May 2015 – Sunshine Lane

Foot Washing and Love

Ok, this may sound a little weird, but hang with me for just a little bit. I’ve been away from my home for 16 days, in other countries, having the time of my life. I left behind one of the very best friends I’ve ever had in my life and he only weighs 12 pounds on a heavy day. This little best friend is my pet Chihuahua mix breed dog, Buddy. Buddy is ten years old and I’ve had him for all of but five months of those ten years. I found him freezing cold and starving at a truck stop the day after Christmas, 2005. I ended up not being able to resist picking him up and thought I was taking him to the Humane Society in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but instead took him into my heart. I’ve missed the little guy since we were over in western Europe, but knew he was missing me probably even more. He tends to do that when I’m gone. We’re pretty attached to each other I guess. So, that’s the first part of this story.

The second part of this story is that I have a lot of foot, leg, hip, and back pain when I’m on my feet for very long. (That is part of my fibromyalgia/arthritis issues.) Also, I have very, very dry feet so it’s not uncommon for my feet, especially my heels, to crack and bleed when I’m on them for any length of time. I’ve tried all the cures known to doctors and Pinterest, but without a lot of success. While we were on our trip, we walked and walked and walked and…you get the picture. Considering how much we walked, I did really well until the last two or three days. Somewhere in the Louvre my feet, etc. decided they were done and I started hurting. Last night by the time we got to the hotel in Boston after a full 20 hours of walking in airports and flying across the Atlantic, I took off my shoes and my feet had been bleeding without me even realizing it.

Now comes the third part of the story. Today we finally arrived home and my Buddy went nuts with excitement! He was SO happy to see me that he nearly licked my chin and cheeks right off. (He knows he isn’t allowed to lick me on the mouth, but my chin is fair game! Ha!) Anyway, I was sitting in my chair, going through the mountain of mail I received while we were gone and suddenly I notice that Buddy is licking my foot. I look down and once again my feet had cracked and bled. I tried to stop Buddy from licking my feet, but he looked up at me with such a look of love and devotion, I let him continue. He completely, entirely cleaned up my ugly, swollen, cracked feet. I know this sounds gross, but it was really very reviving. Then he climbed into his favorite position by my side in our chair and fell asleep.

So, where am I going with this? As Buddy fell asleep by my side, I suddenly thought of the following story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet before the last supper they would ever have together:

John 13:3-8
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

I’ve read this story hundreds of times, heard sermons and bible studies devoted to it, and often wondered how Jesus could wash someone else’s dirty, gross feet when they walked everywhere they went. I especially wondered this in light of the fact that Jesus is God’s son and by all rights should have asked his disciples to wash his feet. He was about to give up his life for them and the world and yet he washed their feet? That always completely blew my mind and baffled me. I’ve always thought he was demonstrating a servant’s attitude to them so they would know how to be with others after he was gone. Jesus said, though, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

When Buddy was washing my feet earlier and looked up at me with so much love and devotion, I finally got it! I am Buddy’s person. I belong to him. He loves me with a depth of devotion that we don’t see often in this life. Jesus was telling his disciples they are his. They, and we, belong to Jesus. He loves us with a depth of devotion we can’t even begin to fathom.

Yes, Jesus died for us, but he also loves us so much that he would wash our feet just as he washed the disciples’ feet. All of us who’ve read stories or seen movies where the hero dies for his/her soul mate, best friend, fellow soldiers, country or ideals understand that concept. It’s the ultimate sacrifice, right? Ok, how many of those same heroes would wash others’ dirty, smelly, cracked, bleeding feet though? Jesus did and Jesus would.

For the record, I’m not saying Buddy is equal to Jesus, obviously. Dogs do exhibit a lot of love and devotion to their “people,” however, that people don’t sometimes. I think it’s remarkable that the Son of God was/is willing to lower himself to the same level as a little Chihuahua dog, though, to show his love and devotion to us. Jesus is crazy about us and there isn’t anything he won’t do to prove it.

With that, this jet-lagged nut is going to rest for a while.

Peace and love, always, Elaine

Beautiful Quiet London Morning

We woke up early, you and I,
and I was soothed by the
whisper quiet breeze through
the tree outside our window
and your warm arms around me.

No cars, no loud people,
just quiet sunshine and
lovely fresh air.

Where is the noise?
Little birds cheeping from
across the park.
Where is the fog and overcast skies?
Only sunshine through thin,
wispy layered, not really there clouds.

This is not what I expected
in the middle of London.
Enchantment is not advertised
as one of London’s qualities.

Now, an hour later,
the city is slowly awaking.
Distant sounds are heard,
but the one most clear is
the solid reassuring tones
of the hourly church bells.

In Ireland Today, Spain Tomorrow!

Hi everybody! I’m sorry I’ve been out of pocket this week, but I’ve been in Ireland with my husband seeing all the wonderful places I’ve dreamed of seeing most of my life. It has been so much fun and so great! This little place is just one of hundreds of places I’ve seen that I hope I’ll never forget. There is so much beauty here, both natural and manmade, so much history, and some of the very nicest people I’ve ever met.

