Through The Front Picture Window

Android or IPhone One is not superior Just learn how they work I own an Android Very few function problems It suits all my needs Different not better Android, more cost effective For our family IPhones are good too So I hear, never owned one Different not better

Love, laughter, tears, hope Memories intense, hazy Family and friends

Strong feelings matter Let your voice not be silent Change flows from the heart The heart speaks volumes Speak, sing, write, communicate Those who need to, hear!

Sunrises, sunsets, sunlit beaches, sparkling lakes and streams, early morning dew on the lawn, riotous colored flower gardens Clear moonlit star spangled nights, soft winds singing through wind chimes,  street lights and porch lights glowing in the dark Lightning bugs glistening in the lawn and in the trees, heat lightning, sun reflecting off new snow, sun shinning through a frosted pane of glass Rainbows at the end of storms, neighbors helping neighbors, winter blue skys over the ocean, cardinals, hummingbirds and butterflies Finding someone  who loves you, an engagement ring, a wedding, a baby's smile, friends who lift your spirits during hard times and times of celebration Art, music and dance, an innocent loving soul, a well written poem or story, good triumphing over evil, the love of a pet for their human. Love.

Pretty little May left with a monster of a throw down Our neighborhood of older trees had branches and limbs broken and blown down. The storm came with hard blinding rain It came with whirlwinds I hope to never see again Streets were blocked with trees and debris Some utility poles came down and there was a fire up  in our neighbor's tree A limb was hanging on their electrical wires sparking a fire After several frantic complaints and calls the power was cut and calmed the wires A few hours of inconvenience was preferable to going up in flames If I hadn't complained about it to 911 six times we would have been the ones to blame People kept knocking on our door complaining about the electrical fire It didn't matter it wasn't our yard, people came to us to do what was required In the end, neighbors pulled together to clear tree limbs and branches out of the  streets Delmarva and tree service companies replaced poles and cut away trees which was no small...

James, William called Specks, Charles, and John Fought in the"Great War" and now are gone Two in the Army, a Paratrooper and a Marine All four came home from places where life was brutal in the extreme Four families were raised, some close some farther away The war was rarely if ever spoken about at home in those bygone days My father was James, and only in his last months here on earth Did he speak about the beach where men died with eyes open wide while on their rifles they were perched War heroes die on the battlefield every day Some here in our streets and some in countries far away War on crime or war overseas There are people in uniform protecting you and me James and his brothers are just a handful of men That served their country when it needed them So I put out four flags every Memorial Day A small salute for a debt that can't be repaid

Returning home from my weekly women's breakfast and what do I see? A heating and plumbing truck blocking my driveway and it wasn't for me! I honked my horn and waited patiently As it finally  moved out of the way and I was free To pull into my driveway and I hoped they'd stay away but it wasn't to be. When I came out an hour later to go shopping my driveway again wasn't clear and free. The same truck was blocking it and this time they almost wouldn't move for me. I expressed my displeasure at where they chose to be and, If they did it again I would cause trouble, believe you me! Upon my return they were nowhere that I could see. The end of my driveway was clear and free. That made a much more relaxed and happier me.

In layman's  terms, grace is an undeserved kindness bestowed on someone. An example of this could be drivers allowing you to cut across two lanes in rush hour traffic so you can make your left turn without blowing their horns at you. It can also be, replacing your surly child's iPod shuffle, if in fact you were the one who lost it, or even worse, someone at school damaged it.    If God can extend grace to us after the way we treated and continue to treat His Son, then we need to do so to others in our life.  I'm not saying be open to violence and abuse. What I am saying, is you don't know why some people are acting stupidly, as in the driving situation, or angrily as in the iPod situation. Give people a break and be gracious to them. I know that sometimes graciousness is the best revenge, but your motive should always be to do it because it's the right thing to do.     Hurting people tend to try to pass that hurt onto others. Sometimes being gra...

Perfectly standing In the middle of the lawn Snatched, saved, in a vase.

