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Sunday, December 29, 2019

CRACKLING THORNS

                "You missed a spot." Ted was in a pestering mood.

                Scrubbing stubborn spaghetti sauce off pot in kitchen sink, the lovely Tess puffed at stray strand of sandy blond hair dangling over right eye, the green one. "Ted, my patience is running thin."

                "Tess, since when did you become a doctor at a weight loss clinic?"

                "What?"

                "You said your patients are running thin!" Ted cackled, licked finger, touched finger to hip, "Pssst! Am I hot or what?"

                Tess paused scrubber to pot, warned, "Ted, do not thorns cast into a fire crackle and spit? Do you forget I possess heterochromia iridumic eyes, and I am not afraid to use them?" Tess slowly turned head to the left, her blue eye rounded corner, almost came to bear upon the pesty Ted.

                "Not the blue eye, anything but that!" Ted attempted retreat.

                Tess snagged him by the belt above butt.  She reached around with dish water dripping hand, found his chin.

                "Nooooo..."Ted howled.

                By the chin, Tess slowly turned Ted face toward her heterochromia iridumic sea of blue. "Gaze into the blue eye." She commanded.

                "No, no..." Ted squinched eyes tight.

                "Open your eyes," Tess ordered.

                "Green eye, not blue eye! Give me tha-tha-the green eye, paaalezzze!"

                "And why do you fear the blue-blue eye, Teddy?"

                "I don't know." Ted squirmed.

                "Cause the blue eye make you do, what the blue eye make you do, do, do." Tess was enjoying this way too much.

                "Noooo! No dooo, no dooo!" Ted sang like a rat in a trap.

                "Open them eyes," Tess voice faded from bitter to sweet.

                "No, it's a trick."

                "No trick." Tess licked his cheek.

                "Promise," Ted wavered unsure, "Promise the green eye."

                "Promise," sultry voice invited, her tight hold on his chin morphed to caress. Tess felt his tense body relax.

                Ted unsquinched peepers, a muffled, "Arrrrrgg," escaped his lips, as storm tossed waves of blue eye sea tugged him under.

                The kiss was sweet as summer wine and twice as intoxicating. Ted knees near buckled.

                Her lips departed his, traveled long his jaw, up to ear, "What were you saying about washing the dishes?"

                "I don't remember."

                "What?"

                "I don't know."

                "You were declaring that you desire with all your heart to scrub that spaghetti pot for me."

                "I didn't."

                "You said," Tess soft lips and warm ocean breeze breath traveled trail to pulse point tween Ted throat and neck, "you said doing dishes for me is purest joy." Her words vibrated long that tender spot of neck.

                "No, no way did..."

                Lush lips smooched that spot tween throat and neck, set it a tingle.

                "O!" Ted eye lashes beat a flutter.

                Tess raised face, raised the blue eye to bear, to burrow into his mind, sink well to Ted heart, draw forth the joys of unconditional surrender.

                Ted wrapped her in his arms.

                Tess back rested gainst sink counter. She slipped under hubby arm, slid in behind him, by his too much spaghetti inflated love handles, steered him to kitchen sink.  And as Ted began lovingly washing that saucy spaghetti pot, Tess heterochromia iridumic eyes, both the green one and the blue one, pulsed love too.

                And Tess soft lips brushed Ted ear, half chuckled, half purred, "You missed a spot."

EPILOGUE: Why, I say why do we do it? No way to win, and we still do it. Wives simply do not most of the time view a husbands spontaneous aggravation as fun... little boy cute maybe, but not the best of fun. Perhaps we should not dip from the well of juvenile pesterization too often, but just admit we need attention. Yet, even when our kidding fails, I find a kiss to the nape of her neck reaps wifely goosebumps and forgotten vexation.  Oh, and we might every now and then try thoughtfully washing that sauce laden spaghetti pot for our loved one, and thereby avoid the dreaded blue eye of thin patience to begin with.

Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verses 6, 8&9 KJV: 6)For 'as the crackling of thorns under a pot', so is the laughter of a fool: this also is vanity. 8)Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9)Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bossom of fools.

Crackling Thorns: Like a fools laughter, thorns crackle and burn too quickly to aid the pot in cooking. Patient finishing is better than prideful beginning.

Mark 10:9 KJV, What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
       
               

           

                 

                 

Friday, December 13, 2019

STIFF BOOT


                Deputy Dakota kicked boot jutting up thru snow, "Four days frozen, our missing skier."

                "No escape from snowscape," Deputy Quiver cued lonely wolf howl.

                Into sky of dusk, Dakota lifted her eyes to star of wonder, "The Great Spirit."

                And as Dakota and Quiver stared into the heavens, behind them breathed eerie c-r-e-a-k!

                Sideways swept, eyes of deputies met.

                Undercarriage creak grew to groan.

                Deputies turned, saw SUV patrol unit begin unholy slide.

                "The dark one," Dakota hissed.

                Patrol vehicle slide quickened.

                Quiver struggled to run toward it.

                The elder Dakota grabbed his shoulder, "Better it, than you."

                Patrol unit ran out of icy pavement, half way down the gorge exploded, sent wave of concussion up and over gorge rim.  Dakota and Quiver would have been knocked flat had thigh high snow not kept them upright.  A plume of smoke steadily rose from patrol unit below.

                "No radio." Dakota partially unzipped parka, retrieved cell phone, attempted to call in. "No service."

                "Freezing into a popsicle affects my allergies," Quiver breathed dire sardonicism. "We're gonna die!" Quiver zipped top of coat snug round neck, "Cold, so very cold." He pulled hood over head, tugged draw cords tight. "The wind is picking up."

                "No radio. No phone." Snow pelting ruddy face, Deputy Dakota lifted sage eyes to the star, began to chat, yes chat, in unworldly tongue with the Maker thereof.

                Shaking in the cold, fearing death, and tad more than bit unsettled by his partners apparent lapse into insanity, Deputy Quiver looked too upon the star as moments passed moments and moments more... til silence.  His eyes drew to Dakota.  Her chat with the unseen had ended.

                "Jingle."

                Dakota drew smile.

                Quiver cast doubt, "Not real."

                "Jingle, jingle."

                Dakota raised arms, hugged what seemed to be air.

                "Hallucinations of the doomed." Quiver quivered.

                "Jingle - jingle - jingle." Roar of motor.

                Red nose and bolted on antlers poked thru falling snow.

                "A mechanical reindeer!!" Quiver fumbled gun holster.

