Farewell Friday Five: Hello/Good-bye

 

This is the last Friday Five that I will host after some years of presenting the third Friday Five of each month. I was honored to be asked and am grateful for the times of inspiration and laughter from you RevGals who played!

Our lives entail many beginnings and endings of periods or chapters. We can look back and see where we said “Hello” and “Goodbye.”  Today please look at those times in your life. Be original or play along with these five suggestions:
I am saying “Hello” and/or “Goodbye” to:
 

1. book: I just finished Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos, a book I purchased on my Seattle trip at the Elliott Bay Bookstore from the rack that was labeled "Seattle authors." It is a sweet, good book that brought me to tears in some places. I highly recommend this book published way back in 2004

 

2. habit or practice: Of late I have said "good-bye" to regular centering prayer/meditation. I regret that and keep feeling nudged to begin again. 

 

What I have begun in earnest are leg exercises as recommended by my physical therapist to relieve the hip bursitis pain that has afflicted me off and on since January.

 

And I am saying good-bye to hosting Friday Fives for RevGalBlogPals.

 

3. idea: After reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, I have had to leave behind my belief that racism does not affect me. This book opened me up to many avenues of social justice that I am just beginning to learn about.

4. food: I used to eat peanut butter much more frequently than I do now.

 

5. person: It takes me years to give up on a person that no longer tries to contact me (or me them), and it seems like that is happening a little more frequently now that I do not write letters (and even postcards) as much as I did formerly.
 

Friday Five: Random Thoughts

RevKarla brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals, which will be fun!

Playing Friday Five was my entree into the World of RevGals.  I remember the first time I played, I felt so welcomed by everyone’s comments.   That was in 2007.   And even though most of my blogging is through writing prayers for the RGBP blog, I can’t imagine my life or my ministry without this community.  I am so, so, so grateful.

So, since I am all weepy and happy thinking about this organization,  I offer you this Random Friday Five:

1.  What are you wearing right now?  (a question from my first FF play.)

TX is transitioning from a short spring to summer, so I am back to wearing sandals, along with light, striped pants from Chico's and a shirt with apples on the fabric, with rolled up sleeves, buttoned by a flap.

An advantage to living in hot and humid Texas is the fact that I can wear sandals almost year-round. My favorite and most comfortable kind are Wolky Jewel sandals, which I have in four different colors. This is the pair I have on today:

2.  What are you having for lunch (or dinner)?  (another question from my first FF play.)

Today is an eating-out day. For lunch, I am meeting my first friend (Lisa) in Corpus Christi from 1979 for lunch at a little restaurant that features salads and sandwiches. We grew up mothering our first three kids* together, but in recent years we only see each other once a month or so. I am looking forward to having a salmon salad with her.

Lisa and baby Avery, Dec. 2010

*Lisa had three children, and I had four. The first three are close in ages and grew up together, almost like cousins. We were initially connected through La Leche League when we were pregnant with our first children.

3.  Share an experience of community that was transformative or precious to you.

I am blessed with various small groups that give me experiences of community and continue to help me grow. One very small group that offers glimpses of the Holy One is the weekly Lectio Divina group that meets at First United Methodist Church.

One week ago three of us had a powerful experience of deep connection while in the Lectio Divina process pondering one long sentence of Paul's in Hebrews Hebrews 12: 1-2:

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

12:2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

I continue to ponder "the sin that clings so closely" which was a totally new aspect of the scripture that I had never noticed (or had avoided) for years. I will not forget this time God blessed us with  felt presence of wordless, deep connection.



4.  Describe your favorite mug or glass.

My current favorite mug is one given by a friend named Pat for Saint Patrick's Day. It is a roundish, Polish-made mug with blue flowers and green shamrocks encircling it.

5.  Give a shout out to a friend or colleague!

 I immediately thought of Katherine of Meaning and Authenticity blog, who brought me into blogging with RevGalBlogPals in 2006 and whom I met at a 2 Year Spiritual Formation Academy in my covenant group. Love to you, Katherine!

Friday Five: Spring!

From Sandra Boynton's FB page

Today's Friday Five of RevGalBlogPals:

I always think that daffodils are harbingers of spring, which arrives today. Although they do not grow here in south Texas,  I was able to see them blooming this past weekend in Washington State.

For today’s Friday Five, write about five signs of spring that you look for each year and most especially this year.

While in Seattle this past week, I took pics of spring bloomings that I do not see in TX:

1. Daffodils

 2. Tulips

3. Flowering trees

downtown Seattle near Seneca and First Ave.

4. First greening of mesquite trees (in TX)--hasn't quite happened yet.

Our mesquite tree last March 28, 2014

5. Wildflowers in TX, especially after a rainy winter and spring, like this year.

Returning to Friday (Five) the 13th in MARCH!!

