When the Grandfather wakes...

Grandfather

Can you give the grandmother back her eyes?

Can you fix her walls and roof, so the house doesn't feel like it's falling?

Can you bring the pretty colors back to the mountain, at sunrise?

Can you talk to Peter about beating those sheep?

Grandfather, I know you can!

Clara and Heidi in the skyscraper

Adelheid had been left by her cousin at the elevator in the hand of a stranger. He was old and his firm grasp of her hand felt as if it could lift her off of the ground. She didn't dare test and lift her feet off the ground to see if that were true.

The Grandfather had made room in his broken heart for the Heidi girl and she was sure that there was no one she loved more than he, instantly.

He used very few words and even at 5 years old she could understand his silence. She read the placement of his eyes. She read the squiggly lines on his cheeks. The lines by his nose would lie falt on his face when he was happy. They would jump and wiggle, when something was not right. She would run around picking up things to try to make the lines soften. He was angry alot of the time, so she learned to love the angry old man and his cantankerous ways.

There was a softness in his eyes. She knew that the softness was just for her. She was an orphan, but somehow belonging to the Grandfather had brought her a sense of safety and care. He grumbled about it, often, but she knew that they both had needed to belong to eachother.

Remembering Louisa May Alcott in her birthday month

The Dance of the Cranes

Prayers for Peter, who beats the goats! b 8/27/16

I asked him,  why do you beat the goats and he told me he had to control them and they run off if he doesn't beat them.  Don't beat them, Peter.  I know you are tired of chasing them.  I know you are distressed at their stubbornness.  I know that it concerns you so of their state, but try to enjoy their frolicking ways.  Look at the long haul.

Give Peter grace, dear Lord!  Help him to woo and grow the sheep and the goats that he must tend.  Give him a second and third wind at his tasks.  Help him look to the Grandfather for the example of gentle leading.  Give him a gentle firmness, in spite of himself.  As he looks into the future from the past, let him see your shepherding care and your loving looks and guidance and try to win, even the goats with the winsomeness that You bestow.

I love Peter's determination and usefulness for You.  Give him joy and wonder at what You are doing with him in this season of perseverance.  Help my friend Peter, know the joy of a job well done.

Prayers for Peter, who beat the goats!

I asked him,  why do you beat the goats and he told me he had to control them and they run off if he doesn't beat them.  Don't beat them, Peter.  I know you are tired of chasing them.  I know you are distressed at their stubbornness.  I know that it concerns you so of their state, but try to enjoy their frolicking ways.  Look at the long haul.

Give Peter grace, dear Lord!  Help him to woo and grow the sheep and the goats that he must tend.  Give him a second and third wind at his tasks.  Help him look to the Grandfather for the example of gentle leading.  Give him a gentle firmness, in spite of himself.  As he looks into the future from the past, let him see your shepherding care and your loving looks and guidance and try to win, even the goats with the winsomeness that You bestow.

I love Peter's determination and usefulness for You.  Give him joy and wonder at what You are doing with him in this season of perseverance.  Help my friend Peter, know the joy of a job well done.

Bessie and the Gals were

playing hide and go seek the last I saw them.


I can't help but giggle, when I see the huge animals standing behind a tree and telling me to shhhh.  Why do they think their friends can't see them behind the tree?  I can't tell.  But they laugh so hard when they turn around and get over to their friend who is hiding.  The way of the cow's frolicing is very amusing.

They run after one another with such abandon, whether it is tag or hide and seek or their laps, as they call them, it is astounding how they entertain one another, when they are not gossiping.

Gossip is their primary passion and I don't think it is malicious, just their way.

Bessie and the Gals were

playing hide and go seek the last I saw them.


I can't help but giggle, when I see the huge animals standing behind a tree and telling me to shhhh.  Why do they think their friends can't see them behind the tree?  I can't tell.  But they laugh so hard when they turn around and get over to their friend who is hiding.  The way of the cow's frolicing is very amusing.

They run after one another with such abandon, whether it is tag or hide and seek or their laps, as they call them, it is astounding how they entertain one another, when they are not gossiping.