                Dakota grabbed his arm, "Quiver, it is red nosed snowmobile."

                Quiver reached out, touched nose. "Rescue? Rescued! We are saved!"

                "Ho-Ho-Ho! It appears some are?" Jovial voice pierced falling snow. "Deputies Dakota and Quiver, I presume."

                One tall and humongous figure strode thru thigh high snow like it was vapor.  She plucked up Deputy Dakota from snow drift and swallowed her in one massive bear hug.  She put her down.  The back slapping commenced, abruptly ended with arm length shove and two old friends eye to eye.

                "Chel Pastier, too many moons have passed," Dakota caught breath, "how did you find us?"

                "Well I was perfectly fine and warm tending cabin fireplace, when I felt the presence and heard the quiet speak, 'time to ride, turn dark to light'. On the way the explosion and smoke, meant by the dark one for your demise, instead showed way to go and save you.  But now time is crucial. This is just the beginning of the blizzard.  Let's load up and get back to the cabin or we will be as stiff as that boot sticking up from the snow."

                "We take stiff boot with us.  Hungry wolves near and will eat body." Dakota spoke.

                "No problem!" The massive Chel popped old stiff boot from snow like popping an ice cube from refrigerator tray.

                 As Chel loaded the frozen body aboard sleigh, drawn by red nosed snowmobile, one stunned and unusually quiet Deputy Quiver wondered, "Who, or what, is this woman?"

                "Chel Pastier, world champion lumberjack four years chopping." Dakota smiled.

                "Now I know the world is coming to an end, you never joke," Quiver dared peep nervous chuckle.

                "Deputy training 101, de-escalate the situation, use humor if necessary. You feel better, do you not?" Stone face returned to Dakota, as she and Quiver joined stiff boot body in sleigh.

                "Just hope Chel can find the way back in this blizzard." Quiver doubted.

                "No prob," Chel swung leg over seat, "old Rudy the red nosed snow mobile knows the way.  And if Rudy don't, God does..."

                Soon glow of golden light flowed thru Christmas tree in cabin window, illuminated outside nativity scene in the falling snow.  Chel none too soon ushered in near frozen guests, guests who needed no introduction to fireplace.

                "While you two are warming up, I will secure Rudy, the sleigh and stiff boot's frozen body in the barn." Snow blew in as Chel exited.

                "Thank the Lord for warm hearths and women lumberjacks," Quiver warmed hands.

                "For one woman lumberjack in particular." Dakota added, "Amen!"

                In a short, tad more snow blew in with return of Chel, who promptly offered, "Hot chocolate or coffee?"

                "Hot chocolate!" Voices of two eagerly echoed.

                "Hey, when a body gotta thaw, a body gotta thaw," Chel forecast more than she knew was brewing.

                For hours of night later, what does an icy stiff boot do in the back of a sleigh, behind Rudy the red nosed snowmobile, in one nice warm heated barn? Quote the stiff boot sniffing barn cat, "Mee-oww-le-phew!"

                Twas a couple of hours past midnight, yes it was two, there came a rapping, a not so gentle tapping gainst cabin door.

                "What tha?" Quiver roused first, rose from couch to check cabin door.

                "Do not open," Chel commanded.

                Quiver froze.

                "Could be bear." Dakota joined Chel and Quiver mid floor.

                "Angry hungry bear." Chel grabbed ax from wall.

                "Or maybe not bear," Dakota cautioned.

                And again came a rapping, a not so gentle tapping gainst cabin door.

               Quote the barn cat, "Mee-oww-le-phew!"

                Ax shook in Chel hands, "It is barn cat voice, but not barn cat word."

                "Something trouble." Deputy Dakota drew weapon, beside Chel and Quiver mid cabin floor.

                And there came a rapping, a not so gentle tapping gainst cabin door.

                Quote the barn cat, "Mee-oww-le-phew!"

                "Help!" Hoarse voice rasped thru cabin door.

                "That is not a barn cat word either." Chel lowered ax.

                "That not barn cat." Dakota now understood, re-holstered weapon.

                "Who ever it is, is freezing." Quiver quivered.

                "Not freeze. Unfreeze." Dakota raised arms, hugged what seemed to be air, spoke praising thanks in unworldly tongue.

                Chel opened door.

                In the arms of Stiff Boot, quote the barn cat, "Mee-oww-ee-le-phew!"

                "Contrary to existential and quintessential philosophy, sometimes a stiff boot just needs the proverbial swift kick to get going." Deputy Dakota smiled, added, "For things seen are not made of things that do appear, but by the Word of the Creator."

                "Whut?" Deputy Quiver side eyed patrol partner.

Epilogue:
                Lazarus, alias Stiff Boot, never complained again about his Mom blessing him at birth with that Biblical name. In fact he became an evangelist of sorts.  Old Stiff Boot from that point forward never let opportunity pass without recounting his story, no matter in church or bar, in prison or car, or on streets afar... and especially to family and friends at Christmas.  Christmas, that time of year when carolers appear, singing praises under wonderful star... and hugging far more than the air....

                Leave those stiff boots behind.  Join in the joy of Christmas with every step.  Give Jesus a hug.  He came a long way from home to be born in a manger... because he loves you.

                Hebrews 11:1&3; John 1:1-5.

                John 8:12, Then spake Jesus, "I am the light of the world; those that follow me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Christ Jesus birth and the star: Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6;  Matthew chapters 1 & 2; Luke chapters 1 & 2.

Lazarus: John 11:1-44. 



               

                 

     

                 
       

             

Friday, November 15, 2019

LULL A PIE

                "Me hackles of umbrage be astir!" With furrowed brow Ted cast wry eye, thru broken crust of chicken pot pie.

                Tess pricked crust of fresh from oven pie, raised fork, with pale rose lips blew to cool tasty hot bit, then asked, "What's got your huffy nostrils in an updraft, Ted?"

                "More disgruntled innards, for my long awaited chicken pot pie be infested with the dreaded kale!"

                "The horror," Tess giggled mid chew, "kale phobia strikes again."

                "I can't help the fact it plugs me up." Ted defended.

                "First of all that was really gross, Ted.  And second that is parsley, not kale."

                "Are you sure?" Ted eyeballed the contested green. "Frilly edges means it's parsley.  Jagged edges means it's kale.  Jagged edges, Tess.  I hate jagged edges!"

                "Taste is the test, Ted boy."

