:. the message of the cross .:

"For the message of the cross is foolishness

to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved

it is the power of God."

~ 1 Corinthians 1:18 ~

What is the message of the cross?

It is a message of hope for hopeless people. Forgiveness and cleansing. Grace, mercy and peace. It is a message of God's unconditional love. Of redemption and relationship. It is a message of joy and pardon and a new way of being. Death to self and life eternal. It is strength for the weary and adoption as sons.

The cross is God, beckoning, pleading with us to return to Him. To be reunited with the One who formed us. It is God providing the Way to become the people we were created to be.

How is it possible for all this to be considered foolishness? Who could turn down such a gift?

Please, be reconciled to Him. He is stretching out His arms to you right now.

:. carnation lily lily rose .:

I love this John Singer Sargent painting: it is a breath of June as we sit at the tail-end of winter. Spring is coming . . . and roses . . . and lilies . . . oh, and Baby Girl!
(Im)patiently waiting!

:. thirty-seven .:

Yesterday the high hit 37°. With the winter we've had, that 37 felt like 77. Forget doing dishes, forget folding laundry, forget getting ready for family dinner! I naturally headed out to the garden to soak up some much-needed vitamin D. Hhhhmmm . . . where to sit?

Definitely not HERE. Notice where the ice chunk CRASHED off the roof and SPLINTERED my adirondack chair! Yikes!

Oh, there's a dry little seat . . if I can climb over mountains of snow in my chucks. [Note to self: buy snow boots for next winter.] I tell you, the 20 minutes I spent with that wonderfully warm sun on my face was HEAVEN. I would've stayed out longer, but I really did need to get ready for the birthday buddies.

Oh, and here's what spring-time looks like on the inside of my house:

I can't wait for the real thing!

:. oh, suburbia .:

I overheard an interesting conversation today at my neighborhood Walmart. (Yes, I was at Walmart.)

Two youngish moms were chatting about kids and schools, and one said, "We open-enrolled our daughter because we live in Johnston, and we wanted a school system with more diversity. I grew up in a small town, and there were only white people there. We didn't want our kids to grow up that way!"

Um. Then why are you living in the suburbs??!?!?

(Don't get me started on that rant!)

:. open wide your mouth .:

I love this photo. I shot it quite a few years ago in my backyard. I enjoy it for so many reasons:

☼ robins are terrible nest-builders. Just look how untidy that mess o' twigs is!

☼ they also don't choose nesting sites very wisely. This nest was built on my rose-arbor, about head-high, in a high-traffic area. Duh, robin.

☼ baby birds are dang cute. Look at those egg-yolk mouths! Cheep, cheep, cheep!

☼ mmmm . . . can't you just smell the light but glorious fragrance of that climbing New Dawn rose?!

☼ there is no better reminder that spring is coming than photos such as this. I'd like to make a new motto, right here and now:

SPRING HAPPENS

(feel free to quote me.)

But the number one reason I love this photo is because it reminds me of something God said in Psalm 81:

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it."

Have you ever watched a nest of hatchlings? They pretty much expect mom and dad to take care of them. When they're hungry, they open their mouths. They expect food to be dropped in. They don't fret, they don't question, they don't wonder. They instinctively know their needs will be provided.

They just open.