Easter Poem

"!Feliz Pascua de Resurrreccion!"
"Happy Easter!"
I smile to Juan, from Colombia,
who bags my groceries

"Happy Easter!"
I smile to the Pharmacist
Gladness exuberates
in flowers

We play mini golf
small boy with long
flowing locks
darts past

The dad and a friend
capped, bearded
fringed tallit trickles
down the waist

Blue thread reminds
to keep God's commands
(Numbers 15:38-41)

I ask about his little boy
"We cut hair at 3 years,
it's our tradition."
"In India there is a similar practice,"
I say

"It's our Passover week,"
he says
I know this means strict
dietary laws, Seder feast,
and no lamb.

"We are celebrating Easter,"
I say.     They nod.
"The Passover Lamb."
Did you hear me?
I wonder

"God bless you!" We say
to each other and
depart

"Pascua"

I love this word in Spanish
"Easter" and "Passover"
inextricably linked

Lamb's blood
saves us
Smeared on the doorposts
of our hearts

The Innocent One
Sacrificial Lamb
His life for ours
His blood for ours

When Christ agonized in the garden
Did it seem Good Friday to Him?

When His disciples betrayed,
abandoned and denied Him
Was it a Good Friday?

When He was mocked,
scourged and nailed to the Cross -
Was it a Good Friday?

When the whole world and
even His own Father
turned His back on Him -
Was it a Good Friday?

Or when the sky darkened
the rocks split
the temple curtain rent twain

And all of Satan's folly
was crushed under
Christ's heel

When, after that 1st awful Day
The 2nd day of waiting and wondering
Then, the 3rd day - at Sunrise.....

The rock pushed away
Angels attending

We came with our
anxieties and questions

And He calls us
by name

Now it is "Happy Easter"

He has risen victorious
He will reign victorious
till all His enemies
become a footstool
under His feet

His Spirit is sent
Lives within us

Together we will cry
with the host of heaven,

"Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain...."!

2012 - The Year in Flowers

We started 2012 in Bangalore, India with my husband's family.  The first picture is a bouquet that was presented to us with much pomp and circumstance.  Imagine dignitaries and a Kollywood (this is NOT misspelled!) star seeing us off to our visit to mountainous Coorg.  A wild ride with curious monkeys looking on. Atop the mountains we were in tea fields - my dream!  We stayed at a coffee plantation on my first to India, so now it's complete!  Next, notice the beautiful chalk drawings on the pavement by my talented sister-in law, Premila.  She also, like is a tradition in India, designs flower arrangements as heads of flowers and petals floating on water.  These arrangements are placed next to the front door of your dwelling.  Another common practice is to have large clay pots lined up against your home or around your patio so to enjoy every variety of flower, vegetable or herb for cooking or medicinal purposes.  Derick's mom and Premila take wonderful care of these plants as you see Amma's yellow sunflower on her terrace looking out. This blue and white bowl is my attempt to re-create these beautiful Indian water arrangements.  We all love flowers!!!

From India we return to Jacksonville and later Saint Augustine as we move in June.  With the help of a friend, I start a flower ministry at church for the sick, hurting, or anyone needing cheering up or encouraging.  What a joy to cheer so many dear ones and use my gifts and passion for flowers.  Enjoy the rest of these shots!

  I heard it once said that when God created the world, He laughed in flowers.  I believe it and am the richer for it.  Thank you for laughing too!!  I'll see you in 2013 in the next post!

Diwali - Festival of Lights

Shoes off

Enter holy

Glamour and sparkle of dress
Bangles
Anklets

Laughter
Jokes in Telugu
I smile

Gents one room
Ladies another
Children in the middle
We keep it that way

I honor Amma
Spoken language doesn't translate
I kiss her cheek
She understands

Food
Glorious food!
Intricate combinations of spices
Indian cooking

Tangy tamarind rice
Spicy finger cucumbers with coconut
Crunchy onion bhajis
Sour curds

Sambar
This one is special
My tongue probes the mystery
Is is dry mango?

Befuddled
I seek she who created
She laughs
It’s simple really

She unravels the mystery
My tongue still questions
Amazing

Indian sweets
The ordinary dressed up in
Ghee, cream, sugar, rose water,
Cardamom and bits of nuts

Carrots
Dal
Sooji
Bread

An Indian bride
Silk, henna and jewels...
Confectionery of pure beauty

Pride of Indian cooking
We discuss recipes
Swap ideas

We want to recreate culinary memories
That dish from that restaurant
Mama’s specialty
Scenes from childhood

Stew of ideas and memories
Stir into each dish
And me, the “foreigner”,
Became “one of us”
because “nothing is too spicy”

Kids emerge
Promise made of spewed lights
We rush into the cold night

A light spectacle
Tantalize young and old.
Gingerly I hold a sparkler
Always afraid of fire

Big Loud explosions!
Bright showers of color.
Spinning furious chameleon tops.
Flaming fireballs shoot.

The Grand Finale spirals
Rocket and Boom!
An umbrella of colored stars
Explode leaves me breathless

Smoke clears
We enter the house
Bushes are covered in jeweled lights
Our saris brush by all sparkle

We carry the light too
Lights in constellations
Bursting momentary lights
Electric lights
Candle light - serenest of all

We are lights
We reflect that Greater Light
The Creator of all lights
He whispers to us:

“Let your light shine
before others....” Matt. 5:16

He says, “I am the Light
of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12

I stop
Wonder
Now it is dark
He is The Light

“So we thank Thee that
darkness reminds us of light.
O Light Invisible, we give Thee Thanks
for Thy great glory.”
T. S. Eliot The Choruses from the Rock