Great Days…

…deserved to be commemorated with a mosaic. Right? Of course they do! And I’m here to tell you that my lovely lady Gwynneth and I had the most spectacular day in Galveston yesterday. The weather was gorgeous, the winds were gentle, and the company was magnificent – from the one holding my hand, to the gulls admiring us admiring the beauty of the waters. Sure, there are still areas of the island that are still visibly suffering the devastating impact of hurricane Ike, but the people of Galveston are a resilient sort and they’re not gonna let a hurricane change their paradise… even though the rest of the country seems to have a singular focus on the whining over the long-since past Katrina, and financial assistance to Galveston island has been meager at best. You’ll not hear anyone whining about it. They simply rebuild and move on.
We spent a nice walk along the seawall, watching the boats glide across the horizon as the sun glistened off the waters. Then we took a short drive downtown and strolled along the famous Galveston Strand historical district. While many of the businesses are still closed for flood repairs, many others are also open and thriving. And we even got to enjoy a live band in the park as we walk, with my lovely lady catching me singing along to some of the tunes more than once! As we leisurely made our way, we noticed a black line on the walls of several buildings. It was at least a couple of feet above our heads… and turned out to be the flood level from Ike in the historical district. Startling at best, and down-right frightening if you thought about it too long.
My hat’s off to the wonderful people of Galveston, who graciously shared their island with us for a day. It was most definitely a great day – by any definition – and one that I hope my lovely lady Gwynneth and I can repeat in the near future. God’s wonders never cease… so like I said yesterday, never cease to be amazed! Please keep praying for each other, and may God bless you all!

And, if you would like to make a donation to help the people of Galveston Island, as well as all the others along the gulf coast who have been impacted by hurricane Ike, feel free to do so through the Bush Clinton Coastal Recovery Fund. Every little bit helps… have yourself a great day!

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“Victor Kiam once said, ‘What’s really important in life? Sitting on a beach? Looking at television eight hours a day? I think we have to appreciate that we’re alive for only a limited period of time, and we’ll spend most of our lives working.’ There’s a lot of truth in that comment… I just think I’d rather spend most of my life living. Who’s with me?” – Jeff Jeter

Never Cease to Be Amazed

Friday morning… always one of my favorite times, but even more so of late. I took today off so I could catch up on some chores that I’ve been ever so carefully avoiding (like paying bills… yuck!), and kissed my lovely lady Gwynneth farewell to depart back to my own little corner of reality. This morning, the east Texas fog was so thick that I could feel the weight on my clothes as I made my way to the truck. Even after a stop at the local grocery, the fog was still quite oppressive – and almost seemed gleeful in the dreariness it was bringing with it. I made my way out of town, and stopping only to grab my mail, was soon back at the loft. Yes, my faithful abode, barely visible through the dense layers of misty humidity hanging across the driveway.
But wait… what’s this I see? A splash of pinks amidst of background of greens peeringly timidly through the soup. Could it be? Is it possible? Yes! My azaleas are blooming! I quickly leap from the Tundra, grabbing my trusty Nikon and begin snapping photographic evidence of the beauty that God has given me to find. And believe me, only God can make beauty like this…

Something God (and the lovely lady Gwynneth) has been trying to get through my thick (and often thickening) skull for the past few weeks suddenly became clear. There are two views to every scene… the one that I tend to gravitate toward, which sees only the depressingly thick and smothering fog, and the other one. The other one that sees the beauty of every situation, the good in every person, the awesomeness of God’s creation!
So, yes… today I happily share with you the beauty that God has shared with me. Even in the foggiest of times, it’s always there. It’s all about what I choose to focus my sights on. Today I choose to ignore the fog, give heartfelt thanks for those who love me, and for a God who is so patient with an old, fat man that He is still willing to show me His wonders and bring me His blessings.
It’s so great to be loved!
Oh yeah… with the publication of my floral photos today, I’ve joined my dear friend Fighting Windmills in her weekly F-F-Friday tradition! Yes, it was inadvertent, but still… maybe I’ll do it on purpose next time!
Please keep praying for each other… I promise you that God is still listening.

