moments of grace

gratitude journal . week #7

this week i was on a trip to northern california with my mom...

43 monday . refreshing

looking once again at this scene from my childhood brings back wonderful memories:

houseboating, skiing, floating on rafts, parties at the Terry's boathouse, dreading a trip to the shasta caverns, my little brother's big bright blue eyes looking up at us from underwater one time when he fell in... (he was fine!)

 44 tuesday . discovery 

 inside that window was a little room where deb the writer was born:

i started the Rother Roadrunner newspaper there when i was in 4th grade.

 45 wednesday . kindness

 as a child, i watched an artist paint this mural in the baptismal of our new church sanctuary. 

this man spoke so kindly to me, a child with a burning desire to become an artist, and encouraged me to do so because it was a gift God had given me.

i spent many years sitting in the sanctuary staring up at this mural, and

even though i have not seen it in over 36 years, it still moves me to tears as i remember the man who offered such kindness to a little girl.

that man, that humble artist, was soon to create artwork that has touched the entire world:

Sam Butcher is the creator of Precious Moments. 

thank you, Sam, for using the gifts God bestowed upon you...

 46 thursday . solitude

 i watched a group of birds during their morning ablutions, 

and this little guy stayed long after everyone else left to enjoy his bath.

 47 friday . in memoriam

 when my paternal grandparents passed away several years ago, 

i was unable to attend their services. 

the day i was able to stand and finally pay tribute to them

was both healing and painful... so many sweet memories of them and their home.

i am so glad that my children were able to meet them...

"thank you for the lemonade under the trees, grandma fritzie"

48 saturday . artistic

 we stopped for an impromptu picnic at Bidwell Park in Chico, Ca...

a place where mom and i had spent many a hot summer afternoon when i was a very little girl. 

we smiled and shared our memories as we watched giggling children jump into the pool 

(which is a concrete-lined portion of the free-flowing creek)

and mommies holding little girls' hands walked by.

the scene reminded me of a favorite painting,

 'A Sunday on the Island of Le Grand Jatte' by French Impressionist Georges Seurat, 

so i applied a filter to my image to make it look a little more like that.

  49 sunday . sweetness

i am so blessed to have had the chance to see some women on this trip 

who mean the world to me... 

friends (who really are family) and family who have been a beautiful influence on me 

all through my life:

aunt phyl and cindi, cousin betty, auntie raedean and bff kim.

angels all, who offer love, acceptance, encouragement, honesty, support, and understanding

along with prayers, hugs, smiles, laughs... and of course chocolate.

i haven't known my friend sandy all my life, but she's definitely in that category too! 

hearing these voices, seeing these smiles, being wrapped in these arms of love

and showing my gratitude to you does more for me than you can know.

girls, thank you all for making time for me this week...

i love you!