For instance, this afternoon as we were zooming from St. Paul’s Cathedral and through Dublin Castle, we were pretty much caught in the crush of people that is found on Dame Street around 5:00 pm. I had lost Alan for a few moments, but knew he was behind me somewhere. I couldn’t stop though because I was caught up in a herd of people intent on crossing the street before the light turned red. I got across the street, pulled out of the crowd and stood to the side to wait for Alan. About the moment that Alan reached me, a very nicely dressed gentleman stopped and asked, “Are you alright? Do you need assistance?” I was so impressed! Alan and I told him we were fine and he went on after we thanked him. That’s the kind of people we’ve met all week.

On Tuesday, we took a bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher and had a grand time. Our tour guide was also the bus driver and he was so professional, fun and also very, very knowledgeable about all things Ireland. I realize that knowing about all things Ireland is part of his job, but he went above and beyond. (This wasn’t restricted to our tour guide either. Nearly everyone we spoke to at any length from Ireland discussed politics, economics, and current events with ease and intelligence.) One incident with our tour guide, Wayne, that really made an impression on me was when we were stopped at a conservation area where there are flowers found only there or north of the arctic circle. I wanted to get out and look, but it was drizzly, there were lots of wet, flat rocks and I wasn’t sure it would be safe for me to navigate the terrain. Suddenly Wayne came back into the bus, grabbed me by the hand, loaned me an extra jacket he had and took me over to see the flowers. He made sure I was safe over the slippery rocks and pointed out the very delicate, small flowers that are part of the orchid family. He then accompanied me safely back to the bus and teased me in such a way that I didn’t feel like the little old lady he had to help back to the bus.

I could go on with many more examples of Irish hospitality and intelligence. The point is, we’ve really enjoyed our time in Ireland and anyone who has thought about visiting here, should, if you get the opportunity. The only word of warning I would give is that if you come in May, bring warm clothes including a semi-heavy coat, a warm hat and slacks. Although the temperatures are similar to Colorado Springs in May, it is much more humid and when the wind blows, it cuts right through you.

Early, early tomorrow morning, we will be flying to Valencia, Spain. We will be flying through Frankfurt, Germany to reach Valencia, which I find interesting. We won’t really be in Frankfurt just as we weren’t really in Boston when we had a layover and plane switch there. Nonetheless, I’m still excited about it! I’m also excited about arriving in Valencia, where hopefully it will be warmer! I would love to lie on a warm beach and watch the waves roll in for a while.

Peace and love always, Elaine

Sharing A Blog Post I Found Remarkable

The link below is to a blog that I follow regularly. The author’s name is Susan Irene Fox and she describes herself as a fairly new Christian. I like what she writes, but this morning her post struck me as exactly what I’ve been thinking and praying about lately. There is so much judgement in society from everyone about everything. It seems like in our world of instant media and communication, people have forgotten some of the basics of human respect for one another. There seems to be an especially ugly component between some very vocal Christians and non-Christians. Both sides think they are right and don’t really listen to the other side at all. The result of this is that Christians have been generalized into this stereotypical harsh, judgemental, intolerant people that all think and believe the same things regarding societal issues of today. I’ve chafed under this stereotype because it isn’t who I am or who I believe Jesus has called me to be. Like I said above, Susan’s post this morning seemed to express exactly what I’ve been thinking, praying and studying about lately. I asked if she would mind if I posted a link to her post on my blog and she was happy to comply. I hope it is a blessing to you as it was to me.

http://susanirenefox.com/2015/05/15/the-dignity-of-love/

Thanks for following my blog and I hope you will follow Susan’s as well. She has some really good things to say and to inspire us as we follow Jesus.

An Ode to Mother On Mother’s Day

Before I was born,
you protected me.
You wouldn’t let
them do a necessary
hysterectomy on you
because you knew there
was me, hidden deep inside.
Thank you for being protective
of me before anyone believed
I existed.

You continued to protect me
in so many ways until the
day that you left us.

Even the last time you
spoke to me, you were
giving me advice that
I didn’t really want to hear,
but I see the wisdom of…
now.

You fed me, clothed me,
changed diapers,
and was there to catch me
if I fell, ever, whether it was
as I took my first steps
or if I fell while trying to
learn how to skate.

You were always there with
bandaids for the scrapes
and scratches, the bruises
and dings of life.

You were not the sort
to go on and on with
sympathetic cooing
and oohing.

You would patch me up,
get me going,
and tell me to not think
about it and I’d be much better.

You were right.
Every single time.
You gave me courage
and impetus to get going
so many times
when I just wanted to give up.

You always listened to me,
giving me the benefit of your
wisdom and your love.

Sometimes you made me
absolutely crazy mad
with your attitudes,
your absolutes,
your stubbornness.

Maybe that was because,
usually,
I knew you were right
and I didn’t want to hear
about it.

You were always the strongest,
most confident woman
I ever met.