                To mouth fork plied pie crust mixed chicken, gravy and veggie.  Ted tween chews spoke reviews, "Homey... savory... and smooth, no jagged edges, and I might add with a hint of mystery herb."

                "Just a pinch of thyme, Dear."

                Oh, I know that, but this, this pot pie is seasoned with love." Ted took heaping bite, cocked head, gave wink to wife."

                "So, you are trying to make up for criticizing my cooking, smart boy."

                "Oh now Tess, that is just not true, well not entirely true, for are you not the fuzziest little peach ever rubbed to cheek?" Ted smiled. "And I'm not saying that just to gather good graces.  I truly love you, Miss Peach of my heart."

                "So, you got Tess fever, eh Ted," Tess semi-smiled, "but do you really like my chicken pot pie or not!"

                One near hopeless Ted silently prayed, "Help me Jesus," afore he said, "Tess, I can honestly  say your chicken pot pie is epoch."

                "Ted do you even know," Tess rolled eyes, "do you even know what epoch means?"

                "Well Tess, epoch is what a British chicken says when she lays an egg, epoch-epoch-epoch-e..."

                Wide eyed stunned, Tess ceased chewing. "That is inevitably and hypnotically the most stupid thing I have ever heard." She burst out laughing.

                "Really! Stupid! Before I respond to that cutting remark, Tess, I'll give you time to re-coop-perate." Ted wiggled brow.

                "Ted, your infinite trotting out of the caviler is getting tiresome."

                "Caviler? Tess, I have no mounted horsemen."

                "Ted!"

                "Nor do I have any affiliation with the basketball team, nor the singing group."

                "Ted!!" Tess snickered in spite of herself.

                Ted scooted his chair close beside her.  Tess lifted her cheek to receive kissy peck. Snuggling ensued.  And Ted, as thoughtful as Ted, such as Ted is, could possibly be, said, "Tess, do you suppose this is the lull before the calm?"

                "I'm looking at him," Tess clucked epic epoch of her own.

Epilogue:
                In this tad amusing little short story is there a reoccurring pattern of lull-storm-calm? Notice that in lull-storm-calm... the storm is surrounded...

                Please read and give every word breath: Mark 4:35-41 KJV.  So may our storms be surrounded that we 'pass safely to the other side', if we ask our precious Jesus...

             

   

             

                             

Friday, October 4, 2019

MERENGUE MERINGUE

                (Baile de Tarta, Danse de la Tarte, Dance of Pie)

                Tess cast arm to snuggle hubby.  Cast came up empty.  She felt around sheets, half asleep squeaked, "Not again, how many nights in a row does this make?  It's like trying to sleep with a foraging possum."

                Tess flipped to her back. Eyes opened.

                "Night before last I walk into the kitchen and there he is, head stuck in the refrigerator and he says, 'I have watched the sun come up in the east all my life, til this morning it came up in the west.' I just shook my head and gently prodded him, 'Those refrigerator magnets have warped your inner compass, Ted.  It's twelve midnight.  That is the refrigerator light bulb, not the sun!"

                "No way he could possibly top that, right? I mean like no stinking way!  Au contraire, Tess beware.  Last night I flip on the kitchen light and... there he is!  So of course I roll my eyes and gently admonish, 'Alone eating cake in the dark, how sad.' And he looks up at me with those beady little possum eyes and speaks perfect nonsense, 'Hey it's pear cake.  Fruit be healthy.  Plus I'm licking off the icing, so as not to eat it.' I could not make this stuff up, if my life didn't depend on it." Tess chuckled.

                "Lord give me strength to be thankful.  At least I know where he is," Tess sighed. "Actually I can not wait to see what my marauding marsupial is consuming tonight." She rose out of bed and tippy toe toed down dark hallway to the light. She paused in shadow of kitchen door and cast an ear...

                "Awash in a sea of food, and not a bite to eat," Ted whispered dry tide of hunger.

                Cast in green boxers and rumpled royal blue tee, a not so fresh from the midnight bed, tangle haired Ted, whined mid kitchen, as he opened yet another cupboard. "Corn muffin mix, corn bread mix, classic madeleine mix, corn starch, mac and cheese, ravioli, penne, linguini, angel hair spaghetti, and box after box of near every other foreign and domestic pasta know to woman kind."

                With low blood sugar induced frown, Ted closed cupboard, opened the next.  A box fell out, rebounded off his nose into hands. "Booby trapped by a two pound box of not so instant, instant potatoes! What else is in here waiting to attack? Oh yuk, chicken broth and beef broth in waxen boxes, how safe to eat is that and who would want to, followed by disarray of cake mixes galore, never seen so many fudge and brownie mixes in my life, stevia, agave, sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, and that's just the front row. Why does Tess buy so much food that needs boiling, baking or otherwise not ready to eat eats? A growing boy needs packaged readiness to survive."

                Bathed in wings of shadow, one sneaky Tess snickered, "Poor helpless baby, talking to himself again, and my oh my how my little ears burn."

                "I need a cookie. Make that cookies plural. Chocolate chip cookies!" Ted wiped saliva from chin with back of wrist, whined the more, "A cookie, a cookie, just one miserably delicious cookie! Come to Papa!" Tide of hunger gurgled roar.

                From shadows, snickers threatened rain of laughter. Tess clamped hand over mouth, thumb over nose.

                "Now I know," near epiphany rumbled, "I know that hording wife of mine loves her chocolate. Where, I say where is my little squirrel stashing her acorns?" Ted under breath pondered.

                Like a squirrel, Tess nose twitched alert.

                "Somewhere a cookie lurks.  Now if I was Tess where would those chocolate acorns be?" Ted opened lower cabinet.

                "Not even close." Tess breathed relief.

                Ted went down the line, left no cabinet unopened.

                Tess confidence soared, her secret stash unexplored.

                "Hmmm, maybe the," Ted laid hand on refrigerator door handle.

                Tess whispered, "So cold, no way Ted boy."

                "Naw," Ted rethought, "not the frig, too obvious, but if I was my cunning little wife," Ted turned to opposite side of kitchen, "the butcher block drawer?"

                "Wrong again, possum boy," Tess breathed relief, but realized the area hubby had not yet foraged steadily grew smaller.

                "Not here, but near, somewhere near, something seldom used, something broken?" Ted amped up his antiquated CRT wire frayed brain til epiphany smoked, "The broken toaster oven!"

                "Oh crud!" Tess meant ever word.

