CONNIKA

YESTERDAY - MORNING WALK IN BRISBANE

City hidden in morning mist.

IN THE GARDEN TODAY

Is Mother's Day the second Sunday in May all over the world or just down here in the Antipodes?

Day started with Church which was rather a nice way to start the day.  Had a look at Lois and Eunice, Timothy's ma and grandma.  Then off up to the German Coffee Shop as there was a farmer's market there and David wanted to buy some marmalade.  He managed to buy some cumquat marmalade and some Seville marmalade made nearby in Ravensbourne.

Then homewards.  Had a cuppa out on the verandah with our pullovers pulled tight.  Lovely day, but the breezes are decidedly cooler.

Into the kitchen to make lunch while David watched Songs of Praise.  I could hear Aled singin' his wee hert out while I cooked.

In the afternoon, I took myself upstairs and did some cutting out for the latest quilt and had a look at one Emma wants me to finish a top for.  Bit my lip for a bit and put that one to one side to have a think about another day.

David went into the garden to do something about our citrus trees.  Our citrus trees have not been looking the best; a bit mildewy, yellowy...not the best!  Emma gave me an article from one of her magazines..."Citrus are called 'gross feeders' because they have a high demand for nutrients, but buried liver gives that term a whole new meaning.  However, there's logic behind it, as liver is nutrient-rich, containing iron and phosphorus.  It is actually an age-old practice to plant on top of a lamb's liver or ox heart, but it does need to be covered with enough soil to protect young roots from direct contact.  I know of a woman on a rural property who routinely used a bulldozer to dig an enormous hole, put a dead sheep in the bottom and planted on top, avowing this gave the best results."   Well, as I don't have a dead sheep to hand, we are settling from some chook poo in the form of Dynamic Lifter.  

It's very smelly, so we will have to keep Miss Molly on her lead for a few days.  David took her for a walk and when he came back he let her off the lead!  "Good one Dave!" said I as I closed the door and watched the two of them running around the garden. 

Now it's dark and time to climb the stairs for a bit of telly.

How was your Mother's Day today? 

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

Well...I got SUCH a fright I screamed out loud.  Poor Miss Molly got such a fright with me screaming that she nearly choked on her dinner.  "There, there Molly", I said.  "Good girl!" and she went back to eating. 

I ran out the front door where Papa was busy mowing the grass.  I took off my apron and while I was running, I waved and waved it to get his attention.  FINALLY he saw it and I frantically signalled for him to come quickly.  He started off quite slowly so I started shouting at him.  "Come quick!" 

"What's wrong?" he said. 

"A SNAKE!"  I shouted as I was running back to the house.

"Where is it?" Papa asked.

"You can see it front the kitchen window.  Quick!  Quick!"

And so we ran in.  It was still there, but moving very, very slowly. 

"Wow!" said Papa.  "Go and get the camera Connie!" he said

Very shakily I brought the camera through to the kitchen and took the photograph.   "You have to catch it David and take it away." I said.  "I do too much gardening and sooner or later I'm going to meet this snake in the undergrowth."  

"Mmmm." said Papa. He was quite quiet for a few moments.  "Perhaps Mr Green would like this snake." he said.  Mr Green down the road has taken a snake from us before.  He says they get rid of the mice around his place.  So Papa telephoned Mr Green.  Thankfully he was in.  I don't know what we would have done if he hadn't been in because Papa looked a teeny bit worried about how he was going to catch this snake.  But I knew he would do it because he would do anything for me.

Papa telephoned Mr Green.  "Roger", said Papa.  "I've got a snake here and Connie wants a new home for it.  Would you like another snake?"  And do you know what Mr Green said?  He said he DIDN'T want another snake!  "Oh!" said Papa.  "It's just that Connie wants me to get rid of it.  It makes her frightened."  And so kind Mr Green came down Yonder Lane to help Papa with the snake.  Papa went down to the barn and he brought up a bin with a lid and a strap to tie round the lid.  When Mr Green arrived, he said "Wow!  That's a big one."

At this point Miss Molly and Dougal were desparate for their walks as they had finished their dinners by this time.  So off I went and left Mr Green and Papa to catch the snake.  When I arrived back with Miss Molly and Dougal, Papa and Mr Green were sitting at the table outside chatting away and Mr Snake was well and truly in the bin.  Mr Green said he knew where there was a good home for the snake;  an avocado farm nearby.  So off went Mr Green and Papa with the bin.

