pentecost to all!!!

A Quiet Week

It's Holy Week and I'm stepping away from the blog this week.  I hope each of you are blessed with a week of peace. We are focusing here on the Passion of our Lord and keeping our hearts close to home and those we love.

I did attend my oldest grandson's first t-ball game of the year yesterday.  I'll leave you with a few pictures of he and his sister.  That red hair.......

Christ's Peace to All!

Weeds,Leaves and Humility

In online spaces we tend to only want to show the pretty, positive, and the good. We want to show our best and beautiful.  This time of year my yard is anything but pretty or beautiful.  The flowers are budding, but the weeds are popping up all over and that  wicked tree in the front yard is dropping leaves everywhere.  The garden is not a pretty sight. Just like my heart.

This morning after mass I went to confession. I was able to have a nice long time with our priest.  As young as he is, he has some great insight.  When I arrived home the sun had opened up and I took some moments to capture these pictures.  As I was shooting these pictures it dawned on me the similarity to my confession these weeds and leaves are.

We don't want others to see the ugly or bad.  It's humbling to show our weaknesses....in our yards or in our hearts.Yet if we don't humble ourselves before each other are we really humbling ourselves before God.  Aren't they the same?  Can we confess our sins and still be proud among our fellow man?  My heart says no.

So this year as I pull the weeds and sweep the leaves I'm going to also clean my heart as well as my garden.  Frequent confession, daily mass and and continuing to offer love to those around me.  I've never had this opportunity before and I believe God has called me to this time.

Contemplating

" There are six things which the Lord hates,
seven which are an abomination to Him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that makes haste to run to evil,
A false witness who breathes out lies,
and a man who sows discord among brothers."

This week in my bible study class, our discussion was drawn to this verse.  Proverbs 6:16.  I had not read this before, but it has resonated with me these last few days in a huge way.  A somewhat repeat of the Commandments, it is that last phrase that captures me.  The Lord hates those first six vices, but He abhors the seventh.  Sowing discord.  Planting problems.  Being the accuser.  Not listening.  Not understanding.  Thinking of your own happiness.  Not walking in another's shoes.  I could continue, but those come quickly to mind.  That one little phrase captures so much.

I'm pondering these last days of how I can sow peace and happiness among those who are seeking the opposite.  How to see and plant the joy.

That chapter continues though....

" My son, keep your father's commandment,
and forsake not your mother's teaching.
Bind them upon your heart always;
tie them about your neck,
When you walk they will lead you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.

I've been thinking as I watch others these days at how many of our young adults in this culture of relativism have turned away from what they were taught at home.  Exposure to other thoughts and lives become bright when the culture of " having more" takes over.  When the idea of " what feels good is right" is pronounced as the Truth. This always cause me to turn back to scripture in search of the real Truth. What it says here is so profound though.  What you were taught should be so close to you that it NEVER leaves you.  It is always with you.  That I have to draw comfort from.  Knowing that even when I see what is painful, that what has been taught is somewhere in there and it will come back.

Someday I will tell my real story. It is not one I like to dwell on, but as I age I find myself thinking more and more about where I came from. As parents, we always hope that our children will not repeat our mistakes. I've  been blessed that my own children have escaped some of those mistakes, but cursed that they have wrapped themselves in others.  I think it is that sadness that has drawn me to these verses.  Isn't that the emotion of all parents?

Well, a little " downer" post today, but I felt called to write it and I have to remember that really this blog is to record those thoughts for myself and the rest of you just happen to stumble here:)

Oh.... and that bible!  A FB friend posted about it and my jaw dropped.  I have longed hoped for a bible that would connect scripture to Catechism.  After all, that is our Catholic faith; sacred scripture and the teaching of the Church.  Well here it is!  Didache means" The Twelve Apostles".  I love how that names these teachings for us....from the apostles.  The text size is very good for my aging eyes and the commentary is truly wonderful.  It references the verses and the Church's teaching together.  What a gift!  There are maps and spaced throughout the bible are apologetical explanations. The paper is thin but not too thin, but that kind of page that feels good in your hands.  I think this is perfect for me!