SMIDGEONS A FLY

        One morning wee alight the sun peeked thru kitchen window, where the Ted sat sipping cream laden green tea matcha and drinking in wife Tess's bouncing brunette tresses, as she stirred, as she scrambled, a tad more than eggs...

        Ted loved her every symphony of movement. He longed to hug the dancing hot pink hearted fleece pajamas precious wife wore. And yet did he peer through window, dare peek back at the sun now softly filtering through garden tree. 

        "Tess, a whole herd of smidgeons just flew up into our mustard tree." Thus the tartan shorts and tee clad Ted did hatch infallible plan to hug those dancing hot pink hearted fleece pajamas.

        "What?" Tess halted egg spatulating. 

        "Smidgeons in our mustard tree."

        "Smidgeons?  Ted, a smidgeon does not a pigeon make."

        "Tess, you just do not understand.  Am I going to have to Goo-gull the internet for smidgeon pictures?"

        "Teddy," Tess set spatula aside, turned stove top off, rubbed her temples, "what part of smidgeons are not birds do you not understand?"

        "Well duh, a whole lotta things are not smidgeons. For example take this kitchen table; it does not fly up into a mustard tree."

        "Oh, the table is about to fly alright!" Tess only half giggled.  Her hot pink hearted fleece pajamas swayed closer Ted's way.

        "Surely you are not an anti-smidgeonator."

        "That is not a word, Ted."

        "Even a wee bit of bias is ugly, Tess."

        "Ted, surely you possess more than a tiddle of thought," Tess placed hand on his shoulder, "possess more than a copious crumb of sense, more than mere wee morsel of mentality, and more than a dab or a dash of discernment.  But, listening to the wife may need tiny tad of improvement."

        "I listen but like not to hear."

        "Yes dear, selective hearing be your forte."

        "Thank you for the selective hearing compliment, Tess," Ted stifled smirk, "but I did not farte."

        "And," Tess lifted left brow, squinched right eye, with both hands grabbed the neck of the Ted.  She pulled him nose to nose, took sniff of whiff, replied, "and yet you are my sweet stinker!" She kissed him soft.

        Ted caught his breath, breathily said, "So now you see, so now you agree, a small pigeon be but a smidgeon?'

        "You are a pest and more than a smidgeon sometimes silly, dear," Tess whispered in ear.

        "Out of my mind... in love," Ted breathed between kisses.

        "So are kisses," Tess kissed him again, "infinitely better than just caressing hot pink hearted fleece pajamas..." Tess giggled at her well played scrambled egg plan...

        "Where smidgeons fly, the heart follows.  Thank you for love, Lord above," one blissful Ted so praise said.

Matthew 13:31-32 NLT (a parable by Jesus) The Kingdom of  Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches. (Jesus loves you and has prepared a nest in heaven for all who believe in him.)  

1st Corinthians 16:14, Let all that you do be done in love.   

1st Corinthians 13:13, And now live in faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love... 

             Jesus loves you...                                                           

THE SQUINCH

             Once upon a wee sleepy weekend, early sunbeam pierced clouds of sky, stirred the wind, twirled the whirlwind only a tad less than legacy of someday piddle. But what might be a piddle paddle in puddle to some, was about to be oars of life boat strumming Sea of Fate... to one Tess and one Ted.

            And so it just so happened, or was it more a dab ordained that Tess poured forth from carafe two mugs a coffee, coffee soon to be near half sweet cream for the sweet toothed two.

            Sitting at table nook, Ted squinched sleepy eyes to better see the morning light flow, and bathe his Tess all a glow. And as the silhouette of her lithe body swayed neath one of his borrowed eggshell white tees, the Ted, well the Ted quietly to self said, "I am so blessed."

            What was that, dear?" Mug a coffee in each freckled finger hand, Tess swayed near, "Am I too slow retrieving the bean? Is that why you are squinching those puppy brown eyes up at me?"

            "I'm not squinching."

            "You are so."

            "Am not."

            "Ted I know a squinch when I see one."

            "It was just a wink, or perhaps maybe a peek seasoned with tad a squint."

            "Ted, a squinch is more than a squint and that look was more than either." Tess placed all a steam mugs a bean on table. Hands on hips added, "So why are you so grumpy this morning?"

            "Now I'm grumpy?"

            "Yes grumpy." Tess squinched left eye, raised brow of other, plunked on his lap. "Grumpy Teddy," she pouted in his ear.

            "Me thinks the lady's squinch and pout tis but a squint and smirk." Ted near half figured it out.

