Mina's Musings

7 Oaks Road Declared a Disaster Area On Valentine's Day 2019, the land around our mountain property was flooded. New water courses and islands were carved by the force of too much water in one place at one time.  Here is what our electronic controller on our irrigation pump looked like after the flood. Burst compression fitting Sometime after we saw the new landscape, the INSIDE of our home flooded.  And we experienced, too much water in one place at one time.  About 8 days of sitting flooded water from this little pipe that blew off the compression fitting caused inside disaster.   Fred had wanted to pull the washing machine out of the upstairs because his insurance days showed him what can happen. And happen it did.   I was not with him when he discovered it. After the initial shock, he went into action- sweeping water out the door, ripping out drywall, removing furniture, cutting the waterlogged carpet that now weighed 500 l...

This year I learned to make nature prints. A nature print is a unique and unexpected way to imprint a botanical impression onto paper. Here is one of my favorites.   I love the darkness juxtaposed with the leaves. It looks almost photographic. Although I am new at this, the unusual process really does the work of reproducing the beauty. Can you guess how this paper took on this impression? What do you think? This print started with a piece of carefully chosen paper- paper that the artist knows will hold the natural dye coming from the leaves,     paper that will record and hold the image accurately and                       paper that has the strength to survive the process. Leaf wrap   Placing the leaves on the selected paper, I sandwich them with another piece of quality paper. Then beginning at one end of the sandwich, I roll ...

   Yesterday,  I experienced the resolute presence of God's spirit amidst 10 lovely women.    My friend Sergio Perez was overcome by the effects of  glioblastoma   at 4:25 am on Saturday March 18th.  He left as one that was well loved by his family and many many 4th grade students.  Little voices, hands and souls whom he invested in and nurtured in a manly way. His way was gentle but firm and assuring. He was interested in people -perhaps because he knew that each one of them was of great value in the Kingdom of God. He had an unusual gift of remembering names and even decades later could recall them when meeting his former students on the street.    I only got to know him better in the last year, more his family really, but his imprint upon them was indelible. Their beloved Sergio struggled against this insidious disease for 6 months before it took him. During that time the amount of cards and support monies that came i...

Reflection on the worship service in Joy hall Monday night May 27th.  "Del Chinchen is coming to Granada on Monday May 27, to apologize for his years of deception. He will make a brief statement and then will respond to questions from those who have been hurt by him. " Because of my history with this body of believers at GHFC, I responded to his invitation not because I was hurt but because I anticipated an intense God-presence.The sin of immorality is part of the human experience no matter how "sanctified" a congregation may be, and being so it needs to be processed in a way congruent with Kingdom living. That is a tall order. Sadly in the body of Christ we tend to be more likely to set ourselves up as stone throwers than fellow grace-receivers. But I know the people in my local body to be well founded on grace as well as truth. So I went because I knew I would learn something. Joy hall was filled with about 40 of us. Ed introduced Del and...

Today is January 6 th  Epiphany. The day the church celebrates the Magi visitation. Since I can remember I have always hand written a letter to the “3 Kings” and tucked it into my shoes which were left outside the door. They would sit there all night in anticipation of the gifts the 3 kings would leave me. Today the 3 kings are 86 years old and although they live next door to me their age has tethered them closer to home. This year, I didn't put out my shoes for the first time since I can remember. Time changes things. The custom also spread to my children as they grew up. But now far away or all grown up, their shoes aren’t filled either. But my parents' laughter as they read their letters and appreciated the childish drawings are a reservoir of joy to me.  This day, Epiphany and this part of the nativity history is chilling. Particularly when I had my own two year olds and now especially as Fred and I enjoy our own sweet grandchildren. How is it possible th...

Resurrection Day Commemoration 2014 This year, Lois Thorpe is living with us and I was privileged to have her co-ordinate our get together. She baked for days before and I posted pics on fb. The trumpet shall sound and the BREAD shall be raised! Sunday we had Lois, Abs, Phil, Lee and 3 month old Rose, Terri, Jacob (who has blessed my soul by moving back in), and my folks for the noon meal. Mom Taylor popped in for a while. The past year has been a debilitating one for the grand folks. My dad, although his hearing is now being assisted, has lost his leg strength, my mom has had different things take away her energetic self, but she still tries to maintain a positive attitude and rubs crazy plants on her body and eyes which cause us distress. Mom Taylor took a fall when retrieving her mail and her balance is off so she stays closer to home than before and has had a stair lift installed. Coming to these inevitable years of decline has introduced me to a new world. A world where the...