I understand that Friday comes around every seven days, and it has been this way – the whole seven days in a week thing – all my life. But I swear the distance between Fridays is getting shorter… or time is moving faster.

Mathematically, or course, it’s a fact. Time is speeding up as I age. A year, a month, a week, even a day is now an increasingly smaller fraction of my entire life. It is absolutely true that time is relative, and our perception of time even more so.

My thoughts on metaphysics aside, I do have a handful or two of photographs to share.

The week started with “the 46th anniversary of our 1st date” (worth reading about here: She Shines out like the Dawn). The enthusiasm we have for being together, for doing life together, for sharing this ongoing Great Adventure, is genuine.

My second photograph features Rebekah at her desk, preparing for serving The Lord’s Supper the next day at church (read When God Leaves… in our Arms).

The ukulele on the table tells the rest of the story: Her study is also her music studio. It really is a much more practical use of the space than the occasional meal.

Today’s third photograph continues to focus inside the house here at Maul Hall. This morning, pouring a second cup of coffee before cooking a late breakfast, I noticed how beautifully the morning light floods this side of the house.

Yes, such incisive illumination also reveals all the dust, the dog hair, the splashes and the crumbs – but it is glorious all the same. And such a metaphor for the possibilities held in each new morning.

The Grandchildren!

Then, always, a wonderful photograph from Naomi makes its way across the miles to remind me how exceptionally blessed I am as a grandfather of four.

Geoffrey, David, Beks – and even their dog – relaxed and happy in their family home in Orlando. Plus, even though he is not pictured, Rebekah and I got to talk with Mr. T. this week in Bahrain via video. He was out in their courtyard, enjoying the cool desert evening air around the firepit with his parents. More than 7,000 miles away but he still makes us smile.

Good Food Continues!

It has been another most excellent food week here at Maul Hall.

I took the remainder of the amazing Cuban rice (this exceptional recipe is included in Wednesday’s foodie post, Focus on Preparation) and added fresh shrimp to make a delicious encore.

Then, having roasted a turkey breast earlier in the week, this turkey and spinach salad made for a wonderful lunchtime treat. Just a couple of examples from some good eating.

Scrabble, Max, and more:

A lot of you have responded thoughtfully to the lastest post about my mum, and her struggle to find herself in the absence of dad (if you missed it, please read “No one understands like Jesus“).

So I simply make sure to invest a lot of time and presence. We try to have a Scrabble game going at one end of her dining room table. We watch a lot of “Jeopardy”, and “All Creatures Great and Small.” We take walks. We chat. She comes over for dinner. I play hymns.

One request, please don’t check this Scrabble photo for spelling! The last thing I need to do right now is to nit-pik my mother out of a double word score if she believes she has landed one!

Meanwhile Max is very much enjoying the opportunity he has to offer life and comfort and smiles – lots of smiles – to the residents at Cadence Living. I know we have said this before, but, “What a good boy!”

Finally, out in the wooded area in front of our house, the first daffodil is pointing the way toward the coming Springtime. This time of the year provides such a beautiful story of renewal and new life.

Would that we all listen to the flowers and believe.

Trusting that we will – DEREK