CrossLight is here!

In the wee hours of this morning, I began a new blog:

http://crosslight2011.blogspot.com/

Please let me know if you'd like to read these entries as I write them: that way we can encourage each other in our Jesus-journeys. 


Dear NLSC readers and kingdom community companions,
I'm f-i-n-a-l-l-y ready to admit that I'm struggling spiritually. May our living LORD help us all....

EP and WB

WB is my gym partner, sister in Christ and dear friend. I am thankful
for her faithfulness (sometimes even at 7 a.m.) and appreciate our
mutual accountability.

(Okay, the truth: I'm not a morning person, and yet WB endearingly
puts up with my less than sweet-natured self for the first hour of the
day a couple of times a week...and then treats me to steeped tea at
Tim's after gym! I do love that girl.)

Serenity

The sunset kept getting more beautiful.

Leo

I bought this T-shirt in the Kruger Park for my sweetie pie's birthday.

Birthday sunset

A perfect end to a perfect day.

Balcony view

Photo taken at the home of our "balcony friends"--the kind who cheer
you on when the going gets tough (and feed you your favourite food on
your birthday).

Birthday rusks

Robin's favourite kind: home made!

Birthday boy and Amy B

Just dessert

Peach cobbler fresh from WB's oven...

Birthday supper

Curry and rice on Robin's birthday--WB is a wonderful chef!

Birthday supper with our stripey friends

Norma's treat

Norma, owner of Norma's Place, treated Robin to a mixed berry scone
fresh out of the oven for his birthday today. :-)

And when I went to pay after our meal, she wouldn't let me. What a
sweetie she is.

403-932-4413

Go to Norma's in Cochrane!

Norma's Place

Go there! Norma is a sweetie and her food is wonderful.

Norma's birthday brunch

RP and I went to Norma's for a birthday brunch this morning.

Fresh from GB garden

A birthday bouquet or two.

Happy birthday, Robin!

Cherries on top...

... or rather, just outside our door.

Apparently they make tasty jam. Come on over and pick some!

Nanking cherries

I think these are cherries growing outside our front door ... they're
sweet-tart and I've been eating them for years, so I assume they're
not poisonous!

Happy Birthday, Robin!

Robin's friend, Bill, popped in to say happy birthday and brought a
couple of Tim Horton's iced cappuccinos along. Here the guys are
sitting on our deck enjoying a break in the afternoon sunshine. It's
27ºC out there!

See the pretty blue flow'rs on the background? They're delphiniums
from our garden, in preparation for our landlords' visit tonight.

Friday treasures

Yesterday my writing partner, EGM, and I went out to clear our heads
(we're both involved in deadline-driven work this week and next), and
joyfully (re)discovered some of Cochrane's treasures.

Pictured here:
Bernie's Bavarian Bakery for sustenance during our explorations; the
recycling depot where we found numerous suitable books at a ridiculous
price (they were priceless); Opa! for a lovely lunch of spanakopita
and salad, and a scenic drive along one of Cochrane's main roads, past
the eternally flapping flag central to our splendid town.

Not pictured here:
the charming Nan Boothby Library (for more priceless books); and a
charming little place called something like "Cochrane Home Treasures":
every nook and cranny crammed with further treasures (and, you guessed
it, books).

All in all, a fun and fruitful day.

Cochrane park treasures

Last week I took my camera for a walk through one of our local green
spaces; we are blessed with parks galore in our pretty town of 15,000.

"unexpected rainbows"

This morning I received a most unexpected rainbow in the form of a blog post from an inspiring writer-friend who lives in the east; join us both in finding your own "unexpected rainbows" today.

{Thanks, EB. Your delightful post fully captures the purpose of our little book of hippo and unicorn letters. It also reminded me that 2007--publication date--was a long time ago. 'Tis time for my next letter-book, methinks!}

unexpected rainbows

Ever read something that just grabs a hold of you and won't let go? The first time I ever read Lord of the Rings was like that. So was Terry Brooks' Shannara series. The Bible, well, let's just say that God has a way of bringing all those different authors together to make something amazing that no publisher on earth could ever dream of duplicating.

I was reading a wonderful book the other night (The Hippo and the Unicorn - co-authored by my good friend Elaine Phillips) and came across the phrase "unexpected rainbows". It referred to those things that we see around us that bring us joy, especially when we are not expecting it. Often, they are the biggest, yet we often miss them unless we take the time to stop, look and listen. It got me thinking, as the two friends in the book shared their favourite things that bring them joy, there are many things that bring a smile to my face and for which I am truly blessed to be able to enjoy. It is but a small taste.

- sunrise on the water
- a gentle spring rain
- books (sometimes I just like to smell them)
- the laughter of children (innocent and truthful)
- the sound of darkness

- long overgrown paths (they are full of promise and mystery for me)
- spiderwebs covered with the morning dew
- ice-cold water (nothing is more refreshing)
- a library (it is so full of knowledge just waiting to be discovered)
- silence

- underdogs (I'm a sucker for these movies)
- the tartness of anything made with lemons (meringue pie)
- glistening snow, untouched by man or beast
- the feeling of freshly cleaned sheets at the end of a long day
- a kiss from the one you love

- Brandenburg Concerto played by Yo Yo Ma
- ocean waves lapping on the shore
- a brook deep in the woods
- memories of my grandparents
- running (especially in the rain)

- the beautiful game
- secret passageways (I've always dreamt of having one in my house)
- eagles, hawks and other birds of prey
- the brave little tailor (my favourite book as a child--I wanted to be him)
- movie previews (continue to capture my attention)

- fire
- the magic of spring
- how quiet it is after a snowfall
- castles
- all of God's promises exhibited in the rainbow

- comfortable silence (two people can be in the same room and not have to speak)
- the power of a thunderstorm
- dragonflies
- creating a new name that has meaning only to you
- poetry

- clouds with definite borders (cumulonimbus in particular)
- golfing early in the morning
- eating blueberries right off the bush (reminds me of my grampie)
- waking up without an alarm clock
- early morning mist in the hollows

These are but a few of the things that bring me joy, that I don't often remember at the time, but will be more aware of in the future. I suggest you follow the example of Hroshi and Evangeline. Take time to look up, listen to the sounds around you and capture a little of the joy that God intended for all of us.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31).

