Hair Changes

Well, about a year ago I had to accept the fact that I had curly hair because of the chemo drug methotextrate taken for rheumatoid arthritis. I wrote about that and put a picture of me with curlier hair here.

I liked the fullness in that earlier picture.

As my RA symptoms lessened towards the end of the last year, my doctor and I decided to find the least amount of medicine I needed to maintain my bodily comfort. As the methotextrate was reduced, my hair gradually lost its curl, as you can see from this picture taken by my friend Margie with her new Iphone at a friend's 70th birthday party last week. I now have straighter and flatter hair again.

I was excited about my good health, even though my rheumatologist cautioned me that I probably would never be able to discontinue the meds entirely. With my 2-month checkup today, I realize that I need to discern what level of methotextrate is best as some pains in my hand joints have returned. The doctor told me that I could decide within the next two months about taking 4 or 5 tablets weekly. I've been on a regimen of 4 pills weekly for the past period, so I will see day by day, week by week.

Books Are Ancient

Friday Five: April Showers Bring May Flowers

Recently having driven from Corpus Christi to Houston to Austin and back to Corpus Christi, Texas, we saw the effects of rain and drought on the byways. South Texas is in a severe drought situation, but the route between Houston and Austin was graced with some recent rainfalls so that wildflowers were abundant. Otherwise, there were few to be seen.

With the old adage "April showers bring May flowers," let's look at the weather and vegetation in our home areas to see if any May Flowers will be blooming.

1. What spring flowers and plants do you see? Or will see sometime in the future?
When I was in Seattle last month I saw daffodils which I love! Unfortunately, none grow here in south TX.

The biggest harbinger of spring for me are the greening of the leaves on the mesquite trees, which are so bright at first.

2. What kinds of weather are you experiencing in April?
This is the end of the pleasant times of year in TX--usually with high temperatures in the 80's. We have been unusually fortunate, because we are still getting a cold front to reach us each week. Our last one until October will hopefully get here next week.

3. What are the stereotypical harbingers of spring in your area? How about where you grew up?
Wildflowers in TX, though this year has seen few because of the drought.

Daffodils and crocus came up in Washington State in the spring.


4. What season do you like best in your home area?
The best time of year in south TX is from November to March or April, which is why there are so many "Winter Texans." These times of year remind me of Bellingham, WA summer days.

5. What is sprouting or blooming in your life? What do you wish for?
I am feeling empowered by a book I just finished reading: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg.

I am so impressed by this book that I have bought a copy of it for each of my four children. The author is a New York Times investigative reporter who has done a great deal of research about brain science and events that have happened in the past to illustrate why they occurred or how they were changed. It is so interesting!

The stories are interesting and give examples of different types of habits or routines. I learned how the American population was changed in the last century to become a nation of tooth-brushers! Dental hygiene was not important for most people before that. There are stories of individuals, businesses, movements, and churches.

I am hoping to become more aware of some habits I would like to change and do exactly that!

New Life!

Avery will have a new brother or sister in October!

My Mother and Me

Here is a picture of my mother, Margaret Faith Cowling, with me taken in January 1981. She was then 62 years old, which is my age now. In the picture, I was half her age--31 years old and only had one of my four children at that time.

Today is my mother's birthday and will always be a day for remembering her, even though she died 20 years ago. She would have been 94 years old today, which might have been a possibility if she had not contracted pancreatic cancer. I have a few friends who have mothers still living at this age and older. Not many people live to be in their 90's with a high quality of life, even in the 21st century.

Live Gratitude

From Ellie at The Anchorhold.

No Words

Nothing to say. Good wishes to all.

Give Us Compassion

Lord, have mercy. Have mercy on those in West, Texas who have had their world turned upside-down. Have mercy on those in Boston still struggling. Have mercy on those in Syria who are living in the midst of bombs and gunshots. Have mercy on those in North Korea who do not have enough to eat today. Have mercy on the 14.9 million children who have been orphaned by AIDS today. Have mercy, Lord Jesus. Have mercy. And in the midst of all of this, give us your heart. Give us the compassion that comes from You. Remind us that we ALL are in great need of your mercy, grace and love. Amen.

