dear emily,

how does one describe the beauty of the birthplace of the renaissance?
with better words than mine.   "i saw the angel in the marble and then
carved until i set him free." (michelangelo)

google image

florence, italy is filled with angelic countenances and splendour.   one of our
tour guides said that 90% of the world's greatest art is here.  "paris and
berlin have a few nice pieces, but they are such young cities."  :)

we stayed in a villa that overlooked the city and lovely vineyards:

the roman wall begun in 12 bc

our purpose was to visit the palazzo pitti museum's showing of our
own gilcrease museum's art collection.   it was a shining moment to
be in such glorious  company.

google image

the boboli gardens behind the palace were breathtaking, but this guy
was a little scary:

you better watch out, you better not cry . . . 

i was too overwhelmed by the beauty of the gardens to capture it and
to put that in perspective, i spied this tiny garden on the other side of a
WALL.   it wasn't even mentioned on the tour.   my secret garden.

lea's garden (hee hee)

next time, london!

love,
lea

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."  ecclesiastes 3:11

washington d.c.

dear emily,

hans and i just returned from a dreamy trip that started in our nation's
capital.   here's the view from our window the first morning.

if you're wondering what's behind the trees . . .

while my poor husband was working from dawn 'til dusk, i was walking
the streets.   not that way.   i got the giggles once i noticed the funny
state of our nation's shoes.    mine were the worst.

but these are NOT mine!

this gentleman met me each day at the park, but i didn't have the nerve
to talk to him.   i wondered where he would go as the weather cooled.

in a few days i will share some photos of our next stop:  florence, italy.

love,
lea

"all nations will be blessed through You."   galatians 3:8

dear emily,

while playing bridge with some friends, one asked if any of us had seen any
good movies.  another friend recommended a comedy.   i begged to differ,
mentioning that it had a pretty strong "R" rating.   she countered with the
thought that it was hilarious and really only deserved a mild "R" rating.

i spouted without thinking, "you're either "R", or you "Rn't."

love,
lea

"finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is pure . . .
think on these things."  philippians 4:8

dear emily,

this summer i spent several nights alone in the mountains which was
kind of scary with the bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and all.   sure
enough, one night i was awakened by a squealing cry that chilled me.
some poor animal was certainly being murdered by a predator.

when i flashed my trusty light out the window it reflected off dozens
of eyes.  creepy and not fair to the deer, fox, or chipmunks.

the next morning i heard the same cry and opened the curtains to see
not a corpse but a herd of about 75 elk!   i guess because He made
them so beautiful, the Lord didn't give them lovely voices.

i took a few terrible photos from my window having heard that elk
were skittish.   i even tiptoed onto our porch without disturbing
them, but when i clicked the camera again they stampeded down
the hill.

quite a thrill.

see the baby?

"the Lord is good to all, compassionate to every creature."  psalm 145:9

dear emily,

i have not written a single word here in weeks (i have been writing
many at another place), but three of my blog friends inspired me
today to just DO it.

sonja scolded me into it by saying, "my time was up."    then i read
her review of elaine's new book, which was convicting and uplifting.
after that i sneaked over to janette's blog and marveled at her amazing
home school day.    she accomplished more on a 'bad' day than i ever
did on my 'best' day!   sheesh.

i don't know how these incredible ladies continue to encourage and
motivate me, but i am grateful.

"go to the ant, o sluggard;  consider her ways, and be wise.   without
any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers
her food in harvest."  proverbs 6:6-8

thank you, dear ants.

love,
lea

a number?

dear emily,

i just read a blog post that said, "you are not a number!", and i thought,
"amen!"   i could never be a number.   those alien digits leave me cold.
i wish phone numbers could go back to "hi doris, could you please
dial phyllis for me?"

every evening at dinner, my father would receive multiple calls from
his answering service.   he never recorded a single number but could
hang up the phone and call each patient from memory.   one time i
asked him how he remembered all those telephone numbers.

"anyone ought to be able to remember seven numbers."  gulp.  well,
now it's ten!


i am not a number.   i am a word.   though small, i come from mighty
stock.   my word is as powerful as my time spent with the Word, and
i would rather memorize Him.

love,
lea

"in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God."  john 1:1

her hawk

she awaits the afternoon storm with growing anticipation.   her heart
leaps at the wind's gentle keening, and she runs to the porch to watch.

google image

her hawk circles gracefully over the verdant pasture then cries possessively,
"this is my valley, and i will do what i want here!"

she knows his fierce eyes are hunting for prey, but she pretends he is calling
to her.   though, what he would say to such a pitiful creature is best left
unsaid.   as the wind increases in might, he heads into it and serfs the perfect
wave.

she wants to shout and sing but can only watch, speechless, in awe of the
grace and strength.   and then the rumble of distant thunder speaks for her.

love,
lea

"He makes the clouds His chariot and rides on the wings of the wind."
psalm 104:3