Almost three months since I last blogged, I am going to participate in today's RevGalBlogPals' Friday Five before going on a short (6 days) trip to Washington State. So here it is:

Woo hoo!  It’s not only Random Friday Five time, but it is also Friday the 13th.  And also Lent.  And, in my neighborhood, the snow is starting to melt and I can see a patch of grass in my front yard.  Oh my,  what could be more wonderful?  (Okay, a lot of things, I know.  At least little things make me happy.)
So, without further ado, I present you F13RFF!

1.  What have you got going on today?
In two hours, Chuck and I are driving to San Antonio to go on a direct flight on Alaska Airlines to Seattle. We'll get there tonight, thankfully met by our daughter AE. We planned this quick trip during Chuck's spring break from teaching chemistry at the local community college, so we could visit his younger brother Tom and wife Chris, who is under hospice care for rampant breast cancer.

2.  What about a prayer request, how can we pray for you today?
Please prayer for Chris and Tom, but now I also add Dennis and Terry. Terry texted me yesterday about her husband Dennis going back into the hospital with a severe infection, probably due to sores on his feet which brought sepsis to his artificial knee. This is what he went through last year, too. Today he will have surgery where they might even replace his knee replacement. I am glad we'll arrive tonight.
 
3.  What makes you curious?
Right now I am very curious about the changes in U.S. culture in all aspects as related by Robert D. Putnam, author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, which is a book I continue to cite in classes and to friends. His latest book was just published and addresses what is affecting our children in Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis and I am reading it now. It connects in places with the new book for the Wisdom Class: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, even though the authors are focusing on different viewpoints
of U.S. society.

4.  If you got stuck in an elevator for three hours, (if that is too scary, locked in a room or stuck in a traffic jam), and could magically have any book or activity appear in a pouf to you to while away the time, what would it be?
 I guess I would like my smart phone or Ipad to magically appear, because I could contact people, see the news, and access a book! Otherwise, I would probably pray--a "good" chance to do contemplative prayer.

5.  Use these words in a sentence.   Thirteen, lampshade, [a historical person, like Cotton Mather or Judy Garland} basket, hedgehog, and daffodils.
Saint Francis watched a hedgehog sniff the basket of thirteen daffodils, while the lampshade was non-existent.

 As always, have fun, be fabulous, and let us know you played in the comments, and take care!

Friday Five: Surprising Finds

Only afterwards, do we realize that we have “found” something that we like–like a new way to look at something; a new (to me) author; a new song or hymn; a new food. Today share with us something that you like that seemed surprisingly “new” to you sometime in the near past. It could even be a RE-discovery.

Here is a list, but you can choose your own five items you would like to share! Please join us today in playing FF.

1. author: A new author for me is Nina Schuyler who wrote The Translator. I found this at The King's English book store in Salt Lake City on my last visit with daughter MJ. I find the best books at independent book stores! This is beautifully written, though a little slow to begin with. It wrestles with the translator being the "author" or "interpreter" of a work being translated. A friend is reading The Painting by the same author, which is available on Kindle but out of print. Like The Translator, this book takes place in Japan.

2. shampoo:  Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume: When I had thinning hair due to the medications I was taking for RA three years ago, I found a thickening shampoo that I continue to use. It is expensive (approximately $30 on Amazon) but lasts almost a year. (My hair doesn't have "magnificent volume," but it is usually fluffier.)

3.TV: Husband Chuck and I are enjoying streaming British television shows at night to watch together. The latest one we like is MI-5 (or Spooks), which has 86 episodes! This one will last a long time. Others we have liked are Doc Martin and Foyles War.

4.book re-discovery: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin has been sitting in a pile of books to read for several years. I finally started it, which seemed intimidating with the weight and thickness of the book--900 pages. There are 26 chapters and I am committed to reading one chapter a day. Abraham Lincoln has been a hero of mine since second grade when I read a biography of him. I am enjoying the reading and learning about him and his four political rivals as they grew into manhood (only as far as I've gotten in three chapters) and beyond as opponents and eventually allies. The movie "Lincoln" was based upon this book. It is worth reading if you haven't already read it.

5. food: Silly, though it is, we've rediscovered Lance crackers Whole Grain cracker sandwiches with real Sharp Cheddar Cheese. It's a quickie "meal" or snack of 200 calories, even though it is a little salty. Both Chuck and I will share a package of six--having just three each for 100 calories.

Friday Five: Friday the 13th!

RevKarla brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Happy Friday the 13th, Gals and Pals!

SO, let’s get right on it~~

1.  Are you superstitious about anything?  Like, lucky socks for competition, special necklace for preaching, etc.?
 Not really. I think I've tried to be at different times in my life by carrying some special item like a rock or cross, but I always lose track of it sometime.