Gossip is their primary passion and I don't think it is malicious, just their way.

Imagination of the Blind Grandmother in Heidi.

OH dear, Grandfather,


 The old Grandmother is blind and she cannot see. She hears only the creaking of the shutters and the swaying of the house and it scares her. Would you fix her house, Grandfather? Would you help her feel the security of a stable dwelling? Grandmother feels that the wind will take her house right in on her head. We must help her see the comforts and the beauty of all that is around her. Would you help, me Grandfather to give the old Grandmother the tastes and smells that will bring the comfort that will cheer her heart?

 No one can make the sunshine for her because her eyes are no longer seeing. No one can make the days light for her and she can't see the sun kiss the mountains Good morning and Good night. We can fill her other senses with life and joy and help her see with her heart that we love her and that the world is not against her.

 Don't be grieved at her, Grandfather. She can't help that her blindness makes her cross and angry, sometimes. Meet her in the help and strength that only you can. Help her to know that her house is going to hold her and not fall in on her head.

Bring the hammer and the nails and the shingles and the wood and build her the house that is falling down about her.  She's not angry with you, Grandfather, she is just afraid.  She is sad and petulant.  Be the strong man that can help her know peace in her life.

When the heavenly visitors come to play...

Braxton's friend was involved in his eating habits, yesterday.  The friend stood above the highchair and engaged him in a ten minute tug of war with the spoon.  Braxton is usually very attentive to his plate or bowl.  Perhaps he didn't like the cereal, but this tug of war usually happens right as the baby is walking into the " two's".  It is my theory that heavenly warriors have a last chance to kiss baby, before the angels put them on auto-pilot.  Natty had months of this kind of kissing game, others had a day or two.  Then they come "into themselves" so to speak.

It seems heaven whispers promises into their ears that the angels aren't privy to.  The angels have to stand aside and give the warriors a hearing by the baby.  They fall and they fight, like never before, but they look up as though they see the person whispering in their ear.  They talk in an upward direction and it is not to me.  They seem to be given a scepter of dominion on the earth.  It looks like they come out of the meeting thinking that they are already reigning.  They get discouraged that I don't know what the person told them.  I'm just the monitor.  I can't hear them,  I have to remind them.  "What good are you?"  they seem to say, after the meetings.   The ministering, guardian angels come closer after the meeting, but they really can't hear anything that is said between heaven and earth on those sessions.  Only the child is privy to their direction.

It seems to me that the angel has the womb and the church triumphant has marching orders for infant to toddlerhood.  If you are really quiet and close to the cradle, you can hear the hymns they teach baby and the marching orders that are given.

Braxton had the spoon back and forth and up and down, playing a game and swinging it.  He spilt his bowl and I let him stay there a minute, before I cleaned him up.

Fawn's song

Welcome strangers and friends to this cold cruel world, is what we say everyday to our little ones. Put on your seatbelts you are getting ready for a bumpy ride, through life. Daycare is a stewardess role. Have you got your blankie, your pillow? Your creature comforts will come in handy when you get to the bumpy parts of the ride. Keep your hands and feet to yourself and don't stick your head out of the vehicle. It is easy to descend into repetitive cliche's, but realness is key to teaching children to enjoy the wow's of life and enjoy the beauty around them. From the beautiful fawn who crosses the road in two jumps to the penmanship of the dragonfly, it is enjoying the beauty of the creation and learning to know the Creator, who is blessed forever! I still say there is nothing so beautiful as baby's first smile.

Fawn's song

Welcome strangers and friends to this cold cruel world, is what we say everyday to our little ones. Put on your seatbelts you are getting ready for a bumpy ride, through life. Daycare is a stewardess role. Have you got your blankie, your pillow? Your creature comforts will come in handy when you get to the bumpy parts of the ride. Keep your hands and feet to yourself and don't stick your head out of the vehicle. It is easy to descend into repetitive cliche's, but realness is key to teaching children to enjoy the wow's of life and enjoy the beauty around them. From the beautiful fawn who crosses the road in two jumps to the penmanship of the dragonfly, it is enjoying the beauty of the creation and learning to know the Creator, who is blessed forever! I still say there is nothing so beautiful as baby's first smile.

