Valentine Rose

Still trying to learn how to use my upgraded laptop!   Here's a photo of Frank planting his Valentine's gift to me - a Mr. Lincoln tea rose bush!

South Texas Winter Break

Laguna Madre, South Texas

Finally I have my computer back and working - BUT still there are new learnings to take place with the upgrade.  So, I will resume my weekly trips to the Apple store in Greenville for tutoring.....The trip to South Padre Island was exactly what we needed.  Weather cooperated.  Friends were delightfully hospitable - true Texas welcomes everywhere we went.  The condo was very close to the beach, nicely decorated, and had a balcony which we were on much of the time simply enjoying the sunshine and the ocean and all that goes with those two.  Walks on the beach.  Meals out with friends that included home-cooked tacos, beans and rice by Linda; barbecue; lobster; and more.  The biggest surprise was Padre Island itself. Reminded me a bit of the Outer Banks of NC.  Long, narrow island with the spectacular Laguna Madre on the west side (photo) and the Gulf of Mexico on the east.  Bird watching was spectacular - particularly at the home ranch of Mira and Neal - beautiful peacocks, guineas, and several local birds whose names I don't recall, but the beautiful colors I do.  Of course, one leaves Texas with the feeling of wide open spaces everywhere you look both on land and water.

Fix your eyes not on the seen…

My morning reading in "Jesus Calling" was a thoughtful awakening:  Fix your eyes not on the seen but on the unseen.  I glanced up from my book and looked out over the Pond to see a quiet, total, stillness and "saw" the fish beneath the Pond surface.  A few seconds later the surface of the Pond became a total swirl of movement seen but also, the unseen wind,  where I fixed my eyes.  A small shift in my eyes over to the trees and more wind movement.  Today I will come back to this - fixing my eyes on the unseen.