Simple Pleasures

Homemade Ice Cream

Watermelon under the tree

Campfires and S'more's

Front porch rocking

Early mornings

Sunsets

Summertime

Grandkids visiting

 Downtime

Everyone needs a break now and then.  We need a place of peace in which we can relax and think.  We need to allow ourselves the luxury of "being."

We have found our front porch to be a good place to just sit and relax.  A couple of rocking chairs and maybe a cool drink while we listen to the birds sing and look out toward the pond in the distance.  Sometimes there is conversation but often it is simply sitting, looking and listening to insects buzzing, birds singing and the occasional sound of a car or truck on the highway in the distance.

It's a good place to get your thoughts in order.  To make plans.  Or simply to rest the mind for a time.

We all need downtime.  Our brains need a chance to organize thoughts and our bodies a time to rest.

 Rumblings of Peace

The sky is rumbling this morning.  It is the rumbling that accompanies a gentle rain.  It is peaceful, unlike the violent crashing of a thunderstorm.

The announcement was made last night that the terms of a general peace agreement with Iran have been reached.  An official memorandum is to be signed on Friday in Geneva which will begin a 60-day period in which the details of a comprehensive agreement are to be worked out.

I am skeptical that it will hold.

As with all such agreements there is discontent by many.  In time discontent begins to fester into resentment and finally to action.  Shared common interests are the only way to real peace.  All parties must have the same goals in mind along with an agreed approach to how they are to be achieved.

At the end of the day, it is self-interest that drives behavior.  I don't believe we are at a point where there is common self-interest.

Is true and lasting peace achievable?  Again, I am skeptical.  There is insufficient commonality of beliefs for that to occur.  There is an unwillingness to share power and control.

Perhaps economic incentives can be structured in such a way that peace will be maintained for a period, but in the end, core beliefs will continue to be a well of discontentment.  Pockets of fervent believers who think they have "been wronged" will stir trouble until we again find ourselves in crisis.

This week's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a small beginning.  There will be fortunes made from the impact it has on the markets.  Other fortunes will be made when the agreement is broken.

The small Plant Hopper pictured below is only about 1/4 inch in length.  This one is identified as Ormenoides venusta.  It is not known to be an economically damaging species and is often found feeding on wild grapevines.  Not a lot is known about it, but it obviously fills a niche in the environment that is important or it wouldn't exist.  It is a tiny thing but I'm skeptical about the "not known to be economically damaging" aspect of its description.

 Fields of Clover

Clover is often associated with wealth, prosperity and good fortune.  This is especially true of a four-leaf clover which is considered to be rare.  Clover symbolizes that "all is right with the world."

Clover is an interesting perennial that grows lush with the coming of spring rains.  It fixes nitrogen in the soil which is then bio-available to grasses and forbs which need it for proper growth and health.  It is highly palatable to grazing animals and is an excellent source of protein which is needed for the growth and health of those animals.

It creates a soft carpet that is pleasurable to walk in barefooted.  People have been known to lie down in it due to the pleasant smells and softness of the natural blanket it provides.

City dwellers don't like clover growing in their manicured monoculture lawns that use tons of water and mine the soils of their nutrients.  On the other hand, those who raise grazing animals generally love it for the benefits it provides.  That attitude is just one of many that divides the thoughts of those who take comfort from the proximity of many people to those who are most comfortable with solitude.

Solitude typically is only comfortable for those who have accepted themselves as they are.  It is for those who are secure in their being rather always seeking solace in the company of others.  Solitude is a place of communion with God.

I like to see clover growing in the meadow.  It brings with it a sense of peace.

Below is a picture of White Clover (Trifolium repens) growing on our place.  It is one of the most widely cultivated clovers worldwide and is a highly desirable forage crop.  If in need, the plant can be consumed by humans as well.  It is high in proteins and is sometimes mixed into salads.  Boiling it for about 10 minutes makes it more easily digestible.  (No, I haven't tried it, but it is good to know should an emergency arise.)  White Clover is known to occasionally produce the four-leaf configuration.  I didn't see any in the photo below.

Consumed by Flames

If you look closely at the image of the fire you might see the Flame Monster looking off to the right.  That was random, I'll admit, but it just popped out at me when I posted the picture.  Do you see it?

What is it about fire that mesmerizes us?  I can sit and look at a fire for long periods and it is relaxing.  How can something so destructive be relaxing?  I suspect it is a remnant programmed into our DNA from times long past when fire meant safety, food and warmth.

I love a campfire and I enjoy campfire cooking.  There is an art to building a fire that will start quickly, burn brightly and build a bed of coals that will cast warmth for hours long after the flames have died to memory.

As I write I keep thinking there must be some deeper meaning that I can extract from this, but it just isn't happening.  All that comes to mind is the sound of insects and frogs along with the roar and crackle of the fire as I sit and contemplate -- yep, I almost said stare at the fire.  Contemplate conveys purpose and depth whereas "stare" is empty and meaningless.  Maybe that's part of the attraction -- to let the cares be consumed by the flames, allowing the mind to rest and the peacefulness of a spring evening to cleanse us as we become one with the blaze.  Yep, I'm thinking spring again....

What Would You Do?

If you had a billion dollars,

Tell me, what would you do?

Would you head off down a rabbit hole

And buy everything new?

Some folks I know would buy more cows

Or, maybe another farm;

Some would buy a fancy car

And head to some place warm.

Me, I'd buy a brand new jeep

And a cabin in the woods

Near a stream with trout and bugling elk

And stock it with lots of foods

Then I'd get lots of books

And go sit and read on the deck overlooking a lake

lost, far away from the maddening crowd,

So many always on the make.

