Somewhere there’s a forest fire. A little deer has lost its home. The familiar tree where a little squirrel hides his nuts has gone up in flames. A pretty wildflower who worked so hard to unfurl its leaves towards the sun is withered and scorched. The smoke rises in dark clouds over a landscape that once held life and serenity to so many creeping things. A bolt of unfortunate lightning. A cigarette butt. A too bright ray of sun on a piece of errant glass. And a landscape is changed forever.
Slowly life will be restored, but it will be different than it was. For a while, there will be nothing appealing to the eye. But to the ants first, there will be signs. Signs of Restoration. A little blade of grass. A small fir tree will sprout. A brave little wildflower will birth its lime green head through the parched earth.
Not having lemonade in this house is akin to a crime being committed. I awoke last night at around 130 and am desperately thirsty for some of that wonderful summer time elixir. So i threw on my satin cargoes, a chunky knit sweater and flip flops. Opening my front door and stepping onto my verandah, the delightful summer night air made my heart so happy. The street so quiet and had an air of gentleness to it. I love my happy city. The dash board lights and the hum of the engine starting was kinda exciting at this hour. I made my way to the McDonalds down the street where the sweetest filipino lady sounded like she was living her dream as she took my order. I love non complainers. I decided on a mango smoothie and I decided to not go home.
I meandered the downtown core, along with the street sweepers and the commercial cleaning companies. The marble foyers of the sky scrapers gleamed in the incandesent light. The gleaming and beautifully designed security desks so architecturally perfect. The furniture in the foyers so classically modern. I felt like I was driving through a movie set. Where the characters are all still in their trailers. Like a pretend land of dreams.
Calgary is a land of dreams. I’ve come to adore my city. So clean and safe. Truly a city of promise and one where with hard work and dedication, even the wildest dreams are achieved.
Last night, the city of the Wild West was quiet and serene. Finishing the last sip of my smoothie I pulled into my drive and felt so full of gratitude for our lovely city. And climbed back into my bed, nestled in the heart of my gentle city. Happy and content.
Who is Looking in the Mirror at the End of a Day? A Human with Vulnerabilities. All over the world, you will find the majority of people standing before a mirror at the end of a day. Foam from their toothbrushes pressing the corners of their mouths.
CEO’s. Executive of This and That. Construction Workers. Mailmen. The Jobless.
Various Pyjamas or Lack Thereof. Through Common Ritual, we realize we are in a Common Experience.
Can we Just Stand Toe to Toe for a Moment?
The Executive of This and That Company is Scared Too. Just as The Jobless.
The Uncertainty of Life hangs in the Balance for them too. Inside an executive’s custom suited chest is a Time Ticker. At any Moment, things can Come to a Close. A Common Experience is Uncertainty. CEO’s go to bed on the Hope of Another Day. That the Sun will be on their face Tomorrow, the Wind on their Back. Just like the Jobless One on their Plastic Cot under the Charity Blanket at the Mustard Seed. Hoping against Hope. Why do we Feel Titles and Bank Accounts and the Trappings of Life make us Less Vulnerable to Fears and Uncertainty? It Doesn’t. Look at the Statistics.
Alcoholism and Suicide is Rampant too in the Upper Crust .
There’s the Common Experience of Hunger. In its Myriad Forms.
Hunger for Love. Support. Kindness. Warmth.
Everyone has this Common Need. At our Core, is a Common Longing to be Understood, Accepted and Adored. It’s an Ache in the Chest when it’s Denied. A wonderful Satiation fills the Soul when it’s Enjoyed. A Washington Lobbyist in their Office with Marble Floors and Sky High Views and the Parolee in the Garbage Strewn Graffiti Adorned Alley behind the Lobbyists’ Office are Equally Needy and Vulnerable to this Common Experience of Hunger.
Our Needs are Basic. Common. We are all Vulnerable.
No Bank Account, Title, Education can make us Less Vulnerable to These Things. We all Rely on Sovereign Grace. For Granting us Time and Opportunity. We Also Desperately need Grace from Each Other. From Humanity. I Pray we can Show Grace to Each Other.