“Compassion- which means, literally, "to suffer with"- is the way to the truth that we are most ourselves, not when we differ from others, but when we are the same. Indeed the main spiritual question is not, "What difference do you make?" but "What do you have in common?" It is not "excelling" but "serving" that makes us most human. It is not proving ourselves to be better than others but confessing to be just like others that is the way to healing and reconciliation.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen

From Renovare USA

Friday Five: Random Is Back!

Revkjarka brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Can you believe it is April 12????  Have you finished your taxes?  Here in Boston, the city is abuzz with Boston Marathon anticipation.  We are finally hearing birds chirp in the morning, and even though it was in the low thirties last night, many of us are bravely sporting open-toed sandals.   None of this has anything to do Friday Five, except randomness.   So, in that spirit.......

1.  How are you doing?  What's going on in your life?
I am rushing because as soon as I finish this Friday Five, we are leaving for Houston, which is a four-hour drive from Corpus Christi. Today we are visiting our son BJ, who will be 28 next week. Then tomorrow we'll go to Austin to visit oldest son DC and his family.

2.  Have you ever resigned from a position?  What was the good-bye like?
When I was pregnant with DC way back in 1979, I resigned from my position of teaching third grade at Coles Elementary School here in Corpus Christi. I was having too many difficulties sleeping and with my pregnancy, so after we bought our first house, I quit (in the spring). I had only been there for one year and was in the difficult situation of having all the "resource" (special ed) kids in third grade put in my classroom--me being the new teacher. I was in culture shock moving from Oregon where I had taught 2-3 grade combinations and was thrust into the heat and humidity of a strange culture.


It was hard to leave the class of third graders in many ways, but I had not formed any attachment with other teachers and so found it easy to go home and be with our new cocker spaniel puppy Bagel--and prepare for DcCs arrival soon.

3. So, we are still resurrecting...still getting used to New Life!!  What is a source of new life for you?
Playing the piano with my first ever piano recital on May 19!


Also, I'd like to live like Thich Nhat Hanh suggests:

When we walk like rushing, we print anxiety and sorrow on the earth. We have to walk in a way that we only print Peace and Serenity on the earth... Be aware of the contact between your feet and the Earth.
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

4.  My friend is running the marathon on Friday, because it is on her bucket list.  What is something on your bucket list?
Piano!!

5.  Tell us about one precious thing (tangible) you keep around your house, your altar, your pocket, and what is its story? 

The picture I took of youngest son BJ with my mother soon before she died of pancreatic cancer in 1992. They are both are smiling broadly. My mother is yellow with jaundice and BJ is grinning with a big cowlick sticking up on top of his head. I love it.

Procrastinating. . . again!

Unfortunately, I never got around to writing about books. As my father would always say, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. . . . ." That will be delayed now until we get back from visiting our two sons, one in Houston and one in Austin. We are going to both those mega-TX-cities this weekend.

TX Bluebonnets

Well, I haven't gotten around to writing about books, but here is a cute picture of my granddaughter sitting in a field of bluebonnets, a rarity this spring in TX with its drought.

Blogging Books!

My friend Linda sent this picture to me on Facebook. I liked it so much that I made it "my" icon for both FB and my blog. Sadly, it isn't seen too well in such a small square.

I have been reading a lot of books in the last month, although I must admit that I almost always read a lot. Going to Bellingham and Seattle, WA and to Salt Lake City, UT, I visited independent books stores and found new books and new authors at each one.

Plus, a FB friend has asked me twice to write about Richard Rohr's newest book, Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self. As you may have guessed from Rohr's quotes from that book in the post below, I really, really like this book!

