Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, shining like crystal, flowing from the throne of God… On each side of the river is the tree of life… bearing its fruit each month. The tree’s leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse… Night will be no more. They won’t need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine on them… – Revelation 22:1-5

First, apparently I’m done with limiting myself to the “Monday, Wednesday, Friday” posting schedule. This blog is a necessary “warm-up” for my writing day, it gets the ball rolling as an important part of my regimen.

Essentially, reading my blog is like looking over my shoulder as I do my devotions. I’m not writing for “an audience,” I’m writing because that’s what I do. It’s not about generating statistics, but the creative process.

In that respect, this space is kind of like sidewalk-art or setting up an easel in the park. I’m painting, people are walking by, sometimes they stop and look.

Enjoy!

Good Food and More:

So, after a fairly long lapse, I’ve been getting creative again in my kitchen. Last night it was chicken with a tart cherry glaze, scratch mashed potatoes with garlic and crème fraîche, and – a first for me – collard greens. The collards probably worked only because I first sautéed them with garlic and olive oil, then braised them in red wine vinegar.

Together, served with some French bread, it worked beautifully.

Then, Saturday, salmon with a labneh sauce over a mixture of freekeh with dates, and kale with sauteed zucchini, garlic, and lemon zest.

I share this not to make your mouth water (well, not much…) but as a reminder that even the most routine of tasks can be infused with creativity and – even more importantly – fresh perspectives.

Tilting Toward the Positive:

Just before dinner I walked up to the mailbox with Scout. Looking back I was struck by how much spring has raced forward over the past two or three days. We’re well into April, and Saturday night was probably our last flirt with freezing temperatures. The photograph (it’s the lead image in this post) represents one of those moments where the balance tips one way or the other.

For us – and I believe this is always the case – the balance is tilted toward the positive, to grace,  to redemption, the victory of light, and of promise.

Finally, as I hit “publish” and reluctantly return to our 2017 taxes, there is this picture of the grandchildren, taken by Naomi right after David’s haircut. Six and four. So full of life and promise. Such a blessing.

Grateful, and more – DEREK