B

So rich - so beautiful....

Do we need any other prayer?

Spring is in the air all over the blogosphere.

Dianne at Circle of Quiet posts a lovely photo of storm-drenched daffodils.

Beth and her crew are heading out to the flower beds this weekend!

Bonnie of Macromoments is "craving sunshine and flowers, and all that spring represents" and taking us deeper into an appreciation of our God, who is as sure as the seasons.

Have you heard of galanthus? M-mv celebrates the season of renewal with a picture of these tiny heralds of spring.

I have it on good authority that it is still snowing where Kim from Hiraeth lives, but that hasn't stopped her from making her own spring!

And things are not so "quiet" over at Donna's place although I would only call it a low rumbling so far... however, watch out if it doesn't warm up by May!

Up here, in the north, we are still in winter's grip. We are only dreaming of spring... although the sky is light now by 6 a.m.

We're getting a little weary - somewhat wistful - a trifle pensive. And looking forward to....

these beauties that even brave the late spring snows.



and bright, butter-yellow, marsh marigolds that grow in profusion along the stream that flows into the Pinette River by my home. The sight of these, spread out like a golden carpet, takes my breath away.



Best of all, there is June, the month that brings our famous lupins - delicate pink to deep purple bands of blooming colour growing in wild abandon in ditches, fields and along roads all over our Island.



Mailboxes have never been so beautifully framed!

Spring will come.... but, for now, I am thankful for photographers (thank you Rinda Dean) and poets (same to you William!).

meditating...

I'm joining this challenge for Lent. It fits in well with my devotional theme this year.

In deep dark woods

I have discovered something about myself ... I am a little like Piglet

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

"Pooh!" he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw.

"I just wanted to be sure of you."

I'm 48 - I became a Christian when I was 13 and I still find myself reaching out wanting to be sure of Him.

As believers we are immersed in the things of spirit - things invisible.

Yet sometimes I struggle with a feeling that the material - the tangible - the physical - is somehow more real because I can see, handle and touch it.

Sometimes I feel like Piglet in a deep, dark wood and I long to reach out and touch Him - lean on Him as John leaned on His breast.

I know it is possible, even though I live in a material world, because I also live in the spiritual world - His kingdom - by faith.

He promised life abundant - inexpressible and glorious joy - peace which transcends all understanding - and so much more.

I want a deeper experience of that life

deeper joy

deeper peace

more deeply sure of His hand holding mine day by day

minute by minute

in deep dark woods or in sunshine.

Update

This was the "top Island story" this morning in our only major newspaper, The Guardian. A proud moment for this Mom. My two boys are in the middle.

Chucky Danger Band elated with good fortune at ECMAs

The young band won for their recording, 6-Pack, and picked up P.E.I.’s only award at the gala Monday.

By Doug Gallant

The Guardian

A record number of Islanders were nominated for East Coast Music Awards this year but when the lights came down Monday night the only P.E.I. act to leave the stage of the Charlottetown Civic Centre with the hardware was The Chucky Danger Band. The four-piece pop/rock act earned its first-ever ECMA award for pop rock recording of the year for 6-Pack. The award capped off a very exciting weekend for the young Island band which juiced up the hometown crowd with the first live performance on the televised portion of the show, played live on national radio and launched a new CD, Colour, before a wildly enthusiastic audience at Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Members of the Chucky Danger Band were over the moon at receiving the award. Just last year they had gone to the East Coast Music Awards in Sydney as relative unknowns outside of P.E.I. A year later there they are centre stage, award in hand. Band members said the award was a huge milestone in their young career and capped off one of their most exciting weekends ever. Questioned as to whom will get to take the award home, band member Colin Buchanan said they’d arm wrestled for it and his massive upper body strength had given him the advantage.

Reality Blog

Here you go Randy!

I'm joining the Reality Blog Show.

( I thought about showcasing my heels but it was too early in the morning and I didn't want to ruin everyone's day! :)

Don't get me wrong - I'm very grateful for running water


and indoor plumbing.



and it doesn't look too bad until....









you get close.






























We're going to gut the whole room and remodel.

So consider these my "Before" pictures.

Stay tuned for the "after" pix.

An Alphabet of Praise

Author Jan Johnson, in her book When the Soul Listens, quotes Madeline L'Engle from an interview entitled "The Practise of Listening":

"I have memorized an alphabet of prayers and hymns, which I sing or say to myself very slowly. And they're all words that mean something to me. And if I just stay with those words very quietly, they help put me out of the way and get me in the right state of mind."
Cross Point, Summer 97, p.3

I think this is very good advice as I try to become more alert to God's presence - my devotional theme for this year.

I am going to post my Alphabet of Praise as a separate blog. I'll begin with this hymn by Martin Luther. A solid theological statement for the letter A. I don't have this hymn completely memorized but I am going to work on it.

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