An Open Letter

Thank you to the enchanted home blogger and dear B and M, thank you in addition to others for your encouragement and support as I have tried to make sense of some of the ugliness of this world over the past month.
Please pardon my directness and momentary lapse of Southern manners but some things need to be said...

Dear S,

Yes, you know who you are.  Thanks to technology I have been able to see how you have stalked by blog as well as my family.  You have poured over the details of my blog, my home, my husband.  You tried, unsuccessfully, to insert yourself into my life.  Others may have temporarily succumbed to your false charms but I suspected what you were from the moment I first saw you.
There are really no polite words to describe the kind of behavior you have exhibited.  

Shame on you.  

Shame.on.you.  

People who possess kindness and peace and any shred of self-worth do not behave in the manner you have chosen.
Truly you have too much time on your hands. 

At first, your stalking intimidated me and made me feel vulnerable, your email full of new age nonsense and b.s. was not well received nor do I believe it came from anything but severe depravation on your part.
Now I have chosen not to let someone of your caliber stand in the way of sharing the love for my family that I chronicle on this blog.
Nor will you ever stop me from sharing my passion for the care of orphans.
You may have temporarily caused me pain, but honey, the battle of good versus evil is being won in this case.
A wise friend told me to pray for your broken soul.  I am not there yet, don't know that I'll ever be there.  Meanwhile, darling, unless you want me to share your name and the details of your seedy behavior I recommend that you cease your stalking and find a hobby.

Sincerely,

Polly

planning goodbyes

While tucking my darling youngest in to bed the other night the conversation turned towards dog breeds.  At our home, on our farm, the tradition is when you turn 7

if you've shown acceptable maturity and responsibilty in caring for the other farm animals you may earn the privilege to have a dog of your own. So far our sweet, sensitive "littlest" guy has been content with caring and claiming Madison as his own, good thing. She may be the greatest darn dog I've ever known. She was our "if we can keep a dog alive we just mught be ready for starting a family dog". She joined our family 11 years ago and the old gal has spunk and no kidding, she smiles

She started out in a 10 square foot postcard yard and graduated to a plentiful farm. She's protected, comforted, and entertained her way into our grateful hearts. Tonight my little guy asked how long she had, which led to a conversation on death, life, love.  It made this Mama remember that bedtimes are meant to be broken and opportunities exist daily to bring it all back to God and his enormous grace and beauty and the heartbreaking, yet necessary willingness to prepare to say goodbyes, that this world is only our temporary home.
Blessings,

Comfort Zones

Lately I've been striving to step out of my comfort zone on a more regular basis.   Thanks to dear friends (picture a prior PTSO Pres., mom of multiples, super organized, compassionate) and newly crowned thrill seekers, I have been given the opportunity to try things I would not normally do, to step out of my  comfort zone.  It has been such a joy  and I cannot wait for what is next.  I am feeling super grateful and blessed by the friends in my life who provide such joy and camaraderie along this journey.  

What have you done lately or what are you planning to do soon to step out of your comfort zone?


Blessings,

Dogwood

I just finished a fantastic book that I thought some of you might enjoy,

Dogwood by Chris Fabry

Thank you Mom for having such good taste in books and for passing them on.
I earmarked several pages that seemed so pertinent to where we sometimes find ourselves..

"Ruthie was the first to tell me that God hadn't abandoned me but was drawing me deeper, calling me out of the shadows, past the abyss, and into the current of his love and mercy...but God hadn't asked me if I wanted to go deeper, and thank you very much, I liked the shallows.  It's easier to play where there's no current.  In the middle you lose your footing, you lose control."

"How do you develop your heart?  You work on it like anything else.  It takes time and effort.  Your heart is like an unplowed field.  Even if you have good soil, you have to work it up and see what's best to plant there.  If you train your heart to see things, to lean towards others, to care about people rather than things, to always take advantage of opportunities to reach out to strangers and sacrifice for your friends, you'll wind up with a good heart."

"Basically life is a dance through a field full of cow manure.  Most people won't even go into the field; they go around it and pretend.  Or they try to tiptoe here and there and stay close to the fence.  They never see that all that fertilizer creates some beautiful flowers and some of the greenest grass you'll ever see."
"So you what, wallow in it?"
"No girl, I put my hip boots on and waltz through the cow pies".

Cheers to hip boots

Heavy Heart

This past week I received the devastating news that my college roommate/sorority sisters' husband had been killed in a tragic accident.  It was seven plus years ago that we watched them exchange their vows in a beautiful ceremony in New Orleans.  How could this be possible?  Why would something so horrible and heartbreaking occur to such a loving, sweet couple?  Where is God in this?  These were the same questions that occurred to me when my brother passed away suddenly 12 years ago.  The shock, disbelief, anger, and all the other multitude of "whys" that occur when we lose someone so dear.  My heart is heavy for my dear friend.  I pray for her comfort and peace.  I pray that I can be a friend with strong shoulders, quiet listening ears, and somehow point her towards our Heavenly Fathers' grace and mercy for "peace that passes all understanding" during her time of encompassing grief and heartache.  I am praying that I can somehow share with her the comfort that I received 12 years ago.  I love you dear friend and though miles separate us know you are close in our prayers and thoughts.