This is a tiger swallowtail butterfly. I spent hours with my little Identification book and that’s what I decided. If you know better, let me know.It’s such a beautiful butterfly, it reminds me of the grace and beauty of my mother. Mom was what society called “a lady”. As I grew up I had no idea what that meant. Did it means dresses and panty hose at all functions? Does being a lady mean politeness? Well, I wasn’t sure then and I’m still unsure.

For me, some descriptive words like “lady” are so subjective. Being a lady might be a sexist term to some. It isn’t a behavior term. Being a lady is more about service. Not that baking pies for the potluck is being a lady, more that seeing the potluck as a gift to lonely people and inviting those who have nothing to bring.

Recently I tried to get some silver place settings from my Grandmothers appraised for insurance. The guy actually laughed at me. He said, “Lady, nobody uses that stuff. Melt it down and figure out how much it’s worth.” I was being a lady when I saw the bigger picture. Of course, behavior wise I didn’t hit him either!!! I went right home and polished the silver for my Grandmas and for any use they might get or just because I could care for something. Maybe that’s the real definition of “lady” –someone who cares enough to try.

Here’s a little fellow that always makes me smile. This is a humming bird. He is so little it is hard to get perspective in this picture. But doesn’t he just look like he is in heaven.

Grand parenting seems easier to me in the summer. If I do see the kids it is around fun and time together. The school year seems fraught with holiday dos and don’ts and teams and lessons. There is an intensity to all those activities from Aug. to May.

When I was with the kids this summer, it was great. They climbed into bed with me in the morning. We added number three to grandma’s bed. “Me, too” is about to turn three. Although with two older siblings and being a girl I forget she’s not already three. My oldest grand son turns 8 this month.

Perhaps the most important celebration is on the 29th of Aug. It is the anniversary of the death of little Kenna, my granddaughter. It’s a quiet day for me. I have already said “no” to 3 invitations for the day. I’ll call my daughter and I’ll sit in the sun and hope that Kenna and my Mom are going on magic walks. Mom can teach Kenna about fairy paintbrushes and sing songs.

There I am just humming along buying birthday surprises and then it hits me. One of my darlings is missing. I am so glad she is with God.

This is Sweet William. It is so beautiful in it’s clusters of blooms. They come out so perfect and then the color starts to fade in each cluster and the individual blooms drop.

This reminds me of families. We are more beautiful when we cluster. Alone things start to fade. In a cluster we show a beauty that is God’s gift to the world.

As my husband and I learn to live without our kids and grandkids nearby, we recognize that we are still family. The world wants to define family as adults and children, but a widow who lives alone is family as are my husband and I. Families need to self define.

As you think of your sweet family, consider how it will change. It will always be family if you choose to call it such. Maybe that is what God meant by “family of God”.

Advocacy is as integral to discipleship as prayer and worship.

Weaving a Just Future for Children is a fascinating book by Diane C. Olson and Laura Dean F. Friedrich. Written from the perspective of the United Methodist Church, it has something to say to all of us who work with children and families. I know so many children and family workers who are true advocates, but do no see that as part of their role in the church.

This guide uses weaving images to discuss child advocacy from Biblical/Contemporary Stories, Practices /Tools and Discipleship/Vocation. I’m sure this has been brought out somewhere before, but it is the first time I have read this unique combination of the parts of being in service to God by advocacy.

Here’s some questions from each section. I’d love to know what others think.
1. Do you see these characteristics as part of the job description of people working with children in the church? Catalytic Connection, Persistence and Speaking Truth to Power, Initiative and Assertiveness, Courage and Strength

2. What do you think of the SWOT Analyses on page 85? SWOT stand for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. These are forces outside of the church that affect advocacy.

3. Do you consider advocacy for children as a vocation?

Even if you have not read the book. Find a question to comment about and then go buy the book!

This is a hairy woodpecker. He’s sitting in a dead branch checking out the horizon for any enemies. He’s also waiting in line for the suet feeder in our yard. Way up there, he’s seeing lots.

