This is the last hymn I sang to Moz before she passed. This song came into my thoughts, again, this morning when I learned two loved ones in my circle had passed. My love to their families and friends. ❤
(If you make it to the end you’ll see a cameo by the backyard birds.)
(Words to the hymn are by Anna L. Waring, 1823-1910.)
I know I have friends who are feeling today what I was feeling four years ago. Devastated. Terrified of what the future holds. Sure that there must be some mistake. Wondering if it’s all a lie. Wondering if some miracle will change everything before the new president gets sworn in. I guess I just wanted you to know that I get it and I’m not going to judge you for whatever it is you’re feeling right now. And I’m not going to think less of you if you’re feeling scared.
I voted for Biden-Harris. I am relieved and happy they won. But I find I’m not even tempted to gloat about it.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
“God bless the whole world – no exceptions.”
The sun doesn’t choose to rise
on some and not others.
Everyone’s blessed.
-Karen Molenaar Terrell
(Photos of the sun rising in Bow, Washington, this morning. Photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell.)
“He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
– Matthew 5:45
“Love is impartial and universal in its adaptations and bestowals.”
– Mary Baker Eddy
Van Jones’s words spoke to my heart this morning:
“Well, it’s easier to be a parent this morning. It’s easier to be a dad. It’s easier to tell your kids character matters… telling the truth matters; being a good person matters. It’s easier for a lot of people. If you’re a Muslim in this country you don’t have to worry if the president doesn’t want you here. If you’re an immigrant you don’t have to worry if the president is going to be happy to have babies stashed away or send Dreamers back for no reason… ‘I can’t breathe’ – you know, that wasn’t just George Floyd, that was a lot of people that felt they couldn’t breathe… and you’re going to the store and people who have been afraid to show their racism are getting nastier and nastier… and you spend so much of your life energy just trying to hold it together. And this is a big deal for us just to be able to get some peace…And the character of the country matters. And being a good man matters…”
I am feeling incredible relief this morning. But… I also recognize that we’re not done. There’s still a lot of work ahead for all of us – red and blue and green and polka dotted – to bring equity and progress and healing to our country. The path in front of us is not lined with roses and unicorns – and I am already emotionally exhausted from the LAST four years. But I guess we’ve all got to take a collective deep breath and gather our strength and march on. The battle’s not over until every last person on our planet is free and safe.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness…”
– Psalms 30: 11
“…rejoice that evil, by whatever figure presented, contradicts itself and has neither origin nor support in Truth and good. Seeing this, we should have faith to fight all claims of evil, because we know that they are worthless and unreal.”
– Mary Baker Eddy
I am inordinately pleased with myself right now.
At the beginning of the summer I planted carrot seeds in a small planter box on my deck. I watched them sprout and grow and felt pretty good about myself and what had come from my seeds, but… then I kind of forgot about the carrots. Occasionally the dog would stick her snout in the planter box and go grazing and pull a carrot out for herself. Scott transplanted some of the sprouts to his garden when his own carrots weren’t doing so well – and my carrot seedlings did really well for him. But. Yeah. I got caught up in other things and, for the most part, the carrots just sat in their box of dirt. Patient. Waiting. Trusting.
And today I finally remembered them! I went out to the planter box and dug around and found a bunch of little carrots – still healthy and edible. I brought them inside, washed them off, and turned them into (drum roll) CARROT CAKE! (I used some apple sauce Scotty had made from his Gravensteins, too – we’re living off the land, baby!)
– Karen Molenaar Terrell
God bless our country. God bless the whole world. No matter who wins this election we still have a long road of healing ahead of us. May God, Love, help us all – each and every Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green Party, Black, Brown, White, polka dotted, atheist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, gun-toting, unarmed, flag-waving, anthem-kneeling, F and M and LGBTQ one of us.
Amen.
-Karen Molenaar Terrell
No matter who wins the presidential election, this won’t change: There are still good people in the world doing good things. And you are one of them.
And now a rainbow doodle…
Sitting in a camp chair on the back deck
in the sunshine, I open my eyes and see
the answers to my “When will I ever…?”
questions: “When will I ever find my love?”
And there sits my beloved partner of 36 years.
“When will we ever have children?”
And there sits the youngest son, eating lunch.
“When will we ever own our own home?”
And I look down at the deck beneath my chair,
attached to our house at my back.
“When will we ever have another cat?”
And there’s Clara Rose with her nose
between the slats of the deck, looking out
on our field of autumn auburn trees.
I am sitting on a deck full of blessings.
-Karen Molenaar Terrell
“…let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
– James 1:4
“To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings.”
– Mary Baker Eddy
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 