Everything's a miracle

As you may have guessed from the changes in the look of my moodlings, we're back from our summer vacation... a trip to Waterton Lakes National Park, a visit to Lee's parents in Lethbridge, and a week at Radium Hot Springs. The weather was great, if a bit too hot, and we enjoyed a lot of outdoor time, appreciating our beautiful environments. The smoke from the terrible forest fires a couple of valleys over in BC wafted across occasionally, reminding us that not all is well everywhere in God's gardens.

On our way home, driving past some of the most beautiful places in the Rocky Mountains, we listened to my favourite tune by Peter Mayer, Holy Now (if you haven't heard it, click here) that reminds us that really, everything's a miracle.

Here are some miracles from the past few weeks...

Lundbreck falls near Pincher Creek...

Hanging out with my gang at Waterton Lakes National Park...

This "living lawn ornament" in the town of Waterton...

Wildflowers and a newly engaged couple...

The view from the heights...

Wildflowers as the sun sets...

The strength of the wind...

Natural hot springs...

Roads (extremely bumpy!) into the wilderness...

Emerald green lakes... (White Swan Provincial Park)

How nature rejuvenates itself after a wildfire (2003)... (Marble Canyon)

And the love of a good man for 26 years (today's our wedding anniversary).

I've never quite understood people who don't believe in a Higher Power of some sort. Yes, there's a lot of trouble and pain in our world, but there's also so much beauty, goodness and truth, and not everything can be rationally explained by science. Miracles abound. As Peter Mayer sings, "the challenging thing becomes not to look for miracles but finding where there isn't one."

I hope you're finding many miracles around you in these summer days...

Garden moodlings and miracles

I'm tired. Good tired. I haven't been moodling here very much of late as it has been a week or two of serious gardening -- taking all the plants from the greenhouse (except for a dozen or so tomato plants to be given away) and transplanting them into the soil in various parts of the yard. They all have their homes now, and pretty much everything is in place except for peas and beans, which I'm holding back by two weeks as I don't want them to be ready for picking while we're on vacation. Here are some pictures from today:

Mostly tomatoes, with a few eggplants and peppers 

thrown in for the fun of it... and straw in between the boxes

thanks to my friend, Mark, and the local tobogganing hill...

cucumbers with trellis, thanks to my hubby...

tomato seeds planted March 2nd,

already fruiting, the first ones we'll eat...

Brussels sprouts, also planted March 2nd... 

an experiment...

carrots, planted one month ago today...

and we've already had a few good feeds of spinach...

My moodling as I work in the garden (musing, doodling -- where my mind goes) has been tied up in amazement and wonder at how things grow. Seeds are miracles. Hopefully, now that everything is planted, the rains will come -- and that's a miracle, too. 

But my best miracles are still my husband and kids. What do you consider your best miracles today?

God's good morning show

If you've been following these moodlings for any length of time, you'll know that I'm a fan of "ordinary miracles" and natural beauty. My sisters still like to tease me about my enthusiasm for beauty from the time when I was in my teens, and there was a fiery sunset to the west. "The sky is on fire," I exclaimed...

I can't help it -- it's always been in my nature. And I'm glad that it is, because when mornings like this one appear, I feel rich in ways that money cannot buy. Look at the gold in this sunrise!

True, it won't buy me a mansion, but who really needs a mansion? And God is always giving out free riches like these in better morning shows than you can find on TV. Not nearly as depressing as the morning news, that's for sure...

But I'm not advocating ignoring the morning news, either -- today the people suffering the effects of Hurricane Haiyan are very much on my mind. They can use our help and prayers this week. It's time to donate to an agency that can help. It's past time to cut down further on our use of fossil fuels that feed global climate change and cause superstorms. And a little prayer can't hurt, so here's my prayer. Perhaps you can pray it with me:

O God, 

we know that you have no hands or feet on earth but ours. 

Help us to use the strength and resources 

you have given us

to reach out to those in great need.

Show us how we can help to lift their burdens

and help them back to the abundant life

you offer to each one of us.

Direct our time, talents and treasure

according to your will.

Bless the people who are suffering because of Hurricane Haiyan,

and, through us, 

touch everyone who needs your tender care this day.

+AMEN.

10:30 a.m.  A co-worker and friend at L'Arche is from the Philippines, and has lost a cousin and her cousin's husband to Superstorm Haiyan. The couple's three year old son is missing... please pray with me for them, for little Tarin, and for all who grieve...