The Barefoot Boy

My precious son,

Blessings on thee, little man, 

Barefoot boy, with cheek of tan!

With thy turned up-pantaloons,

and thy merry whistled tunes;

With thy red lip, redder still,

With sunshine on thy face, . . .

For, eschewing books and tasks,

Nature answers all he asks,

Hand in hand with her he walks,

Face to face with her he talks,

Part and parcel of her joy, -

Blessings on the barefoot boy!

John Greenleaf Whittier

Traveling Many Miles West

On Easter afternoon I received a call from my father telling me of my grandmother's passing.  She was 87 years old and had recently fallen and broken her hip.  After hip surgery it was very difficult for her body to recover from the trauma.  

As I have been preparing to head  3,000 miles west, I am very sad, but I have loved how my mind has been flooded with some really fond memories of her.

As a little girl, she would always tell me stories about a princess and a prince charming and as I laid in her lap, she would play with my ears.  I remember her hands were so soft.  She would tell me one day my prince would come, and he did.

She could throw wonderful Sunday afternoon parties!  I was always in charge of preparing the relish tray.  At every family get together, I would get out her rectangular glass dish and arrange the small pickles and olives.  She was so patient with me as I spilled all over her table cloths.  I never remember her saying, "are your hands clean?"   "don't put all the olives on the tips of your fingers before you put them on the tray" 

She always had licorice - strawberry, chocolate and original.  My favorite candy is the world is strawberry licorice!  I LOVE strawberry licorice!

She was the most fashionable person I ever knew.  She had A LOT of clothes and she delighted in me playing dress-up in them. -  I would make such a mess of her closets and have her accessorise strung all over the house.  She never fussed, nor did she make me clean up my mess.

She bought me my first pair of high heels.  BIG DAY!!!!

Her hands were beautiful and her nails were always manicured. 

She made the best oatmeal - I know how she made it, but it still is not the same.

She grew big beautiful fragrant roses.

She would let me take her beautiful museum quality dolls to my first grade show-in-tell.  

She had a foil Christmas tree - I have always wanted one.

She always had a pot of coffee heated.

She always had time for me and  I rarely remember her telling me "NO."

She never owned a dishwasher and her sink never had dirty dishes sitting in it.

I could go on and on . . .  oh how I am so thankful for the wonderful memories of her.  

She will be very very missed!

Waiting

I would love for waiting to feel good all the time.  I would love to wait graciously.  I would love to never panic because of uncertainty.   I would love to never push to make things happen.  I would love to rest in Him - every second of the day - regardless of what I am feeling or seeing.  I would love to live out what I know in my heart - that is HE IS GOOD!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. 

This is the verse God gave me after Valentine's day.  Right now we do not see any paths, we have forced some and ended up right back where we started.    Our hearts are open to his plan, however, I desperately want something to give - oh just to hear specific direction or just to see His face.

Over the last month we have found comfort in a book called Sky Edge, by W. Phillip Keller.  It is an amazing book!

There is a chapter called Eagles in the Wind - for anyone who has been told to wait, it is so beautiful and encouraging.

Speaking of eagles:

"So they sit quietly, not fretting or worrying about whether the will be taken aloft.  They know they will be.  They renew their strength while they wait.

This is the picture of a Christian passing through the dark hours of danger and discouragement.  All around him he can sense the chill downdrafts of frustration and reverses.  It seems God's face is hidden from him and he cannot see ahead.  Yet he need not be despondent. Rather, this is the time to wait for the Lord, to rest in the confidence that He is true to Himself in utter FAITHFULNESS.

Then it is that the first rays of morning sunshine reach the crest of the cliff and touch the eagle's feathers.  He shakes himself, fluffs this plumage and with new interest watches the valley below him fill with golden light.  Since he knew this would happen, his calm waiting has restored strength and renewed his vigor.

At first, almost imperceptibly, but growing ever stronger, he fells the warm air currents rising around him, lifting gently from the valley floor past his perch.

Presently the regal bird spreads his wings and launches himself confidently into space.  At once the thermal currents are bearing up beneath his wings and he rides them splendidly.  By deliberate effort the eagle keeps himself in the center of the updrafts, rising higher and higher, borne aloft, mounting ever upward until he is lost to sight.

What a sublime etching of this is of the Christian in his relationship to God.  On the outstretched wings of prayer and praises he launches himself out upon the promises of God, depending on the great updrafts of His faithfulness to bear him up. . . The updrafts of God's faithfulness are forever.  It is up to us to rest upon that faithfulness. "  

These words are a revelation every time I read them - the entire chapter is incredible.  It brings me so much comfort and renewal.  I do hope it also speaks to some else - needing to be reminded why waiting is good.