                Ted opened toaster oven door, extracted bag of cookie heaven.

                Tess rushed him from behind, grabbed at bag, missed, then desperately pled in Ted ear, "What do you want more, one cold cookie or one hot cookie wife?"

                Ted took bite of cookie.

                "Ted!!"

                Ted stuffed rest of cookie in mouth, "It's chocolate chip!!" He mumbled inadequate defense.

                Tess bit his ear.

                "Yelp!"

                "Release the cookies!" Tess hissed thru teeth clamped on ear.

                "Never!!" Ted stuffed two more in.

                "Give me," Tess rode his back, "those," she grabbed over his shoulder, "COOKIES!!" She snagged cookie bag.

                Ted held tight.  Bag ripped, cloud of cookies rained.

                Tess screamed.

                Ted slipped on a cookie.

                Both plummeted to black and white kitchen tile floor.

                The entangled two almost caught breath before the giggles set in. Giggles short lived, for Ted reached for cookie a floor.

                "Really Ted." Tess wondered, tried to pout, let out giggle instead.

                Ted put cookie tween teeth.

                "You..."

                Ted teeth wiggled cookie to tempt tease Tess.

                Amid giggles Tess nibbled her way to lips a bliss.

                "No more forever squabbling over cookies." Ted promised tween cookie kisses.

                "The sweet things of this life are meant to be shared." Tess kissy peck agreed.

                "How bout sharing a pie?" Ted had that foraging possum look.

                Pie, pie! We ain't got no stinking pie," Tess chuckled.

                "Yes we do, twenty-four hours a day."

                "The House Of Tarts!"

                "Tween Alabama and Main."

                "Three blocks over on Kirby Drive."

                One short midnight run later, back at kitchen island, Ted pirated command, "Siri, play us a merengue medley."

                "Why do we ever quarrel like squirrels over a nut, when there is pie to be had?" Sweet lemon meringue danced on Tess tongue.

                "Cause at times my little squirrel is a nut." Ted licked lemon meringue from Tess giggling lips.

                And lo, so it was so, round kitchen island, mid midnight Latin merengue sway, Tess and Ted shared fresh coconut encrusted crust, lemon meringue pie, and danced besos, besas, besos merengue maringue, besas, besos, besas dolce melangue.

                "When handed a lemon meringue pie, why slip on a cookie." Tess lips cast giggle in Ted ear.

Epilogue:

LOVE ONE ANOTHER... and stop fussing over the cookies... or if you are a squirrel, acorns...

Seems Jesus said something about that, "A new commandment I give unto you.  That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." John 13:34 KJV

What did Jesus mean by, "...as I have loved You?" I encourage you to read the book of John in The Holy Bible and attend a welcoming Christian church to learn more about loving.

There are over 435 verses in the Bible about love.

                 

             

                   
     
 




                                           

                                 

Sunday, July 21, 2019

COFFEE A DRIP

                Lured by coffee a drip, one off kilter and half asleep hubby stumbled into kitchen.

                As Ted sat down to waiting mug of fresh coffee, Tess hid smirk with fingers. "Ted, that faded maroon tee shirt is nearing pink. Plus it's inside out. And what' happened to your hair?"

                "Ted felt atop twisted mop, mumbled, "Um, mass hairsteria?"

                Thus triggered, even her index finger neath nose could not stop, non-stop Tess piglet snort-a-rama. That is until inspirational one-upmanship burst out, "I thought mass hysteria was like, when the priest tells a joke... giggle, giggle, snort-snort."

                Ted groaned, "That was a good one, Honey. Almost woke me up." Ted hoisted mug, missed mouth, thumped rim to chin.

                Tess grabbed napkins and corralled steaming hot coffee at table edge. "Almost had a tad a lap hysteria there, Ted Boy."

                Thank you Tessie." Ted rested head gainst her, hugged arm around her.

                Tess almost kissed his forehead, halted, nervously giggled, "That hair looks like a rat nest. I almost expect one to stick his head out any moment and..."

                "Eeeeeek!!" Ted squeaked, tickled her ribs.

                Tess gasped, tried to wiggle free.
             
                "I'm Mr. Tangles. Want to hear me sing rat-acapella? Eeeek-Eeeeeeek!" Ted tickled Tess all the more.

                 Panicked at even the thought of a rat, Tess broke free, caught breath. "You dirty rat! I get up early, fix you coffee, save your naughty bits from scalding, and get scared out of my gourd in return! Ted, I am sick up and fed!"

                "Uh Honey, that's not the correct..."

                "Oooh!" Tess bobby socks spun on dark tile floor, scooted her green and red plaid boxer short bottom near out kitchen door.

                Even while appreciating wife's walk away wiggle, Ted still teased, "Hey while your up can you fetch Mr. Tangles a spot a cheddar?" He smirked, near choked on sip of coffee.

                Moments passed, then a few more. Still sitting at table Ted began to faintly remember something about an old and often misquoted idiom, "Hell hath no fury like a woman without cheddar." He chuckled to himself, but then the dawn of consequences almost prodded, "Did I go like a bridge too afire?" He punctuated snierk with slap of leg, just as Tess re-entered kitchen brandishing mirror, comb, and sharp scissors a snipping.

                Ted gulped.

                Tess advanced, grabbed kitchen towel along the way.  She set the instruments of torture before Ted on table.  She draped towel round Ted neck and shoulders, and while roughly massaging, near choking that neck, uttered thru askew clenched teeth, "This won't hurt a bit. Well, maybe just a little. Ya know when, like when the hair isn't quite cut all the way thru and I pull, maybe even yank just a little too soon to go to the next snip." Tess snatched up comb and scissors.

                "Uh Tess, Honey, Sweetie, maybe you should relax a bit before you start trimming? Take a load off? Enjoy a cup of honey lavender tea?" One wide eyed Ted attempted spousal smoozaliztion. "Ya know, ah, that way we might avert hair-tastrophy." His neurotransmitters misfired into unappreciated, "Hee-hee."

                "Oh, don't worry about that. I'm a regular hair-nado at ultra close trims." Glint of scissor steel echoed midst Tess left eye a twitch. "Why don't cha just hold that mirror, Ted Boy, so you can witness the slashing, I mean expert styling."

                Ted braced for hair massacre. Yet, a little miracle seemed slowly taking place. For as Tess combed and snipped away, her facial tic subsided, her eyes relaxed, filled with forgiveness, even adoration. For in taking care of her Teddy, Tess was taking care... love to repair?