Charles and Quest make me sing!

What do you do and how do you play with a 3 month old? I miss those times. We had a wonderful songfest, this week. They were singing, nearly louder than me. Cooing is a wonderful time to sing hymns together. They look at you like, they sing those down here too? I know that one. And then they start singing. It is a wonder.

Charles is less sing-songy, but he chimes in on the refrain. Quest likes to sing the whole song and then start another one. Their guardian angels are very near and I love this time, before the effects of sin and their personal expressions are evident. They hold onto their angel and they talk to them and entertain themselves much of the time. They look at you like, why are you getting in my angel's way talking to me? You feel like saying, excuse me, when you break into the conversation.

Natty showed me that, more than any of the other children. She would sit over in a corner, playing with a toy over her head, like the other end was being held by somebody. I said Natty, who is that? She looked at me, like she thought I could see them. She is so observant. Every new boo-boo, I get on my legs, she catches. This week she said, do you want me to get you a band-aid for this one. It was tiny and a little pop from some grease on the stove. I said, no thank you, Natty. Are you alright, Ms. Jayne? I am alright, Natty, don't worry. It was just a pop of grease. Gabby said, what are those, talking about my vericose veins.

Love and the Recalcitrant 2 year olds!

I used to be 2 years old...That was 52 years ago. I used to rebel against sleep, rather regularly.

Now it is my job to put babies and recalcitrant 2 year olds to sleep, every day. Work them out really hard and then lay them down. If you did your job right, they will fall right out. And then there is a day like yesterday. My two favorite little ladies were insistent that naptime was and is optional. Nope! Nope! That is recalcitrants, as far as I am concerned. You are tired and if you don't take a nap, the fights in the afternoon will be worse than the fights in the morning.

Natty was talking to her imaginary friend, who I think I know very well. She has been talking to him, since I've met her. Kara was commentating the news of the day, as usual. Take a nap! Noooooo! Put your head down! Nooooo! Be quiet? That is when my mind starts recounting the endless nights of punishments at the foot of my mother's bed, when my optional bedtimes were beyond her patience level.

I did shows with my sisters. We sang and memorized songs. We had kick-fights. We had tickle fights, we set our own rules, when we could. Her tummy could only move so fast. My knees are my limitation and I love the look, when they are trespassing on my patience level and they know it. What goes around comes around? Love, look at us. Loving one another into nap-time. Loving one another into a rest, that we need. Love, look at us. Here we are again, imaginary friends, newsrooms and debates in our bedroom as though the world was living in our bedroom or our nap room. Such fun to have 2 year old friends. Go to sleep, now! NOOOOOOO!

If you can't beat em, join em! Okay, Charlie and Steedy, let's show them how its done.

Love and the Recalcitrant 2 year olds!

I used to be 2 years old...That was 52 years ago. I used to rebel against sleep, rather regularly.

Now it is my job to put babies and recalcitrant 2 year olds to sleep, every day. Work them out really hard and then lay them down. If you did your job right, they will fall right out. And then there is a day like yesterday. My two favorite little ladies were insistent that naptime was and is optional. Nope! Nope! That is recalcitrant, as far as I am concerned. You are tired and if you don't take a nap, the fights in the afternoon will be worse than the fights in the morning.

Natty was talking to her imaginary friend, who I think I know very well. She has been talking to him, since I've met her. Kara was commentating the news of the day, as usual. Take a nap! Noooooo! Put your head down! Nooooo! Be quiet? That is when my mind starts recounting the endless nights of punishments at the foot of my mother's bed, when my optional bedtimes were beyond her patience level.

I did shows with my sisters. We sang and memorized songs. We had kick-fights. We had tickle fights, we set our own rules, when we could. Her tummy could only move so fast. My knees are my limitation and I love the look, when they are trespassing on my patience level and they know it. What goes around comes around? Love, look at us. Loving one another into nap-time. Loving one another into a rest, that we need. Love, look at us. Here we are again, imaginary friends, newsrooms and debates in our bedroom as though the world was living in our bedroom or our nap room. Such fun to have 2 year old friends. Go to sleep, now! NOOOOOOO!

