Love, Children--

Love is curious.
Some say it is a many-splendered thing,
like oxygen,
or strawberry shortcake on a warm summer day.
But it has little to say on a cost-benefit scale,
nor does it move the economy

yet it moves our hearts
for our heart thirsts for Anyone,
that essential someone who cares to know YOU

Without pretense or shallow expectations

Let me say, therefore,
beauty follows the path of tears—
Wrinkles and sags eventually ordain the shell
Riches are evasive and vanity a lack of pride.

But children, I love you.
Yet I love you beyond the games,
beyond rules, performance, possessions

-- and beyond communication.

I love you for who you are and can be,
in the inner depths of your true self,
where this world cannot reach it or harm it,
and that love will never die.

You once laid beneath my heart as close as breath
but you are not me nor should you be
God knew you as you laid gently in the curve of his hand
And wrote in your book long before you were mine

So dance and sing through your days—

Generosity and pure spirit linger and make true accounting
Don’t play dress up and put on a show
Saying, “Watch me conquer the world and then,
Judges of the world maybe you’ll love me.”

I'd rather you spread your wings to fly, ...and fall,
than clip them to please the vultures of the world.
I'd rather you'd mature
so these words would not stir your passions.
I'd rather that the clamors of the masses would please you less
than the whispers of God

I want for you the essential – look for it

draw back the curtain of the world’s deceit
ride the winds of heaven
and taste romance's heartache – but be true

Love, Children--

Weather....or not

Colorado Springs got its first snow today with the temperature hovering around 30, going down to 18 degrees tonight.  I can't even see the mountains right now, but I'm sure they are pretty.  I think we'll get more snow tonight and then warming up a bit next week.  Meanwhile on the right coast, Hurricane Sandy, a late-season perfect storm screamer is heading from Cuba, threatening many eastcoast states, all the way up to NY and Boston.  It's not going to be pretty.  They are likening it to the storm of 1991.  A lot of kids are going to be disappointed on Halloween!

This has been such a wonderful week.  I find myself smiling and even laughing for no ràeason.  Well, there is a reason.  I am extremely hopeful that I'm going to be hired for what would be the perfect job.  An opportunity to use what I know and who I am but go in a different direction.  Recreate!  Fulfill a dream!  Stand by - second interview on Monday. I'm so ready to join a great team and start doing my "thang!"

Addendum:  Not hired yet.  They loved me and actually see me in a yet to be created position which will open up around June or July.  The doctor's practice is growing so fast that he has already outgrown all three of his offices.  I think they are probably going to have a big reorganization, open a new larger office and maybe see me in the role of office manager.  We'll see.  Can't say I wasn't disappointed, but God's got this, so I wait.

New Photo Blog

I find I take a lot of photos, but I'm glad because it's so fun to go back and remember good friends, good times, lots of memories.  Summer of the best years of my life were those working at Patrick Henry College in Virginia. I took so many pictures during those 4 years.  If there is a photo of you that you don't wish to be posted, let me know and I'll remove it.  It's not my wish to compromise anyone's privacy.  So if you are an alumni at PHC during fall 2004 to summer 2008 come along with me and enjoy Pic.Some.Memories.    http://picsomememories.blogspot.com/

Friendship Porch - A poem I wrote several years ago about some dear friends

I wrote this for our best friends in Virginia, Joan and Jeff, who lived out in the country in a log home with land and horses, and a barn, and a warm wood stove in the winter. We did everything together and were together almost every weekend doing something. Sitting on their log home's sprawling front porch in the evening with the sound of peepers in the twilight glow, we'd drink pina coladas from plastic goblets shaped like pink flamingos, and laugh the night away. We had so many memories for so many years. Good times. Good memories.

FRIENDSHIP PORCH

Twilight filters its last yellow glow

Thru unrolled slats on the floorboards below

Golden dog chases the orbiting ball

Nightfall deepens as the marsh bugs call.

Sipping our drinks from the pink legged birds

Soft horse sounds from the field could be heard

Rocking chairs creak and citron smoke wafts

As on friendship porch, the four friends laugh.

Orion shines bright from his inky throne

Old dog and young kitten on the mat are prone

It's good to be here where we've been 'oft before

As laughter and love wrap ‘round us four.

Waves from the step as we leave for the night

Our two favorite folk haloed by light

Our kindred and faithful love burns like a torch

Lighting the way back to the friendship porch.

Back Home

We've been in a hotel for a couple of weeks but are back home...rather, we are back in Ron and Brenda's home. We had what you could call a divine appointment the very first Sunday we were here. We went to New Life Church and after the service lingered to eat in their cafe thinking we could maybe talk to someone. I introduced us to a couple about our age at the next table. One thing led to another and we ended up spending the entire day and having supper with the Neuenschwander's.  It was one of those rare and wonderful blessings where you just hit it off instantly with someone. At the end of the day we felt like we'd been friends for years. Downside...their permanent home is Ft. Wayne. Upside...they are letting us stay in their condo while we find our own place.  So you see...divine appointment. New friends and new home.  God is good. Come back Neuenschwanders!