Uphill idealist

There has been all kinds of leaping this week. Leaping out of the way of frustration, uncertainty, and even some leaping for joy. It's been a long leap in one particular area and now that I can move forward, there's a residue of  learned impulse and looking over my shoulder to saying, " Really, I can go now?" One step at a time. That is the only way to go. Anne Lamot would say it would be best to take things, "Bird by bird." That just might work. Leaping via faith, with a flock of birds to carry me through the really long jumps. That sounds like Holy Spirit kind of transportation. By the way, HS - I really appreciate the ride. Let's go for tour of some new territory. We've got the go ahead. (Really!) Let's fly.                                              Image found at  www.curiositiesbydickens.com

On Monday I had some time to wander around a local greenhouse a capture some photos of the lovely flowers that were growing there. They are called Hibiscus and vary in color. These were growing about 4-5 feet in height with blooms at least a foot wide.                            Here are a few examples or their beauty.  For the white, and fuchsia and all the colors in between - I'm thankful. Fuchsia by  Katrina Vandenberg That summer in the west I walked sunrise to dusk, narrow twisted highways without shoulders, low stone walls on both sides. Hedgerows of fuchsia hemmed me in, the tropical plant now wild, centuries after nobles imported it for their gardens. I was unafraid, did not cross to the outsides of curves, did not look behind me for what might be coming. For weeks in counties Kerry and Cork, I walked through the red blooms the Irish call the Tears of God, blazing from the brush like lanterns. Who would have thought a

Sources of light can bring warmth, discovery, and safety. May your day be filled with moments of authentic warmth, discovery of new joys, and the safety of a heart that is supported just enough to reach out and help someone that is surrounded by darkness.

There is always a tension between hope and reality. The messy miss-matchedness of reality against our hopes can  be a startling contrast. This shock can either paralyze or motivate action. My prayer is that the contrast be a motivator, not a perfectionistic taskmaster. But an encourager. A do-what-you-can doer. A gentle, graceful hope and action motivator.

Marking things and people I'm thankful for is a prayer practice that I've worked at off and on for years. Recently I've been reading the book 1000 Gifts  (Which inspires the reader to live fully WHERE THEY ARE as well as live into an attitude of thankfulness.) and have started to write down some things I'm thankful for in a "Smash book". (For more info on what a smash book, watch the clip below.) So here goes it for a few things from a late summer Sunday that I'm thankful for. (If you'd like to join in on this online "Smash page" feel free to post in the comments below) Thanks for reading - You're smashing yourself. 1. Singing and joking with my friends in the worship band. 2. Sharing "Herman" in my kid's message. 3. Surprise puppy that attended worship with it's owner. 4. Grey Grey 5. People who get what is important and encourage pursuing after it. 6. Passing the peace. 7. Car rides with my family, dog a