Category Archives: flourishing tree

Before and after

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Our deck had become treacherously slippery, and so this past weekend, I borrowed a power washer from my dad. My husband got started, and I stared out the back door, mesmerized by what I was seeing: years’ worth of dirt and algae and grime stripping away like green paint, revealing the beautiful wood grain of the deck underneath.

Before  …………………………………………… and after

I was amazed at how dirty the deck had become without our even noticing it (and even after we saw the algae begin to appear, it took a long time for us to act on it). What I had thought of as merely grayed and weathered turned out to be filthy and gross.

Pretty soon, I went outside and asked for a turn at cleaning. For a brief moment, I was afraid it would be like Tom Sawyer and the white-washed fence, that I would soon regret asking for a turn at the work that looked like fun. But it was a cool, overcast day, and the work was so satisfying in an immediate way that I power washed the deck longer than I expected. My husband and I agreed that the work offered a zen-like quality that many chores do not. Continue reading →

The small fire that sets the forest aflame

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When you think of weather headlines so far this summer, the most prominent in your mind might be wild fires. Colorado’s wild fires grabbed headlines in June when they forced massive evacuations. NOAA’s June wildfire summary says the Colorado fire was the most destructive in that state’s history.

My husband and I were driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend and noticed a small fire:

Smoke in the distance (top right)

Because North Carolina has had plenty of rain this summer, we didn’t worry about this particular fire spreading and getting out of control. But seeing the fire did make me think of the work I’ve been doing on one of my book’s chapters.

James 3 talks about the fire our tongues can start:

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of
great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set
among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets
on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. … But no one
can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who
have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come
both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be
this way. – James 3:5-6, 8-10

Can any of you relate? Ever had words fly out of your mouth that you immediately wished to take back? Ever kill a friendship with your words? Or had one killed by the words of another? I have. Continue reading →

The skinny on the passion flower

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Two of the most popular photographs in last week’s post were the frog and the purple passion flower. I was intrigued to learn from one of my readers that the passion flower got its name because its parts reflect the story of Christ’s crucifixion, (often referred to as Christ’s passion) including: the crown of thorns, the lashes Christ received, the three nails and the five sacred wounds, and 10 of Christ’s 12 disciples.

Another take on the passion flower

If you Google passion flower’s name meaning/origin, you can end up falling down a rabbit hole, which is pretty much what happened to me. I’ll link you to Wikipedia’s discussion, which has an interesting range of information about the flower, its name and its history. Continue reading →

The beauty all around

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Those of you who have followed my blog for any length of time know that I’m an avid track and field fan, and so I’ve been pretty useless this week – an unusual couch potato-ness setting in thanks to the Olympics.

On Friday, in between the morning and afternoon sessions of track and field, I tore myself away from the TV and live Web streams to meet a friend at a nearby arboretum. The beauty that surrounded us as we walked and talked was breathtaking.

That beauty got me off the couch and out of the house yesterday – this time with camera in hand. So for today’s post, I’d like to share some images of the beauty I might have otherwise missed by spending too much time watching others run and throw and jump.

The grand promenade through the arboretum

Continue reading →

Olympic-sized courage

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This week, I’ve been taking a closer look at the courage of Deborah, a prophetess who was one of the judges of Israel before they had kings to rule over them. Judges 4:5 tells us that she sat under the palm tree of Deborah, where the people of Israel sought her out to settle their disputes.

Deborah had the courage to take on a nontraditional career for a woman in a patriarchal society, and her faith and courage were contagious. When she told a man named Barak that God intended for him to lead the Israelites to victory against an oppressive king, Barak refused to go into the battle unless Deborah came with him. He needed her courage. While Barak lacked courage and complete trust in God’s message, Deborah fully believed, and her belief filled her with courage. Her courage to accompany Barak brought victory to Israel and peace for 40 years. (For more of their story, check out Judges 4-5.)

Modern day courage
Of course, I haven’t only been concentrating on Deborah’s story this week. The Olympic torch and anthem beckon, and though my beloved track and field events don’t start until Friday, I’m glued to the TV and internet more than usual these days.

I admire the competitors’ courage to compete on this global stage, their courage to transform their hopes and dreams and sacrifices into reality at these games, and their courage to face harsh questions if they fall short of their goals. Show of hands: How many of you would be brave enough to face the other end of Andrea Kremer’s microphone at the London Aquatics Centre?

The courage of professing faith
There’s another test of courage going on during the games, and that’s the courage of faith. Faith can be a deeply personal experience, and there are competitors who have a strong faith in God but who won’t display their faith openly. There are others, though, who feel called to put their faith story out in the open. Whether quiet or loud, competitors may find their faith tested at the Olympics.

Today, I’d like to share with you some stories of Olympians’ courageous faith as they give God the glory for their abilities and try to witness to an oftentimes skeptical public about the joy and peace their faith gives them, even if the gold medal doesn’t come their way. Continue reading →