Kindness. Love. Warmth. Support.
Without it, Society Crumbles. For it isn’t Strength of the Economy. Has nothing to do with Bears and Bulls in New York. Harvard can’t Teach It. The Greatest Good to our Fragile World is Grace.
Let’s Give Grace to Each Other. We’re all in This Together.
I Have Mine. If I just look over your shoulder and copy your answers, I will Surely Fail. My Exam is Tailor Made to the Lessons I’ve Been Learning. After all, My Life Courses were Different. Module One started Different than Yours. I can Guarantee you, my Last Few Modules were different too. Oh Yes, and the ones In Between. So, Your Answers for Your Life are Different from Mine. What works for you won’t necessarily work for me. As much as we are In This Together, we are facing that exam paper Alone. We each have the Master Teacher. He’s tirelessly prepared us for each test. Given us Perfect Counsel. Shown us where and how to Find Success. Not to Just Succeed, but to Flourish and Excel.
Since we ultimately can’t Take Advice from each other, I can Take Courage from your Dedication. Your Humility to Listen to the Teacher. Your Faithfulness to Show Up To Class every day. Basic Class Rules are the Same. Kindness. Love. Forgiveness. Humility. These I’m Inspired to see my classmates Adhere To and Love.
I’m kinda glad it’s just My Paper. To my Teacher, I Pass or Fail. For this, I can Love my Classmates and Remain Autonomous at the Same Time. It’s the Ultimate Freedom.
We’ve met the Regulars. Well, we’ve become the Regulars. I come to anticipate the breathless good mornings, the quickly uttered encouragement as we pass each other on the various ups and downs. There’s the Trip Step, we call it. Invariably someone catches their runner on the nail protruding on Step Fifteen. We all say in various sentences and with varying degrees of embarrassment and humour “We gotta bring a hammer…! Next Time!” There’s the little rocks left at the top in Piles of Ten. People sporting them in their pockets like peanuts in the mouth of squirrels. All bumpy and protruding out of their lycra gear. Loving the ritual of placing Another One at the top. A Victory Stone.
One man in particular is a unique Stair Person. He’s someone you see at every beach. He’s the guy who you admire and are a little incredulous of. He has mastered the art of “Doing You”. He’s shirtless and shoeless. He does his yoga and push ups on the first platform. Charlie and I have to wait behind him both breathless and panting as he finishes his pushups. Every time he says “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Hmmm…pretty sure you did, my friend.
The Stairs wouldn’t be the Same without him. He’s a Little Extra for sure. But he adds Flavour. He gives me a chuckle. He also lets me fly my Freak Flag a little More Wildly too. Life is boring if the Only People we have around us are Vanilla Flavoured.
My Beautiful Friend is sitting here Contemplating New Shores. Adventures. The Challenges that Lie Ahead when there are Unchartered Waters. I’m so Proud of Her. The Seas that Lie Ahead couldn’t be More Treacherous than the Ones she’s Endured. She’s Chartered the Worst in the Last Years. So much Disappointment. Delusion. Treachery.
I love getting her Texts these Days. So Peaceful. Surrendered. Grateful. Most of all, she is Ready. Ready for a New Wind to Set Her Sail. When we are Trusting the Journey to our Faithful Heavenly Father, we can trust there will be Provision. Safe Harbours. Sustenance. And Gorgeous Beauty. Breathtaking Beauty. Storms will only Secure our Faith in the Safety Within His Will.
As my mama says, “No matter how deep the water, it ne’er shall overflow.”.
Most Days I Only See Sprinkles. Multi Coloured Sprinkles over My Pretty Life. But Today Is Just Plain Underbelly. Not Pretty Underbelly…I’m Talking Stinky Rotten Fish Underbelly. Sweating in the Sun and Permeating the air with Rot. Not a Nice Visual I know. As Powerful as my Happy is, My Ugly is as Bold. When One has Passion, both Feelings are Equally Felt. So Hence I put a lot of Effort into Joy. Optimism. Faith. Because Fish in the Heat of Day Stinks. Writing that made me Smile. So Maybe I’ve Turned a Corner.