            "No, cause I know," Tess teased.

            "Know what?"

            "I know why too."

            "No you do not." Ted fought sheepish smile.

            "Do so."

            "Do not."

            "Do so!"

            "Do not!"

            "It was the light."

            "Light?"

            "The light through which yon window breaks." Tess did smile.

            "Yes," Ted at last confessed.

            "You saw the light expose lithe silhouette. Saw the sway of my body neath pale thin cloth..."

            "Saw the blessings of a virtuous wife more precious than rubies," breath from the soul escaped the truth laden lips of the Ted.

            Tess kissed the temple above Ted's not so sleepy right eye. Hugged his face close to her heart, contentedly sighed...

            And so once upon a wee sleepy weekend, early sunbeam kissed clouds of sky, stirred the wind, filled shiply sail o'er sea of God's love... for one Tess and one Ted...

            Ecclesiastes 4:12, the blessings of a three fold cord: God, groom, bride.

            Wonderfully expanded: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12.

            Awesomely expanded: The whole of the beautifully poetic Ecclesiastes records King Solomon's quest for "the meaning of life' and reveals such in the 12th and final chapter, the last 4 verses.

            Jesus two commandments: love God... love one another... Matthew 22:36-40.

            "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who so ever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."  John 3:16                                    

PITY PARTY

            Once upon a time in the non-enchanted town of Pity, a plot of party hatched for the day one Satchmo Algar Pity was born.  And so it came to pass in this time of not so distant yore, that after work one exhausted Pity had just walked through Pity home door.

            "Satch a pity that Pity is here!" Friends fired away their never surprising punster greeting at surprise party. "Happy birthday Satch!" Reverberated throughout the Pity house.

            Satch, as always took all this kidding in life tide stride, all the live long while sporting the trademark winningest of any real estate agent smile.  Indeed every friend took turns giving Pity a pity-pat hug, a trade mark hug that each and every one had learned from Satch A. Pity himself.  But the last hug was the best of all, one complete with wispy kiss, and an "I love my Satch," from precious wife Ann.

            And so it was in the home of Pity, in that town of Pity that celebration swung full swing.  There was joking.  There was joy.  Candles where blown out, and wishes were made round a chocolate cake so sweet, it was sinful.  Thus did Satch take such a big huge bite of the cake of Pity, that he promptly choked. Sinfully sweet cake had stuck in Pity's throat, and as he turned lack of oxygen purple, Satch truly repented of that cake too sweet, big huge bite.

            "Dear Jesus, please help my Satch!" Wife Ann prayed forth pure pity.

            And so was sent to the rescue Satch's best buddy Jonah. "Stand back everyone!" Jonah commanded, hugged like a paw clad bear, then slapped extra hard pity-pat smack to Satchmo's back. Thus big huge bite flew way far out, and from saccharin sinful cake, Pity was spared.

            Rejoicing broke out over the salvation of Satch A. Pity.  And so in one body the whole of the party sang: "Oh, it is so awesomely pretty what the grace of the LORD's pity... WILL DOOO..."

            How much does God love us: Psalms 103:13 KJV, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him." (Love and respect the LORD, for he is like a tender and compassionate father to his children.) (Actually, please read all of Psalms 103 even out loud . Bless and be blessed.)

            What does Jesus say about friends: John 15:12-17 KJV

            

YAWNY RIVER

            Once upon a tad near bedtime story, nestled midst the mighty oaks on the east bank of the Yawny River, dwelled the humble yet picturesque cottage of the Tess and the Ted. Much was the life of this loving couple like that sleepy little Yawny River, the river of gentle surface, yet deep and chasmic channel. And so it came to pass that Tess and Ted sat perched upon nubuck sofa, not so engrossed in a yesteryear movie.

                        

            "Stop it, Ted!" Tess yawned.

            

            "Stop what?" Ted, the initial instigator of yawn, yawned again.

            "Stop it, stop it, stop yawnnnnnnn-ing." Tess spun yawn of her own. "Just stop." She nudged elbow into companion's ribs.

            Ted mid yawn warned, "Watch it little squirt or you might bruise the rib from which you came." Ted mid giggle yawned again.

            "I may just have to elbow every last one of those yawns out of you!" Tess attempted stifle of both giggle and yawn.

            "How am I to deny my wide open mouth from involuntarily inhaling the air of fatigue?"

            "Me thinks tis more a voluntary betrayal of boredom."

            "What?"

            "You are bored with moi, your most precious wife?"

