Monday, March 04, 2013

Oh, The Sun...


Look! In the sky--it's the sun!

Oh my. For six long days only grey skies, like fingernails, touched our windows, but one day earlier than predicted, the sun has returned and I am ecstatic.

And have you noticed morning's earlier light? And later evening light?

I notice it all, every longer, brighter moment as we step nearer springtime.

I'm learning to see all tiny good things as huge and speak about those way, way more often than the bad stuff in our world. It makes all the difference.


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Have you ever read The Endless Steppe? Twenty years ago it gave me a fascination I've never lost for Siberia. I've probably read it at least 10 times. Highly recommended.

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And remember this?



Shhh... don't tell anyone, but even though it no longer belongs to me, I still stroll around that yard a few times each week. Always, it's sunny there and the lawn is perfectly mowed by someone who is not me. Birds fill the trees and spring peepers sing amongst the reeds while I rest at the bistro table in the otherwise-stillness of weekday afternoons. 

Jesus and I feel the sun upon our faces on that warm patio or ramble back into the woods as long as we wish. The new owners never, ever see us--or if they do--they never shoo us away.

I am so grateful for the gift of that farm-- that I will carry the wonder of it, the scents and sounds and feeling of it for the rest of my life, visiting whenever I wish and staying for as long as I like. I'm responsible for none of the work, no upkeep, no labor, only for keeping fresh within my mind the wonder of such an amazing gift from God.

What an incredible thing is an imagination, often even better than what reality would give you. Especially in wintertime.





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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.   ... Philippians 4:8

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't help but burst out laughing when I read your first words today. 'Look! In the sky--it's sun" First thing that clicked in my mind was the opening to Superman tv show...the Look..Up in the sky.... Then I too also remembered the wonder of the sun...the warm sun...oh to feel it's warmth again!!!! Those long winters when the ice kept staying and would not melt. When you wished for at least slush so you knew something was happening!! When last summer seemed 20 years ago. ... Thank you for the line about learning to see all the tiny good things as huge... That is huge. You are so right. The world would like you to be crushed by all the negative. No God has put even more beauty on His earth. It is there. Just take off your negative glasses and put on the positive. :) :) :) Sarah {sorry I haven't read The endless Steppe ...yet.}

Anonymous said...

Here in our "tree house", I enjoy these days when the sun pours in the bedroom window, right across the bed...so I can go soak up some there for awhile. Cold outside, but warm inside!! Hope you find a way to soak up some sun at your house!!
Elizabeth in VA...

Elizabeth said...

Beautiful Debra! It is true our imagination can take us anywhere we want to be. My heart is heavy, Friday we found out that Jim does not meet the Fraility test to have the new heart procedure TAVR done and his COPD is too severe for open heart surgery so we have to trust God that all will be well

Bonnie said...

I know! The time change is almost here. : )

I take tours like that in my head sometimes. Since I was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 I've taken a lot of walks in my head. Especially wonderful are the "trips" I take walking through my childhood home. Priceless.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Love The Endless Steppe and the strange irony that being sent to Siberia saved her family's life (lives?).

Oh, Debra, at first I didn't get that you were walking around the farm yard in your imagination and had a real moment of consternation! Was this a Tib moment? Or just total dorkiness? (Then my surprise that the farm seemed to be in a whole other climate zone made the penny drop. Finally.)

I fear I have a too literal streak, but I'm working on my imagination, too!I am, I am!

I too think it was great that you got to have the farm for a short season. You and Tom actually did it and the memories will always be with you, but the work and responsibility are no longer yours! And you have the dear Hobbit House.