These boys

We walk through life together. Chatting, dreaming, laughing. I watch these boys struggle with their obvious transition into manhood. They are doing better than they know. They are upfront, honest, innocent, yet learning discernment through those raw life lessons that scratch and bruise. They desire to be real men, tender, strong, valiant. Their example is a good man. A man who struggles with the same things and who desires to live life with honestly and lots of fun. Their Papa Bear has trained them well.......


LOOK! On the horizon!!! Can it be?!



YES!!!! Super heroes to the rescue!



May they never quit dreaming and laughing!!!

More February Snow

Inside, I care for my Valentine's Day azalea watching the snowy light dance on it's tender petals.



Outside, flakes of white drift silently down to our part of the world.



Boys play in snow and a group of kids meet at the city park for a massive snowball fight. Oh the delights of youth! I am taking pictures, participating by observing, but my kid-like heart wants to get in the mix. The snow is perfect powder. Ripe for snowballs. A contest begins. Who can make the largest snowball? I see so much more happening......youthful minds begin to create, experience, grow.....work together. Before long, four large frozen masses emerge and laughing young adults struggle to push and roll. More join in. Heaving. Working. Play becomes work and no one seemed to mind. They just jumped in and helped. Coming together. In fun. In work. In life. In joy.



Faithful dog, who guards our home. Seems happy to run in snow. Resting in the trail he walks on daily security checks.

The pattern of the days delightfully altered by a white blanket.

Weekend Ambling

Staying home is one of the best places to amble, rest,......just be. Holiday weekends provide such rest, when we choose it. We could choose it this year.......and rest we did.



Work a picture......piece by piece. Perspective....a puzzle ecourages new view.



A little town, prepared for the season at a dear friend's house. My heart desires to prepare for His coming......this season of anticipation.....He is coming! In quietness and rest shall be your strength....not rush, worry, fret......but quietness.

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,"In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." But you were unwilling.....
Isaiah 30:15 (English Standard Version)

Oh, may I be willing, Lord, to embrace You in this returning, in coming to You......

Matt 8:7 And He said to him, "I will come and heal him."

Yes, Lord, come.....heal.......

Let's Getaway

It's that time of year. I start thinking about vacation....where, when, how long. I'm ready! I know it's mainly because it's getting toward the end of the school year and we are having to dig deeper to get it all done. Some probably call it spring fever....I've called it that myself. But the bottom line is......I am just ready for a bit of a break. =) This is where the rubber meets the road. Pressing in. Doing what we need to do even when we want to be blogging or playing in the spring sun, and taking pictures of the emerging bluebonnets. It's not Texas summer-hot yet and we want to be outside. This is when we start dreaming about a bit of a get away and some rest and play. I'm ready. I wanna play with my 3 guys in the ocean of life and splash the happiness of family with them! I love my guys......life is good.

Thank you Lord for my family, for the times that we need to press in and do the mundane with excellence, and the opportunity to walk this life with 3 amazing men~Jules

Learning to Play by Heart

My hands know these keys, but not their names. I hear their tones. I feel their notes. But they are unfamiliar in name. I struggle. I plunk. My form is cumbersome. My smoothness needs work......but I am making music. I am getting out the song inside this heart that has been bottled up for too long. Sometimes this song seems overshadowed by doubt. But I press on in the wrong notes and finally have to stop, regroup, focus on the music...."where did I go wrong?" Play by heart, Beloved. I hear the soothing words. I wince. "I don't know where I am." What is this song I'm trying to play? I forget. I hear it daily in my heart, my mind, the depth of my soul. But I can't seem to play it. My hands won't work together. I can't read it either. I want to stop. Shrink back. Quit. Play the easier song I learned in childhood. Why can't I play this? Is there a wall of sorts? Keys stick. Notes stop. And yet, I still hear the song. Others play this song so easily....I struggle with the courage to play it in spite of the wrong notes. Somehow, through all the sour sounds and aching hands, music is made. The song my hands are playing is becoming more like the one in my soul. It's becoming more free. Happy. Easier. It's becoming more me. Play by heart, Beloved. I hear again. OK, Lord. I'm listening. I'm playing. I'm fumbling, working through sheet music that challenges my abilities, my courage. I'm living. Play by heart, Beloved. I close my eyes and play. I feel the music inside. I play what I hear, what my heart longs to say. And I can see........when I play by heart, my heart is happy.