                As Tess combed and snipped one last tangle from Ted hair, she asked, asked as women do, "Why did you pick me?"

                "What?" Ted took sip of coffee. Fought urge to tease Tess. But try as he might a smooth sailing reply eluded him, and that urge to continue tease-athon persisted. "No doubt," he thought, "the result of overdosing on Saturday morning obnoxious cartoon characters as a kid. Maybe I need therapy, or better yet simply ask in Jesus name for guidance in a little prayer..."

                Still combing his hair, Tess eyed hubby, "Quit stalling, Teddy. Spit it out. I am short, little,  certainly no super model. Why did you pick me?"

                Ted scooped Tess to lap. "Not by ruler nor scale be the measure of love, but by what the heart is made of."

                Tess brushed her lips to his, "So, you're sayin' I am not so pretty, but have a pleasing personality?" Tess played coy.

                Prettiest female loon in the whole lagoon," Ted gave his Tess kissy peck.

                "So now I'm crazy?"

                So followed one long and lips a giggle kissy kiss kiss...

                Ted unaware of from mirror hidden... one back of head blotch of hair a missin'...

             
Neither by ruler nor scale be the measure of love... but by what the heart is made of...
Inspired by 1st Samuel 16:7 (How God sees us,,,)

                                 

                         

               

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

BELLY BUTTON

                In cool of night Tess slid into bed, gently plopped belly button to belly button atop one sleeping Ted.  She gave a little yawn, snuggled face to his chest and with a smile drifted off to the lullaby of his heart.  Yet, the storm beat near; for lips abed asleep, secrets oft fail to keep...

                                In tide of night
                                from closet shelf
                                call shoe box treasures
                                of salty sand
                                of cool sea sprays
                                surf sway mementos
                                of long ago love
                                ebbed far
                                yet not lost
                                so on I drift
                                so on I sail
                                til set sail
                                sails

                So did the lips of husband asleep, secrets fail to keep, from wifely ear where volcano and tropical isle oft beat one in the places of the heart.

                Tess had thought it a dream til the nightmare words 'long ago love' pricked her heart.  And as she gazed thru dim moonlight into the face of the husband she thought she knew, an ungentle tear fell down cheek, "Just who is this long ago tidal shore sandy beach of a woman!"

                Day break replaced moonlight shadows. Ted had risen, made way to kitchen. And Tess, well Tess still in bedroom had replaced dew of tears with eyes afire determination, "Just what ...are... you hiding in that closet shoe box, Monsieur Ted?" Therefore, ergo and oh my, Tess got up, and she got into that closed closet, dug around found that box of old, grasped lid, and hesitated, til cry spilled out, "Jesus, help me!"

                Tad more than a brief moment later, belly button to belly button in kitchen, did Tess feign concern? "Why is my wittle Teddy weddy's tummy so bloated and all growl-ly?"

                "You hid em.  I found em.  I ate em."

                "Let me smell that breath.  Chocolate!  My homemade chocolate chip cookies!"

                "Burp!" Smug satisfaction plastered Ted's still half a sleep chocolate smudged face.

                "That was for the kids at Sunday school." Tess protest morphed to hint of vengeance, "So, Ted, did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

                "What? I don't."

                "Yes you do."

                "No way!"

                "Way." Tess wiggled in his arms, stood tip toes up to his ear, whispered, "I found the shoe box."

                "What shoe box?" Ted waxed  tad sweaty.

                "From closet shelf call shoe box treasures, Mr. Talks In His Sleep." Tess poked his chocolate bloated belly with the finger of the hand that also held a telling photo. "Now do you recollect, Mr. No Recollection?"

                "I just woke up."

                "No excuses!"

                "I don't feel so good." Ted burped.

                "I have in my possession proof from the belly of the box!" Tess finger poked his belly gain.

                "What proof?" Ted tried to detach, backed into kitchen counter.

                Still belly button to belly button, Tess pressed, "The proof I hold in my righteous right hand." Tess leaned in hard... but the kiss was soft...

                Ted melted at kitchen counter, til his back rested against marble top.  Tess lips followed his as the photo slipped from her hand, feather floated to floor.  And lip to lip Tess whispered, "You were just a tad older than me then.  You were already walking.  I was still just a little butt scooter."

                And on the floor... on that kitchen floor rested faded photo of a young boy watching over a certain little girl at edge of ocean...

Belly button to belly button:
Proverbs 3:5-8 KJV: 5)Trust in the LORD with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6)In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7)Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8)It shall be health to thy 'navel'  and marrow to thy bones.

Belly button: navel: literally/specifically the attachment place of the umbilical 'cord'; and figuratively/spiritually the center of the body and center of strength.  Thru the son of God Christ Jesus we become children of God.  Jesus is the vine that binds us to God. (John 3:16; 15:1-12)

Just a parting thought: The jump to conclusion... is oft a long way down.  Best do some research.  Avoid the fall.  Read God's Word the Holy Bible.  The book of John is a blessed place to begin.  (Cause God loves You...)     

                 
       

                       

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

GLORY OF ANNOYANCE



                "What a lucky wife my Tess is to be a sharin' date night mirror with such a gloriously handsome hubby." Ted smugulated.

                "The glory of annoyance," a wrapped in towel Tess cast smirk into mist clad mirror.  Her light almost blond hair still dark from shower, Tess dabbed dew from temple with fresh towel.

                "Annoying bliss, that's me," Ted beamed.

                "Yes dear," Tess gave peck to cheek, sighed and smiled.

                "So," Ted toweled neath arm, "am I?"

                "What?" Tess faked annoyance, smirked again.

                "Am I annoying?" The thought had taken tad a toll on Ted.

                "What," Tess patted water from hair, "what irks me the most is how much I love you." She giggled into fading mist on mirror.

                "Wow," Ted sighed relief, "but is that possible?" Ted mind teetered near overthought overload.

                "Do I detect insecurity?" Tess gently squeezed wet hair with towel.

                "So you feel my insecurity annoying?"

                "A bit, yet flattering, maybe even a little cute." In the looking glass, arms above head, Tess turbanized towel round hair.

                Ted grew quiet.

                "Ted..."

                No response.

                "Teddy..."

                No response.

                "Ted," in mirror Tess saw hubby rapt in trance, "Ted, are you ogling my underarms again?"

                "Whut?" Twas all Ted could muster.

                "You sick puppy," Tess giggled, "stop it," she weakly protested.