Fix a faucet? No problem.
Sew a fancy dress? No problem.
Keep your house clean? No problem.
Hold me when I couldn’t breath
because of asthma? No problem.
Get out of the car to tinker
with it in pouring rain because it died? No problem.
Put together a three course meal with dessert
when unexpected visitors came? No problem.
Wear me out with a paddle when I
rebelled and acted like a brat? No problem.
Stayed calm and collected when I got
lost at JCPenneys? No problem.
Teach me about Jesus and
what was true and what was not? No problem.

I always thought you had
all the answers to life.

I remember your pretty Sunday dresses,
your shiny high heels
as we walked into church.
The smell of Certs in your purse
when I opened it up to get something
for you.

Your ability to talk to anyone, anywhere,
and make them laugh and feel better
was amazing.
It embarrassed me to death sometimes
and I don’t know why.
You were simply being you!

There is so much I remember
about you Mother, that was good.

Then you grew weaker, sicker,
and eventually needed help
with everything: housecleaning,
showering, styling your hair or
dressing you in “that pretty robe, no,
not that one, the pink one.”
No problem.
I was happy to do for you,
what you did for me for years and years.

I cherish those moments.
I cherish all of the moments,
good, bad, and challenging.

I cherish especially a moment
as an adult when you were at
the end of your life and were
lost inside your own mind and
seemed unreachable.

I cried and prayed one day
that I just needed to “talk to my
mother!”

Two minutes later the phone rang,
and it was you, the real you.
You listened and gave me
some of the best advice ever.
Then you said you loved me
and was glad we got to talk.

I cried for ten minutes
afterwards for the blessing
of talking to Mother.

You weren’t perfect,
no one is,
but I always remember,
that you did the things you did
because you loved all of us so much.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mother.
I still miss you.
I still hear you in my head
sometimes when I
wonder what you would do
about something.

You were a great mother,
and I love you, still.

Romans 12: 9-21

I love this passage in Romans. When I get all out of whack and grumpy, I read this passage and get straightened out right away. I love all the different translations too, but this one from The Message says it all very plainly and I like that. So, I thought I would share this today, both to remind myself and to encourage others too.

I pray your weekend is blessed and that if you’re a mother, your Mother’s Day is full of love and laughter. 💕 Elaine

Romans 12:9-21from The Message

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Rainy, cool Friday

Rainy, cool Friday,

perfect for daydreams and sleep.
May flowers are wet.

Inside warm and dry,
with a puppy on my lap,
sleeping and dreaming.

I have work to do,
cleaning the house and hooking.*
Still, I sit idle.

Anxiety grows,
I need to get moving fast.
Still, I sit idle.

I slept all morning.
I need to make up lost time.
Still, I sit idle.

Gray skies and raining,
Aren’t conducive to working.
So I write poetry.

********************************************************************************************************
*In this case, hooking means crocheting. I’m going out of the country for a couple of weeks a week from tomorrow. I’m crocheting a scarf to take on the trip.

In rainy weather, I tend to take on the persona of a snail. I move slowly, but surely. I’ll get everything done, but I work slowly and turn on the heat two days before the deadline usually. Then, bingo! I’m done!

Have a great weekend everyone! Peace and love, Elaine

Sunshine and Rain

Sunshine and rain,
pleasure and pain.
The circle of life,
with such cycles is rife.

Yesterday’s sunshine
was golden and sure,
lilacs all blooming,
with aroma so pure.

The ground has been thirsty,
needing a drink,
when it rained so hard,
on the gutter it plink’d.

Some days our souls
are golden and pure,
but can become very arid,
without rain to mature.

God fills our souls
with pleasure and pain,
He loves to mature us,
with sunshine and rain.

I was awakened by heavy rainfall in the middle of the night (2:15 AM actually) this morning and it really was plinking onto the gutter and gushing out the end. Anyway, I woke up with a poem started in my head and decided to get up and write it down before I forgot it. After an hour and a half, this poem was done and I went back to bed.

To all of my friends in Lubbock tonight, stay on high ground! Your rain tonight makes ours look rather weak!

Crystal Clear|NaPoWriMo Day 30

There are those special moments
so crystal and so clear,
when we truly understand
what we honestly hold dear.

The moments we can see,
our life as from the sky
and even maybe understand
to the questions we ask, why?

Today I’ve had a moment
when every detail was so clear
when everything made sense
and I had two open ears.

God said: Here’s your mission,
you’ve had it for a while.
I said I’m sorry Lord, as
I hid a teary smile.

I was looking for a mission
somewhere far away,
something with some glamour
and maybe even fame–
and all the time my mission
was so closely gathered near,
I never thought to look and
see if it was here!

God tried to hide His smile,
but I saw it anyway,
and I thanked Him for the
message He let me see today.

My life may be hard at times,
and I wonder if I’m sane,
but God has given me a mission,
so crystal and so clear,
it is to love and care each day
for the ones that
He brings near.

And so we come down to the last day of the month of April and the last day of NaPoWriMo for 2015. I have enjoyed doing this so much! It has been a challenge, I will admit, but I am very glad I participated. Besides the joy of writing so many poems, I have met a lot of really neat and great people all over the world! If anyone had ever told me, even a year ago, that I would get to meet so many people and actually do what I love while doing so, I wouldn’t have believed them.