2.  I’m going on vacation on Tuesday.  I have never been so ready for vacation.  What are you looking forward to?
We already had a wonderful vacation that I am currently blogging about. Husband Chuck wanted to go traveling before all the kids got out of school, so we came home about the time schools were closing.

We always look forward to a brief respite in Washington State, visiting Chuck's parents, dear friends, and our daughters, in July or August.

3.  There is a lot going on in sports right now–World Cup, Basketball finals, and much more.   If your life were a sport, what would it be, and why? 
Probably like the soccer team of young children who huddle around the ball and don't seem to know which way to go, slowly learning the dynamics of the game.

4.  Hey!  Remember orange push-up ice cream treats?  What happened to them?  What is one of your favorite summer treats?  Ice cream sandwich, popsicles, frozen grapes, fruit pizza, DQ Dilly Bar, etc.?
I used to love Dilly Bars and even ordered enough for a bus-load of kids when we took them on a field trip to the Portland Zoo and were returning to Eddyville School way back in 1978.

While my children were young, I always made many, many popsicles from fruit juices for them.  Another good treat is taking pineapple rings and laying two on top of each other on a cookie sheet, then putting an ice cream stick in between each one. Put the entire sheet into the freezer to freeze.

5.  So there is this thing called “Listserve” that picks one random person per day to write an email to like a million people world-wide.  It’s pretty cool. Some people make music suggestions, offer sage advice, or plug their latest interest/project.  If you could write a note to a million people around the world, what would you say?
 Remember what Julian of Norwich said: "All shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well" while keeping in mind that the Torah says "The highest form of wisdom is kindness."

Friday Five: A Short One

RevKarla brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

It’s time for the pre-Holy Week Friday Five!

1.  What is your favorite Easter candy?

Cadbury mini chocolate eggs. I like the rich milk chocolate with the crunchy outer shell.


2.  Do you have an Easter memory from childhood to share, then please do.  Or any Easter memory.

 I think the excitement of looking for Easter eggs with my children stands out. DC's wife AA loved this tradition when they first started dating in college, because everyone still had eggs to find! (That's because there is a wide range of children--four in 10 1/2 years.)

3.  Speaking of, what your most favorite day of the past two weeks been?  Why?

Almost all the days have seemed "favorite" because we are having perfect weather. It is in the high 70s and around 60 or below at night. People get tired of me saying, "This weather is like a Bellingham (WA) summer day!) There is always a brief period in south TX,which constitutes our spring, that the weather is sublime. It doesn't last long and soon heat and humidity will be here to stay.


4.  I am kind of digging’ Chipotle’s sofritos these days (marinated and “shredded” tofu) and have been eating them like twice a week.  Is there something new in your life that keeps bringing you back for more?  (be ye creative here…)

Something "new" is the rediscovery of writing notes to friends and family. I had forgotten how much I enjoy doing that! I have stockpiles of cute cards that I collect when I travel and need to be sending them out.
 
5.  Of course, a sentence. Using the following words (or some form thereof):  Tree frog, squares, kleenex, eyeglass, lost, daffodil, palms, lamb, Peeps, licorice jelly beans, and donkey.

Sorry, I can't do that today. The beautiful spring weather has stirred up my allergies, so I am in a muddle.

Friday Five: signs of Spring

Deb brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:




As spring slowly begins to bring a thaw to those of us in the northern Northern Hemisphere, I have been watching for signs of renewal and rebirth. It is also part of the season of Lent as well. This week, let’s focus on the signs of spring within us and around us!

Share with us:

1. Your favorite spring flower. (Is it blooming yet? If so, share the joy by posting a picture of that loveliness with those of us still waiting!)

Here in south TX, wildflowers and the greening of the mesquite trees announces spring. We have two mesquite trees to the right of our house. They have had bright green leaves at the tips of their branches until yesterday when it seemed like all the love burst out! Even friends on FB are announcing spring is here because of the mesquite trees.

2. Your spring cleaning routine. Do you have one? Is there a family memory or tradition around it?


I have always heard of "spring cleaning," but did not see that exhibited in my family growing up. When a sunny day arrives (and it is not too hot), I suddenly have the energy to go around cleaning. I had meant to collect and discard a "bag a day" during Lent, but have not been consistent with my cousins from Canada visiting for the past two weeks.

3. A personal area of growth where you have seen some success lately. It can be personal, physical, spiritual or familial.

Having my Canadian cousins visiting has nurtured familiarity and connection for Chuck and me, plus oldest son DC and his family.  I appreciate this expensive effort to travel from Canada almost to Mexico and have loved being with Margaret, Kathy, 3 year-old Zoe, and 8 month-old Ryan.


