Dear Reader:

There’s just something about tree houses that bring back such wonderful, childhood memories…secret codes (Pig Latin) hidden “treasures” and great hideaways when supper is ready and you aren’t.

But the thing I remember most…were the “sacred” trust bond rituals among the club members…usually the girls against the boys…fighting it out over territorial claims… who got to the tree house hideaway before the other. We would do the chants and promises to secrecy among each other…the favorite refrain being: “Do I have your word?” with the response of “You have my word.” We would make the three finger promise over our heart believing no one would ever break our trust or give away our secrets.

Of course they did get broken…for lots of reasons…mostly adolescence arrived and with it junior high pranks and broken promises. By high school the idea of secrets and trust in promises to keep one’s secrets was jaded and sadly…innocent childish trust a distant memory.

In The Rock that is Higher Madeleine L’ Engle takes this refrain to a spiritual higher level…. from the disappointing broken promises of man to God’s never-ending promise to us…His Word.

(excerpt)

“When was the last time anybody asked you, “Do I have your word?” Or when was the last time anybody said to you, “I give you my word,” and you knew that you could trust that word, absolutely?

How many times in the last few decades have we watched and listened to a political figure on television and heard him say, “I give you my word…” and shortly thereafter that word has been proven false. In the past year alone, how many people have perjured themselves publicly? Sworn on the Bible, given their word, and that word has been a lie? 

…Small wonder that when God tells us, “I give you my Word,” few people take Him seriously.  

“I give you my Word,” said God and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. ” The Word became the living truth for us, the only truth that does set us free from the shackles of misguided trust in our world. 

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Psalm 118:8 –  It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. 

Isn’t it nice to know that there is one “Person” in this whole wide world whom we can trust to keep our secrets, forgive our mistakes and weaknesses, and love us in spite of it all…God’s WORD.

So until tomorrow…Let us remember to stop when counting our bills and coins…and take a moment to realize that trust in man and money is risky at best…but trust in God brings us the ever-lasting (not subject to the whims of Wall Street) divine dividend of God’s trust in us…we have His WORD.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

More happy “pretties” to share…spring surprises!

The squirrels dug up all my pansies and my snap dragons (from my last barrel arrangement) ….so this time my pansies and petunias are in the center and my “guards”… the marigolds that squirrels don’t like… are standing tall and doing a good job…no squirrels so far.

Vickie’s Japanese tulip tree is just gorgeous…and look at these camellias (hybrid) she shared with me on our walk yesterday afternoon from her camellia bush in the backyard..

I have this gorgeous tree and blooms on the side of my house…but I don’t know the name of it…any ideas? A flowering something???

The state flower….the yellow jessamine is out in abundance now…pretty decor for this neighborhood mailbox.

Actually… except for a few short excursions outside… I remained inside the rest of the day…the sun never came out and the predicted warm temperatures never materialized… the gray clouds with spurts of rain dominated the skies…  and dampness seeped into the house.

So I put on a log, lit a candle, grabbed a book and thanked God for the luxury of a quiet day to read and reflect and count my blessings.

*And speaking of blessings…thanks Anne for calling and stopping by to pick up the grandchildren’s tree name markers to touch up…Anne is leaving for the Florida Keys Friday and she said she was ready to just piddle with small projects like mine before she leaves… down-sizing after her show…which took a lot of work…and was very successful!