The sun beating into my windows invited me to join those that were already up for breakfast, it was too gorgeous outside to stay in. I love this time of year! I have wanted to drive to Cherry Valley just for the sites and stop at the TeePee. So I did. The rolling green hills were beginning to reflect faint colors as if very slightly shadowed with a paste of pipe clay. So beautiful. I was right by Cooperstown so , of course I could not pass by it without stopping down by the lake and driving through town to the old stone covered bridge. The lake was a brilliant blue today, it is so amazing how the water seems to take on the mood of the sky – as if a mirror with an attitude. The blues had a fleet of white sail boats dancing next to each other along it’s calm surface , very peaceful to watch. This has always been one of my favorite places to come, I want to buy a house on the lake, someday. I count the bodies of water that I see each time I go this way-I pass at least 8 lakes and ponds. It is so peaceful by the water. I often can bring myself right back to this peace…each time I think about the beauty that I embrace. Please enjoy the beauty that is around you. Let us never take for granted that we can see all the beauty while we still are able to.

I was helping a beautiful, young woman in a wheelchair today, she is determined that she will walk again.. one day…I am sure she will. My mom used to say where there is a will, there is a way! The lady was thanking me and I just told her that I know very well what it is like to be immobilized. She cocked her head and asked “what do you mean?”I told her that I used to be bound to immobility by fear.. living in an abusive relationship. I was afraid to do anything on my own in fear of retaliation.Some people have a choice to walk every day in their back yard, down the street ,in a park and yet they may choose to sit and watch TV. Some people would rather watch TV reality shows than to actually live their own reality. I have become so aware lately of how I spend my time and trying to make some better choices with the use of my time for time is short. If we have a choice to be free, we hopefully make choices that we are content with. Let’s not let our emotions, fears, objects, people stop us from doing the very things that we were put on this earth to do.

Just returned from a visit to paradise, beach house on the ocean, beautiful pool and jacuzzi.  The deck upstairs seated white, wicker chairs that rocked by themselves in the ocean breeze- which was relentless and so relaxing. The first night the moon lit up the majestic waves as they crashed violently into the sandy beach-there was no creature hiding from the light of the moon that night! As days went on, the moon began to hide behind the clouds. Every day I went looking for the moon , but it was hiding. Many days had passed and lo there it was tossed upon the clouds, only now like a galleon sailing in the night sky. I remembered the words from “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes … “The moon was a ghostly galleon ..tossed upon cloudy seas…” I tried to take a picture of it but was unable to ..it slipped away under the clouds that carried it to another place…hiding.. A new day began as the sun burst open the horizon and brilliant colors of pinks, reds, yellows shimmered across the water. That galleon, never to be seen again!

What is brokenness to you? Is it something that is necessary for growth, life, or our faith? I am not talking about breaking someone’s person, as what happens in abuse. “There is a physical brokenness that is the result of human despair. I’m talking about bereavement, emotional pain, anguish that comes from physical afflictions. Yet the brokenness spoken of by Isaiah and the Psalmist refers to something other than human despair. They are speaking of spiritual brokenness.” (Wilkerson 4/26/2010) This speaks of a grieving of our spirits that any of us can sense when we look upon people who are making lots of mistakes with their choices for their lives. There seems to be blindness on their part and nothing that anyone says will change the course of their actions- except, of course if they, (themselves) stop; realize that they are on a path to destruction, turn the other way and change the course in history, change the course of their destiny.” If only you had accepted the things I said to you! It would have brought you my peace, my hope ,and purpose for your lives.” (Wilkerson 4/26/2010) I see so many lives like this. Lives that never choose to receive the life that they are supposed to have,  it often makes me cry. “Brokenness is also humility, and contriteness, and we do need such brokenness to keep walking in faith.” (Wilkerson 4/10)

Some of us may feel pummeled by those who continue to hurt or wound us inadvertently or willfully, day in and day out. Memories can also haunt us causing old wounds, unforgiveness, to spring up again and again. You are not alone! It seems like that child rises up inside of us and cries out for the same size piece of candy, or the same time alone with someone who nurtures us, or ample time with a favorite toy instead of practice time at the piano. Sometimes there is no candy, there are no nurturers, and there was never any toys in the house growing up. This is a great breeding ground of pain. True forgiveness is realizing the pain, grieving the loss of that thing that is causing the pain and saying “I choose to let you go”. I will not hold the memory of this inside of me. I will not seek revenge. We may very well need to “let go” several times a day and move forward. But in the end, we will be free, and the other person or (persons) will be in God’s hands.