I'm Addicted...

The palette of future rag rugs

...to color!

Ethan's "bedroom"

I'm trying to remember if I was always as enthralled with color as I am currently. Perhaps it comes with age...not taking so much for granted. I revel in the blue of the sky, the green of the fields, the amber and pinks of the sunrise and sunset.

Maybe I could blame this obsession with color on Ethan. In his infancy it was assumed that he was legally blind, so I went out of my way to provide him with plenty of visual stimulus.

My latest rug project

Within several years I had begun crocheting rag rugs to occupy the hours that accompanied Ethan's seizure sessions. Whatever the reasons, I'm hooked. (literally!) I seem to always be looking for opportunities to combine and exhibit colors, be it a rag rug, a towel set or a prayer board. 

                                           

A birthday gift for Andrea

 Very closely associated with my fascination with joining colors, are the themes of beauty, light and order. These may seem to be unrelated; but upon  further consideration, one sees the harmony and connection between these. For instance, without light, there would be no color. The order of color is displayed when light is refracted through a prism, or through water. What is more beautiful than a rainbow?! And, God's beauty and light are reflected in the same order every time! I could wax super-spiritual here; but I will allow your own imagination and meditation to carry you where it will. As for myself, I have adopted a  philosophy that seeks to incorporate color, beauty, illuminating light and order into my life and the lives of those I influence. I like to think that it reflects God Himself, the Author of these things.

"One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple." (Psalm 27:4)
"This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." (1John 1:5)
"Let all things be done decently and in order." (1Corinthians 14:40)

Time

I have a little, tattered, blue slip of paper that I have carried with me for at least 40 years. On it are these words:

Time is too slow for those who wait;

Too swift for those who fear;

Too long for those who grieve;

Too short for those who rejoice;

But, for those who love,

Time is not.

(source unknown)

Time is, indeed, a mysterious dimension that can plague and bind us mortal beings. It rushes on when we are not prepared. It seems to come to a standstill when life is the most unbearable.

Have you ever experienced what I call a "time warp"?  That's when some special occasion requires much thought and preparation and anticipation, then, when it's over there is a sensation of disorientation.  Now what? Where am I? What am I supposed to be doing? What is important?

Then, there are those times when you feel powerless and out of control, as though riding an inflatable raft through the rapids of the Colorado River...just hanging on for dear life, waiting, hoping to see how it will end.

In my determination to make Time my ally, rather than an enemy, I have come to several conclusions:

God is love.

I love God.

God is eternal.

I want to live with Him, eternally.

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 1:21)

Now How Did THAT Happen???

Apparently, I allowed an entire year to go by without posting on this site. Was it an especially busy year? It would seem so.

For me, it has been a year of reflection and assessment and adjustment. After all, I'm not getting any younger. I have been learning to cope with the challenges that come with an older body and mind, while at the same time, spurring on four, energetic boys and encouraging three grown daughters and one struggling veteran-son. I am finding new ways to contribute, communicate, create and express myself.

I'm mindful of the verse: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" in Ecclesiastes 3.

There are phases to life and this year I've sensed a shifting into the next phase.

Grand-parenting is one joyous aspect of this phase! We were particularly remiss in introducing our lovely little granddaughter, Laura Rose Reber, when she joined the family last March. Shame on us. She and Louis aren't quite a year apart. Their relationship is absolutely precious to behold. She dotes on him, imitates him, depends on him; and, he is all too happy to entertain, coddle and protect her. I am extremely grateful for the privilege to have them in such proximity as to touch their lives at least on a weekly basis.

It finally occurred to me that there was no longer any reason why I should not join Howard in regularly donating blood. Please read his eloquent treatise on his "Howard's Harangue" here:
http://howardsharangue.blogspot.com/2008/08/giving-life.html
This has been a rewarding experience, especially since we treat it like a date. :)

Communication has always been of utmost importance to me, hence the addition of the use of Facebook, as well as our blogs. Paper and pencil are still my favorite media; but, it is rare to find someone else who agrees. So, I'm learning to manage my "fellowship" and correspondence time over the Internet.

I have never experienced boredom, to which I so frequently hear young folks refer. I always seem to have more "on my plate" than time permits. The "trick" is to manage and prioritize wisely. It would appear that keeping this blog busy with entries simply fell to the bottom of my list this past year. But, my thoughts have to come out somewhere, sometime; so, maybe "Mama's Musings" will be busier in the future!