                Slowly toweling chest, face slightly a tilt, neath drooping lids Ted brown eyes reflected in the now clear mirror not lust, but adoration... peace... love beyond measure...

                "Oh Mister Annoying..." Tess touched tear neath Ted eye.

                "It's," Ted fought sniffle, "it's just that," he swallowed, "when love grows, by and by gratitude and admiration follow."

                "Awww, nice save, Honey."

                "I thought so." Ted wink begat nother tear down cheek.

                Arms round hubby neck, Tess kiss grew love the more, not swift, yet sweet.  And Tess  breathed past Ted ear, and into the ear of heaven, "Dear Lord, thank you for my Teddy."

                "The gloriously handsome Teddy." Ted regained smugulation.

                "The glory of annoyance, thirty-eight years today." Tess giggled.

                "Whut?" Ted chuckle betrayed playful ploy of forgotten anniversary.

                Tess bit his ear.

                 Cheek to cheek, Tess and Ted eyes rested on the wrapped in each others arms couple in the mirror.

                Ted chuckled, yet as led, so he said, "Once we saw in the mirror thru mist dimly, now we see love clearly."

1st Corinthians NRSV 13:12-13 and 2nd Corinthians NRSV 3:18, ...1st John KJV 4:16-21...

Exodus 38:8 NRSV 






               

               

                    

Saturday, April 27, 2019

OFTEN OUGHT

                "Many are the shades of color, few are the colors of shade." Ted frowned at what he perceived to be limited window shade selections at Blinds Are Us.

                "If only being semi-profound were a superpower?" Tess rolled amber eyes, played along. "Oft ought we trace the seams... of what seems to be." She sighed.

                "What," in Blinds Are Us aisle, Ted fidgeted with yet another box amongst a staggering array of packaged window blinds, "just what are you saying, Tess?"

                "Saying you reap what you sow." Tess tapped right foot.

                "What?"

                "Get what you buy." She lifted left brow.

                "What?" Ted squatted then squinted to read too fine print on box. "I like this one but can't find what size window it fits."

                "I'm sayin," Tess bent over, whispered warm breath in ear, "I'm sayin' you are a cheapskate, Ted, and it affects your sight." She kissed that ear.

                "So, I'm a sheepskate?" Ted snickered.

                "Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! Not Sheep!"

                "Now you are talking birds?" Ted snickered again.

                "C-h-e-A-p!" Tess grew tint of rose round cheeks.

                "Oh Honey, what's wrong with saving a little money?" Ted only half kidded his one and only half.

                "We have cats." Hands on hips, Tess loomed over still squatted Ted.

                Ted eyed Tess toes strumming open sandal soles, a sure sign her patience ran tad low.

                "Shades have got to stand up to the elements, which in this case means Squeaky, Buddy and Lynx. You know, the other members of our household with long claws, sharp teeth and playful destructive natures, who like to chew slats, swat cords and climb what used to be our window blinds. You know, like the very reason we are here, Theodore!" Sole strumming toes reached violent crescendo. Tess straight arm pointed.

                Under Tess glare and pointing finger, Ted duckwalk retreated to the sturdier and more expensive blind section. "I was only funnin," he mumbled, almost ran nose to nose into little girl in the aisle.

                Pig tailed tyke turned and scampered round blind aisle bend. From other side of aisle, Tess and Ted heard her tattle, "Mommy, Mommy, there's a mean woman round the corner making a man crawl."

                "Forgive me, Jesus." Tess hid face with hand.

                They heard the Mommy giggle, "I'm sure they are just playfully teasing each other, dear. Often we ought trace the seams of what seems to be."

                Ted mumbled under breath, "Teasing as in my way or the highway."

                "Not teasing, as in my way 'is' the highway." Tess leaned over and arm around his neck kissed her Ted one more time.

                Tess and Ted noticed not the little girl had re-rounded bend in aisle til... "Mommy, Mommy, now they are kissing." She giggled, then sweetly sighed.

                Ted lips felt Tess lips grow to smile, felt her sweet breath breathe awhile, "Raise window shades, let out Jesus' light, for eyes to see sea of love."

                "See the humor, bend a little, seek and shine." Ted kissed Tess this time.

                P.S. Ted purchased those sturdier and more expensive shades.

                                      Matthew 5:14-16

(When you see an older aged couple holding hands, does it bless with hope and smile?)

Monday, March 11, 2019

KNEE HIGH

                    "Cross sea of burning desert sands, tumbling tumble weeds assuage harsh lands."

                    "You need to assuage up on the metaphors, Ted." Khaki clad Tess rolled eyes, shifted sore butt, held on to hat. "One hundred twenty-one dust bump miles in an open air, circa WWII, faded army green, four wheel drive! What could possibly go wrong in no end desert?"

                    Steam erupted from under hood.  Dust caked wheels slowed.

                    "Well the bright side, no more holding on to my hat." Thinly clad, Tess concern morphed dire.

                    "Come on, come on Old Mule." Ted gripped hard, pushed hard the steering wheel.

                    Near death, antiquated motor lurched and jerked Old Mule along, along in the heat of no end desert, where all that walked or crawled, all that drew breath tread, near death.

                    In that unforgiving wilderness, Tess looked to that in the distance, prayed, "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come..." Her eyes grew wide.  A wall of rain lay live ahead.  Straight like a fence, rain divided sand and cactus on the one side, from knee high prairie grass on the other.  And as they entered wet wall the sputtering motor cooled, began to purr.  And as their desert rat hats ran with rain, Tess and Ted squealed laughter of children.

                    Once thru the wall of rain, loomed the foot, then... the mountain.

                    Laughter turned awe, awe pierced by Tess a squeal, "Antelope!"

                    "Pronghorns, hundreds of them!" Ted a joy grinned.

                    "A thousand, even more!" Tess squealed again.

                    Pronghorn antelope raced ahead of Old Mule.  Abruptly the horde of herd turned, every doe, buck and fawn of them bent on running and leaping cross road.  On inky asphalt Old Mule tires followed lead of motor, deceased turning.  But rapt in joy Tess and Ted lost concept of time, gained ageless spirit, even to the end, the end of the line slowpoke pronghorn stragglers easing on by and by.

                    Standing up, hands on top of windshield, Tess let flow, "Wow, amazing, awesome, totally wild!  Thank you Jesus!" Smiling a bliss, she sat, turned eyes to husband, who now white knuckled Old Mule steering wheel.