If you can't beat em, join em! Okay, Charlie and Steedy, let's show them how its done.

Independence Day in the sky, Ruth's Birthday Showers!

It looked like a huge bottom of a black boot coming to trample us. Crashes of thunder and flashes of exotic light were behind the boot, but it was huge and it was coming to our house. The clouds were ominous and the thunder was earth shaking. My storm chaser and I were out in the front trying to decipher the face of the sky and catch it on film. It was beautiful and moving, but not swirling, so we weren't going to take complete cover. Evelyn couldn't take our blind indifference to the rushing winds and the coming torrents. She was going to lock us out of the house, just to get us back for scaring her, as we did. I am glad she didn't because, when the fear factor set in, we were glad we had an open door to take cover inside.

I love to see how the angels do a fireworks show. There is nothing like it. It is truly my independence day and I am grateful to have lived to see that every high and lofty power is subject to the Lord of Glory.

Every valley will be exalted and every mountain and hill made low

She was a mountain, that I could never see above and now she is gone. Her taunting and squashing is just a vague memory. I try to remember, when I am handling the little ones in my life, that I will have to answer to God, also for my use of my maternal authority. God's thunder and lightning reminded me of that.

Fathers, provoke not!

I love how God speaks to me. He is a loving Heavenly Father and it is a rainy 4th of July!

I bought 4 beautiful plants on Saturday. I had a few extra dollars or investment income. 1 Cucumber plant, 1 tomato plant, 1 pepper plant and 1 flowering plant and 2 bags of the best soil, I could afford. I knews just what I wanted to do with them.
I always could purchase more, and earlier, but this was part of my developing conversation with the Lord. If you put them in the ground, I will water them. I know that is always the case. I am learning commitment to my garden. God is taking me back to pre-school and I am loving it. I am watching movies, as though I haven't learned to read yet. I am learning to appreciate the entertaining way that God loves on us. God is a far greater animator than we can ever know. We just need to watch Him and stop watching the media.
I got my wonderful teenager to help me with the large bags of dirt and didn't even need to explain that this gardening time was not work, but an effort of worship. God is teaching me something was the unsaid. I am in His garden and He is more capable at giving me the care that I need than I am willing to receive it. The clouds rolled in, while we were sleeping, as I expected that they would. I have conversations with the rainclouds, very regularly, both here and where my tournaments are delayed.
God has been showing off to me in the sky, since we've moved here. I said God, you are amazing, I know. To the children I said the angels are shouting "isn't God good?" and the earth replies, "Amen!"
I heard the amazing fireworks last night, after the earthly show that we saw, the heavenly one shook me out of my bed. "Do you think that I am listening when you pray for your nation?" was this year's theme.

May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And ev'ry gain divine!even the gain of a few tomatoes and peppers and cukes:)

I love how God speaks to me. He is a loving Heavenly Father and it is a rainy 4th of July!

I bought 4 beautiful plants on Saturday. I had a few extra dollars or investment income. 1 Cucumber plant, 1 tomato plant, 1 pepper plant and 1 flowering plant and 2 bags of the best soil, I could afford. I knew just what I wanted to do with them.
I always could purchase more, and earlier, but this was part of my developing conversation with the Lord. If you put them in the ground, I will water them. I know that is always the case. I am learning commitment to my garden. God is taking me back to pre-school and I am loving it. I am watching movies, as though I haven't learned to read yet. I am learning to appreciate the entertaining way that God loves on us. God is a far greater animator than we can ever know. We just need to watch Him and stop watching the media.
I got my wonderful teenager to help me with the large bags of dirt and didn't even need to explain that this gardening time was not work, but an effort of worship. God is teaching me something was the unsaid. I am in His garden and He is more capable at giving me the care that I need than I am willing to receive it. The clouds rolled in, while we were sleeping, as I knew that they would. All of my tourneys have been rained out, nearly completely and the rain had not been here for a little while. I have conversations with the rainclouds, very regularly, both here and where my tournaments are delayed.
God has been showing off to me in the sky, since we've moved here. I said God, you are amazing, I know. To the children I said the angels are shouting "isn't God good?" and the earth replies, "Amen!"
I heard the amazing fireworks last night, after the earthly show that we saw, the heavenly one shook me out of my bed. "Do you think that I am listening when you pray for your nation?" was this year's theme.