When Papa arrived back home he made me a nice gin and tonic and a wee whisky for himself and we sat down at the table on the front verandah and talked about our exciting day.

 

IN THE GARDEN YESTERDAY

Just fed the dogs and started to do some washing up.  I'll leave you to imagine the rest...

COSMIC HOPE

 

“Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of all who fall asleep.”

~ 1 Corinthians 15:20

St. Paul seldom leaves the message at the level of “believe this fact about Jesus.” He always moves it to “this is what it says about you!” or “this is what it says about history!” Until we are ourselves pulled into the equation, we find it hard to invest ourselves in a distant religious belief.

Paul normally speaks of “Christ”—which includes us and all of creation—for he never knew Jesus “in the flesh” but only as the eternal Body of Christ. Christ Crucified is all of the hidden, private, tragic pain of history made public and given over to God. Christ Resurrected is all suffering received, loved, and transformed by an All-Caring God. How else could we have any kind of cosmic hope? How else would we not die of sadness for what humanity has done to itself and to one another?

The cross is the standing statement of what we do to one another and to ourselves. The resurrection is the standing statement of what God does to us in return. Today really is our big feast day!

~ Richard Rohr, Easter 2012

(Photo taken here at Summerfield)

TO BE A CHRISTIAN...

To be a Christian means to necessarily be an optimist because we  remember what happened on the third day! We know the final stage of death, Jesus' leap of faith, was not in vain. He was not put to shame, and "God raised him up" (which is the correct way to say it, and not that he rose himself). Most of human life is Holy Saturday, a few days of life are Good Friday, but there only needs to be one single Easter Sunday for us to know the final and eternal pattern. We now live inside of such cosmic hope. 

Jesus trusted enough to outstare the darkness, to outstare the void, to hold out for the resurrection of the forever-awaited "third day,” and not to try to manufacture His own. That is how God stretches and expands the soul, and makes it big enough to include God.

You see, to love fully is to die! (When you fully unite with the other, the separate self is gone.) What is handed over to God is always returned to us transformed into Christ Consciousness. Easter is the eternal third day that we forever await, but today we are content to live in the belly of the whale, in liminal space, in the "in between" that is most of human life. God is creating a Big Space inside of you. Just wait!

Adapted from Radical Grace: Daily Meditations, p. 145

Prayer:
"Faith is a journey into darkness, into not-knowing."   ~ Richard Rohr

(Photo taken here at Summerfield)

 

THE PRODIGAL'S SISTER

Bought a beautiful book at the weekend.  It's called THE PRODIGAL'S SISTER and has gorgeous artwork by Robert Doares.  The story is written in the form of a poem.

"...His face was streaked where sweat ran through the pollen dust, and met his tangled beard.  The garments that he wore for working stank.  And at the middle of his fingers there were blisters on both hands.  Despair Seemed written on his frozen face.  "In vain," he thought.  "He said the race and pace were all in vain.  The hours, the years, the sweat, the plans, my pow'rs - for naught.  Bequests don't come that way."  Then Hahyaneta kissed the gray and brownish coating on his cheek, and said, "Hi, Manny.  You look weak.  Can I get you a drink?"  He shook his head, "No thanks."  "Manon, it took your breath away, what Father said.  I think I understand.  The dread you feel right now - that all your sweat has been in vain - it's true.  And yet it is a gift to know bequests are free, and loaded treasure chests of grace, all hidden in the ground, are never earned, but only found.  And dancing doesn't come that way, and happy parties are not pay.  Day labor is of no avail, the gift of joy is not for sale.  You've labored hard to shun what's bad and now it's hard to just be glad. 

But, Manny, look.  Your Father and the servants and your brother stand inside the door and bid you come.  And listen to the children drum!"  She took his hand: "Come, all is well."  And thus the fetters broke and fell.  He waked as from a life-long trance, and said, "May I please have this dance?"

LILIANE IS 5

Liliane and me in earlier days.  And now...

 

 

 

 

FREYA IS SEVEN

 

 

LILIANE IN THE GARDEN

School holidays!