“Utter the name of God; it acts like a spark, which can burn into ash a big hill of cotton! All evil thoughts, wicked plans and plots will disappear like fog before the Sun when the Name of God is remembered sincerely.” – Atharva Veda

“Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” – E.L. Doctorow
(This quote is for my dear friend Damyanti, who remains one of my favorite writers of those whose books I’ve never read. )

Only Aafke Would Ask…

Yes, my friends… my favorite Nordic goddess, Aafke, has once again tagged her favorite old, fat Texan for yet another meme’! This one, as evidenced by the photo above, is about bedrooms! LOL! The rules are simple:
* Post one or more photos that were taken from within your own bedroom. The more interesting and artistic, the better!
* Then tag at least three others to do the same.
* Don’t forget to link back to the person who tagged you.

So, the photos above show (in clockwise order, starting at the upper left) the view from my loft windows, which is always wonderful; my bulletin boards, filled with many of my treasures; my favorite boots, along with a clean pair of socks (to keep my feet from stinking too badly!); and, last but not least, a mounted Texas map, from 1874. Needless to say, there are other things in my bedroom… but I thought these four were the most interesting!
As part of the curse, I must now tag three other unsuspecting victims… (my apologies in advance!) so I tag Holly, Fighting Windmills, and The Canvas Grey! Have fun and please forgive me!

God bless!

“I don’t know who started all this, but I’d sure like to find the one who can finish it!” – Jeff Jeter

“I don’t know who can finish all this, but I think Aafke started it!” – Jeff Jeter

Every Little Bit…

"No gift is too small..."

Sorry for the wide chasm between posts of late. I hope you’ll forgive me. Today I come with heart in hand to seek your help. As you know, we’ve been praying for and following the progress of our beloved friend Jamie Schanbaum over the past weeks. This amazing young woman has beat (and continues to beat) the odds, which were stacked against her when she first arrived here at the loft. She continues to be a tremendous source of inspiration to countless people around the globe, and I know she feels the love that is flowing through the infinite number of prayers that are being sent heavenward for her on a daily basis. Now, as she nears the time when she can receive her prosthesis’ and begin her journey to walking again, she needs our help.
Now, if you have ever spent any time reading my blog, you know I never ask for money – ever. But today, for Jamie, I’m amending my own rule. Jamie’s family has set up a PayPal donation link on their blog through which you can donate anything you can afford to assist them with the skyrocketing cost of Jamie’s care and future needs. And believe me, no gift is too small… every little bit helps. So please, pray over it and then give as God leads you to give.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. And Jamie and her family thank you, too. May God bless you all, and please keep those prayers floating upward.

“The love we have for each other is most often expressed in words… but only the fringe of that love can be found in what we say. The true depth of our love is only realized in what we do. After all, love truly is a verb.” - Jeff Jeter

As Simple As…

…holding hands. You know, in a culture where we’re constantly bombarded with all kinds of messages from every conceivable source, it’s nice to know that something as simple as holding hands can still captivate me. When the day has been long, and I’m tired of the stressing over such mundane things as we seem to so quickly stress about these days, just the feel of my Sweetness putting her hand in mine can be like a link back to sanity. Back to what is really real, not what the talking heads would have us believe is real. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Loving one another, as we are meant to do, with soft words and simple gestures… no drama, no chaotic demands. Just the warmth of love as conveyed through the gentle touch of one hand in another.
It can really be as simple as that. I know, because I’m blessed to have that wonderful hand in mine to take away the days thorns and replace them with sweet petals. Thank you, my Gwynn… you truly are my Sweetness.
Please keep praying for each other, especially for our Jamie and for my Firefly, who are both enduring the battles of this life with a courage and strength that serves to lift us all up with them. God is good.

“They wondered, if you cannot have everybody holding hands in perfect harmony like a 1970s Coca-Cola ad, what can you have?” – Alistair Hudson

“Don’t let your fears rob you of your dreams, and don’t build your walls so high that they obstruct the view.” – Jeff Jeter

What About Your “Space”?

