Beautiful

Luke's grandmother's funeral was absolutely beautiful. I had not expected such a peace-filled ceremony...yet that is exactly how it felt. I was invited to take home one of the large floral arrangements afterwards. These four bouquets are what I made from it. The flowers are so lovely...as was Lorraine Ellgren...she loved pink.

Spring Storms

After a week of rain, I admit, I'm getting a little gloomy. But at least it's not snow! If you like housekeeping, you'll understand my need to spring clean, freshen up, redecorate....to fight the gloom I guess. Anyway, this is my bedroom; I'm rather proud of how well it turned out. Now if I could just get the rest of the apartment to look this springy.

I'm hoping to go home to Michigan soon for a visit. I was supposed to leave Saturday, but Luke's grandma died yesterday, pushing my travel time back. I confess, I'm terribly homesick. I was home for one day in September of last year. I think I just want some "mom time" and "sister time".

Our first year of marriage seems to be a year of losing grandparents. Oh, I pray it doesn't continue...mine have been pretty sick this year. I have to say, here, that I have been so greatly blessed to have the close friendship with my Grandma. I spend two or three days a week with her, and truly have an unusually special relationship. How can I ever be anything but thankful, even in the midst of sadness?

I finally just went through all the negatives for my wedding pictures...and organized them to order prints. It was SUCH a BIG job! I didn't think I was ever going to do it...but I finally, somehow, pressed through. I am so proud of myself! :P And it is really fun to go back and look at pictures of such a happy day.

I have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, zuchini, radishes, and mint so far for my grandma...and they are all coming up (about two inches tall). I love to grow things...there is something so therapeutic about keeping something fragile and dependent alive. I think gardening would be an amazing medicine for people who are emotionally hurt. I know it was and is for me.

I feel that I need to write something uplifting...for my own sake...something to bring joy to my heart today-and to yours. And well, the best cure for gloom and sadness is Jesus! What a sweet Friend and Savior. It is so comforting to think that Jesus created me especially the way I am...I am loved and beautiful and righteous in His eyes. And it is SO comforting to remember that He is a man...a human...one who has experienced all the same sadness that we experience. He knows what a cloudy day feels like, what losing grandparents feels like, what being cramped in a small, cluttered apartment feels like, what being lonely for home and for friends feels like. He knows and He has sent His Spirit to wrap us up in love!

April Ramblings...

Aren't you tired of seeing so many pictures on this blog? Me too. I have lots of thoughts swirling around in my much-to-swirly brain, perhaps sharing some with you will give me clarity.

Tea. Um, I drink probably two or three pots a day. I can distinctly tell the difference between bag and loose leaf. I am currently on a binge of collecting tea things: pots, cups & saucers, sterling spoons, trays, etc. My grandma has this beautiful tea cup that, to me, is the epitomy of what a tea cup should look like...and has raised my standard painfully high. I am always thinking of ways to decorate a tray with tea so that it is pleasing to the eye, and have become very aware of the experience of tea. My senses are pricked, so to speak: sweet aroma, smooth china, flowery after-taste, clinking spoon, soft colors, lovely presentation. Okay, I've even begun to consider writing a sonnet to my tea! Yeah. Am I just a crazed tea-addict, or does this unusual passion expand the beauty of my personality?

I played a bluesy harmonica accompaniment to my husbands' guitar this morning. Perhaps in twenty years you'll see us on one of those public tv stations that airs polka and bluegrass.

I'm thinking about working again! Well, sortof. I was told by an antique dealer that if I could sell antiques on ebay for him, he'd give me a 25% cut. Sounds like SO MUCH fun...only I can't figure out how to sell on ebay. You'd think I'd be able to figure something out that thousands of other people have figured out! And then there's the consideration that I could do a little selling on my own, too. The only trouble with that is I am too picky. I spent my entire morning in an antique shop today, and didn't buy one thing because I won't spend more than I would at a garage sale! I'm not sure if this idea is brilliant or just totally not worth it.

As you have seen, I've begun illustrating again. I have been told by TONS of people that I should write stories to go with it. Now there are some funny things that go through my head. First of all, not that I want to "Christianize" my stuff, but is there a way I could give God's love to people through a little animal story? I'd like to! And then, there's that problem of getting discouraged when a picture doesn't turn out (I know that's wimpy of me...but I just lose motivation after a couple worse attempts). And third, what lofty editor is going to accept a story and pictures from a literary nobody? It's hard enough getting them to even open the envelope in the first place!

Do you ever just sit and stare at pretty things? I do. Sometimes I sit and look at my nice furniture or admire my decorating. And lately I've been wondering if I'm too materialistic. I believe God intends for us to enjoy life and cultivate the things we're good at...but I keep thinking about Hudson Taylor...who gave his last piece of money to a starving family, when he didn't have any food for himself. Sometimes I want to give up every last thing I have and live extreme for God and serve people. You know those paintings from the dark-ages: the feet of the people in the paintings were raised off the ground as if completely separated from human worldliness...I'd sortof like to reach that state. If God and Christ and eternity were truly my REALITY, things of this world would not effect me so much...sacrifice would not feel like sacrifice, and righteousness would not be work. Thank God for bestowing grace on me!!!

Oh, and the weather! Need I even say anything? But I must tell you, I did listen to Christmas music this morning. "Darling...Christmas is coming..."

Trying something different

Are Mice getting old?

I wasn't completely lazy on my cruise!

Return from beautiful Mexico!

I'm back from a gorgeous cruise to the Mexican Riviera! I got a tan, a lot of fancy food, and a chance to practice my Spanish! We stopped at three ports in Mexico: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Although we return from warm, sunny weather to chill and rain...it's at least good to see that everything turned green while we were away.