So I am committing to write about books for the next few weeks, especially since I will write about each chapter in Immortal Diamond and there are nine chapters. I have read some new mysteries with new authors (to me), some fiction and some philosophy/religion books.

In the last year or so, my inspiration for writing to my blog has diminished, but writing about books will help me have a my jumping-off point.

Please check each day about books I recommend!

(I will start tonight.)

God, The Great Allower

After reading my cousin's questions for God on his blog, Me and Leuk, I had to look up the pages in Richard Rohr's newest book Immortal Diamond about "The Great Allower." These words make a lot of sense to me.

"In this regard, God is the Great Allower, despite all the attempts of ego, culture, and even religion to prevent God from allowing. Show me where God does not allow. God lets women be raped and raped women to conceive, God lets tyrants succeed, and God let me make my own mistakes again and again. He does not enforce his own commandments. God's total allowing of everything has in fact become humanity's major complaint. Conservatives so want God to smite sinners that they find every natural disaster to be a proof of just that, and then they invent some of their own smiting besides. Liberals reject God because God allows holocausts and torture and does not fit inside their seeming logic. If we were truly being honest, God is both a scandal and a supreme disappointment to most of us. We would prefer a God of domination and control to a God of allowing, as most official prayers make clear.

"Both God and the True Self need only to fully be themselves and generously show themselves. Then the major work is done. I would go so far as to define God as a 'deep allowing' to the point of scandalous 'cooperation with evil' both natural disasters and human evils. To allow yourself to be grabbed and held by such a divine wholeness is a dark and dangerous risk, and yet this is exactly what we mean by 'salvation.' We are allowing the Great Allower to allow us, even at our worst. We gradually learn to share in the divine freedom and must forgive God for being far too generous. This is not my 'liberal' idea; Jesus says the same thing (see Matthew 20:15), but we cannot hear it for some reason." (18-20)

Perhaps it is easier for me to say God is not "all powerful", though I believe Richard Rohr is saying here that God is so powerful that he gives it up to let us live however we choose. We may decide to believe God does not care or has no power or . . . . .any numbers of questions, as my cousin asked.

My simplistic faith is to try to remember to ask "WHO is with me? instead of "WHY?" The first is the only question that can be answered. God is with me. Even (and most especially) when I do not feel that God is here, GOD IS.

Friday Five: Lazy Lay Version

Rev. Pat Raube brings us this Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals.

This Friday Five is pretty simple--for ministers! In contrast, I was a much lazier lay person and so my perspective is different.

1. What, if anything, are you doing to take your Easter season sabbath? Family? Vacation? Study Leave? Some combination of all three?

I am appreciating the probable LAST cold front that will reach Corpus Christi, TX. It is heavenly to wake up to the 50 degrees F. and have the sun shining us into the 70s. This is like a Bellingham summer, where Chuck and I grew up in WA State. Unfortunately, soon TX SUMMER will be here--next week!

2. What is your favorite Easter season sabbath of all time?
Probably having my family with me for Easter, but it will still be the Easter season next weekend when we visit Houston for one night to see third son BJ and his girls friend and also go to Austin to see oldest son DC, wife AA and adorable Avery!

3. If you're not taking an Easter season sabbath, what is drawing your attention as the Revised Common Lectionary bids us bide awhile with Thomas and gang? Is there a Holy Hilarity service in your future?
Our lectio divina meditation this week was John 20:19-20 and I was struck by the image of the frightened and overwhelmed disciples huddling in a locked room. Despite the locks, Jesus appears, which reminds me that God cannot be locked out, no matter how the situation appears.

4. What would be your ideal Easter season sabbath? If you could go anywhere, do anything, with anybody?
Staying at the beach.

5. Tell the truth now: Any Easter candy left?
Thankfully, no. The most pronounced remnants after Easter were cookies I made for Easter Sunday, which I shared with the Wisdom Class on Tuesday, so they would be GONE. I posted the recipe for the yummy lemon cookies here.

