Wind

The wind whistled to me

So I came outside

It's irresistible

The pull

A Kansas girl

I grew up with wind

My cousins and I perched on hay bales

Watching tumbleweed skip across the highway

Listening to the rustling wheat

The wind making waves in it

Gentle wind

blowing bubbles

blowing dandelion seeds

skipping rocks  rippled water

Fierce winds

tornadoes: extreme makeover landscapes

all glass broken on north side of our house

paper like a knife lodged in a telephone pole

hurricanes: fallen trees, downed power lines

re-landscaped ocean fronts

So I am a Florida girl now

Winds rustle through palms, sea grasses

Tall pines sway like a gospel choir

Toothless trees dance and give a two leaf clap

Funny how it sounds the same

if I just close my eyes...

It's Kansas...it's Florida...

Jesus could walk on waves of wheat

Or ocean waves...and He does

He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.
Psalm 104:2-4

Should we be surprised when He calms the wind and waves?

The disciples were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 8:26-28

The wind can drive you where you don't want to go, too

Faith. Belief. Trust. The wind can't touch you.

James 1:6
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

I'm almost home.

A sprinkler attempts to shoot water one direction

It is blown everywhere else

A sparkling tree of clear lights shakes

John 3:8
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

I want to be that skittering leaf blown in the wind

The Wind calls my name

It's Him

I want to go where He's going

Whether it's Kansas, or Florida, or India

He's here

He walks on water

He rebukes the storm winds

The sea is calm

We chase butterflies

We blow bubbles

We skip along the swamp on an air boat

Like a dragonfly

Hope

There are little signs:

Pursed lips

Words cut short

Standing aloof

Age old pity party

My perception of a scarred relationship

Is really a sickness

Carving out my loved ones personality

My heart is turning crisp

Like dry leaves

I'm looking for hope

A sign

Does he still love me?

I'm sitting in front of the computer screen

My back to him

Across the room

The unexpected starts

HOPE

Lingering light in the distance

I want to stiffen

But I feel icicles

Dropping from my heart

The guitar is lightly plucking

It's my song

The song I wish someone

Would ask me to sing

at Church for Christmas

He asks me to sing

I walk over to him

Each step an unshackling

I swallow the lump in my throat

Hold back tears

I sing

It's pitched high

I am like a schoolboy choir

I have only sung the 1st and last

stanzas before.

"O Holy Night..."

"Surely He taught us..."

The 2nd stanza

New to me

Suprisingly sweet

What I need to hear,

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

I lay my weapons down

I humbly say "thanks"

to the God of Relationship

With HOPE in my heart

I accept this.

I accept Him.

Diwali - Festival of Lights

Shoes off

Enter holy

Glamour and sparkle of dress
Bangles
Anklets

Laughter
Jokes in Telugu
I smile

Gents one room
Ladies another
Children in the middle
We keep it that way

I honor Amma
Spoken language doesn't translate
I kiss her cheek
She understands

Food
Glorious food!
Intricate combinations of spices
Indian cooking

Tangy tamarind rice
Spicy finger cucumbers with coconut
Crunchy onion bhajis
Sour curds

Sambar
This one is special
My tongue probes the mystery
Is is dry mango?

Befuddled
I seek she who created
She laughs
It’s simple really

She unravels the mystery
My tongue still questions
Amazing

Indian sweets
The ordinary dressed up in
Ghee, cream, sugar, rose water,
Cardamom and bits of nuts

Carrots
Dal
Sooji
Bread

An Indian bride
Silk, henna and jewels...
Confectionery of pure beauty

Pride of Indian cooking
We discuss recipes
Swap ideas

We want to recreate culinary memories
That dish from that restaurant
Mama’s specialty
Scenes from childhood

Stew of ideas and memories
Stir into each dish
And me, the “foreigner”,
Became “one of us”
because “nothing is too spicy”

Kids emerge
Promise made of spewed lights
We rush into the cold night

A light spectacle
Tantalize young and old.
Gingerly I hold a sparkler
Always afraid of fire

Big Loud explosions!
Bright showers of color.
Spinning furious chameleon tops.
Flaming fireballs shoot.

The Grand Finale spirals
Rocket and Boom!
An umbrella of colored stars
Explode leaves me breathless

Smoke clears
We enter the house
Bushes are covered in jeweled lights
Our saris brush by all sparkle

We carry the light too
Lights in constellations
Bursting momentary lights
Electric lights
Candle light - serenest of all

We are lights
We reflect that Greater Light
The Creator of all lights
He whispers to us:

“Let your light shine
before others....” Matt. 5:16

He says, “I am the Light
of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12

I stop
Wonder
Now it is dark
He is The Light

“So we thank Thee that
darkness reminds us of light.
O Light Invisible, we give Thee Thanks
for Thy great glory.”
T. S. Eliot The Choruses from the Rock