May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And ev'ry gain divine!even the gain of a few tomatoes and peppers and cukes:)

Looked like CS had cloud duty!

I am wading through the second movie of the Prince Caspian series. So I probably am just getting to recognize CS on cloud duty. Who knows how many times he's had cloud duty and I was oblivious?

I saw a fish under the snow queen and she was trying to take apart the Church and she was disintegrating from the back to the front, but her face and one hand was completely intact. I do hope that the war is that far along. We have much to do to translate and equip a new generation for the continual battle against the beast. Thank God for CS' foresight to translate deep and heady doctrine into teachable form.

I just needed a little fresh air...

I came in from work and was dreaming about the small amount of time I am able to spend at my crocheting with the sky as my backdrop.

Helen was on cloud duty when we brought Ev home the other day.

Helen likes to make it clear that she is not just Ethan's godmother, so to speak. She loves them all and she loves that we can have the conversations that we have on the road and in the house.

It looked like she had worked some of the wood carving that Evvy had in school, because the sprawl that she usually scribbles were perfectly formed block letters, as if on a line. She set up a board, very much like the board that I have for the babies to talk about the weather, in my class. LIFE and then a big tree, like the trees that I have on my board and the two of us lying underneath looking up at the tree, like little girls. So now I know that she doesn't call it the tree of life, but LIFE Tree. That is our new code, when she has cloud duty. Don't lose focus on that, she said. One thing is in our view, LIFE tree or tree of life, on my side.

It was a dark night and I was waiting for my husband to come out of work...

2 in the morning is not usually the time that you see people on the street.  I was surprised to see a street-cleaner outside at that time of night.   He was out there, though.  There was never telling how long my husband would be finished the last touches on his project.  I might as well strike up a conversation.

So, I got out of the car and walked over to the church to see what was happening, at that time of the night.

Surprise was not the word at the view, when I got over there.  It was Clarence Day Sr. on his hands and knees.  He turned to me and I could see the steps that led all the way into heaven were behind him.  You are working very hard on those stairs, I admired.  This is how the Lord wants them kept, he responded, not even stopping for a second to look at me.

Those were the steps to heaven?   Why would he be cleaning them?  Where were the rest of the people in heaven?  lots of questions remained from that moment of enjoyment with a soul whose "rest was won!"

Happy Easter!

Yesterday, three key things and themes came together!

Helen's trumpet blast was enormous and complete at the edge of the horizon, followed by a nearly cloudless sky, which it of course a "no nonsense" day. All of the blooms of the tree were in full bloom, outside our window. Three great butterflies came very close to me, one touched me on the way inside with the children. We saw a lizard outside the window on the bannister of the ramp and he blew out his red throat. I had certainly never seen that before. and Natty took her shoelace out of her shoe, completely. That takes some dexterity for such a little one. Loosing velcro is not an exercise, but loosing the shoelace from the shoe takes some doing.

These are not my children, but I have grown very accustomed to their growing faces. I have seen them from infancy into toddlerhood. Somehow it is as though, I looked up at a night sky and saw the bunny ears of a cloud and it became the cloth bunny in the picture of Helen and her mother above. It seems I stuck my hand into the bunny ears and here I am, wrestling with a bunch of delightful cherubs who are learning and growing in my daily care. I know its' fleeting virtue, for my manifold experience and still I invest this tiny part of my heart that is left, in the hopes that the dividends will reinvest themselves in me, this country and the earth, the good earth.

Oh Tigger!