                     "Ted, what's wrong?"

                     Ted unlocked eyes from rear view mirror, rolled them in gesture to back seat, whispered, "We have a passenger.  Do - not - turn - around."

                      Of wifely course, Tess turned around...

                      Yellow green eyes locked into hers.  Deep thunder rolled from chest and throat of passenger.

                       A tad moist tongue licked Tess freckled nose.  Tess giggled, like a child reached out, caressed golden fur twixt black tipped ears. "Aww, he's purring.  I think he likes me." Tess giggled again.

                       Ted turned too. "What is he? Too big and long legged to be domestic, yet unlike any native wildlife I've ever seen or read about.  What is he?"

                        Friendly," Tess matter of facted, "and such a cute wittle brown nose amid dark stripes and gold." Tess rubbed noses with feline enigma.  She ruffled the dark spotted golden fur of his sides and belly. "But look his spotted body has those long striped legs, and like wow, look at the size of those paws."

                        "Well at least he hasn't eaten us yet." Ted relaxed, restarted Old Mule motor.

                        "So, we are taking him with us?" Tess grinned.

                        "How are we going to remove a forty pound cat out of that back seat?" Ted grinned right back, put Old Mule in gear, rolled toward foot of mountain.

                        "Well," Tess surmised, "Lynx sounds like a good name."

                        "Except unlike the lynx, he has a long striped tail." Ted observed.

                        "Black tipped with a cross rising from it... kind a like the cross on the back and shoulders of a certain donkey," Tess biblically awondered.

                         Old Mule, Ted at wheel, began winding up foot to ever steeper spiraling path of 6,791 foot Mt. Locke.  Near the top Old Mule began, "Bucking like a crow-hopping bronc." Tess unabashedly squealed.

                      "Hope we make it." Ted was not sure.

                      "With all the signs awonder, we will make it, for our keeper neither slumbers nor sleeps," Tess rang faith, from the knee high, to lofty sky.

                      And from back seat rolled purr of thunder; and the newly named Lynx laid head on Tess shoulder.

                       As Old Mule brayed in protest over Mt. Locke ridge, two massive domes greeted eyes of Tess and Ted.

                    "Now those are what I call t-e-l-e-scopes!" Ted arched brow.

                    "Tellers of celestial tales," Tess quipped.

                    Deep thunder vibrated Tess shoulder to cheek.

                    "That tickles." Tess squinched neck.

                    Soon Tess got tickled again, "Here we are, rolling up in front of the Star Date Cafe at the McDonalds, Mcdonalds Observatory that is, hee-hee."

                    "Gee sweetie, you just pegged out on the pun groan-o-meter.  Bet the cafe staff never heard that one before." Ted hopped out Old Mule, walked round, opened door for one semi-simmering Tess.  Soon as her feet hit the ground, Lynx hopped out beside her.

                    Holding hubby arm up the steps to cafe, Tess grumbled, "Ted, if ever there was a sport to spoil, you'd spoil it.  But yeah, they probably do get a bit tired of hearing the same puns day after day.  Thank you Professor Censordom.  I will control my precocious temperament."

                    "At a girl," Ted hugged Tess to him, opened door,  Lynx snook in beside them, twitching long tail all the way up to cafe counter.

                    "What will you fine folks have today?" asked Big Mac, as read the name tag.

                    "Sooo," the flicker of Ted's resistance was short, "forgive my observation but ta, now taking our order is Big Mac at the Mcdonalds, McDonalds Observatory that is." Ted chuckle exploded to full blown cackling.

                    Tess punched Ted arm, "That was mine! You devious pun McSwiper." Tess snickered.

                    One stoic and truly big Big Mac stared down, stifling Tess and Ted laughter with uneven brow.   Dry as the desert wind he spoke, "You do know pets are not allowed, especially pets big enough to eat fellow diners."

                    "Not our pet." Ted shrugged.

                    "Who says!" Tess stooped, hugged over sized kitty.

                    Like left out over night coagulated cheese and macaroni, the face of Big Mac remained disapproval stuck.  Yet, the sight of Tess in kitty a hug, remelted Big Mac's cheesy heart, "Actually, the cat is one of our regulars.  We call him The Lynx," Mac grew smile, "even though his tail is long."

                    Eyes wide open Tess near cried, "Yet another sign of wonder."

                    ...At dusk, after scrumptious meal of sweet tea, maze chips and jalapeno chili, well, well Tess and Ted burped.  They burped all  the way walking to the Rebecca Gale Telescope Park for visitors. And there so were they blessed, so did they wonder, so did Tess and Ted enter worlds of the light, our outer solar system planets and moons, the Milky Way stars, even novae and galaxies a spin far... far away...

                    Later under cover of cool desert night, as Old Mule transported hand holding couple... "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth," Tess softly sang awonder.

                    And in rear view mirror, Ted beheld upon Tess shoulder the reflection of celestial stars alight in the eyes of the passenger... heard deep rolling thunder from chest and throat...
                 
                     So it is for knee high children of light, thru sand of desert, thru wall of rain, thru grass of prairie, to the foot, to the mountain, to the stars, to the galaxies, to home... the journey just begun...

Postscript: To understand this little tale please read Psalm 121 KJV

We become +children of the light+ +the children of God+ +thru Jesus+: John 8:12  & 12:36; Ephesians 5:8 & Galatians 3:26; 1st John 1:5 & Revelations 21:23 KJV

SPECIAL NOTE: The LYNX:   Returning home down country road after fire works July 4th 2018, God blessed the wife and I with a 'gift'.  As we passed over the canal bridge near our home, truck headlights flashed on a little kitten with long legs and long long tail.  In front of our house we exited the truck to see those long legs propelling that kitten full tilt down the road toward us and into my arms. We immediately named him Lynx and became his Momma and Pa Pa that night. At less than a year old he is growing exponentially and already larger than our adult cats. So now you know who the cat in the story is named after. But what you don't know is that during the writing of this story and at story completion a still small voice kept repeating, "What does Lynx mean?" So I opened the dictionary: Lynx - from the Greek leukos - white light... So does our little Lynx point to his Maker...

                         

                                       
                       

                   
                                         

Friday, February 15, 2019

AWRY AWRY

                 "Awry, awry!" Crooked finger near touched mirror.

                "So be wrinkles of men." Tess giggled, wrapped in towel, stepped out shower.