And no one would know quite where I had gone

But, family and just a few friends

And there with my wife would quietly grow old

Far from the modern day trends.

Dropping Your Burdens

The tiredness in my bones

Slowly drained into the dark waters

And the turmoil in my heart

Left nothing but a tinge upon the sky

As the fading light

Held me

Captive.

Release

There,

At the end of the land,

I came upon the surging waves

Incessantly striving

To crawl upon the dunes

And continue their journey

But alas,

Their energy was spent.

Turmoil

Turned to peace within

As I listened to the dim roar

Of their anguish

Which seemed to release

The tension that had built

Inside me

And I, as well, rested.

Peace and Purpose

After the storms have passed

There is peace.

After the storms have passed

There is rest.

Sometimes

It is best

To sit

And contemplate

The peace

Rather than to 

Rush headlong

Down the same

Worn paths.

In the peace after the storm

Seek purpose.

In the peace after the storm

Seek meaning.

Then

You can best

Determine

The path

Forward

To the next

Adventure

Awaiting

Just ahead.

One Step at a Time

In this world of anger, hate and fear,

Seek peace in contentment.

Follow the path set for you

One step at a time --

Even when you seem to be alone.

"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

Contemplation

Way down in the pasture

Is a place I like to go

That makes me feel I'm stepping back in time.

I no longer hear the highway

With the people passing by

On their way to spend or make another dime.

It's a place where birds are singing

And their music fills the air

While shuffling critters go about their way.

I can sit in quiet wonder

As the time rolls silent by

And think upon the beauty of the day.

Peaceful Presence

There are pathways in my mind

Where I walk in silent thought,

Lost.

There I am surrounded by

An encompassing cocoon of

Peace.

It is then I feel the

Comforting presence of

God.

Rare Moments

As I peer into the dimming sky

At the setting of the sun,

Before the stars appear on high,

Before the day is done,

There is a moment

When the world stands still.

Gather Around

In this world that has become divided

By the fractiousness of power,

Be the one to gather around you

Those in need of protection,

Those who are different,

Those whose experiences don't match your own,

Those from whom you will learn

Wisdom.

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." -- 1 Peter 3:8-9

All Is Well

Clinging to the ground,

The soft white blanket

Shrouds the distant creek bottom

In mystery

And silence

As the rising ball of fire in the east

Approaches the lifting curtain

Of morning.

All is well.

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Organizing Thoughts

Sometimes you need a spot of shade in which to sit

And contemplate.

There's nothing like blue sky and green grass

And quietness

To aid one's mind in the drift to rolling scenes

Of remembrance.

The images that shift and morph across the inner screen

Need organization

Which takes time and a lack of distraction

For placing

In their proper context that they may be recalled

As needed.

Time spent thinking helps us to find

The patterns

That escape us when we rush from place to place

In busyness

That stacks information sequentially

As occurrences

Rather than contextually in a manner

That connects

Disparate events recorded in our passage

Through life

So that they may be recalled as needed

For solutions

To new things we might face as we continue on

Our journey.

In the Meadow

Sometimes we need a refuge

Where we collect our thoughts;

A place that quietly puts our minds at ease.

Mine is in the meadow

With the cattle all around me

Grazing in the shade beneath the trees.

It must be their contentment

That permeates the air

To take away the things that fill my mind

As I listen to the munching sounds

And birds up in the trees

A piece of that serenity I find.

We need such places in our life

Where peace can fill our soul

And take away the cares we find on earth.

As the burdens lift away

And hearts are freed once more

We find again a deepened sense of worth.

Worth It

Sometimes I have to take the time
To sit there in the shade
And look across the landscape
That the hand of God has made.

The cares upon my mind
Just seem to fade away
And I find that I have rested
In the middle of the day.

We must have a need
That is wired into our soul
To touch His Holy Presence
As we work toward the goal

Of living out our calling
While here upon the earth.
It is only in His Hands
That we can realize our worth.

Not For This World

Have you ever felt as though you were sitting still yet moving at the speed of light?  It is as though everything around you is in constant motion -- including yourself -- and yet there is a peace and stillness that you sense that you are calmly sitting in.  If you do not believe that God holds your life in His hands, you probably have not experienced that peace.

Sometimes I get a glimpse of utter serenity.  Maybe it is just my simple mind letting things flow by me.  I don't think so.  I think it is because I know deep down that God is in control and that everything is filled with purpose.  I know that in all that happens, God is working for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). 

1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going." -- John 14:1-4

This world is only temporary.  Live for eternity -- not for the things of this world.

Life is good.

A Lonely High Place

It has seemed like a long week. I headed for Kansas on Monday and worked there for a few days before working my way back south. I had numerous good sales calls which should have me fired up but for some reason it just hasn't been that way. I think I need to go find a high place and sit awhile.

Sometimes I have the need to climb a hill and just sit and stare off into the distance. That probably seems strange to most people but there are plenty of others like me. You find them in National Parks or on river banks or on horseback. They generally feel comfortable alone. They need space. They need time to think.

It seems sometimes
The clutter in my head
Needs airing out.

Those are the times
I find a lonely place
And sit a think.

Perhaps to say I think
Is a mischaracterization
Of what I do.

A better description
Might be to say
I spend some time just being.

For those of you not familiar
With what just being entails,
It is the opposite of doing.

The best thing about just being
Is that the clutter in my mind
Gets organized

And my thoughts become clearer
Until the peace that enters in
Allows me to hear God.