4. When does “spring” usually arrive in your area? Are you holding out for late May? Or are you one of the lucky ones who has already put away her sweaters and mittens?


Spring usually arrives earlier in March than it is this year. In fact, my cousins from Calgary, Alberta, Canada have found less sunshine and warmth than they expected for their two-week visit. (Still, it has been better than the snow in Calgary.)  "Spring" is short-lived in south TX, with summer temperatures soon behind. I like to think of our spring has similar to a Bellingham, WA summer!

And spring has arrived here with the onset of allergy symptoms for me. Here is a chart showing possible allergens in TX:

5. A verse or set of verses from Scripture that speaks “new growth” to you. 

I have always loved these verses, which are assurance for the heat of TX:

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
      whose trust is the Lord.
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
      sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
     and its leaves shall stay green;
In the year of drought it is not anxious,
     and it does not cease to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

Friday Five: Trips

Last week and this week, I am driving long distances in Texas, first to Houston and today to Austin from Corpus Christi: both times to meet relatives from Canada flying here. This makes me think of trips taken in my life: vacation, moving, visiting relatives, visiting friends, seeking a new home, going away to school, and probably many more.

For today’s Friday Five, tell about five different trips you have made in your life due to different reasons, modes of travel, or whatever category you choose! 

1. The most recent trip was getting my cousin Margaret at the airport in Houston. There were also multiple trips in our two days in Houston--to various restaurants, to the museums, and our return to Corpus Christi, where the GPS saved me. I got lost a few times, but the GPS "recalculated" and eventually got me to the desired location.

2. In 1964, my parents and I returned to the USA after living on a Navy base in Japan for the previous three years on a ship. It was a Navy ship that seemed nice to me; it had a theater. As I recall, I slept on the top bunk while my mother slept on the bottom, and I cannot remember if my father was in the same cabin or a different one! I remember the booming of the ship as it slapped down into the water during a storm, which was scary. Every day for the eleven days on board, I wrote a long letter to my best friend Nancy. When we reached San Francisco, I mailed all those letters as soon as I arrived. She told me that her father called her to tell her that he'd gotten the mail at his office, and she biked there to retrieve them all.

3.  In 1974 (only ten years later!), Chuck and I drove from Virginia to Oregon, where he was going to start graduate school at Oregon State University in Corvallis. He drove a U-Haul truck while I drove our blue Datsun 510. At some point, we got separated, and I grew fearful that we had lost each other so I speeded up. I arrived at a pre-determined motel, called my parents, the police, etc. on a pay-phone. (No cell phones!) One operator told me that their had been an accident with a U-Haul truck, so I was very frightened. But Chuck showed up, asking me how I ever could have thought that the U-Haul truck could be faster than our car!

4. When I was growing up, we only visited relatives when my father was transferred to a new military base and we were moving. I remember moving from Quantico, VA to Camp Pendleton, CA in the summer of 1958. I had heart-shaped ash-trays made out of Play-Dough to give to my grandparents we visited in Arkansas on the way. They were safely sitting in the sunlight of the rear window sill of the car.

5. My mother told me how she and I flew on a propeller plane to Seattle when I was a small girl. She said it was very turbulent weather, and the plane was deathly quiet. The only voice heard was hers as she continued to read me stories.

Friday Five: Theme-Less!

RevKarla brings todays RevGalBlogPals' Friday Five:

Happy Friday to you!  I don’t have a theme this week, but just a variety of questions for your writing pleasure…

1) How are you?  What’s taking up your mind-heart space these days?
I am happy that we just got home from five days of being away. The first two days we took care of our three-year-old granddaughter Avery, who was sick with ear infections. Her mom had to go back to work, so we were glad to come and help out. Avery's other grandmother Mimi helped before and after us. DC and AE have the only grandchildren in both our families, so we retired folk are eager to be there with the little girls.

I am also happy to come home to a FF! There is more for me to write about, which I will do in later posts. Please come back!

2) It’s St. Patrick’s Day on Monday~~will you celebrate or give a nod to it?
I forgot it was Saint Patrick's Day on Monday. I usually observe it by wearing green, which is conveniently my favorite color. I know I am influenced from my former days as an elementary school teacher, plus having children of my own, where you would be pinched if you didn't wear green.

3) My colleague is a voracious morning reader of blogs, online news, articles, etc.  What, besides RevGalBlogPals, do you look at frequently, if not daily?
On my Iphone and Ipad, I look every day at Zite, which collects articles according to my chosen topics' preferences. I only click on the ones I feel like reading. Topics can be deleted or added to.

