webs

It is autumn and the spider webs are everywhere.

Joy and Woe

Joy and woe are woven fine,

A clothing for the soul divine;

Under every grief and pine

Runs a joy with silken twine;

It is right it should be so;

Man was made for joy and woe;

And when this we rightly know

Safely through the world we go.

William Blake

Safely with your hand in His.

and just like that

the sun comes out

and everything looks different

rain

chickadee shakes the rain from his tail feathers

droplets rest on the morning glory

It is an inside sort of day

but even on inside days

we need to poke our heads outdoors

the anishaabe

Deep in our side yard, under stately pines and spruce trees, near the birch tree a few Anishaabe children are camped. Maangoonhs (little loon), Waaboz (little rabbit) and blue eyed boy Wawashkeshiinhs (small deer). The latter is a hunter and has hung toy beaver by the tail in his wigwam. Waaboz is also a hunter but has his puppy on his lap as he listens to his mother's stories. He prefers to take his spear and fish in the flower gardens. Maangoonhs is preparing herbs for the midday meal. The wigwams are shabby and the sheets and stuffed animals get collected quickly as the rain comes.

Lessons are learned as imaginations soar.

Lessons will be completed in front of the fireplace inside.

(names taken from anishinaabemdaa.com/diminutive.htm

where the language can be listened to.)

worship inside and out

And Jesus, in anger, swept out of the temple those who used God's house as a place of business and exploitation and also those who willing purchased their perceived salvation and who were thereby equally devoid of truth.

So who are we? The sellers or the purchasers or the children who shouted out the truth? Perhaps all our hearts need to be swept clean till the bare truth remains. Turned inside out. No longer to solely travel to our weekly place of worship and to practice our rituals of devotions but to truly understand and to live it out moment by moment each and every hour of every day. We and our children and our friends and our community.

These are the thoughts J. vanPopta left with me Sunday morning from inside our church

and I carried them with me outside during my walk with the children. Outside where God also speaks through the wind as it dances gold and purple through the wildflowers. Outside where birds soar and the grass hoppers leap. He speaks through the love of little ones as they gather blooms and shinny up trees. Here the breeze sweeps clean and fresh the corners of the mind and allows time to reflect.

Sweep out our hearts Lord! Fill our minds with wisdom!

sunflowerseeds

Norah took the photo of the blue jay.

someone asked me why I planted sunflower seeds...

I suppose because

they look exuberant

and cheery-

they grow fast

and they attract birds.

leaf, bloom, web

Lines, contrast, shape, repetition, colour

design

Creation speaks its Maker's Name