Saturday Smiles

It's late. The rest of the house is sleeping, but clearly not the rest of the world. Through my open bedroom window, I could hear the coyotes calling to each other a while ago, but they have long since hushed themselves to join me in eavesdropping on the nearby shindig. It's a rare occurrence to hear such a hullabaloo on a street inhabited exclusively by my family and retired couples; my best guess is that it's echoing down to our street from somewhere up the hill. If the music is any indication, they're re-shooting a saloon scene from an old western movie. The bass is plunking away with a tune I'm pretty sure is straight out of "Bonanza," and there is singing, shouting, and dogs barking. I can't help but smile at the sound.

But it's just been a smiling sort of Saturday! Other smiles were...

1. My new print from Kaytch, with C.S. Lewis' quote: "Courage, dear heart."

2. My wee rose bush! I thought I had totally killed it, and was so sad! But now, after a couple weeks of babying it, these tiny little leaves magically appeared. I'm ridiculously excited about them. Aren't they cute??

3. This new marking on my calendar! I get to go see my dear friend in 3 weeks!! She may have only been gone a short time so far, but I'm already missing her to pieces and glad to have a countdown!

4. The glorious warmth and sunshine today.

5. ...and getting to spend the lovely day with this wonderful girl!

What have your smiles been today?

Smiles for a Friday!

Lord's Lass will return to its regular programming next week. The AWOL authoress has been on spring break, and enjoying the delights of travel and sunshine far more than is good for her. Monday marks the beginning of schedule and order again. ;)

But in the meantime, here are some of my Friday smiles!

1. Flowers. Carnations, to be exact (my equal-favorite. with Gerbera daisies). Because they were a good price at the store and I couldn't resist!

2. New, super-comfortable, PURPLE Born shoes! :D

3. Chalk paint to give Dottie (new laptop!) a fresh & happy look!

4. Tulips blooming in the front!

5. Happy music!! {great for cleaning the room and getting projects done!}

6. This nearly-done project!

7. A week with weather like this....

...in which you can drive with the windows down...

...and music up...

...and freeze to death, but be completely happy...

...cuz the sunshine is warm, and it's only the breeze that's remembering winter!

8. Also food. The sugar-free chocolate cake Rachel made. Coffee with my cleaning-gang-girls at Old Town Battle Grounds. Fruit!! {no pictures, because these things don't exactly last long...}

What's making you smile today?

{Psalm}

My "proper" post will be on Wednesday this week. In the meantime: a meager collection of words seeking to describe something for which the words have not been formed...

With awe, I feel this quiet

Creep over my soul again,

Transcending all angst and chaos

And settling deep within.

One moment - 

One moment is all I feel,

Though many are floating by.

The wind blust'ring 'round

And the sun-kisses, warm,

Have buried me deep in the sky.

And there, in the still, is my quiet,

Looking down at the spark'ling blue.

For the heavens declare such a glory:

All creation's in awe of You.

There's nothing -

There's nothing my pen can write

(For never will words be found),

Explaining the thrill

And the deafening joy

Of a praise that by silence, sounds.

October in the Northwest!

October has begun,

And with it now has come

The days of golden light.

 

The Autumn now has come,

And with it has begun

The days of family hikes!

On Friday, we began our annual Afternoon-Hike-Family-Pizza-Movie-Night October tradition ~ and the weekend responded nicely with some stellar weather! Smith & Bybee Lakes were the walk of choice (that is to say, since option #1 was closed due to fallen trees), and we were awed by the incomparable beauty of the place we live! Great blue herons, white egrets, and various ducks (seen from a distance) floated on the lakes, and the deep, October sunshine warmed us right to our toes. It is on days like these that I wish I could soak the sunshine deep inside, but alas, I am not a flower.

 

 

 

As we walked through the high grass, a sudden serenade of music exploded behind me, which I recorded and now present to you as the sound of the Coder Boys in their natural habitat:

 

 

To really put a seal on our awe of God's amazinglybeautifulspectaculartherearenowordstodescribeit creation, yesterday afternoon was again lovely, and we set off as adventurers to a new hike: Latourell Falls! Kaytch joined us this time, and as we marched through the trees up to the falls, the woods resounded with laughs, songs, and "would dad count this as a trail?" (which translates to "can we go exploring here, or not?"). It was equally lovely, and the sunset at the end, well...you shall see...

See? Totally unequalable! I love the Northwest. :)

What are you doing with your Autumn weather?

Speech of Sunlight

{photo}

No contrast could be greater. Outside, the wind was racing about, shooting forth such icy threats that even the clouds huddled together in dark, frightened mass, shivering off raindrops in their distress. Yet, inside, a sunshine of words permeated the air, warming the soul as the sweet cups of coffee hugged between our fingertips warmed the body. Joy, awe, and praise ~ they darted from her eyes and sparkled out of her voice as she told of Christ's leading in the past year. She marvelled aloud. She testified through doubts. She declared the LORD's works.

Greedy, I hung on every word; her pleasure to speak such praise fuelling my desire to hear. This is the mystery of the LORD's hand: that to glimpse, to share, and to know it consume one's being so fully as to render any other pursuit impossible. *"For we cannot," ejaculated Peter and John, "but speak the things which we have seen and heard." It is addiction in its untarnished state, obsession begging greater capacity, purpose worthy of our passion.

Lewis, in his Reflections on the Psalms, records his wonder at the joint compulsion and responsibility experienced in praise:

"I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought into check. The world rings with praise ~ lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside....
 

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are, the delight is incomplete till it is expressed."

Time, coffee ~ all was forgotten as excitement and awe at the ways prepared for us enveloped the room. Declaring the LORD ~ His character, His works ~ is our purpose, our "job." Yet, it is also the key to unequaled joy. What solemn privilege to us granted! What precious duty to us bestowed! Small wonder that to speak and hear of His ways deepens and fulfills every aching void within our soul.


{photo}

Yet, somehow, even so, there are rainy days. Icy moments. Weeks when blast after blast of frigid air batters the door, seeking entrance through even the smallest crevice. There are seasons when blue skies disappear. When mornings dawn shivering, and creep away in cold.

Seek sunshine.
 

Ready at every moment, waiting upon a choice, the warmth of spring and summer is always within reach ~ but it is not to be found in the frozen-silent, tight-lipped enjoyment of blessings. Sunshine abounds in the cloud of glorious words surrounding the King's throne: words of praise.

 

**"Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together."

 

Speak sunlight. Speak of the Son!

 

*Acts 4:20
**Psalm 34:3