As I was spending a leisurely Saturday morning going through some old photographs, I stumbled across this one. At one time, it was a store in Marlin, Texas. Now… well, now it is just what you see. A large empty space, complete with the mandatory brick walls and iron gate. It even carries a “No Trespassing” sign. As I was studying the photograph, it occurred to me that people can sometimes be exactly like that old store building.
Oh, I’m hearing you… “Sure, Loft… how in the world do you get that?” Well, allow me to explain.
As I’ve been single again for awhile now, I’ve learned even more than I thought humanly possible about the size, degrees and types of walls we put around ourselves. There are a million reasons for why we do this – in my case, it’s a self-defense mechanism purposed to keep me from getting hurt again – and while some are truly legitimate, some border on the odd. But, I’ll keep this focus on my walls… on my “space”… because I’m ever so intimately familiar with that particular one. You see, somewhere in the middle of that big empty room is me. My heart safely protected by the mortared bricks and railings. While it may (and quite often has) get really lonely in there, at least I know nothing in there is gonna hurt me. I’m safe. Or so it would seem.
As time passes by, however, I begin to realize that those old, trusted walls that I’ve managed to keep standing through each and every storm my life has weathered me through, have grown to be less and less my fortress of protection and more and more my prison. And that changed this week. This week the cold water finally reached my face, shocking me back into reality. Sure, I could sit in my “space” alone for the rest of my life and pretty be guaranteed that I won’t get hurt by anyone else. But what kind of life is that? Let me answer for you… that’s no life at all.
So I’ve boldly swung open that gate and allowed myself to wander back into the world and all its possibilities. I’ve met some absolutely wonderful new people, and felt the sunshine again after too long a time in seclusion. And I’ve accepted the simple fact that it’s OK to try, even if it hurts sometimes. Why? Because the rewards of finding something so very special in your life infinitely outweigh the risk of a broken heart, or hurt feelings. Time to get back on the horse – and I think my dear friend Aafke would agree with me! And, as I shared in my last post, my brother Sambus is already there!
So, as soon as I get this post online, I’m out the door! I’ve got friends to meet at lunch time, and an afternoon of unknown adventures! I love it here at the loft, but there’s a great, big world out there with tons of stuff I’ve not seen yet. Time to go!

Tell me now… what are you doing with YOUR “space”?

Keep those prayers flying skyward… God is still listening, and still blessing! Getcha some!

“We must become the change we want to see.” – Mahatma Ghandi

“Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.” – Robert C. Gallagher

P.S. – Jamie is doing better, but still needs our prayers. She’s undergone (and is undergoing) more surgeries this week, but her spirit is still strong. Please continue to keep her in your prayers, and thanks for the blessing you’ve all been already.

P.S.S. – Personal thanks to my dear friend, Cassandra… you’ve now got me totally addicted to Granny Smith apples! While my lovely daughter, Allison, will no doubt love you for that, I think you’ve got some kind of magic! LOL! (And those Pacific Rose’s are running an extremely close second!)

P.S.S.S. – (Getting ridiculous now, huh!) Yes, new attitude = new theme at the foot of the stairs! Tell me what you think! (And all you blurkers out there, I’m watching you, too! LOL!)

That is life…

The beautiful oak tree is from a favorite spot in my past… one that I shared with good friends, with good hearts and lots of patience. I got this today from one of them, my brother Sambus. It was so truly profound, in the midst of trying times, that I had to share it here. I hope he doesn’t mind!

“Now (we) begin a new chapter… let that happen as it must. You can no more control that than you can a hurricane, or a frustrated child. It has to do its thing. Think of the mightiest oak tree you ever saw… it started, like all of them, from a tiny acorn. Time and just the right circumstances make the giants, not the planning or hoping. That’s a human trait. We all tend to put our complexities into all things, but they just can’t be. Those of us who are lucky enough can build something, paint it, write it, sing it to share with all the world, and because it’s so rare when it’s done well, we truly can tear up and really embrace things. That is life.
You know how when we were kids we let our minds wander and really imagine things to the point of tasting, smelling and feeling them. We can still do that. So imagine what things might be like… dream some of that and enjoy it. For it won’t be like your dreams, and it won’t follow your plans either… it’ll just do what it does.”

Thank you, my brother. Your words strike a chord deep in my heart – a chord of truth. Purity borne out of tribulation. Compassion borne from selflessness. I couldn’t have said it better myself, and perhaps couldn’t have said it at all. You’re absolutely correct – that is life, and it applies to every one of us.
Please keep praying for each other, and many thanks to those of you who have been praying for me – may God bless you all.

“It is the journey, not the destination wherein we find ourselves our happiest. It’s building and assimilating all those memories that give us the fondest memories to look back on. Tiny little footprints of our babies leaving the tub to run to their mothers. Perfume, sweat, new cars, and exotic foods with best friends. Oh man, that’s what it’s about brother.” – Sambus