The Crushed Violet

The Crushed Violet is a small fragrance boutique in Lexington.  If you live in Lexington, consider visiting this shop for free samples. In her March newsletter, Erin shared, "Samples provide the opportunity to wear perfume for a week or so and decide if that fragrance is right for you.  Spend a little money to save money."   Check out  the website.  www.thecrushedviolet.com
This sweet store is more than a fragrance boutique.

Erin

farewell

who was she

who lived among us

these decades

these forty years

we struggle for details

clear memories

for stories with words

songs with lyrics

moments and images

must suffice

how can identity conceal

so little reveal

in such community

will archaeology

tell anthropology

the secrets of her life

or shall she

maybe by her design

remain the mystery

our mona lisa

silent beautiful

with such a lovely smile

Sister memories

Sharing a double bed...wearing crosses on our p.j.'s ... upstaging you @ your birthday party... clothes in paper bags to run away...piano recitals @ Sugar Grove United Methodist Church... Eden Elementary.... Hancock Central... Purdue University..Indiana University... party before your wedding...ripping the train on your wedding dress...holding your babies...matron of honor @ my wedding... holding my babies...saying good bye to daddy... hospice care for our mother... family reunions...shopping... phone calls @ your house... warning me to get my ass home...sleeping in church... snoring....sister, wife, grandmother, aunt, niece, nurse...memories...bitter... and sweet...

Happy Birthday Beth

Birthday wishes

~ Happy Birthday~

Ruth Anne

Wishes

Love, Health & Blessings

 Sending  a virtual  floral arrangement

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Ruth Anne!

I hope you have a wonderful birthday and a wonderful year!

With love,

Christie

PS I tried to write a poem but this format fussed at me today!

The wonder of spring

I was hoping for one last snow this past winter.  What a wonderful winter!  Snow! We did not have harsh winter.  What a blessing!  With each snowfall, I would delight in the beauty of the season.

Now, I am enjoying the wonder of spring!

"The world will never starve for the want of wonders."

C.K. Chesterton

Flower in garden @ Morgan Hunt Museum

Turtle

My mother told me

in the dying conversations

that her mother

my grandmother

set a pretty table.

Grandmother Christie had

few worldly treasures excepting

a crystal sugar bowl with creamer

and a turtle butter mold.

A Turtle Butter Mold

into which she gently poured

the soul of the granddaughter

she never held.

Turtles come to me.

My first made by Michael

in nursery school.

The collection started then

continues now...

My grandmother

set her table before me,

a table of sugar

rising cream

and

sweet butter.

The Turtle Woman

upon whose back

my world was created

Lives...

Christie Smith Stephens

December 8, 1997, copyright.

Hearing

Not as the world gives

Speak peace across

Rolling waters of the soul

Balm to troubled spirit

Feel pulling tugging

Moon governed tide

To elemental identity

Created in holy image

Be still in the din

Twirl in the madness

Follow tempos of

Conductors false and true

Play in the symphony

Bow or turn away

Dance to own heartbeat

All part of the message

The speaking listening

Sending going staying

All part of the living

Heaven has spoken

Recorded in human/divine

Physical/Spiritual DNA

Inscribed Waiting Leaping

The call is within . . .

Christie Smith Stephens

In conversation with Joy

3-16-2011

Wordless Wednesday

The Shack

Last year, Lisa had written a post about The Shack.  Now, a year later this may be a near perfect post. At the end of the post, Lisa shared her thoughts about the book.   Now, for my thoughts…

This morning, I finished reading the last portion of The Shack. Why was I reading the book?  Last month, I was supposed to be a part a new book club that had scheduled to discuss the book on February 26. As I was reading the book, I was jotting notes, citing pages, and listing questions.  Sadly, I arrived home too late to join the group discussion I was troubled by sections of the book.  I wanted to share my thoughts with club members. Maybe I will be able to discuss this at a later time.  Oh, well…

My current reading list…

• Finding God in Unexpected Places – Phillip Yancy  (love, love, love)
• Practicing His Presence   - Brother Lawrence (love, love, love)
• Almost Catholic: An appreciation of the History, Practice,  & Mystery of the Ancient Faith – Jon Sweeney
• Ignatius of Loyola Founder of the Jesuits – John Patrick Donnelly ---Read this!
• The Gift of Years Growing Old Gracefully – Joan Chittister  “In a world that glorifies youth and degrades old age, the words of Joan Chittister about aging are a precious gift.”…  S. Nasr ( !!!!)

Happy Reading!

truths

on the day

you turn yet

another year older

and the mirror

doesn't have

the common decency

to lie

it must not have been

raised in the south

truth does more

than set one free

on that day

a true friend

doesn't mention

how tired you look

or any other

truthful but redundant facts

a true friend

places a pink rabbit

in your hand

it is the year of

the rabbit

reminding you

that though the winter

has been cold

long challenging

new life

is hopping down

the trail

and a true blue friend

with empathetic hands

gently wraps around your

wrinkled neck weary soul

a brilliant orange scarf

fire leaping restoring

fueling passion

and you begin to feel

your smile return

so adorned by

the gifts of friendship

mirror's comments

seeming softer

are received

as compliments

the lines in the story of

such amazing grace

get out your bonnets

put on your bows

the parade is starting

to line up . . .

christie for loie

March 7, 2011

Windows & Friends

" Friends are like windows through which you see out into the world and back into yourself... If you don't have friends you see  much less than you otherwise might. " 

Merle Shain

Happy Birthday Christie

I Believe

Happy Birthday, Christie! Wishing you many blessings on this special day!


I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
We understand that friends change.

I Believe.....
That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
That will give you heartache for life.

I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be, and I am still growing.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with Loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe....
That heroes are the people
who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

I Believe....
That my best friend and I
can do anything or nothing
and have the best time.

I Believe....
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back.

I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe.....
That it isn't always enough,
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn
to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad
your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe....
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are, but,
we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe....
Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about
most in life
are taken from you too soon.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have
the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything they have.

A friend writes a poem

Jara

daughter of the morning

indiana sunday morning

she turned stars to sunlight

under the sign of the fish

dedicated to her creator

with new hope

she took to the water

in tennessee

while still a child

she came as invited

by the one who

loves little children

who forbids them not

who holds us for evermore

girl raised in the south

lover of sweet tea

a pen in her hand

she studied at asbury

wrote in memphis

shook hands with the famous

a tablet before her

she has so many stories to tell

her parents’ pride

her parents’ joy

her brother’s friend

her husband’s companion

loved by all

with an everlasting love

living now in the

happiest state in the nation

stars turn to sunflowers

she celebrates life

a new milestone this very day

her mother wishes a poem

to honor her beautiful daughter

bonhoeffer said we cannot give

anything more personal than a poem

jara --- of so many meanings

water sign rockrose sun cycle

sweetness of life

you are a poem written

on your mother’s heart.

happy birthday!

celebrating you,

jacqueline via christie, 3-1-2011

Happy Birthday Jara

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; 

      you formed me in my mother's womb. 

   I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! 

      Body and soul, I am marvelously made! 

      I worship in adoration—what a creation! 

   You know me inside and out, 

      you know every bone in my body; 

   You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, 

      how I was sculpted from nothing into something. 

   Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; 

      all the stages of my life were spread out before you, 

   The days of my life all prepared 

      before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139 -12 -16 The Message Translation

Jara's Baptism Dress