submit to it and grow, resist it and miss the opportunity...

Autumn has arrived and things will soon begin to look like they've either gone to sleep or died. Personally, I'm having an internal spring. The last 4 seasons have brought sorrow, anger, resentment, and even hatred (a first for me). Even so, just as winter births spring, it also brought good thing after good thing. Out of decomposition can come rich nutrient filled soil to grow strong in.

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

reverberation

"The real war is inward of which the outer action is but the echo and reverberation." ~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

Forever or Fickle Friends

my cappuccino, jon's puzzle

"Next to hypocrisy in religion, there is nothing worse than hypocrisy in friendship." ~ Joseph Hall

Let me preface this by saying I have done this myself, I have had it done to me, and I'm seeing my friends have it done to them. This post in regards to the latter.

When a long-term close friendship is tested by conflict and a differing of opinions and perspectives, is it right to quit and cast the friend aside? Should we really give a rat's ass about the circumstances that bring about the conflict, or should we just focus on the person? Are we ever justified in allowing our love to grow cold or at least indifferent? Sometimes the answer is "yes" for our own well-being and safety, but I wager that most times the answer is "no".

“Compassion costs. It is easy enough to argue, criticize and condemn, but redemption is costly, and comfort draws from the deep. Brains can argue, but It takes heart to comfort.” ~ Samuel Chadwick

How quickly we abandon and mock those whom we once proclaimed to love.

"A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels. ~ Job 6:14-17

my other love

some recent shots taken by Faith and myself.
I've recently begun trying to blog more about my knitting. There's a deep sense of community amongst knitters. We're a very affirming and encouraging bunch.

Between me and my very promising newly discovered photographer, my 11-year-old daughter, journaling my fiber endeavors is fun.

My Other Blog

"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit, either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

surrounded by mystery

"I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it." ~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

(photo: a friend's riverside house's porch)

a horrible way to start the day

I had a horrific experience one morning this past week. I woke up, used our bathroom, and walked past our bedroom window. My foggy eyes caught a glimpse of a man looking up to our open window. We didn't find out until a few hours later that a meter reader had been to the house. The meter is by our bedroom window. Thankfully Jon had the presence of mind to call the power company and inquire if one had been to our address. Even so, how it played out didn't add up. After replaying the whole scene with Jon later that day, the only plausible conclusion we could come to is that the meter reader guy heard me in the bedroom and couldn't resist the temptation to peer up in hopes of getting a free show.

The meter is surrounded by bushes in our very private backyard, and quite close to the window. Thankfully the window is too high to just stand and look directly into. I saw that face of his just beyond the bushes, and immediately got out of view as I gasped internally, and then heard nothing. You can't leave the meter without making noise walking through the bushes. Fortunately for him, there's too much room for error on my part to report it.

Because of a previous personal experience, I was traumatized. Because of a previous personal experience, I was shaking like a leaf. I don't know why, but to my eyes he had a sinister look on his face. It was like a living horror movie. I cried. I hated that. I hated feeling afraid. I thought I was tougher than that. In reality I guess we're all vulnerable to being exploited by those who would take advantage of a situation. It made me realize that there's always room for more healing, strength and courage in our lives. We'll never stop needing God's protection, or his rescuing.

(The fact is I am a lot stronger than I was a year ago, and in so many ways. I don't think the enemy likes it when we find new levels of strength, and begin to be set free from seemingly ancient fears. All of this makes me think that whatever really happened that day, it was meant to knock me down a notch or two. In the end, it didn't.)

J.Crew in Prague

I wanted to check out J.Crew.com for fall fashion inspiration, and found this great video to Leona Naess's "Sunny Sunday" song.

Now I need to find some wool to knit a long orange scarf!