Mary's Heartbeats

What a difference a week can make!  This same time last weekend, I was laid out in bed, with a terribly stuffy head cold and sinus congestion.  Essential peppermint oil seemed to relieve my headache somewhat, and hot tea loosened the perpetual "lovely phlegm" that slithered down my throat.  The coughing gagged me, and I found myself emitting forceful barks of hoarseness.  The Gilmore Girls kept company with me as I dosed in and out of their weekend marathon. But today is a new beginning, the sunshine felt wonderful as I took Goldy on a morning walk, I was beginning to feel a-l-i-v-e. . . but not . . . Here it is a n additional ten days beyond those words that were supposed to remind me of how well I was. But to my chagrin , I developed even worse symptoms of perpetual sneezing, constant d ripping, incessant coughing.  I have n ever been a person of allergies, and yet th is second round of "illness" felt very allergy like.  Yes, my yard is full of tr...

It was one of those moments, you just had to capture in a picture!  There you were with your buds, on a mountain top, with the very One that you had proclaimed to be the Messiah.  Just a week before, Jesus had asked his comrades, "Who do people say that I am?"  And you, Peter, got it right, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Now, you are witnessing not only Jesus shining brightly in His Shekinah glory, but Moses and Elijah, the pillars of your Jewish faith are there as well.  They all are in conversation that you are hearing.   Your heart is pounding, you've got to save this moment of time forever, so your response is "let's build booths for all you guys!" Making shrines will keep this moment real, so Peter thought. I had to chuckle as I read that story of Peter once again.  I understand why Jesus came at a time of no instant selfies.  I am sure if Jesus was to show up now, folks would be more interested in taking a selfie with ...

Finally, rain has come!  2016 announced its first week with pounding rain and surf.  The ground unsure as to what to do with all this water, provides mostly run off and flooding.  People forget how to drive, especially when it comes to slowing down.  No, it seems that their thought is, " if I drive faster, I'll beat the rain!"  The surprise is the cold air that has come with the showers. It's a coldness that bites your nose and settles in the hollow of your bones.  It certainly rebels against our reputation as "warm sunny California."  I don't have any resolutions, but I am more resolute as I begin this year.  Each day brings  hope, chance and grace, just by being able to awaken to it.  But like the forgetful d rivers, I too found my self trying to beat the "rain" of work stress pounding down on my intentions. This time of year brings a mi ndless activity of "documenting a document," all for the sake of your practice to get a few...

Rain eludes us . . . still , despite the hope of a warm Pacific ocean ripe to spawn a rash of ElNino storms. Sun and drought are our norm . . . still , even if the showers flood us out, as these storms won’t be cold enough to build up mountain snow pack. So I find myself pedaling the hills with windblown colored leaves pelting down on me, instead of chasing off cold winter raindrops. Clouds whether puffy or gray, hovering around the foothills, look promising, but only sputter out a wet mist and rainy scent. No, the expected is now unexpected.   .   . Back in my kitchen . . . with Goldyn comfortably sprawled out by my feet, I gaze at a backyard drier, but still alive and hearty with productive growth. Life is full of the expected . . . work, play, pleasure, family times, and lasting friendship ties, Yet, lived in the reality of unexpected losses, hardship, pain, and lonely suffering broken hearts. Yes, the unexpected too often turns out to be the expe...

Welcome winter!  The first day of the darkest, coldest season has arrived this very morning.  Once again coming right on time, silently, and with a chilly breath.  Yet surprisingly, I have been able to still pluck beautiful roses from my garden.  How strange that with less sun, less warmth, the bushes seem to have produced even more vivid blooms. I spent my usual Sunday evening with my Mom Ruth and her closest friend, Happi.  Both are age 97 and live in a nursing home center.  Every Sunday afternoon, I make a point to visit both of them, and always bring a treat, which usually is a couple of cookies.  But yesterday, I took some freshly baked coffee cake and a small bag of truffles.  Both of these ladies had been part of my original "Faithful Women's Tea," that I had started in honor of my Mom.  But now as age has disabled them, I take my goodies to them. Age is not always kind, it often cripples, weakens, blinds, and even brings confusi...

I don't know about you, but each year I find myself approaching the month of December "with my feet on the brakes." The dark days sneak in on you, pulling you into slumber, making it harder to get out of bed in the mornings, but also making it easier to excuse yourself for earlier bedtimes.  The daytime seems to evaporate like a water drop on a hot skillet.  Ironically, we try to counter this typical pattern of less daylight with more stuff, more activities, and more things.  We cannot even enjoy one holiday without another one being shoved upon us.  In fact the end of the year for most folks tends to be one of just a blurred frenzy. . . A I started out on my bike ride, the crisp air seemed to oil and stretch the tight muscles in my legs.  Soon I was at my usual pace, and singing in my head, the Moriah Peters song "I choose Jesus, I choose Jesus, the One who first chose me. . ."  My eyes were filling up with the colors of tree leaves, gold, orange, red,...

Suffering seems the winner these days.  In the aftermath of another senseless killing of innocent victims, much closer to home, it's hard to begin to even fathom how a mother and father could forsake their newborn to go on a killing rampage.  They brought life to their daughter and before she could have any self awareness, they brought death not only to others, but to themselves.  I have pondered like many, what indeed were the thoughts of this couple, what had been stored up in their hearts, what wrongs or injustices were they seeking revenge for?  Again, I am left with only my questions and no real answers, just lots of speculation and guessing . . . Evil and righteousness have always been enemies.  Throughout the history of human life there have been wars, massacres, genocides, and murder without cause.   Peace and cease fires have only been temporary at best. Goodness often seems beat out by wrongdoing.  It's a grim reality that has always be...