As I sit at the table in our Church Wide Assembly this week, I am amazed at the outlook. We are really unable to see very far into the future of the church. Statistics have changed how we do faith. Economics have changed how we do faith. The expectations of the people of faith for what the institution of the church has NOT changed. Much discussion is around control issues with services, money and beliefs.
We go to worship and let God bring us together. Then we return to tables and disagree. This is the process and it needs to happen.

Because I work with multiple denominations, I know that this push and pull of our wants and God’s work is evident in all denominations. The day-to-day existence of the building called church is dependent on money and there is fear that there will not be enough. It’s a hairy outlook, but it the reality of church today.

So it may be time to quit looking and just fly. We might need to let God send us forth with others and free ourselves from hanging onto dead wood. Hmmm…

This is a picture of a large blue scabiosa. I have mini yellow scabiosa and medium pink scabiosa in my garden. But I love these big blue guys. They give a whole different dimension to my garden both because of their size and because of their color.

Today I begin a weeklong journey called “Church Wide Assembly”. I will gather with others mostly sitting and listening. What makes this different than a church council meeting or a Christian education meeting is the size and the color. Smaller meetings that include Bible study, time with others from our Synod and time with complete strangers, surround the large group plenary sessions. The Church Wide Assembly gives a new dimension to my faith.

I hope there is something really large in your life that brings a new dimension to your faith. Maybe a mission trip overseas or writing a faith based curricula from the start or maybe even standing in front of others and talking about your faith journey. These “big” blooms in our faith life help balance our everyday faith experiences and relationships.

There was a little turtle that lived in a box
He swam in the water and he swam in the rocks
He snapped at a mosquito
He snapped at a flea
He snapped at a minnow
And he snapped at me.

He caught the mosquito
He caught the flea.
He caught the minnow.
But he didn’t catch me!
Author unknown

Okay I remember this from childhood and you may know different words. Or you may just have a better memory. Either way I have learned to love box turtles. I love the fact that at the slightest worry, they just pull everything into the box and ignore life.

In today’s worried world, many are pulling their heads into the box. They are being lead by fear and uncertainty. It is hard in economic times to keep peak our heads out and take a risk. In your families try this activity to help keep some of the daily fear away.

Draw one picture together. Each person puts a family blessing into the picture. Take turns telling each other describing the blessings. Post the blessing on the inside of the doorway to your house. Each time you leave or return to your house, touch the picture and say, “Bless my family.” Big kids need to be good examples for younger family members.

Keep sticking your head out of that box and take a risk like the little box turtle. Keep snapping at the world and know that you have blessings if you only remember them.

I think anticipation is the best feeling. I wish everyday I could wake up with anticipation-and most days I do. It’s like that almost opened flower. You know the day will open into something exciting, but you don’t know what it will be. You are not in control but you are along for the ride.

When a faith community comes together there is also anticipation. People may or may not have seen each between times. The thing is that if there is NOT anticipation for members of a faith community, you won’t see them. People are busy and their week is controlled by work and worries. When they come together as a faith community they are looking for security of God’s love through others and anticipation of new life.

Make a list this week of what you anticipate in relationships and experiences through God as a faith community. Pray with the list or give it someone else to for prayer. Then anticipate your next entrance into the community of faith believers.

Blogging is like journaling into a black hole. I love to write. Not so sure about blogging, yet. Perhaps it is the absolutely no interaction between writer and reader. The topics that I blog about are visual so maybe that’s the problem.

So we are looking through a new lens. Once a month I will do a video that visually says what I need to say. Once a week I’ll write as usual. Several times a year we’ll try a book study together. Maybe the issue isn’t the blogging. Maybe the issue is the frame around the blogging.

As you enter into a new season in the life of the church and the life of nature, look at this picture and think that sometimes when we change the frame, we change the scenery. And when we change we can see farther into new horizons.

Blessings,
The Faith Gardener