4) I got nothin’ here.  This is a free for all.  Just tell us something!
Blogging--I don't know why I have suddenly decided to blog daily again. I have a new commitment to this blog and those that subscribe to it.  It probably started with my recent trip to Lebh Shomea.

5) Use these words in a sentence or two:    map, magazine, sing, baby sloth, knit, penguin, love, weep, mountain, and messenger bag.
(So glad you said "a sentence or two"!)
The penguin carried a messenger bag that contained a map and a magazine to take on his trip up the mountain. He soon came upon a weeping baby sloth, whom he loved, so he sang to the baby sloth.

Friday Five: A Little Bit Random

Deb brings today's Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals:

I have been busy writing “professional” papers, where it is required that staid, measured prose be properly footnoted, annotated and credited. I am tired of living there!

However, my creative brain is somewhere in the land of strange to illogical. So join me in my flight of thought and tell us:

1. A color that you enjoy (and where you find it)
Green, and with spring comes the bright fresh green of new leaves, especially on the mesquite trees.

2. A food or drink you have discovered recently that is just da bomb!
I LOVE the soup recipes found in The New England Soup Factory Cookbook. One of my favorites is Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup, with the recipe found here.

3. A simile for tiredness

4. A random picture from your phone, camera or computer

Very random picture of Ben's dog Troy

5. Your least favorite bill: car mechanic, dentist or plumber?
Probably car mechanic, because that usually means something major has gone wrong--lots of charges for labor.

BONUS: If you are going to have a Lenten practice or discipline, what is it? If you have a book or on-line resource, be sure to share it!
My friend Nancy sent me a book to read for Lent, so we'll be reading it together even though she lives in California and I live in Texas: God for Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Lent and Easter. Another book I like is Small Surrenders: A Lenten Journey by Emilie Griffin.

Friday Five: Favorites

Just getting back from four days of silence, I am suddenly thrust back into the world. Wrestling with choices and seeing elderly decline in others, I am flummoxed about a Friday Five–so think of a favorite off the top of your head for:

1. food--salmon! Being from the Pacific Northwest, I love salmon. My husband Chuck grills the best salmon in the world--much better than in restaurants in WA, OR, and here in TX! He wraps it in aluminum foil, first spreading melted butter, lemon juice and dill weed on it. Yummy!

2. drink--I like HOT tea when it's cold, so here in south TX, that's only in the winter. Visiting colder climates, it is wonderful to drink hot tea. Last year I discovered Harney and Sons Tea Blenders and really like their special Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea when it is cold.

3. animal--Dogs! Although cats seem to like me more than I like them. Visiting a friend today, her cat kept kneading my arm and purring--leaving scratch marks under my sweater!

4. color--Green! We have three rooms in our house painted green, one wallpapered with green leaves, and green carpet in four rooms!

5. time of day--Cool, quiet mornings, especially when no one else is awake.

Bonus: Any favorite you haven’t mentioned above that you want to bring up!

Writing and receiving letters, cards, and/or postcards--snail mail!! And I just received a nice note from former blogger Catherine.

Friday Five: Love!

RevKarla brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Happy Valentine’s Day!  I know that some (a lot) of you are digging out from snow and ice and lack of electricity.  We feel for you, and love you!     Some of you have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day.  ‘Nuff said.     I happen to enjoy Valentine’s Day in spite of having exactly one date ever on VD (before I was married).   I love celebrating Love!   So, all that is to say is that our Friday Five is to tell us about five random things that you love.

I could fill up each of the five loves with all my children, grandchildren, husband, and friends I love. Instead, I will try to branch out to other aspects of my life.

1. Cards and Mail: I love to buy and send cards. (I also love to receive them, which is sadly a rare event for me.) Whenever I visit somewhere new, I have to look at card shops, as there aren't many "different" cards offered in Corpus Christi for sale. This month, I am participating in A Month of Letters Challenge for the month of February.

Recipe Here

I love to send Valentines, maybe because of being a former elementary school teacher back in the days when it was possible to celebrate Valentines Day. Also because my grandmother always sent me beautiful, glittery Valentines as I grew up.

2. Baking: I love to bake, especially cookies. This week I made Valentine pumpkin bread which was surprisingly easy. I found the recipe on Pinterest. The pin showed chocolate cake with hearts (from a Sara Lee's pound cake), but I tried pumpkin bread for the Wisdom Class on Tuesday. It was a hit with everyone in the class and was so easy! I bet you could cut out different designs, like maybe a star or a tree.

3. Words With Friends: I love playing this game on my Ipad and Iphone. It is like Scrabble with a partner. I don't often win, because I play too quickly. My oldest son DC continually beats my by hundreds of points!

