Pinecone

A moment of observation. Funny what emerges when you sit and stare at a pinecone for long enough!

PINECONE

A dried husk pendant

swings

content

on her branch

indistinguishable from her twin

her elder and younger siblings -

creased niches and notches

arid space.

Sap clings to her

defying gravity's longing

to lure him away.

Soon they will plummet

together

broaden their embrace

to include

decaying needles

born of the same mother.

She will deepen her caramel shade

to rich coffee grounds,

he will mingle his pitchy scent

with earthworms.

For now,

despite this fiend west wind

tearing at their grip,

they are content

to swing.

Friday Five: I Like Myself

Friday Five: I Like Myself

[ Over at RGBP SingingOwl says:] Lately I seem to be encountering many people who have a very difficult time finding anything good to say about themselves. They are able to extend grace and forgiveness's to others but find it difficult to extend that same grace to themselves.

With that in mind, let's share some healthy affirmation today! Tell us five things you like about yourself!

~~~

1. I like that I have depth. I know some people don't like to "go there", but that's what I love about living, so I'm pleased to describe myself that way.

2. I like that I love. And I believe in Love. Not just for significant people in my life, but for the world. Yup, cheesy - that's me! (p.s. For those of you with your eyebrows at your hairline in regards to this self-statement, love also means holding accountable, not just rolling over for people.)

3. I like that I try to be me (nope, I am never going to shave my legs, m'dear Jamie). Sometimes being a contradiction is hard in a squeeze-you-into-a-box society, but I can't be anyone else, can I?

4. I like that I like to learn. What fun would life be without constant growth and change and realization?

5. I like that I am strong. I don't like the prickly-protectiveness of my hedgehog spines (ouch! sometimes), but I do like that I try to stand up for myself and others and what I perceive as right.

Whew. It can be hard to make outright statements of what you like about yourself! Vulnerable (my soft hedgehog belly feels exposed). Anyone else want to try?? Let me know if you play :).

Writing for Ministry & Personal Fulfillment...

...that was the title of my study leave topic at Ring Lake Ranch last week. We had the amazing opportunity to study with Kathy Coffey - writer, professor, spiritual teacher.

Our first "assignment" was to write a color poem (ha!). It was a delightful project. Here's how I played with Pink (are you surprised?).

INDELICATE

"Nice iPod," he laughs

as he takes control deejaying.

"It's pink!"

Pink - he thinks - is the bubble-gum-cheeked child

learning to lower her lashes.

Pink is the delicate petal, fair blooms

pulled apart by "he loves me nots".

Pink is the paleness

not-strong-enough-to-be-red.

So he thinks.

But

Pink granite

defines the labyrinth's boundaries--

the maze that upholds a hero's quest.

Pink vocals

demand attention with

"so what, I'm a rock star" confidence.

Pink dragon's breath

spirals with mystical wisdom,

burning hot but not singeing.

Pink freedom--

flirty and fun--

dances from my favorite linen skirt.

Pink

is an exclamation

point!

"Nice iPod," he laughs -- and I laugh with him.

Simple Words

The Children's Sermon at church this morning... inspired.

The sermon was about getting renewed - by YHWH - through taking a much-needed pause

• after a big event/change;
• before moving on to whatever God is calling us to next.

The text was 1 Kings 19:4-8:

Elijah laying down beneath a broom tree,

sleeping,

being made to eat G0d-given bread,

sleeping some more, eating some more,

before heading to mount Horeb to hear God's still, small voice.

The Children's Sermon: sometimes God makes breakfast for us too. God gives us the nourishment we need. If we stop to eat it. That simple.

Today, I was definitely in need of breakfast. And it came through the nourishment of a Children's Sermon. Thanks for the message, Jake J.! And thanks for the breakfast, Spirit.

GAMES! Friday Five

Friday Five: GAMES!

Jan, over at RGBP, writes: In less than three weeks, my family, including children and their partners, will be gathering in Seattle, WA for 12 days. After various days in Seattle sightseeing and in Bellingham seeing family, we will travel to the coast of Washington State to spend three nights in a large rented house. With nine adults (from almost 20 years old and up), I am thinking that we need to have some activities pre-planned--like GAMES! (Any ideas will be appreciated.)

So this Friday Five is about games, so play on ahead. . . .

1. Childhood games?
Family game night! We also played outside a lot: follow the leader (managed to break our younger brother's leg this way), tag (freeze, cartoon, there were others I can't recall), SPUD (I don't even remember how that goes, except someone throws a ball as high in the air as possible then runs away... Did anyone else play this?).
2. Favorite and/or most hated board games?
The 3 I remember always wanting to play, to the annoyance of my brothers, were:

• Encore: because my mom and I would get on opposite teams and try to out-remember each other in song lyrics
• The Dictionary Game (later I came to realize that this was a real board game, played, not simply with the household dictionary, but called Balderdash: "Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words" was the text we ended up using in my teen years)
• Trivial Pursuit, Young Players Edition - anyone up for a game? we can play whichever is the latest version we own...

On the other hand, I have generally disliked having to play Monopoly and Risk.
3. Card games?
Rummy with my dad. Slap Jack with my friends (ouch!). Pinochle with the whole family, when we were old enough.
4. Travel/car games?
The Alphabet game (looking for signs); the License Plate game (how many states?); and Silent Contests (whoever stays quiet the longest wins!). Well done, parents.
5. Adult pastimes that are not video games?
Scrabble! Played 3 games of it yesterday. And Apples to Apples - what a GREAT newer game. Or are we moving beyond games, now?
Bonus: Any ideas for family vacations or gatherings?

• Singing along to some favorite songs that bring back good memories.
• Cooking together (not one of my favorites, but some people really enjoy communal kitchening).
• Remembering stories - or being asked stories - about holidays past, childhood escapades, etc. I've begun doing this with my parents and brothers, and I learn the most fascinating things.
• And I DO recommend Apples to Apples for a large family to play - too much fun, and you learn a lot about who you know well.

May you have a wonderful time with your family, Jan!