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On Grief

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From the Ranch, a Poem

High up in the sky the sun 
the heat rising from the ground 
tears close to spill
 yet our hearts were tender still 

Miracles right from the start 
prayer a constant spark
 Connecting and strengthening 
In the waiting the Lord was growing tiny seeds in the dark

now before me an expanse 
that spoke of the glory of God 
A smile of miracles seen 
blooms into a sparkle in eyes -a deeper knowing of God

High up in the sky the sun 
the heat rising from the ground
 we enter pastures dresses in beauty all around
 beauty of beasts given by the creator 
beauty in places that astound

watching, touching, loving, 
knowing all this is gift a prayer and a dream 
the shade is comfortable we huddle close seeking shade 
yet, there’s more 
this was beautiful and healing 
and yet more He has in store

an Elijah moment before me
 in the stillness of the day 
the heat rising and oppressive 
we see  the winds pick up
 the branches sway and dance to rhythm the powerful breezes relay

stronger and stronger lifting dust and leaves 
Lifting and twisting in powerful air
the openness now seems dangerous 
But surprisingly it comforts us

just as our hearts began to quake
 And we looked around for shelter and escape
 a cold breeze on our skin the wind becomes breeze 
ushering a new coolness 
ushering peace that surpasses understanding 

the evening turns into a sweet haven 
a whisper of promises from heaven. 

a gentle breeze cool 
a heart poised to hear 
a tender caress from father God whispers, 
“ I see you, I hear you I am yours and you are my delight” 

High up in the sky the sun 
below the daughters of the Son 
a Lord who comes close 
heaven caresses wind blown hair sweet 
now praises rise from the ground

It’s been a year since my grandmother went to heaven. I still as if just yesterday I stood beside her bed and read Psalm 91 over her. Loving her my whole life has been one of my greatest blessings. From the moment she first held my hand to walk to town in Honduras to the moment she last held my hand at her table I knew I was loved. I’m so glad that my children also got to hold her hand because I know they felt the true and peaceful love only she could give. I will continue to remember her in the flowers, in the quiet afternoon coffee time, and in prayer. This year when I see new life grow in the garden I remember that she is whole, new, and full of life too. Te amo, Abuela.

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Recover

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Five Minute Friday
Consider the flowers…will he not also care for you.


So many goals swirling in my brain. So many dreams wanting to take root. I see them. They give me hope that new things are wanting to break through. This year I want to take time to hone the craft of writing. Five Minute Friday is a great place for me practice and be encouraged by other writers as I write. I will set the timer for five minutes and then write. Here we go! I am excited to invite you in, welcome.

Recover

A word spoken in truth
A desire to love with our family
good words, assumptions, anomaly 

Grace covered wounds
moving aside, pushed away
reminded though that He stays 

A sense of loss lingers
a blessing taken
yet my faith remains unshaken

I believe I will see His goodness
I hear my friends voice
tears spill as I rejoice

Stay there
I will come for you
the ones who would come are few

His grace invades my day
my soul buoys in grace
his love my safe space

He carries me
His love recovers me from despair
He is my recovery.
 

~DFD

Gracefully,

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Middle

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Five Minute Friday


So many goals swirling in my brain. So many dreams wanting to take root. I see them. They give me hope that new things are wanting to break through. This year I want to take time to hone the craft of writing. Five Minute Friday is a great place for me practice and be encouraged by other writers as I write. I will set the timer for five minutes and then write. Here we go! I am excited to invite you in, welcome.

Middle

Spring is a middle that is most notable for the beginning. But the life we see pushing forward to begin its life in the light is not the beginning. The beginning was lonely, dark, and required death. There would be no middle without that, there would be no bud or bloom-the seed had to die first.

So it is with our dreams and lives, our beginnings were dark and unknown and definitely mysterious. Then why is it that we expect then to jump right into the middle? We must acknowledge that we can not have a middle that is lush and full without a beginning that requires complete surrender of our dreams.

Gracefully,

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Create the Easiest Pickled Red Onions

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take your power bowls and salads to the next level

Cebollas Rojas Encurtidas.

One of my fondest memories growing up in Honduras was spending time cooking with my aunt. She cooked outside on a mud stove that she herself remuded and took care of every day. She always had a pot of beans on the stove and mounds of tortillas handmade everyday. All of her delicious food was garnished with one kind or another with encurtido. On my travels to the Caribbean I rediscovered this childhood favorite and vowed to figure out how to make it at home! I asked my mom to give me her recipe because in Texas we kept a Texas-sized jar of vegetable encurtido on the kitchen counter too! Sabroso! As I’ve played around with my mom’s recipe my favorite encurtido to make is an easy pickled red onion recipe.