4. Soups: I love making big pots of soup, a rediscovered passion with our month of cold, cold weather (for TX!). I have made five different soups from my newest soup cookbook, The New England Soup Factory Cookbook, and each one has been judged by all as excellent. In fact, I have made their recipe for Vegetarian Muligatawny four different times already--twice for Chuck and me; for my family at Christmas; and for my family in Austin at AA's request (which greatly pleased me). I've been making such big pots of soup that I can share some with friends, too, while we have it for multiple days. I am grateful that Chuck likes soup.

5. Books: I love to read, look at, discuss books!  I even have a Pinterest board About Books with over 1,000 pins! I really love children's books, so it is a joy to find books for granddaughters Avery and Emma! It is exciting to find new ones, like Good Night, Construction Site which is so appropriate for these girls because their daddy supervises construction at apartment complexes almost every day. It is arriving for them tomorrow!

Friday Five: Spring??

3DogMom brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Here in Nashville the annual Antiques and Garden Show is getting underway.  The temperatures are more cold and windy than is typical, and the garden displays with colorful spring blooms are going to be tonic for many of the souls that visit the show this weekend. Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted another six weeks of winter when he saw his shadow, but spring is on the minds of many!

With that in mind,

1) What do you anticipate with the coming of spring?
This has been an unusual winter in south TX, with cold fronts actually bringing us COLD weather! We keep dipping into the 30's and 40's for high temperatures, which has not been the norm for years. Knowing that this will not last much longer, we know spring (and shortly after, SUMMER) will arrive soon.

I am hoping for some of our usual winter, but spring-like, weather to return. This is when it is reminiscent of Pacific Northwest summers. High and low temperatures of the 70's and 50-60's are so pleasant.  I am hoping some of those days will get here before the heat and humidity return.


2) Is there anything you will miss about winter?
I will miss drinking HOT tea. I never learned to like coffee and so have long been a hot tea aficionado.I especially like Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea, which may also be bought through Amazon, as my daughter-in-law KA did for Christmas.

Cousin Margaret in Calgary

Somehow hot tea is not as inviting when it is extremely hot outside. And I don't really like iced tea.

3) Is there an occasion on the horizon to which you’re looking forward?
At the end of March my cousin Margaret from Calgary, her daughter Kathy and two grandchildren will be coming to visit. It is exciting to think that the children will meet my granddaughters, Emma and Avery, as they are about the same age!

4) Do you have a favorite spring memory?
Memories of Easter egg hunts with my children.
Births of AE in March 1982 and BJ in April 1985.

5) Do you have a favorite spring flower/bloom, and if so, what makes it special to you?
I love daffodils. When we lived in RI and NJ, it was wonderful to see crocus and daffodils coming up while it was still cold. Daffodils do not grow in TX, so I have enjoyed the springs when I have seen them elsewhere, especially in WA State.

My Seattle daughter AE sent me a picture of a daffodil in 2009, so I posted it with a poem here.

Friday Five: Too Late!!

Many apologies for this very late Friday Five. Going out of town all day and not paying attention to the calendar, I mistakenly thought I was bringing next week’s FF. So here goes:

Have you ever been late? List five ways you have been late, remembering it is “Never Too Late To Love!”

1. Late with today's Friday Five AND yesterday's Thursday Prayer
I seem to be forgetting dates lately, as I am overwhelmed with the possibility of writing (or not) the three scholarly papers for the Master's Degree in Theology from Oblate School of Theology.

I have lots of excuses but no papers, not even the topics chosen. How will I ever get this done by the end of this semester? Panic.

So with embarrassment and apologies, I commit to pay more attention. (This is especially ironic considering the weekly book study group I lead, The Wisdom Class, is reading and discussing Awareness by Anthony de Mello.)

2. Late with piano practicing.
As I posted on Facebook yesterday, I sometimes forget such daily (so-called) disciplines as practicing the piano and centering prayer. If I just get started each time, I recognize how much I love doing these activities. . . .

That is a perfect image to go along with today's mishap. It's a Bitstrip cartoon, which I discovered through several other RevGals on Facebook.

3. Forgotten appointment
Forgetting an appointment for a massage, my massage therapist called me up to remind me. I've seen her since 1995, and I appreciate our connection. This year she began to text me to remind me ahead of time!

4. Late with papers
This is the biggest laxity on my part that is plaguing me. Having grown up in a family where denial of alcoholism was major, I easily fall back into denial. That's the only way I can describe my lack of participation last semester--I blocked it out of my consciousness. During this time I celebrated the birth of our second granddaughter and visited her a lot. However, excuses don't help.

Another preoccupation was the gift of an Ipad for my birthday, and that is so much fun to play on.

My daughter AE gave me a funny book about the over-use of technology for Christmas (when all four children and their spouses were home!)--Good Night, Ipad! It is authored by "Ann Droyd."