Whatever possessed you to enter the Australian Open, like that, Tigger, said Christopher Robin, when everybody was counted and upright. Tiggers love a challenge was Tiggers breathless response. That is more than a challenge, Tigger, do you realize that we couldn't pick your pieces up from the asphalt, if Serena had splattered you there. I know now. And with that Tigger was bouncing off to another court. The whole crew of them followed as fast as they could to make sure that Tigger hadn't another adventure like that in mind.

Whew!, said Tigger, as he lay on the line of print below him.

Tiggers don't like pretending to be a tennis ball at the Australian Open...Serena was about to splatter me onto the asphalt surface. Thankfully the line of type caught me, just in time. Can you get me down, Christopher Robin. Christopher called the narrator and he, thoughtfully bent the page, so that Tigger could slide down the type to get Tigger out of his dilemma.

Tigger at the Australian Open

It was a delightful sunny day. All was set to have Serena win her record Grand Slam.The sun was shining and the birds were singing, but Winnie and Tigger were planning a practical joke on Serena.

Being a bear of very little brain, it couldnt be but so extravagant of a practical joke.
     The meeting for the planning was well attended, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and Rabbit were all on time and Owl and Tigger were expected to slam the meeting, after it had begun.  They had read the minutes of a prior meeting, although no one had remembered having a prior meeting, there in Australia... They couldnt find a Beech Tree to meet in and they had stowed away on an airplane.They had to sit underneath a Eucalyptus tree, which smelled very strong and was making Pooh think of honey. They had a very hungry looking Koala looking in their direction during the meeting, which made them all consider a different location to discuss their plans.  Where do they keep the Heffalumps and Woozles here in Australia, they all wondered?

The pre-meditations and conversations of the Prodigal Son.

What if a Christian mother were praying and interceding for her baby when she sees him drifting in his ambitions? I try to let my children know that their behavior and life affects my prayer life and faith. I don't know how it is with other women. God is sympathetic to a woman's plight, regardless of the perspectives of the religious in her season of life. I cannot imagine the peace that passes understanding when my children are in rebellion. God has to intercede for me. I don't yet have that amount of maturity.

Cat Stevens seems to rightly pen the father/son interaction before prodigality appears. It is my prayer course for my children. I pray that their prodigality will be abated prior to any catastrophes.

Two Nights ago it was Dad and last night it was Spencer Tracey...

45 seemed to be about the Grandmothers. They came dancing in the change of life, for me. I could almost see them in my living room, showing me, what the change of life was about. I had installments of their instructions and directions. Some of the Grandfather participated, like Mr. Day's show for me at the church, but for the most part it was the women's roles concentrated. These two days were the men's roles. They seem very inclined to discuss the waves of heavenly anthems crushing and washing away the principalities of darkness.

It started at the Cantata. I felt like my soul had come back to my body.

It never seems a strange occurrence for them to be in my dream. They seem perfectly comfortable. Dad and I were picnicking at the beach, like a family day and the waves were coming and devastating groups, here and there, but not in a fearful way.

Spencer was talking and eating, in a very sloppy way and we discussed a great many things...

Who wants to join the "Everlasting Song"? I do!

In my imagination I am sitting in my 2nd grade classroom. I know exactly where I was sitting when my teacher said, think of the meanest person you know. My daddy was very strict, but he was not in my mind at all. Only one person was in my mind. I said and made a determination that very day to practice trying to be nice, so as not to imitate that horrid relationship that I had with that woman.

Now in my classroom my teacher is asking, who wants to join the everlasting song...

Sometimes, I listen to the earthly song and wonder if the Heavenly Anthem is strong enough to drown it. One day, the earthly song will be a distant memory. Sometimes, it crowds out the Heavenly Anthem. Sometimes, as devices and technology increases, I wonder if the Heavenly Anthem is strong enough to drown the earthly song. God's devices are greater in amount and quality.

Was Pharoah's army drowned in the red sea? It is not about whether it will be drowned, but whether we will be attached to the Heavenly Anthem or the dying earthly song. God, loose our grasp from the earthly song, that we may embrace the Heavenly Anthem and rise to drown the earthly song.