The total time for this recipe from prep to table is 20 minutes to 1 hour depending how long you want to let it marinade before you use it.
I make small batches so I use either a half of a large red onion or a small red onion and that makes about 8 servings. Each serving is about 1/2 a table spoon.

Ingredients

1 medium sized glass jar or food storage container
1 small red onion (or a half of a large red onion)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper + 6 or so whole kernels of peppers
1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Begin by gathering all the ingredients to your work space
  2. Thinly slice the red onion and put them aside
  3. take the glass jar and and mix together the remaining ingredients
  4. add the onions and stir well. If you are using a jar you can give it a little shake
  5. Listo! let it sit for at least 10 minutes before you use it.
  6. Now garnish any meal especially a breakfast with a sunny side up egg!

Notas

*Making this recipe should feel very comfortable and organic for you. Do not hesitate to add more of any of the ingredients to make it to your taste.
*Sometimes my slicing is not equal and uniform and that’s ok! The sharper your knife the better your slicing technique will be.
*When I don’t have oregano I substitute Herbs de Provence instead-you will love this herb blend!
*if you would like to submerge your onions completely you can add a bit more of vinegar or even olive oil.

Enjoy,

PIC Credit: Cameron Braun

Post also appeared in Eclecticshadesmagazine March/April 2019 Issue

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Lingering in the Brilliance of Easter

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Eastertide is the period of 50 days, spanning from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. It is celebrated as a single joyful feast, called the “great Lord’s Day”. I have never though of Easter as the beginning day of a feast. It always seemed to be the culmination but as I have wanted to linger in the brilliance of Easter this year, I have discovered that actually we are meant to not just linger but also feast. The following are some passages that have helped meditate on the events that unfolded after Jesus rose from the dead.

Then I discovered that the week after Easter is called Bright Week and I couldn’t get enough of it! Bright Week is the period of seven days from Easter Sunday through to the following Saturday (Easter Saturday or Bright Saturday). I loved following along on the daily readings here.

Below is a list of Encounters with Jesus after He rose again. I have linked some back to my IG posts during Bright Week.

  1. Jesus appears to Mary and Mary Magdalene

2.appears to his disciples through locked doors

3.The road to Emmaus

4.the breakfast on the beach (last recorded miracle) One of my favorite moments from the life of Jesus to serve the disciples breakfast after they have been fishing all night. This leads to the beautiful way Peter is assured of God’s love.

5.Peter reinstated three times Peter denies Jesus and three times Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” so heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

6.The great commission Although these last two didn’t take place during the week after the resurrection, I want to be reminded that these are important to the way Jesus communed with his disciples after he rose again. They also take place during Eastertide.

7The ascension He will come back again the same way He went up to heaven. Amen, come soon Lord Jesus.

May He dwell with you and you with Him the rest of the year in Grace.

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Pressure

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Five Minute Friday


So many goals swirling in my brain. So many dreams wanting to take root. I see them. They give me hope that new things are wanting to break through. This new year I want to take time to hone the craft of writing. Five Minute Friday is a great place for me practice and be encouraged by other writers as I write. I will set the timer for five minutes and then write. Here we go! I am excited to invite you in, welcome.

Pressure

I feel the pressure that comes with the desire to create. And yet the pressure also becomes a catalyst one that propels you to take action. Sometimes, we second guess ourselves and let our thoughts paralyze us.

But what if today instead we allow our minds to focus on prayer as we surrender the dreams and desires to the one who holds all things together?

here is a breath prayer for you as you find rest in Him.

inhale: Lord my stay

exhale: I trade pressure for your presence.

Gracefully,

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La Primavera/Spring

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a haiku on Spring

The shoot in journey
Growth now visible to us
In light death to life
Spring

El retoño de jornada 
El crecimiento visible
En luz de muerte a vida 
La primavera 

I shared this Haiku in the form of a video. you can take a look at it above!
It was inspired by a walk in the early spring.

Gracefully,

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Halls and Doors

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a haiku on Nursing and Life
Halls and doors-open lives 
Great hope and great loss collide
To bring healing touch
An honor

Gracefully,

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Metamorphosis

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a haiku on Motherhood and Life
Both chosen for each other 
Learning to love, growing together 
Truly both becoming 
A child now a parent

Gracefully,

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Bloom

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a haiku on Motherhood and Life
A haiku for your third birthday

Your newness my awe
Songs, dance, words twirling slow
Little one in spring 
Grow

Gracefully,

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