5. Just late
As I have been writing this FF, I keep thinking of Saint Augustine:

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

from The Confessions of Saint Augustine

Friday Five: Random

Today's Friday Five is brought to us by Revjkarla:

I am feeling all in the moment, or at least the past few days moment, so our random FF is focused on the last couple of days (or week, or however you want to interpret this….)

So, without further ado….

1.  What is the best thing you have had to eat in the last couple of days?

Mint M % M's, which if indulged in yesterday despite my commitment to health-full eating.

2.  What is the topic/subject of the best thing you have read in the last couple of days?

Decluttering, as I am reading The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Living Guide by Francine Jay on my Kindle.

3.  Who would you like to give a shout out to that has been in your life the last couple of days?

My cousin Margaret, who lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She called to ask if she and her grown daughter Kathy could bring Kathy's two small children (the same ages as my granddaughters Emma and Avery) to visit in February! I am thrilled that they would like to make this big trip!

4.  How have you practiced self-care in the last couple of days?

Walking at the mall each day and having a massage yesterday.

5.   Use the following words in a sentence:    couple, shutter, smile, pillow, groan, skip, baby elephant, red shoes.

No groaning for the baby elephant in her red shoes, because she smiled as she skipped over the pillow to the couple of friends sitting nearby.

Friday Five: Turn the Page!

3DogMom brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Whether or not we make resolutions with the new year, we all transition to a new, physical calendar. In recent years my favorite wall calendar is called Pooped Puppies, a monthly collection of sleepy, or sleeping, pups that can’t help but evoke an “awwwww.” for many years my godmother gave me a flat, weekly desk calendar that featured National Geographic photos. One of the great things about calendars is that for each of us they fulfill the “form and function” requirement–a place to indulge an interest while serving a purpose.
 For today’s FF, tell us about five calendar themes that you like to see hanging on your walls or going with you to appointments, or that you WISH existed to adorn and accompany your life.



I have not been blogging much lately, but this Friday Five clicks with me because I love calendars and always write friends' birthdays on my new calendar on New Year's Day. I have done that since I was in college, which was more than four decades ago.

1. Kitchen calendar: I take time on my trips to look for calendars and tend to choose ones that are of nature, especially trees. This is the one that has everyone's birthday listed.


2. Birthday calendar: When I was younger, I had a book calendar that listed everybody's birthdays, but that was always mislaid. I just got a birthday calendar for the wall from Etsy.com. It also had pictures of trees, but are the creator's renditions. It may be a more permanent choice in the future, though the tradition of writing on the calendar on New Year's Day may be one I am not ready to surrender. I still need to record the birthdays on this one though.
 
3. Google calendar: This online calendar on both my iphone and ipad helps me to keep track of regular commitments, especially my RA medications--once weekly of Methotextrate pills and bi-weekly injections of Humira. The latter one can be confusing in the rush of life (holidays most recently).

4. Check-off calendar: For the new year, I resurrected a form I created about five years ago with weekly check-off squares for daily disciplines of meditation, piano practice, walking, etc. Some habits are in place, but not all of them. Physically marking off a box and seeing the monthly results on the bathroom wall will (hopefully) give me positive reinforcement to continue.

5. Mental calendar: This may not be as dependable as it has been in past years--remembering appointments, regular events. I've missed the last TWO Thursdays for posting prayers at RevGalBlogPals, and so I need to depend less on my brain's remembering and write more things down! My awareness of this not working as well as it used to makes me realize that I need to put more reminders somewhere.

Friday Five: In the Middle

November 15 is the middle of the month and also the day for our Friday Five. Think about the term "middle" which indicates various ways of looking at things: middle of a project; middle of a consensus; midpoint as the golden mean; middle of a dilemma (of which its spelling is indecisive); middle of a family; middle of the state and on and on and on.

For today's Friday Five, write about five experiences you have had being in the middle. It will be interesting to see how many different ways we see the middle in our lives.

1. Being an only child, I was in the middle of my family: in between my mom and dad.

2. I am in the middle of learning most of my piano pieces right now: "What Child is This?" and "Angels We Have Heard on High," plus "Siciliana" and "Sunrise at San Miguel." The music is recognizable, but I need to get even with my playing and quicker.

3. I am in the middle of writing a piece about myself for our annual Christmas letter, partly because I have not completed some things in my life, seeing like I am "in the middle" of lots of stuff. Since 1992 our family has compiled a communal Christmas letter to send to friends and relatives; each person writes a section about him/herself. I am grateful that our adult children still like to participate.