Tonight I’m Netflixing. Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown is Scintillating My Fishy Brain Tonight. Nothing like Travel and Some Great Food to Lighten the Heart. Sobering to think of his untimely death and a reminder to Stay Well Mentally. When Underbelly Days become the Norm, We must Seek Help in Myriad Forms to Find Sprinkles Again.
Memories of Floating Along the windy roads of Home in the blue Mercury Marquis are flooding my mind this morning. My eye level is just above the chrome rim on the door frame. I mostly see the tops of the trees and wires and blue sky as we head to our cottage for the weekend. To my right in the passenger seat is my Dear Mama. In her Blue Willy sweater. She spent the day at the Fish Market selling her offerings and working in the office upstairs under its tin ceiling. Her tired head seems to bob along with the deep Baritone of Roger Whitaker playing on the radio. He sings so rich and smooth …
Did you ever know that you’re my Hero? And Everything I’d like to Be? I can Fly Higher than an Eagle, Because You are the Wind Beneath My Wings
My Mama was Wind to everyone who came into her Sphere. There are Too Many to Count. It was Selfless and Pure. Never once was she Kind to someone and turn around and us children hear a Bad Word. Never a Judgment Call. Just Love and Understanding.
I grew up on Hunter Lake Road. A Road Aptly Named. Our Surname is Hunter and many Families of Origin lived on this beautiful winding road along the Lake. I only knew Harmony. It wasn’t until I left home and the odd rumour would cross my ear that I ever knew there were the typical struggles in the family homes along the lake. My dinner table never was a place for gossip or a place to share the pain of others. We lived in Harmony because of Sovereign Grace and Love in my Mama’s Heart.
These are a Few of my Mamaisms…..
“Jeannine, if you are going to be a sweet old lady, you must be a sweet young lady.”
“Honey, I’ve never walked a mile in his moccasins.”
“If each before his own door swept the village would be clean.”
“Awe poor dear….(said often and regular to others struggles)”
“No matter how deep the waters are, they ne’er shall overflow.” (My eyes overflow as I type this one)
“Kindness and love never leave a bruise.” (Texted it to me today….I’ve heard this from a child)
Our home had a Revolving Door for all. A Spirit of Optimism and Positivity Resided there even amidst the typical Trials and Tribulations of life. Every Day my Mama Suited Up. She put on the Breastplate of Love and Kindness and the Helmet of Humility and the Shield of Faith in her Precious Hands. For that I am so grateful for. It’s really all that matters. In the End it is all that Remains.
So our Feet must Rest Somewhere. What Ground are we Standing On? Our Security is in the Solid and Secureness of the ground under our feet. Is it the fleeting sands of Wealth? Beauty? Human Love? A downturn in the economy wipes away wealth in a day. Even a lying tongue speaking untruths can find us with a pink slip in our hands. Beauty? Oh my goodness. What a Fleeting Thing that is. For one that is in the eye of the beholder. And sometimes if you’re the one beholding, one is beautiful one day and pitiful the next. We are our own worst enemy and critic. Human Love? A very fickle thing. Even the best lover gets discontent and disillusioned. Sickness and Death can rob us of our loved ones in a moment.
So where is Unshakeable Ground? What Ground can keep our Feet in an Even Place through the Trials and Tribulations of Life?
We can Plant our Feet on the Ground of Sovereign Love. It is Eternal and Constant. It has the Ability to Satisfy when all else Fails. It has the Ability to Lift. Steady. Inspire. Strengthen. Comfort.
There’s a lot of Delusion and Trickery out there. So many including myself have Succumbed by times to It. Even Just this Morning as a couple Dear Friends can Attest, I Almost Fell for Delusion. It’s a Powerful Thing. But all the Wealth, Beauty and Love the World holds out for a Moment in Time will eventually Shake. Tremble. Slide Through our Fingers like Shifting Sand.
So Today I Plant My Feet. In Faith. On Unshakeable Ground. And Once Again, My Heart Feels Secure.
b l a c k l i l y 