If it is very good for Him, might it be good enough for us?

I most emphatically think so!

~ by EB

The scent of rain

Last night I curled up on our bed to listen to the rain, almost straight after supper, and promptly fell asleep--before 8:30.

I LOVE stormy weather (always have, since I was a child) and was devastated to hear of a South African visiting Canada who was struck by lightning recently.

Despite being fully dressed, and in spite of the thunder rumbling through my open window, I slept soundly ... and awoke eleven hours later, refreshed and alert for the first time in days.

Late last night a friend wrote: "When that thunderstorm came by tonight, did you smell it? It was just the most cool, clear and alive smell in the air. I could have drunk it by the bucketful." {Thanks, EGM.} A beautiful description, and yes, I find the scent of rain and the electric power of lightning and the familiar grumble of thunder intoxicating. I wilt in the heat of our all-too-brief summer, and the rainstorm was just what my body needed to fully recover.

Today I'm hard at work, back in the swing of things, catching up on some long overdue projects and attempting to meet the deadlines of new ones ... while listening to the gentle demands of my writer's soul. And paying attention.

 

The oxygen of writing

Since my return from Africa earlier this month, I've noticed (as have others) that I'm taking a long time to settle down again.

 

I seldom struggle with jet lag as intensely or for as long as I have this time, and I'm often nostalgic and reflective. Hours--days--go by without me talking (unless "What would you like for supper?" and "Please pass the salt" and "Will you answer the phone?" count as conversations). Yes, dear Reader, I know this is hard to believe. Try.

 

I've spent weekly quality time with my close circle (gym and accountability partners, special family friends, a couple of neighbours and the odd colleague), and I've attended three birthday celebrations involving good food and great company, but by and large I've been a hermit ... and I'll most likely remain reclusive until further notice.

 

I am reluctant to answer the phone which seems to ring ceaselessly {and no, Ms. Ip, this will not be the year I get a cell phone--thanks for the offer to buy me one for Christmas!} and I've even gone so far as switching my computer off one day a week: a practice I once enjoyed but dispensed with due to the complaints of critics. What on Google Earth did we do without the wonders of modem technology for all those centuries?! 

 

My spouse thinks I've been away from home and hearth too long; my sister (to whom I just spoke) thinks it's time to book my next air ticket to Africa; and I think this trip has changed me in ways I'm only now awake enough to explore.

 

One thing is certain: I've wanted to be a writer for years (since I was seven, actually), and when I finally brought out a short and sweet co-authored book in 2007 I was ... relieved. But since then I haven't written as regularly as my soul would like; I confess my writing is largely a hit-and-miss affair. To remedy this appalling situation, I've drawn up a Writing Plan to share with my accountability partner on the morrow, and I'll take it from there.

 

I have the ideas--they rouse me from my slumber in the wee hours--and I definitely have enough words to share (!) but often I lack the discipline, the routine and the respect for my own writing-as-work. These past few weeks have found me longing, yearning, aching to write.... And so my journey has once again begun in Earnest (a sleepy town outside Calgary). 

 

Best friends since 1979

Here Bronwyn and I are drinking tea in her mom's garden, and
reminiscing about our long companionship since childhood. It's hard to
believe we met more than thirty years ago! Last year this time we
celebrated three decades of friendship.

My cousin, Leanne, was at primary [elementary] school with Bron's
older sister, Glynnis; and when I moved from Kempton Park in 1979
[Grade 3] to a new school in Bedfordview, Bronwyn was in my class.

Oh, happy day!

One of our very first encounters involved trading sandwiches (or
"swopping sarmies" as we would have said then); Bron had Provitas with
cheese and I had brown bread with peanut butter and syrup--or vice
versa!--and each of us preferred the other's lunch.

And that's how it all began, if memory serves me well...

My best friend

This is one of my favourite photos of Bronwyn taken in her mom's
garden during my June visit.

Picking flow'rs in Pretoria

One of my favourite things to do is pick flow'rs for friends (from
their own gardens!) and present them as a posy.

'Tis always well received. :-)

{Bron, how I wish I could offer you a fresh bouquet today!}

Raiding Mientjie's garden

On the phone today Mientjie said the bouquet of flow'rs I picked from
her garden lasted two whole weeks!
She and Malcolm drove up to Bostwana to surprise Bron on her birthday.
{Nice talking to all the Hills and Wilsons today!}

Wave your flag!

Bronwyn and I were driving in Pretoria on a sunny Saturday in June
when we saw this colourful flag-seller.

Wave your flag! (I feel a song coming on...)

RSA flag

My sister bought this South African flag for me from a street vendor
and delivered it as a parting gift at the airport. I'd seen this
particular one with its World Cup border a few times and asked her to
keep an eye out for a replica.

{Thanks, M'ri.}

It now adorns the stairwell of our home and is the first thing we see
upon opening the front door. Isn't it cheerful?