My morning ritual is the same throughout the summer.
Each day my plants must be watered.
I water the plants on the deck outside my kitchen and the plants out front in the old rusty gates.
Watering the plants on the side porch made me pause.

It is a sneak attack.
The memories that come on so strong you have to pay attention.
The memories that catch you off guard in a good way.
The memories that scream to be remembered.

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I went to my favorite Whole Foods market to buy the organic honey I enjoy.
I put a few other things in my basket and walked up to the cash register.
As I approached the counter, I was surprised to see a little girl.
She was sitting up on the counter hugging a very worn stuffed animal.

I held my basket since there was no place to put it down.
Her daddy was finishing his purchase.
She was watching everyone, still hugging her special stuffed friend.
I noticed her hair; it was so blond, it was almost white.

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I rang the doorbell with a tray in hand.
I made a meal for someone and was bringing it to their house around dinner time.
The husband answered the door.
The wife was standing in the foyer with a smile.

The meal was to bless them.
However, the visit ending up blessing me.
Isn’t that always the way it goes?
Reciprocal blessings.

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We were trying to figure out how we first met.
Our youngest daughters are the same age.
They were in youth group together.
We go to the same church.

However, there was a moment.
There was that occasion when our friendship began.
Neither one of us was certain.
Not until I gave her a hug.

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A state park is close to my home.
There are hiking trails and a beautiful man-made lake.
In order to drive most places, I must drive over that pristine lake.
It is the place where people will stop to take pictures since the sunsets over the lake are amazing.

The bridge that goes over the lake is quite wide along each shoulder.
That is where cars will pull over to take photographs.
That is where the park rangers will often come to inspect.
That is where a life preserver is always hung.

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There are plenty of statements that play on repeat in our minds.
Many of those statements are things we learned as children.
Even into our adult life, we still hear them.
No wonder people say they begin to sound like their parents after a while.

Wash your hands.
Wipe your feet.
Brush your teeth.
Elbows off the table.

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It was the preview day of my favorite sale.
It is a consignment sale that happens twice a year to support a local playschool.
I have been going to the sale twice a year for about twenty-five years.
Having a preview day is something new.

Preview days are crowded but not nearly as crowded as opening day.
Strollers are not allowed on the premises either day until noon.
Consequently, you see mothers with babies in carriers.
The sale is well-known in this area; there is something for everyone.

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There are many signs of spring.
I enjoy the light green hue that is just barely visible on the tree branches.
In a short time, that green hue will burst forth into full fledged leaves.
Until then, spring teases.

Crocuses and daffodils peek through the ground and make their appearance.
Everything is waking up.
Everything is waiting to blossom.
Color will fill the landscape that was brown and lifeless through the winter months.

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Sometimes when I have errands to run I can predict how long it will take me to finish.
Sometimes that anticipated time is extended for various reasons.
It may be because I leave later than I thought I would.
It may be because I run into people I know and we talk for a while.

Sometimes all of those errands become God’s agenda.
You can never anticipate when God’s agenda will happen.
You can never rush it.
You can never cut it short.

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It was a favorite read-aloud story of my children.
It was one of my favorite stories as well.
There was so much to enjoy about the simple story.
There was so much to discuss after reading it.

The story begins with travelers coming to a village.
The travelers carry nothing in their hand but an empty cooking pot.
Tired and hungry from their travels, they hoped the villagers might share some food with them.
The villagers are unwilling to share with them.

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