Shipshewana, Indiana Retreating

Welcoming fireplace and cozy gathering center
at the Farmstead Inn in Shipshewana, Indiana

The buggy greeting tells you that maybe
 you have stepped into new territory-
Welcome Emmanuel Lutheran Church
This area is smack dab in the middle of a huge Amish settlement

The challenges of taking our own photo
 of  the Three Graft sisters--
 hard to get it so we all looked good.

 And yes, that is Teresa wearing a crown-
She won the fiercely competitive spoon card game.

stopping by the old stomping grounds in LaGrange, Indiana
and remembering Corn School

Grabbing a bite to eat downtown and we saw an old pay phone

Stopping by to catch up
Liz- on left- high school friend that became a sister in law
Pam on the right - a grade school friend
 still loving the Lake Living

The trailer on the channel on Adams Lake----
 a first home out of college- newlywed and teaching

Catching up with the rest of the Grafts
and hearing about Matt and Brianne's engagement
and the summer 2012 wedding plans


Can't be all bad to catch up with connections from the past- AND
a wonderful retreat weekend with my two sisters- a dream come true-
Living Life as Prayer- certainly alot more to explore on that life journey.

Dancing Light Mosaic

A Day can't start bad when you wake to see
 this blooming on your dining room table
 How does magic like this happen over night?

 gather together some Valentine Day
 things together in one spot

A favorite purchase from Glory Be in Occoquan, Virginia
Simple and eloquent

 then TODAY  I captured the dancing lights in the living room.
The glass hurricane has caught the winter's sun on just right sunny days
 and sparkled light prisms all the way around the room.
  I would walk through and see them and them get busy "Doing"
 and come back to take a picture
and then it would be too late and they were gone.
So for days I have hunted the sparkles and either I was not home
 at the right time or just missed them somehow-
or cloudy overcast mornings kept the magic from happening.
But today--- it was here....
 Too bad you really can't capture all the rainbow hues set on the walls and furniture.
But, at least I have proof that it isn't "my imagination".

you can see a little of the color here

And then a dear friend stood at the classroom door
 holding tulips, card and
"Treats"

Bonnie has always had "heart love"
and her creative talents were lent to paper and fabric

 Valentine greetings have eternal generosity
 attached with the verse from 1 John 4:9-11

 gorgeous tulips in a tin pitcher......
 isn't it wonderful when friends
 can give you tin and know it warms your heart?

  the tale and story of how the factory
 that made the tin  was "her family"
and Kreamer means something very personal now

And two heart cards are added to my collection -
 the gift of a friend who sees hearts as the Big Picture story
 of all that Jesus has done and continues to do in her life.
And a reminder to me- no matter what--
 tell the metanarrative story
 even on snapshot days of dancing light mosaic.

Birthday Blessings

let us love with actions and truth

love

The greatest of these is LOVE

Heart Throbs

GOD IS LOVE.  The key to my heart of Faith.