We watch the shows of hostages and know that it is just a show and
the good guy wins and the bad guy doesn’t. We want justice. We want to know at the end of the show it will be safe and happy for everyone.
This last week we all heard and saw and realized
what should have been safe…wasn’t.
A crazy man entered a movie theater and horrible things happened.
I cannot imagine
the horror and
the fear and
the sorrow
as the evening progressed into a series of rounds over and over by a crazy man.
At first I was sick when I heard the news.
My stomach stayed in a knot and almost nauseated for several days.
Deep sadness followed me mixed with tears.
My husband had to turn the TV off I was so moved by the terrible truth of what I heard.
I watched and felt the intensity of the moments. Then I moved into anger that little children
were in the theater when they should have been home sleeping in safe beds surrounded by dolls and teddy bears and warm comforters. I was angered that our society will stand in long lines and pay large prices
for something that is violent.
In the name of entertainment.
Do little children really need to be at a midnight theater who shows a larger than life violent movie?
In the name of entertainment. I was saddened that innocent people
randomly chose to go to a move that night and died because of that decision.
Movies are pretend. This was not pretend.
Our lives remain changed just as they did when we heard about the 9/11 violence.
Any crowd can be the next bad one.
Any man or woman could be the wrong one. We cannot live in fear. We can live with values and choices.
We can refuse to pay for a violent movie.
We can refuse to go to a midnight showing.
We can voice a no violence tolerance and close out all wickedness.
IF we don’t pay the movie makers
they have no audience. We want justice for the wrong that was done. We want the good guy to win and the bad guy to be put away forever. We really need to return to our knees a little longer these days for the families who were broken by the choice of one very sick man who didn’t care for anyone but himself.
I was talking and sharing with my husband the other day about my blog.
This blog that was birthed through prayer and through a deep searching of my heart.
At the time I began this in Two thousand and ten
there was a deep grief that settled around my world.
Actually between my husbands mother being ill with cancer and relationships changing in our circle of friends.
Both my husband and I walked in a fog for months.
Grief followed me wherever I went.
I am not sure I could count how many times church became a place for tears.
Like a shadow reflecting off my bent spirit
I couldn’t get the grief to move away.
In the Two thousand and ten blog book some of the deepest writings took place.
God was making me move deeper into a place of searching and thinking and it was hard but also very good.
I remember every time I wanted to write the struggle between truth and confusion took place.
I would sit at the table with my bible open with my notebook and pen and paper and write prayers out.
What shall I do with this blog today
was my prayer before it began.
Each time God gave me words.
Each time He showed me the topic and the places to look and to research.
Each day I carved out specific time to listen and to lean into the one who was teaching me.
I miss that these days.
I don’t miss the grief but I do miss the deep
time searching journey every blog post took me on.
It is almost like familiarity has done a not so good thing.
Now I write and share pictures.
I do assorted posts then I publish.
There is very little agonizing over each word or concept.
Is it wrong or a bad sign when writers get too comfortable with their writing journey? I am searching this week.
I am also waiting to hear for a new direction.
Not to change this blog that would not take place
it is too much a part of who I am.
It is a very important part of my identity right now.
This waiting room is a place for me to listen and to hear
what the spirit wants me to share.
If you are a friend of mine can you pray with me for a deep direction for this blog journey.
More than anything my desire is to be a place of ministry and also a place of hope.
As the sky became dark and the rains began we felt the wind pushing us to the shores edge.
{By his power he made earth.
His wisdom gave shape to the world.
He crafted the cosmos.
He thunders and rain pours down.
He sends the clouds soaring.
He embellishes the storm with lightnings,
launches the wind from his warehouse.} And we were in the middle of it on that day.
Jeremiah 51:15 msg version Joining Deidra on jumping tandem with the Sunday community
I thought it looked interesting to have horses along a rivers edge.
These are from the Sunriver resort for those who are staying there.
Another strange site was a dog on the rivers edge it’s owner nearby trying to fish of course having nine canoes pass by him didn’t help his fishing goal. I love to sit and observe the sites around us as we move quietly in the water. It really is very relaxing.
Oh I love the quiet and the beauty and how does anyone ever say there is no God?
It is beauty and more beauty and very peaceful.
The fresh air is so good for us to breathe in and out.
In silence we rowed and just kept our thoughts to ourselves.
It really didn’t seem right to talk much. It was a serene place.
