The Boston Babes are here!

Oh my, Mimi!

Mimi & Meg

PaPa & Landon

Crazy Capricorns

Post-Thanksgiving Impressions

Precious Sister-Time, 

remembering how BLESSED we are!

 Warm fire...

Movies...

Yummy desserts...

Health Food!

Hot-times...

 And great food for thought!

What a Day!

 Turkey surgeon & his assistant...

 Rick & Devon

 Double Grannies & Weston

 Sawyer in "Pink" heaven...

 Playing "light on/light off"

 Happy Family

 Take One

 Take Two

Ready to roll...

 To the park...

 Team "Shack"

 Team "Drick"

 Cheering 'em on...

 "Go, Rick!"

 Ball Boy

 "The Blur"

 Berry pickin's

School Buddies...Frank & Sawyer

 Post-match Photo-Op

What in the world?

Oh, it's just Sawyer...

Giving Thanks!

"Give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

What a tall order!
I like to think of this, not as an order, but as a gift.
We are not invited to say thanks for the circumstances,
but rather in spite of the circumstances.
It is a reminder that in the midst of the "worst of times", 
we are invited to see what we absolutely cannot see 
during the "best of times".
It is gratitude for the little moments of truth 
that would otherwise stay hidden.

It is a sacred vantage point.

Open my eyes that I may see
Glimpses of truth you have for me.
Open my eyes
Illumine me, Spirit of God.

If our broken hearts can glimpse only one tiny thing 
that stirs it to mumble
"Thanks",
that is enough. 

Are we done yet?

I don't think so!

Just a new dance...

A song from Rob...

I go to the monthly Rockin'Box 33 house concerts 

because, inevitably, there is a song waiting there for me, 

a song exactly right for this point on my journey.

The song Broken Crown is one that David Berkeley sang Sunday night.  

I cried as he sang, 

but I didn't truly know why until I listened to it again and again 

on my drive from Abilene back to Lubbock yesterday.  

Why, it's from Rob!  

David Berkeley was channelling "my Rob" in this song.  

The words tell the story of brokenness, 

a desire for someone to make it beautiful (in her way) 

and the greater desire not to bring her down in the process.  

I just knew I had to be at that concert Sunday night, 

and now I know why.

I am so grateful for Rob's delight in me...

his belief in my nature to see hope and transformation

when he couldn't...

and his wisdom in knowing that 

this "broken crown" was not one I could...or should...try to "fix".  

It would bring us both down.

I believe more and more, 

with my whole heart,

that Rob knew,

and he released us both from trying to fix 
this unfixable "broken crown"

in the only way he could.

What love!  

I'm claiming it big time today!!

And I'm also hearing his invitation, his urging me to
"sing that old tune" of mine again.
Maybe it's time.

I am so thankful for you, Babe,

and I love and miss you.

Broken Crown

Sweeping all the leaves up off the step,
You found a ribbon, and tied it in your hair.

It was just like the ones you used to wear
When you were younger,
Turned all you touched to jewels.

I think that's the same thing you still do.
Yes, I think that's exactly what you do.
But all these pieces of a broken crown are all around.

Wo oh, I won't let you go from so high to so low.

Lately I've been noticing the light
In the morning, my body next to you.
I wish that you could see it like I do,
How you move me, turn me on and on.

But the road's as hard as it is long.
Yes, the road's as hard as it is long,
With all these pieces of a broken crown all around.

Wo oh, I won't let you go from so high to so low.

Look at all that washed up on the shore,
From all the shipwrecks,
Sea glass like sapphire,
The golden driftwood.
But now all the fog is gone.

My love for you goes on and on.
Kind of like the breeze blows,
Kind of like the tide pulled by the moon.

Come on girl, sing me that old tune.
Yeah, come on girl sing me that old tune.
Let's leave these pieces of a broken crown on the ground.

Wo oh, I won't let you go from so high to so low.
So high to so low. So high to so low.

Broken Crown

Gratitude

 for Sunday morning at Second Baptist

and "New Old Friends",

Dianne & Jim

 for Sunday night at the Rockin'Box 33

with David Berkeley,

an amazing recording artist and author!

 for the life of Jerry Bingham,

Joy-Personified!

for Bill and Marsha,

my Forever Friends!

for Abilene, where I have my roots

and found my wings.

I get it, Lil BUB!

21 Hours with Sawyer

 Making friends with the Salvation Army Bell Ringer at Walgreens...

"Hey, can I ring it?"

(He doesn't meet a stranger.

He's going to be a politician, famous actor, or "leader".)

 Spidey hanging out on a Friday.

 Remains of the day...including the ball he "captured with the claw'

with the $ the nice man gave him at CiCi's...long story.

 Found:  Old Halloween Fun

 Still work...

 Spoooooky

 Saturday Morning McD's Gang:  Sawyer, Briley, Jaxon

 McDonald's Assistant to the Rescue!

 PAC-MAN after "Peanuts"

 With a sweet, tender voice when he saw these photos:  

"Emmy, I'm going to put the dead people in the art room."

And, sure enough, when I went into the art room closet,

there they were, neatly arranged.

Bless him...bless us all.

Just trying to make sense of all this and

make peace with the pieces.

Latest contribution to the Art Room:

Rob's renderings of the prayer arbor for Cindy and Sue's house on Sayles.

WOW!