            "Tess, please don't slip down the slippery yawning chasm of self-pity."

            "Thee protesteth too mucheth like the bird singeth of paradise losteth." Tess splattered lispy lisp of metaphor.

            Ted sat stunned. Did not know whether to laugh or gag. Decided neither was safe. Tess had lost it. He let slip, "You done gone possum eatin' persimmons crazy!" And to make it worse, too late to hide with hand... he yawned!

            "Now that yawn was for sure more a voluntary signal of displeasure to the point of obnoxious distain." Tess trembled like a boiling tea pot, vibrated like a volcano fixin' to spew, buzzed like a rattle snake signaling strike. Then she quietly with tears welling in eyes pled, "All I ever ask for is a little love."

            Ted gathered his Tess close, rubbed her back and shoulders, whispered thru her shag cut auburn hair into ear, "I'm sorry sweet Tess. My yawn was just a hint, just a signal, it's time to go to bed."

            "Now you're talking," Tess batted eyelashes, gave hint of suggestive wink punctuated with what else but fake yawn.

            "Deception by yawn? No fair!" Ted feigned protest.

            "Don't forget the fake tears, dear. Works every time."

            "You little scamp."

            "Yeah."

            "You skunk petite."

            "Yeah, how stinky am I?" Tess wiggled, she giggled.

            Ted smiled, swept up into his arms a certain favorite pest. Made nonstop way to bedroom and to foot of bed, where Squeaky the cat lay catnapping head...

            And pausing at the foot of that bed while still in Ted arms, Tess blessedly said, "Perhaps the most noble motive of the yawn," she yawned, "may just be empathy."

            Ted echoed yawn, whispered warm breath in Tess ear, "What a gift that sharing of light heart, a giggle or two, maybe even a precious oneness."

            "Let us thank the Lord." Tess kissed her Teddy.

            So ends, maybe more so begins our tad near once upon a bedtime story, where dwells the humble yet picturesque cottage of the Tess and the Ted, nestled midst the mighty oaks on the east bank of the not so sleepy Yawny River...

Ecclesiastes 3:1&4...   Psalm 150: 1 thru 6...               

KOOKIE COOKIE

        How many the times have your times been sleepless lullabies of never again? Thus begins a midnight collision, a pajama clad wreck, a bickering banter between two ought to know betters...

        "No matter where! No matter where I hide my chocolate chip pecan cookies, you are like a pig sniffing out truffles!" Tess stirred piggy pie mad. 

        "I was. There they was. Now we are one." The frumpy haired Ted burped, rubbed cookie poochy tummy.

        "You flying pig buzzard!" Tess green eyes flashed. 

        Ted burped again, took mug a milk gulp.

        "You, you always, every time, never falls..."

        "That's fails, Tess."

        "What?"

         "That's never fails, not falls, sweetie." Ted's bushy brow wiggled up and down.

        "And there it is, the little boy plow to..."

        "That's ploy, not plow, Tess." 

        "Ted! I am discomboobulated, befuddled, flustered and, and agitated! Not your normal agitated, but agitated like an overloaded out of balance washing machine on the spin cycle. I mean agitated, not miffed. Agitated!" Running out of steam, Tess huffed then puffed at stray strand of dish water blond hair.

        "That's discombobulated, Tess, not discomboobulated."

        "What! What!!"

        Ted kissed a certain someone's ticklish freckled neck, "I am sorry," he breathed in her ear.

        "Get your pig snout off me!" Tess stifled giggle.

        "Ah, my little truffle petite, the tad of always, the smidgeon of every time, the pinch of never again, does not an eternity make, but our love like a dove, oh so it does."

        Tess kissed a certain someone's lips. "I suppose a girl could do worse than a chocolate chip pecan cookie breath man."

        "I'm a peach," Ted smugulated.

        "And we all know every peach has its pit, Teddy."

        "I think of it as being fruity."

        "Fruity be the operative word," Tess giggled mid kiss.

        "How many the times have our times been sweet lullabies of often when..." Ted pulled Tess tenderly close.

        And the Tess, well the Tess so sealed with bless, "Sometimes always, every time, never fails, conceives love begain again."

        "That's begun, Tessie."

        "But begain just sounds better, Mr. Grampus police."

        "Tess, that's... you are absolutely correct," Ted so said, hugged her tight.

        "Often do I wonder who is the more blessed: forgiver or forgivee?" Tess breathed snuggly sigh. "Besides," she giggled, "I was accusing you of being a pig, when I was the one hiding the cookies."