4. I am in the middle of reading too many books:  
Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth
by Robert A. Johnson;  
Gandhi: A Spiritual Autobiography
by Arvind Sharma;
The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three: Discovering the Radical Truth at the Heart of Christianity
by Cynthia Bourgeault;
The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age
 by Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD;
Talking About Death Won't Kill You
by Virginia Morris.

5. Tomorrow we are going to the middle of Texas (to Austin) to visit our two granddaughters and their parents. (And tomorrow is also the official day for Friday Five, but I am doing it this early as we'll be leaving in the morning for our 4-hour drive.)

Friday Five: Randomness Galore

RevKarla brings today's Friday Five to RevGalBlogPals:

Wow, this second Friday really snuck up on me!   But it is here, in all of its glory, right?  So…here we go, another random Friday Five!

Jan holding Emma

1.  What’s up?  How are you?
Last week I spent in Austin happily holding new grandbaby Emma, and this week I have felt exhausted. What has developed is that my RA probably was reacting to the Humira shot being three weeks apart instead of two.  (Go here to see the story of that experiment that began on Sept. 30.) I successfully managed to go several periods of three-week intervals until this week. Fatigue and pain in my hands and feet were returning, so I am back to the two-week schedule.

I am glad my rheumatologist encouraged me to try this experiment. I am also grateful that these miraculous drugs (methotextrate and Humira) are available to relieve my RA symptoms.

2.  If you were a Panda Bear that could speak  O.k., even that is too random for me.  You are moving to a new office.  You can only take five books with you (pretend there is no thing such as kindle, nook, etc.).  What would they be BESIDES the Bible, which is already written on your hearts, yes?
Five Books:
Praying with Psalms by Nan Merrill

Into the Silent Land by Martin Laird

Beyond Words by Frederick Buechner

The Awakened Heart by Gerald May

Gratefulness: The Heart of Prayer by David Steindl Rast

3.  If you had a superpower that could give you a five hour retreat, and you could go anywhere in the world to spend those five hours on retreat (because you have superpowers, ya’ know?), where would you go?
 I can't be specific and should be--someplace with an unobstructed view of Oregon beach or tall trees in a simple setting. I guess I'm too realistic and can't imagine anything right now.

4.  What piece of music, song, hymn, etc. are you diggin’ right now?
As I am still taking piano lessons, I was surprised that my piano teacher had me choose two Christmas songs to learn to play. In retrospect, it makes sense to start learning them now! So I am reveling in the learning of "What Child Is This?" and "Angels We Have Heard On High." I keep singing them to myself.

5.  Use the following words in a sentence (or two):  Tangle, dribble, hook, Panda, shark, smile, worry, island

The worried Panda is tangled in the net hung by a hook from the wharf on the island as the smiling shark circled around. In contrast, his oblivious owner dribbles a ball down the walkway.

Friday Five: JOY

Today's Friday Five for RevGalBlogPals:

RevPal Mindy recently shared this quote:

Talking about our problems is our greatest addiction.

Break the habit. Talk about your joys.

~Rita Schiano

What are your joys? Places? Food? Activities? Books? Season? Hobbies? Smells? Colors? To inspire you, Mindy came up with THIRTEEN things that bring her joy or make her happy. So go for it! 

~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Books! 
And reading to my granddaughter Avery is something else that brings me joy.

Avery and Jan, Christmas 2012

Avery and Jan, Christmas 2011

This picture is already two years old, but it also predicts the future because soon Avery will have a baby sister, for whom I will love to read!

2. Family
I have four adult children and a husband of almost 42 years, but there are few pictures of all of us together. With DC living in Austin, AE in Seattle, BJ in Houston, MJ in Salt Lake City, and Chuck's parents in Bellingham, WA, we rarely are all in one place these days.

I found one of three of our kids (but not DC's wife or child) and Chuck and his parents.

Friday Harbor, WA; August 2012: MJ, BJ, DC, Chuck's mom, Chuck, and Chuck's dad

3. Texting/iPhone

Getting an iPhone this year opened me to the texting world. It's a quick connection, especially when pictures are shared. When MJ received the teapot I sent her, she texted this picture to me:

MJ in her kitchen in Salt Lake City

4. Creches, which I collect.

Over the years, I've created a cache of nativity scenes. Many were given to me by members of my family. I have pictures of seven them here.

This is one Avery can play with! AND notice that Mary is holding baby Jesus!

 This picture also points to my love of the Harry Potter books, which I've read at least three times. I think of reading the series over again, but the task is too time-consuming and long-term right now.

5. Learning to play the piano!

Jan

I started taking piano lessons from a friend in August 2011 and keep on keeping on. It is a joy to play what I can, which diminishes when I don't practice.

That's true of anything, like prayer. Remember the old adage: The more you pray, the more you want to. That's how it is with practicing the piano, too.