Mary's Heartbeats

I'm on my way to visit Mom Ruth this Sunday afternoon.  It's an activity I have done with consistency over this past year.  Since she has become more frail and requires the care of twenty four hour nursing supervision, I have made a point to be there every Sunday.  Now, she readily looks forward to Sunday, because "Mary is coming to see me."  But this is a special day as we are going to celebrate her 95th birthday.  She is surprised as we all are that she is still here to celebrate this day with us.  After all, who would think that a woman who survived treatment for TB in a sanatorium, many years ago, and now deals with dementia, would still be living?  Even she asks that question, as she often tells me that she prays "for Jesus take her home," and often feels that "she is dying right now." Yes, her thoughts get muddled at times, as she tries to still understand God's love for her in spite of her doubts and "not being good enough." ...

Unbelievable!  I stared at the stick of a plant both my eggplant and pepper had become.  What in the world is making a night time meal of their leaves?  I am completely baffled as I search in vain to catch the culprit.  It does not seem to be the roaming possum or even the occasional visiting squirrel, and I know for certain there are no rabbits in our neighborhood.  The only evidence are little circular chomp bites, but can something that small have such a veracious appetite? Is it a worm, a grasshopper or some invisible insect, completely dressed in camouflage?  I feel robbed of my summer produce, even though it appears to have left the vegetable itself for me to have.  Outta words, I decide to pluck up the remnants later . . .  I usually have something to say.  Most times, I have find it necessary to speak, to comment, to intervene, to say something.  But not now, I am as naked as my leafless plants.  I'm outta words. ...

Seriously!  Is this really happening?  The carton was oddly warm, as I poured creamer into my morning coffee.  I peered inside the refrigerator and paused, only to find that most things I inspected were of that same lukewarm cold.  Oh great, I thought, our refrigerator is dying.  But it isn't that old, in fact, I think it was purchased within the past five years.  Could it really be on its last leg? Optimistically hopeful, I tried to open all the vents to generate any cold air inside.  The motor still working, the freezer cold, but the inevitable was presented right in front of me.  Our refrigerator was burning out. . .  Plan B.  I had just gone to the grocery store the night before, so I had limited time for a temporary plan to preserve as much as I could.  Thank goodness, at least the freezer compartment was acting like the  refrigerator so I could put in there as many items as possible that would fit.  I topped off ...

Breathing in the fragrance, I felt a rush of "dejavu".  I was immediately in the backyard garden of our German neighbors, the Gettmans.  Tall rows of the most beautiful big face roses you could ever imagine filled their fenced in yard.  As a five year old, I often accepted the invitation from Mrs. Gettman to come on over and be with her in the garden.  Ready with a smile and a hug for me, we took our time meandering through the bushes, she never hurried me up.  We would smell the various fragrances of the blossoms, and she would tell me the specific name of each. My favorite was the one that started out with a pinkish bud and then unfolded with rosy yellow, white leaves.  Its name is Peace, and to me, a picture of Mrs. Gettman.  But even in all its beauty, the rose still remains as imprisoned splendor.  .  . I saw his name on my schedule, initially thinking that it was familiar, but not fully recalling anything specific.  Hearing my ...

I pedaled up the hill, seeming to have more energy than what I thought I had.  Covered with sweat, I also tasted tears running down my face.  Confession is good for the soul, and I found my heart being purged that morning.  How could I have been so delusional?  A delusion is a false view of reality.  The reality of living as a follower after Jesus is not the same as following after the Christian religion or church.  Although I've known that, I find that my thinking has often subtly been deluded.  I have read certain passages in the Bible with my own self serving interpretation.  But you can't do that as easily with the stories that Jesus told. I don't know where the plant came from, but it seems to be thriving right beside my blueberry bush.  It's hardy and has small white blossoms on it, in fact it seems to be outgrowing the blueberry.  Once its dainty foliage is gone, there are small tiny green balls.  Is it a vegetable or jus...

Finally, after so many opportunities of almost wins and forever seeming to choke when the pressure to win was there, Phil Mickelson did it all today at the British Open.  Finally, his game came together with the right shots, the perfect putts, and the right mindset.  At last, my golf guy won! I like Phil as a player and all around good guy.  He seems to stay out of the spotlight of controversy.  Yes, he wears his heart and emotions on his sleeve, as you know when he's disappointed with a flop he made or totally surprised with how good a shot was placed.  He doesn't shun his fans, he actually greets and talks with them.  He comes across genuinely humble and respectful.  Of course I could be wrong, but it seems that he is a devoted Dad to his girls and husband to his wife who has had to battle breast cancer.   Perhaps, my fondness for him comes from his example of moderation and consistency.  Most of his golf career he has had to p...

I had great plans for the weekend, looking forward to spending all day at the beach.  I couldn't wait to feel the sand in my toes, taste the salty breeze and brace myself for the cold but refreshing ocean waves.  But my plans didn't work out, at least not for this weekend.  I have had those kind of days, making plans but having them unfulfilled. One of which was trying to do the good thing of donating blood, only to arrive at the station and finding out that "everyone left, and they were shutting it all down."  But wait a second, I had an appointment?  Whatever . . .  I could have done my yoga class after all!  Then I was looking forward to dinner with my girlfriends, but one got sick unexpectedly and plans changed again.  Maybe that's why I felt discombobulated as I started out my week, maybe that's what fed into my sense of feeling blah and stuck in "the same old same old." I opened her letter with anticipation, expecting to read about her l...