a quiet space

i long for this...

Let there be a place somewhere in which you can breathe naturally, quietly, and not have to take your breath in continuous short gasps. A place where your mind can be idle, and forget its concerns, descend into silence, and worship the Father in secret.


Thomas Merton. New Seeds of Contemplation.

Love That Boy

I love that boy and he is my friend.
I see him going down the long hall.
I love that boy and he is my friend.
I wave to him from very far off.

He goes uphill,
I wish that I could follow after him.
He goes uphill.
Please let him be safe there, across the way.
I love that boy, I say.
I love him all the day.

I love that boy and he is my friend.
We’re driving through the state of Maryland.
I love that boy and he is my friend.
I love to see him sleeping in back.

He goes uphill,
I wish that I could follow after him.
He goes uphill.
He dreams a city street a hundred ways.
I love that boy, I say.
I love him all the day.

And I’m standing up under the trees,
I’m cheering every day.
I love that boy, I say.

...innocence mission

the words from our mouths

yesterday, laura, asher, and i went to chick-fil-a for a tasty, fried snack. as i was driving towards the drive-thru, i stopped to let a dude in a jeep come out of his parking space. he decided to let me go ahead instead. well, little did he know that i was headed for the end of the line which was right behind him. he had a little space to weasel his auto out of. not enough for his liking, i guess. these were his words to me as he was pulling away. "learn how to drive, you bitch!"

i will never yell at anyone from my car window again. you sound like a tool. and, most of all, it's not loving.

if you're trying to save your marriage...

this might not be the activity for you. today is sunday and we finished our picnic table. neither of us do well taking instructions from the other. maybe it's an oldest child thing. since we're both the oldest of two.

i started the table on friday by cutting the boards to length and angle. yesterday, i put the bolts into the sides. today we screwed in the top and seats. now, we must sand and stain.

ryan and i do have a hard time working together. maybe it's on me, but we're just now somewhat able (after 4 1/2 yrs) to work in the kitchen at the same time. rarely do we, though. we do gladly eat what each other has made.

today, my frustration could be towards the meeting that i have at noon. note to self, don't plan meetings on sundays. sundays should be family days.

seedleaf

ryan's non-profit, seedleaf, is in full swing this summer. click on the link to read about the happenings.

i've had the privilege of giving away the vegetables that they've been harvesting. quite a bit has gone to ms. teresa, the cook at the kid's cafe. we've also given some to ms. smallwood, a 96-year old african american woman who lives not even a block away from the london ferrill community garden. she has a great story. she graduated from tuskegee university in alabama with a teaching degree. instead of going into teaching, ms. smallwood decided to get a nursing degree. during her time in tuskegee, she informed me that there was a pretty scandalous syphilis experiment going on. that'll fire a soul up.

i've also given veggies to a loving grandmother who lives a couple of blocks from the garden and cares so well for her two grandkids.

i'm quite proud of ryan and what he's doing for our community in lexington.

carbon footprint for food

here's an interesting link that teaches about how what food we consume might affect global warming.

The Clear Days

...a poem by Wendell Berry

The dogs of indecision
Cross and cross the field of vision

A cloud, a buzzing fly
Distract the lover's eye.

Until the heart has found
Its native piece of ground

The day withholds its light,
The eye must stray unlit.

The ground's the body's bride,
Who will not be denied.

Not until all is given
Comes the thought of heaven.

When the mind's an empty room
The clear days come.