A glimpse at our Celestial ball

From outer space, it is amazing to regard our civilization fitting on a round sphere rotating around at regularly timed intervals. There is a rythmic design to life with its predictability of morning and evening and the seasons. During the late summer and early autumn months, the unpredictability of tropical storms and hurricanes hit some parts of the earth in a ravaging fashion.
It is hard to fathom how this can happen to so many people. Katrina has a lot of power behind her that has been unleashed. A lot of destruction has passed by. Hardships will be faced with courage and strength that many in Asia had to face last December. But my hope and prayer with this piece is to offer hope to those who come along to it. Remember to look up into space and have awe at the beauty of this celestial ball that we live on ; even in the midst of the trajedy that surrounds it. It is the heroism and ingenuity that arises in these times that holds our world together.

Communication

Communication is more than just words. A piece from the HBO channel's, Real Sports , demonstrated that. Dick Hoyt and his mute son, Rich, competed in marathons and swims. He communicates via his heart and his emotions. Words and ideas held captive within his body, they emerge with heart-felt emotion. The same thing can be said of infants growing up. for the first few months, a wealth of seeds are being sown-allowing for in depth communication and insight. Sometimes with the handicap of a Rich Hoyt, a beautiful connection forms between father and son that words are not always necessary. As in the christian tradition, there is a phrase, "pray and use words only when necessary. Alot of language comes from the heart.
And for those who can not communicate like everyone else, it is a way that God's design is an emblem of glory in people's lives. Yet, it is rather painful to observe those who struggle to communicate as I have observed. But to get close to their heart, one can see a treasure is encased within.

Contrasts in life

As a child and adult, shadows have always fascinated me of how they can dance and be light in weight as one walks around. shadows always move ahead of me and lay flat on the ground and never cause conflict with one another. Not much to be friends within shadows-but they may be friends too.

Welcoming the Sands

Last night I took a walk on a local beach in town after a coffeehouse. It was dark out and only the moonlight and distant houses lit the way. Connecting back to nature comforts and reorients me to God. That night a 19 year old singer expressed that nature shows how God is present in our lives -no matter how tough life gets for us.
How good it is to have a stable arm to lean on when walking on the shifting sands especially when unable to see in front of you. Jesus is the cornerstone and foundation of life. It is good to have a visual reminder of a friend when undertaking an adventure with no known knowledge of what is ahead of you.
A while into the walk I saw a little unstable territory but a piece of trusted driftwood was by the shore. I was led to the log where I had some time to reflect and sense the world of nature around me. The waves crashed gently on the shore and I had at my side a stick that was pregnant with water. When I wedged it into the sands, the water dripped from the stick. It served as a link to the oceans from which life began. The cicadas sung in the background and the moon lit the ocean gently. Lights glistened from the distance, too.
I was reminded of Psalm 23 that reminds us that the Lord is our Shepherd. He guides us on walks through life. I am thankful for the surprising twists that come into life-it is truly an adventure.

Family vacation

School is out!!! What a wonderful feeling to have 10 weeks to spend on a secluded island off of Southport Island on the coast of Maine. With nothing to do but rest and eat and breathe the Maine air. As my mom says, "you get the munchies and sleepies in Maine."
Our family frequently got together for a week in the summer. On the first visit of my Uncle and Aunt and 2 cousins, we planned to meet them at Climo's General store. When my Aunt approached the store, she yelled, "Is this Climo's Store."
When we had a larger gathering, the dining room shelves were lined with the pottery bowls of potatoes, onions, and fresh farm stand tomatoes. They usually were finished off quickly.
My cousins, Bruce and Carol, often walked around Pratt's Island with me. We enjoyed exploring the North Beach which was just behind the woods of our rental cottage. As we walked through the wooded forests,listening to the crunch of broken sticks and the sound of the moist lichen moss squished beneath our feet. Above us, the light streamed through the trees which cast a shadow upon the forest floor. Occassionally, a squirrel scampered through the woods. There was a pungent smell to the decaying leaves that were in the forest. After walking through the woods, we approached the North Beach, a small secluded beach that had action from the waves. We watched the waves lap against the shore with a sound of a tennis ball hitting the racquet.
We often went fishing off of the Pratt's Island Bridge. This bridge was a rickety bridge with narrow wooden slats that had room for one car at a time. Definitely riding at a snails pace while holding your breath. We cast our lines into the water hoping to catch some fish but only to catch some little green crabs that summer. "Where are the big fish that we can eat? "exclaimed my cousin, Bruce. These crabs kept coming on the lines that were sent down.
On the southern side of Pratt's Island, Gus Pratt had a general store that is quintescental Maine. Gus wore overalls with a white apron. He wore small wire-rimmed glasses and had a broad smile. The room was dimly lit and on the counter, there were the glass jars selling the nickel candies and racks were filled with post cards of puffins and boats and islands for sale. Behind the green counter was where the root beer floats and hot dogs could be ordered. The floor was creeky and had a worn finish to it.
A duck pin bowling alley rested upon the wooden pilings above the harbor. When chatting with Gus, the talk mainly focused on the locals in Maine and a little politics of the area.
Our family enjoyed playing card and board games while sitting next to the fire in the cottage. And we had great fun listening to the subtle nuances of humor from my uncle.
My Dad and I enjoyed playing Gin Rummy and we would often have tournaments with my uncle and aunt and cousins.
One of the afternoons of that visit, we went out in our motorboat and we caught a couple of pails of mackeral in the Sheepscot Bay. We just kept catching them that day. Must have been caught in a school of them.
Having the wind at our back and the aroma of warm fresh salt air washing over us was a treat for all of us. Above us, the sea gulls flew overhead and waited for any fish that might be tossed overboard.

Remembering Hiroshima

Looking back on 60 years ago when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, it facilitated the peace process. Yet, most of that village of people living in it was torn apart and changed forever. The memorial standing there resembles the pictures of gazebos that Thomas Kinkade may paint. A memorial to show a permanent way to remember those lost on that day.
Today, children from the city floated boats with candles in them to represent the souls of those lost. It is hard to measure the cost of lives gone back then. The mystery of how to achieve peace is difficult when faced when with complex issues. Even when Jesus faced Jerusalem , He wept and stated if you only you knew the way that leads to peace.
Peace between people and nations takes time and it is important to remember sacrifices that are made from time to time for the greater good. May courage strengthen those who are currently on the front lines of battle whether on a warfront or in the marketplace.