                "Me thinks twixt wifely towel pleats deep tucked platitudes dwell," Ted spoke to her mirror image.

                "Thou be one PBS special away from being crowned, Ted." Tess cast green glint of eye.

                "I be Royal Ted to thee lassy." In the mirror stroke of safety razor cut thru sudsy snow, from cheek to jaw laid path low.

                Thus Tess coiled and popped that tad damp towel.

                "Yeeeowee!" Ted blew lather cross mirror.

                "Ah, more like town crier than royalty." Tess recast towel round her, plucked nother from rack, turban tucked it round moppy wet hair. "Best get a move on whimper boy or risk miss of kickoff, where you can put that cat yowling to good use." She chuckled.

                At the ticket booth, Tess and Ted heard booming rah of that opening kickoff, followed by throat ripping screams of hometown fans, "Get him! Get him!"

                Moments later Ted cast weary eye to scoreboard, "Visitors 6 Home 0."

                "At least we got seats," Tess kidded, "right next to the band thanks to Mr. Smooth Shaver. Just pray we retain our hearing."

                "Just pray, no matter who wins, no one gets hurt." Ted let sigh.

                "You ought to know, gimpy boy." Tess hugged his arm.

                "Twenty years later I'm still gimp along Ted.  Ironically same date of injury anniversary, against the same team.  Ruined my college and pro-career."

                "Ted, you weighed a hundred and forty-five pounds and were maybe a tad quicker than a snail stuck in molasses." Tess giggled. "The only future career in football you had was ticket taker or peanut bag flinger."

                "Ah, alas and forsooth, there be the rub.  I should be king save for gale of windy wench." Ted punctuated lament with back of wrist to forehead.

                "Wench!" Tess punch punctuated the arm she hugged.

                "Queen, oh precious Queen of me heart, pardon prior miscast dart," too late pled the tad snail brained Ted.

                Tess slid arm from Ted's, sat silently in football stand. The opening kickoff of pouting began.

                Quoth the Ted, under breath said, "Oft lips sailed unto atoll shadows, wreck upon reefs fatal shallows."

                Screaming cheers erased atoll shadows.  Foe fumble propelled Tess and Ted to feet and into each others arms.  Home town defensive lineman scooped up the ball, lumbered, stumbled toward the end zone.  Amid mid scream of her own Tess near shook Ted's arm out of joint.  Ted gladly sacrificed that arm for reprieve of wifely pout.  Quoth the Ted, "Sometimes you gotta ebb, before you can flow."

                And later at home that very night, Ted breathed lip to lip, "My Queen's lips be the kiss of key lime tart."

                "Nostalgia to be, this sweet tart of time." Tess snuggled closer.

                Ted hugged Tess tight. "Wouldest love we know, without life of ebb and flow?"

                "Or the desert blossom as the rose." Tess sighed.

                "You always gotta have the last word, don't cha, Tess." Ted lips kissed her neck.

                "Yeah." Tess giggled.

Blessing or perdition... the lips... over 125 verses in the Bible...

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

Beautiful progression of scriptures:THE ROSE: Isaiah 35:1&8 with John 14:6 & 3:16 KJV

(Parting thought: Would Ted trade lack of limp and football career for his Tess? So should we not trade the love of Jesus, not even for the gain of the whole world... Mark 8:36)

                        

Sunday, January 27, 2019

WINDOW WEATHER

                                   ..IN THE MOONLIGHT FRAIL

                    Twixt high in the sky shore of Lake Woemeeicthee encircling volcanic ridge, moonlit wisps of chimney smoke trailed to the clear sky stars from cabins woven like bird nests neath pine, fir and maple.  Thus it was that in one such borrowed cabin, the eve of first wedding anniversary neared midnight.

                    In the pane of window flames of hearth burned reflection, framed the silhouette of love, where perched on window seat, neath relaxed lids, the eyes of Tess and Ted peeked out.

                    Ted sighed, "Beauty is drifting down snow in the pale moonlight."

                    "Yet other side of window casts icy frost bite." Warm breath drifted tween Tess soft parted lips.

                    The kiss tasted of toasty delight.

                     But yet, oh my how yet, did that pale moonlight, that aura of allure, compel the turning of faces thru window, a window to snow blanketed beach laced with volcanic black sand toes, toes strumming edge of shimmering warm waters, the tongue lapping waters of Lake Woemeeitchee.

                    In near trance they arose, led by the nose, so unlatched they the window, and about they slipped out.  Barely did stocking feet feel icy snow trail in that moonlight frail, til Ted face down fell into that icy ice snow and volcanic beach sand.  It packed his mouth and even his eyes, so were the consequences of nature's beautiful lies?

                    Tess tried to help him up, but coughing out snow mixed sand and with blinded eyes, Ted stumbled forward, ever forward into the shimmering warm waters, the tongue lapping waters of Lake Woemeeitchee.  There Ted redux fell into crater lake waters, warm waters that washed grit of sand mixed snow from eyes and mouth; til Lake Woemeeitchee wave nudged Ted to land, slapped Ted half-awake into Tess sweet hands.

                    In the pane of window, flames of hearth burned reflection, framed the silhouette of love, where perched on window seat, neath relaxed lids, the eyes of Tess and Ted peeked out.

                    "You sort a nodded off on me for a while there, didn't cha, Ted." Tess purred, ran fingers thru her sweet Ted's hair.

                    At peace, Ted sighed, "Grace is as the drifting down of snow in the pale moonlight, a blessing to my Tess and I this very night.

                    Warm breath drifted tween Tess soft parted lips, "So is the drifting snow beautiful... on this side of window."

                    The kiss tasted of toasty delight.

We are so blessed to have the pure drifting down snow... a beautiful symbol of the grace we share... when we ask Jesus into our hearts (Isaiah 1:18) (John 3:16).

Nature does not lie (Psalms 8:3-4 and Romans 1:19-20), but Satan lies about it. So did, in the book of Genesis, that old serpent Satan deceive Eve and Adam to worship the gift (creation), rather than the giver, the Creator, our LORD.  Which side of the window do you choose?

Gluggavedur: Scandi for 'window weather': What is nice to look at thru window, may not be nice to be out in... if not properly clothed.  Isaiah 61:10 KJV, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."

Mangata: Swedish for 'moon road,' the trail of light left by the moons reflection on the sea; i.e. the feeling of falling in love.

Lagom: Swedish for moderation and balance, health and contentment.

I think God has a lot to say about all this... in the Holy Bible...