Back at camp we put our tent away and said goodbye to tent camping.
We were loaded up and ready to go home.
Home is always a good place to go back to.
Detroit lake on the way home… beautiful and majestic.
Beautiful scene.
I think Mt Jefferson.
On our way home from off the side of the road near the three sisters mountains.
Heading home and still taking pictures.
The 2012 trip was over and I still have pictures to download.
Memories were made and we did enjoy ourselves even when it rained.
Central Oregon is a distant thought right now as we sit in 90+ heat.
I hope if you are reading this you are comfortable and able to enjoy our little bit of Oregon.
Continuing our canoe story. God gave us such good opportunity to see wild life and the peaceful scenes around us.
Even when it rained it was not cold and later we were able to see such beauty.
Each time we we went down the river in our canoes the purpose of getting out of the water at our drop off point was to stop before the falls. They are rough and jagged with many twists and turns and very dangerous.
Before we headed home we did a small hike above the falls so we could see what was there. It was majestic and so powerful and definitely not anything anyone would attempt in a canoe.
It had awesome beauty.
The roar was so loud and so powerful.
You realized how very small you are
when you stand there and see the force of that water and listen to the roar as it tumbles down upon rocks.
As we were looking at the falls we were blessed by a little surprise not far from where we were standing.
It was as if God was saying…
“I care about all things the powerful and the small”.
It was just sitting on a rock and enjoying the scene too.
If I ever had a ‘dream job’ it would be a wild life photographer
(of course it would depend on the kind of wild life).
I love to watch them in their natural habitat or scene. Our trip was almost over and we were heading home soon.
The journey was a good one filled with family, friends and fellowship.
There were a few challenges but we survived and learned from them.
We look forward to the next canoe trip a year from now and we are also looking for a motorhome.
The days of tent camping are over.
{Photos by Papa O from Oregon}
Have your sound on … and listen closely.
Praying for the drought and the many cities affected by the scorching heat… the only thing that refreshes is the HEALING RAIN.
Oh Lord may we all rejoice in the washing of the water… sometimes we are annoyed by it but most times it is refreshing. Have mercy on us Lord and bring the rain.
Day two on the river was much nicer for all of us.
The clouds were light and fluffy with no rain in sight.
The rivers edge was warming up and the outside air was in the high seventies maybe even eighties.
The scenery was awesome.
The landscape was beautiful.
We were amazed at the beauty from the rivers edge.
The quiet of the outside was a great lesson for us all to slow down and truly listen.
I always love the clouds and the pictures I can find within the contrast of blue and white.
The geese swam close by as long as we were quiet and non intrusive to their place of quiet.
The water was so calm and peaceful and all we could do was sit in the silence and enjoy God’s creation.
The deer in the brush looking at us as if to say ‘why are you out there on the water watching me’ then it quickly ran away into the trees for safety and shelter.
A mamma duck and her babies swam alongside the rivers edge. They were so cute I couldn’t get a picture close enough without scaring them.
The wilderness so beautiful on this warm day on the water.
I was so glad we stayed for another adventure on our canoe.
We would have missed so much if we would have gone home too soon.
God was showing me that after a storm there is always beauty and calm we just have to see it and observe the creation around us. During this two day trip my camera had 268 pictures on it.
The Heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does this. Jeremiah 14:22
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my 2017 picture
Philipians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. ==================== Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." Courage is not the absence of fear but it's taking action in the midst of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure.
It's your heart, not the dictionary that gives meaning to your words. Matthew 12:34 (msg) version.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below you will find a few of my favorite websites or blogs. They have given me encouragement and challenged me on this journey.
Ann Voskamp's blog A holy Experience This image of a bleeding heart represents a journey of healing from brokenness to wholeness. Some of my favorite books: One thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Married over 46 years and entered into my 65th year of life.
I am a mother of two and grandmother of six and mom to two very spoiled kitties. I love to worship and encourage and of course write whenever I can find a topic or subject to share about.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you find it encouraging and that it gives you
'Something to think about'. The vision for this is to challenge the reader into a new and different way of thinking. I appreciate and always value your comments. Having others walk alongside and join in the sharing is part of the process.
Thank you for joining me... on this journey. As we get encouraged ~ Lord help us to encourage others. "And the day came when the risk to remain a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin my blog button The crosses are found on a beach at Winema Christian Camp on the Oregon coast.. a place to relax and find God in the process. My favorite place ....to rest and restore my spirit.
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