One forgiven much, loves much. One forgiven little, loves little... Inspired by Luke 7:47 KJV and surrounding scripture from the breath of Jesus.

Garnered from 1st Corinthians 13"4-8 ESV: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy nor boast; is not arrogant nor rude; is not overbearing; is not irritable nor resentful; does not rejoice in wrong doing but rejoices in truth. Love bears all, believes, hopes and endures... Refresh love forever anew...

John 3:16 KJV, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life...

Love God and love thy neighbor... So does Jesus bless us with the recipe for life as recorded in Matthew 22:37-38.            

        

            

BRISK WHISK WINTER WAY

        Thru brisk whisk winter way drove that Woodie Chevrolet to snow covered alpine chalet, to warm embers hearth, to arms of of love, to kisses soft, to song of brisk whisk winter way.

        Oh, as smoke a puff from chimney rose, those Christmas lights thru windows glowed in that house called home; a home not adrift but nestled in white cloud nest, blanketed picturesque. And as for Ted, well he to self said, "What a blessing this wagon load of gifts a joy, presents for my preggers Tess and soon to be Tess Juniorette, and presents for precious kitty pets Squeaky, Buddy and the Lynx. Even found one for me, a well insulated L.L. Legume tartan plaid Yukon cap, for which did I ever pay in every way far too much." So did the Ted strap cap on, to keep his ears, oh so warm.

        Thus Ted, carol a humming, undertook Woodie unloading. But alas, forsooth, oh my, and aw shucks already, like a stereo turntable turned askew, that too sharp needle came a screeching across vinyl LP noel a carol. For after the laden arms of the Ted negotiated picket fence gate, and his feet had near trod all the way up icy path to front porch steps, and just as the Tess, Squeaky, Buddy and the Lynx out picture window glanced, they witnessed snow boot done gone a slipping and gifts done gone a flipping. Ted's back slapped ice, sent from lungs breath mist into air a freezing, and his head ker-smacked that ice so unforgiving.

        Tess flung open door, cats round her legs did out door swirl. Cradling tummy full a baby, Tess made cautious way to hubby, lifted his cat licked face, "Open those eyes Teddy!" Tess repleaded, "Open those big dopey brown eyes, Theodore. Don't you dare turn this noel a carol into dirge of peril. Think of our little Tess Juniorette, Teddy. Teddy, please say something. Oh, dear Jesus help us..."

            As for Ted, well the Ted did open eyes, although they were tad crossed. And then, and then that's when the after head smacked on ice utterances, an avalanche of guilt laden adages began: "Too-too paid toot-toot tootle-loo, the whole kit and caboodle, the whole ball of wax, the yodel of yarn, the whole shebang, whole schmear, the whole nine yards, the whole shootin match, the full monte, the kitchen sink, the bathroom tub, high noon, rice and beans, extra chips please, the whole enchilada. I paid too selfish much for this dumb tartan plaid floppy eared cap."

            That's when the Lynx felt so guided to give his Pa Pa's face one last slurpy tongue baptism. Ted eyes uncrossed, the tears on Tess rosy cheeks came into focus, and the Ted, well that is when he said, "I know, I paid too much for this silly plaid cap, but Tess did you have to clobber me?" He grinned.

          "You dummy, the super insulated padding of that blessed floppy eared cap saved your noggin. What possessed you to buy it?"

            "Well Tess, it was the strangest thing. In the sporting goods store, passing by this L.L. Legume winter cap display, a still small voice commanded, 'You are going to need this...' " 

            "Just as the Lord sees the situation not yet come, so he also hears the urgent prayer to be," Tess smiled, "for what is time to the Creator of time..."

            "Look at you, all up in that metaphysical ether," Ted grinned.

            "Better metaphysical than needing a medical physical." A wide eyed Tess shook head yes.

            "Sometimes the little slips in life so remind." Ted sat up, got up, helped up his with child Tess. And all went up steps into the warmth of the house called home...

            All... including with straight up tails a twitching, trois bon chats noel a carol with meows a plenty and a purr-ee or three. 

            So ends our little tall tail tale, that so began: Thru brisk whisk winter way, drove that Woodie Chevrolet to snow covered alpine chalet, to warm embers hearth, to arms of love, to kisses soft, to song of brisk whisk winter way... 

            The wise know the reason for the season is the greatest gift of all... JESUS...

            Merry Christmas... for YOU are loved...

            Luke 1:26-35, 2:1-19 the birth of Jesus...

            1st Kings 19:11-13 the still small voice...

            Listen...