Let the oppressed go free...

Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:6

If therefore the Son shall make you free,
you shall be free indeed.
John 8:36

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God,
you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification,
and the outcome, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:22-23

What We Didn’t See in San Juan Capistrano.

The Mission. 

Because they wanted to charge us $57 for the privilege of entering and walking around for a little looksee.  Oh, but for that $57, they now include an audio-guided walkie-talkie tour thingy.  We passed.

Instead we walked around the Mission neighborhood.  Because that walk was free.

We walked thru this gigantic, block long Antique shop.

Middle Dude was checking everything out, all while assuring me over and over again, “Not touching!”

Here’s some ol’ historic building that we sat in front of...

And here’s an ol’ historic adobe building:

And another (getting tired of my fisheye yet?!?):

And here’s a neato, tiny, old place for rent … for a mere $2200 per month.

Nana and Middle Dude showed competency on the playground pommel horse.

But, Little Dude did tricks!

A pretty poppy …A caboose …

  And vintage Kellers …

Those are the things we saw while we weren’t seeing the Mission.

A Midsummer Night's Dream ...

Middle Dude, as Flute & Thisbe was AWESOME! (and I'm only a teeny bit biased [smirk])



"Nay, faith, let not me play a woman:
I have a beard coming!"

If you're at all interested, there's a 5 minute slideshow of the entire production. It really was quite astounding -- 20 students, 4-7th grade, performing a nearly full-length Shakespearean play. And enjoying it!!

and let birds fly above the earth ...

Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures,
and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”
So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves,
with which the waters abounded, according to their kind,
and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply,
and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Genesis 1:20-23

Reflection.

For whatever be the knowledge which we are able to obtain of God, either by perception or reflection, we must of necessity believe that He is by many degrees far better than what we perceive Him to be. ~Origen

Wildlife ...

... in my yard (b-beep!!)


... and in my canyon.



Need a closer view?



How 'bout something a little sweeter?

Aaaaah, Summer's Comin' ...

Bring it on! May Gray. And June Gloom! This is SoCal, afterall. Summer looks different here.



The five of us celebrated the season change this morning with a quickie soak in our "hot bucket" in the rain, before school/work.

How sweet are Thy words ...

O how I love Thy law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
Because I have observed Thy precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Thy word.
I have not turned aside from Thine ordinances,
For Thou Thyself hast taught me.
How sweet are Thy words to my taste!
Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
From Thy precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
Psalm 119:97-104

Double take.

Gosh, she's pretty; and she looks kinda familiar. Big Dude may need a beer or two.



It's Middle Dude playing a dude playing a girl(Thisbe) inside the play inside Midsummer Night's Dream. It's Shakespeare. So that makes it alright that our dude is in a bejeweled dress wearing a blond bombshell wig, right? RIGHT?!?!? ;-)

A little mother's day conversation ...

My email query to Big Dude last Friday afternoon: Do you already have mother's day ideas? If so, ignore me.
If not, here's a totally frivolous idea. (there's a green polka dot cover & a shoulder strap attachment that I like ...)

Big Dude's email response: I was gonna make pancakes...

My response? Ear to ear grin. 'Cause I *get* him.




And, y'know, I was happy enough to give them all a free-pass-go for the rest of the weekend. But instead, they washed my car, dusted the house, swept the floor, cleaned their room, helped in the yard, planted some new plants, and fulfilled a special request I made for Sunday. I'm lucky to have them. Truly.

Put on love and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts ...

And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved,
put on a heart of compassion,
kindness,
humility,
gentleness,
and patience;
bearing with one another,
and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone;
just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

And beyond all these things put on love,
which is the perfect bond of unity.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body;
and be thankful.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:12-17

Deep, Deep …

in Yearbook-ville. 

And, again, as last year … ever so thankful for the organizational tools of Lightroom.  I can’t imagine this task without it.

It Finally Happened …

The reading bug captured Littlest Dude.  It has meant numerous trips to the library.  We’ll go back today, too.  It’s a good “problem” to have.  ;-)

His #1 favorite?:  anything by Arnold Lobel.  Also, anything by Dr. Seuss, Syd Hoff, or Cythia Rylant.  And Mitchell is Moving by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.

As the deer ...

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.
Psalm 42:1