Creativity and Connections

 

I have met thoughtful, interesting people through blogging. I consider them to be my friends. Now I find connections with them through Facebook and Pinterest. 

The soaring birds from the keys of a piano indicate creativity and maybe even ascending ecstasy and this was posted by Philomena Ewing, whom I first met at Blue Eyed Ennis.

This connected with an interesting article that artist Sybil Archibald posted on Facebook about creativity. I met her through her blog where she states that "making art is my spiritual path."

I also posted the article "The Creativity Crisis" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman on Facebook where Quaker Dave, one of the first bloggers I ever met when I started blogging in 2006, posted it and said he was going to share it with his fellow teachers. High praise!

I've never felt I was "creative" but didn't know how to become so. Now that I am taking piano lessons, I understand that my brain has to be exposed to and grown in new connections for growth to occur. It seems like there has to be some foundation of structure, though I think some artists emerge out of "nowhere." Mistakenly, I thought that one was BORN with creativity or not, which meant that I was NOT. Plus, I isolated creativity to the arts and not other areas.

It is wonderful learning new things and ways of being!

Here is glimpse of "The Creativity Crisis:"

"Overwhelmed by curriculum standards, American teachers warn there’s no room in the day for a creativity class. Kids are fortunate if they get an art class once or twice a week. But to scientists, this is a non sequitur, borne out of what University of Georgia’s Mark Runco calls “art bias.” The age-old belief that the arts have a special claim to creativity is unfounded. When scholars gave creativity tasks to both engineering majors and music majors, their scores laid down on an identical spectrum, with the same high averages and standard deviations. Inside their brains, the same thing was happening—ideas were being generated and evaluated on the fly.

"Researchers say creativity should be taken out of the art room and put into homeroom. The argument that we can’t teach creativity because kids already have too much to learn is a false trade-off. Creativity isn’t about freedom from concrete facts. Rather, fact-finding and deep research are vital stages in the creative process. Scholars argue that current curriculum standards can still be met, if taught in a different way."

The article is worth reading, so go to "The Creativity Crisis."

Glazed Lemon Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest and was very pleased with the result--Glazed lemon Cookies. I took them to church to share on Easter Sunday.I also doubled the recipe, which turned out fine.

Spooning the dough and rolling balls gets very sticky, so periodically I would rinse my hands off. Damp hands made it easier to roll the balls.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

• 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fit with paddle attachment, whip together butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed, until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Blend in egg, then egg yolk. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Scoop dough out by the heaping spoonfuls, form into balls and drop onto Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven 9 - 11 minutes (for a gooier cookie closer to 9 and a more set, fluffy cookie more near 11). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool. Drizzle cooled cookies with Lemon Glaze (you can do this while they are still slightly warm if desired). Store in a single layer in an airtight container.

For Lemon Glaze

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to reach a drizzle-able consistency. Pour mixture into a resealable bag, seal bag and cut a small tip off one corner then drizzle glaze over cookies. Allow glaze to set at room temperature. 

• Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/01/glazed-lemon-cookies/

The Fist by Mary Oliver

The Fist

There are days
when the sun goes down
like a fist,
though of course

if you see anything
in the heavens this way
you had better get

your eyes checked
or, better still,
your diminished spirit.
The heavens

have no fist,
or wouldn't they have been
shaking it
for a thousand years now,

and even
longer than that,
at the dull, brutish
ways of mankind -

heaven's own
creation?
Instead: such patience!
Such willingness

to let us continue!
To hear,
little by little,
the voices -

only, so far, in
pockets of the world -
suggesting the possibilities

of peace?

Keep looking.
Behold, how the fist opens
with invitation.

~ Mary Oliver ~

(Thirst)

Need a book??

My friend Fran (who blogs much more thoughtfully than I) posted this image about buying books on Facebook, and it aptly describes me: