My Friday Fave – Peonies

by Cathy Baker | Faith | 9 comments

Peonies

This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready
to break my heart
as the sun rises,
as the sun strokes them with his old, buttery fingers

and they open —
pools of lace,
white and pink —
and all day the black ants climb over them,

boring their deep and mysterious holes
into the curls,
craving the sweet sap
taking it away

to their dark, underground cities —
and all day
under the shifty wind,
as in a dance to the great wedding,

the flowers bend their bright bodies,
and tip their fragrance to the air,
and rise,
their red stems holding

all that dampness and recklessness
gladly and lightly,
and there it is again —
beauty the brave, the exemplary
blazing open.
Do you love this world?
Do you cherish your humble and silky life?
Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?

Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden
and softly,
and exclaiming of their dearness,
fill your arms with the white and pink flowers,

with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling,
their eagerness
to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are
nothing, forever?

-Mary Oliver

In Christ, There Are No Strangers

by Cathy Baker | Faith | 5 comments

“It’s nothing like this in New York.”

While waiting for her groceries to be bagged, an older woman with a quick wit lectured the cashier and anyone else who would listen as to the various ways people “down here” are more helpful than the grocery attendants in NY.  Somehow she managed to segue into an Obama rant in mere seconds, instantly losing the interest of bystanders.

As I gently coaxed her out the door with me, I had the feeling I could’ve taken up a donation at that very moment and received enough money for Piper’s college education…but I digress.

With her car parked next to mine in the vast Publix parking lot, I sensed the need to trust God to keep my shrimp chilled since I was smack dab in the middle of a divine encounter.

The spunky woman described how difficult it was being a Christ-follower while living on the outskirts of NY for 35 years, and the freedom they’ve experienced since moving south. I, in turn, shared my concerns that many here stumble over the churches forged on every corner, confusing their exposure to a building with true salvation.

In those fifteen minutes, we never exchanged names but we did exchange laughter, community, encouragement — and our personal stories of salvation. Oh, the looks we received from passersby — but we didn’t care.

After adding one last concern for Christ followers during this election season, she thanked me for listening and said, “If Obama is elected, I’ll see you in heaven!”

I smiled and reassured her I’d see her there regardless of the outcome.

I wish I could say that I always pause to put people first, but too often I’m concerned about the perishables becoming goop in my grocery bags, staying on task, or checking off a “to-do” from my schedule. Sigh.

As we waved and drove away, I marveled at the sovereignty of God, the power of our personal stories, and the thread of familial ties that bind each of His children together…now and forever.

Judging by the Seeds, Not the Harvest

by Cathy Baker | Faith | 4 comments

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” -Robert Louis Stevenson

You may have read in past posts how some of my friends, who just happen to be writers, have taken a local waitress under their wings. From all indications, she does not have a personal relationship with Christ, but of course, only the Lord knows.

We’ve loved on her with generous tips, small gifts, kind words, and prayers — but last week’s table prayer was a first.

After asking the Lord to bless the French toast and bacon splattered across our plates (to which I sensed His response as “Really?”), I prayed for the health of our waitress, and then specifically for her to come to know Him. With that, we opened our eyes and discovered the waitress standing at the table waiting to fill our cups. I’m ashamed to say there was an immediate uneasiness within me. First, because it wasn’t how I’d imagined sharing the Gospel with her at some point, and secondly, because that “some point” had not come sooner.

I don’t know if her overhearing my prayer will reap a spiritual harvest, but I do know a seed was planted and now I pray for opportunities to continually water it with words of encouragement and however else the Lord leads.

The beautiful part of the story – of all our stories – is that the responsibility of the harvest lies with the Creator of the seeds. We’re called to plant and to water through a variety of ways, but God alone holds the power to bring forth the growth.

When Pride is a Good Thing

by Cathy Baker | Faith | 7 comments

(prd)  n.

The word “pride” sends shivers down my spine. I’ve never liked it, thanks to parents and grandparents who raised me to never shine the spotlight on myself — but on others — and with a family like this, I have many reasons to direct the spotlight in their direction.

First, Brian the hubster ran his first 5K this morning. He not only finished, but he broke his own record by finishing in a tad over 24 minutes. He’s been diligently training for weeks, and losing 20 lbs via Weight Watchers certainly helped in those efforts. So proud!   

And then here came Zach rounding the bend (below, in yellow). I thought I’d taken a closer shot of him. 🙁  Okay, I may not be a great photographer, but I am a proud mom.

The beaming continues…Our oldest son, Brandon, and his sweet wife, Megan, have decided to adopt from a little boy from Uganda! We’re incredibly excited for them, for our family, and especially for the little one God has already chosen to be a part of our family. We look forward to welcoming our grandson “home”…hopefully before Christmas? If you’d like to follow their journey, they’ll be chronicling it here. You’ll also find this link on my blog roll. 

And last, but certainly not least, while Sarah was using her snappy creative skills to help a friend yesterday, guess who got to keep Piper? Yep, you guessed it. 🙂

This wife, mom, mom-in-law, grammy, and grammy-to-be is one proud woman.