Blue sky through dark clouds Purple flowers dust the lawn Melodic bird song Sun beams dance through leaves Diamond dust on lakes glisten His presence is clear Prayers amidst rubble He still is risen indeed Christ needs no buildings

Visiting a new place Seeing a new face Experiencing life at a different pace That's the stuff wisdom and tolerance are made of Tasting different foods and flavors New sights, sounds , and aromas to savor Which tour to take, what activity do I favor This is the stuff excitement and joy are made of Learning a new language to speak Changing driving skills just a tweak Being bold in road choices, not meek This is the stuff fearless adventures are made of When visiting a new place you just never know How much you will learn and grow So if I were you I'd take a deep breath and just go!

Anger and fury can mask the all too painful truth that lies encrusted with icy numbness, and razor sharp  sarcasm. A truth that at one time was so easily felt and expressed. A truth that was evident so many years ago and yet wasn't it just yesterday? Last night I heard a song called "7 years."One of the lyrics said, "I was 7 once". It was about a boy going through different stages of life, and for the first time in over a year I felt past my anger and fury and I started to cry. Funny how I thought I had cried myself dry, and for a time I had. I guess my pain was just in self imposed remission. If I stayed angry I stayed strong. The only problem with that, is it doesn't allow you to grieve and feel the pain of love and loss. It's difficult to love someone who has difficulty understanding and expressing genuine love. Even harder when they make dangerous and foolish choices. So I grieve for the innocent childhood that is past, and the foolhardy ...

Why do people bury or lock up their treasure? It seems to me keeping it safe keeps the owners under too much pressure You need to remember where you put it and how to get there If locked in a safe, with whom is the combination shared? If you can't enjoy your wealth what good is it? Wealth that is hidden is like a comedian without wit. Your wealth is your friends, family, talent, money, gold or jewels All of which should be enjoyed and shared, love should rule There are those who love to search for treasure underground To them I would say get your head up and look around Why do you spend your life looking for that one big find? The wealth and truth you seek won't give you peace of mind Life is about sharing, caring and believing the Word Treasure hunting outside of your own backyard can become absurd.

You're born shaking, crying, reaching, hungering, not focusing, pastor baptizing, more crying Next Rolling over, sitting up, creeping,  crawling, pulling up, walking, running Next Crying, laughing, babbling, pointing, grunting, yelling, echoing, speaking Next Listening, thinking, playing, learning, creating, smiling, praying, dreaming Next Schooling, socializing, labeling, studying, writing, playing, singing, laughing Next Studying, frowning, worrying, testing, cliquing, partying, graduating Next More schooling, more partying, degree earning, working, saving, dreaming, owing Next Car buying, loan paying, bill paying, socializing, dating, planning Next Engaging, praying, planning, inviting, wedding, marrying, honeymooning Next Lives meshing, clashing, praying, mending, growing, loving Next House buying, mortgaging, pet owning, vacationing, relaxing, smiling Next Adopting, happy, joyus, exciting, crying, pained, praying, angry, forgiving, f...

That which you can perceive through your senses That which your mind constructs within the present tenses That is what reality is made of That which the mind can conceive and the heart can believe That which the hand can create, construct and achieve That is what reality is made of Different people with different perceptions Different perceptions with different expectations This also is what reality is made of Where you choose to live is governed by laws Break those laws and you are punished for your flaws This is what harsh reality is made of If we exist then so does God the creator We will learn the truth of that sooner or later This is what the ultimate reality is made of.

Sunlight through still life Eye catching, unexpected Shadow on the wall

We agreed you would follow me home in your car You pulled out and drove around and I pulled out in front of you I assumed you would stay behind me and follow me I drove a few hundred yards and looked back and you weren't there Where did you go? I pulled off the road, you called and I explained how to get where I was Again you pulled in I pulled in front of you and this time you followed me 3 miles and a few cars between me and you later I made a turn, I lost sight of you, I pulled off the road again Where did you go? I called you and told you where I was You found me again I gave you directions if we got separated again I pulled out in front of you and you stayed behind me the rest of the way to my home I didn't have to wonder where you went We had a wonderful visit and when it was done I gave you explicit driving directions I said to follow me You were behind me and saw me make a left turn and for some reason, not known to me, you turned right Where did ...

Frosted gold sunrise Intense, softened and diffused God's holy painting

Let God's sheer curtains soften reality's hard glare Work is a grind so have some wine If wine isn't for you then chocolate will have to do If chocolate's not your liking then try biking Let God's sheer curtains soften reality' s hard glare You owe bills and your joints are aching Take a pill, say a prayer, God has joy in the making No pets at home and you're feeling all alone Journal, watch TV, call some friends on the phone Let God's sheer curtains soften reality' s hard glare For drug addiction and mental illness there is no easy fix If you're the caretaker stay out of their mix Sometimes you need the police to come around Just to make sure you stay safe and sound Residential programs are a help but satisfaction isn't guaranteed The patient has to want the help so take care of yourself, take heed Let God's sheer curtains soften reality' s hard glare Sometimes feeling wrong is the right way to go Decisions c...

Two Chubby cardinals sitting in my mind Two chubby cardinals now on the internet for all time The male came first starting at his pointy head to his longish tail The female came next, a little duller than the male They were created with color pencils on a cold snowy day All puffed up keeping warm in my pictorial display If they make you smile or chuckle just a bit Then I've done my job, that's my story and I'll be sticking to it.

It started faintly a few flakes at a time Then a mist of white ever so fine Soon it fell heavier with no wind or sound It clung on the trees, rooftops and ground Nothing particularly amazing as snow storms go No big drifts , no deep accumulation for the blower to blow The streets were salted as the snow continually fell down Making a Currier and Ives lithograph of our town.

Seas of thick clouds in the early morning swirl at their ends and sides like waves breaking upon the beach at low tide Sunlit blue peepholes are seen through the ebb and flow of the wavelike clouds as past the window they glide This is where God and His angels surely reside!

When lightning bugs come out to play That is where I want to stay They fly up and down and every which way I try to catch them and make them stay I used to put them in a jar And close the lid so thy couldn't go far Most times I'd count how many I'd caught Then open the lid for the freedom they sought God' glittering light show at the end of the day That's the lightning bugs, when they come out to play.

Blustery March has come and gone Mud and water replaced by shoots and blooms Vibrant plumed cardinals sing their beautiful tunes Dog walkers, fit bit walkers, bike riders abound While tall and high grows the lawn Flame red tulips have appeared out of sun dried clay Hostas keep pushing up through the mud cracked ground Carpenter bees bounce against the window pane The riding mower levels the lawn in a rhythmic motion Beauty and calm are restored as neighbor children come out to play

We live in the Magnolia House on a particular Drive Long may it continue to inspire happiness and thrive It has given several families much needed comfortable shelter From winter's freezing chill and summer's blazing swelter In the spring the magnolia trees beckon to us while they're in bloom We sit in their shade content to read and breathe their perfume The soft breezes ruffle the petals and send them floating to the ground It's quiet and refreshing without making a sound There's a patio by our shed sheltered by an elderly  beige  picket fence In the Spring tulips grow near it with a red color so intense Summer brings hanging baskets and planters full of  plants and flowers Chairs with a table and umbrella give us shade and shelter from passing showers Spring brings clusters of wild flowers to the side yard, with blue and purple hues I love taking their picture and enjoying the sumptuous view Too soon it becomes overgrown and it has to be mowed down Until then I a...

Stop the busyness of the power walk Stop and breathe in God's love Don't just do something, stand there! Remove the ear buds Listen to the symphonic bird song Don't just do something, stand there! Turn off the cell phone Be with God alone Don't just do something, stand there! Stop worrying about what needs to be done You don't have to walk or run Don't just do something, stand there! Feel the warmth of the sun And the shade of the trees Don't just do something, stand there! Experience the glory that is God! Revel in His handiwork, so please Don't just do something, stand there! Stand and be awed Stand and be transformed, and always remember Don't just do something, stand there!

Open curtains, open morning skies Sun rising in glorious warmth and hues Sun bathing while sitting inside on my easy chair, who knew? Open curtains, open noontime skies Bright azure with scattered puffy white clouds I could stare for hours and sigh right out loud Open curtains, open twilight skies Full moon rising, softly brightening the sky Dark passing clouds seem like smoke swirling by.