Rhythm: Movement or Variation Marked by Regular Recurrence

I hear the tumult of the raging seas
    as your waves and surging

tides sweep over me.
But each day the Lord pours

his unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing his songs,
    praying to God who gives me life.

(Psalm 42:7-8 NLT)

Rhythm is different than routine. Routines can be broken, neglected or demanding. Rhythm ebbs and flows in increments and seasons. Being off beat frustrates, but rhythm holds you close, it just happens.

I lose interest in clapping to a song, because I can't keep count. Yet I get caught up in a rhythm and sway along. Then I lose the rhythm by explaining and defending it.

Day flows into day, month after month adding to the years. The rhythm is always there, but I find it hard to keep up with. This happens because I treat it like a routine that I think I can manage. 

Caught off guard, I remember that a rhythm rocks and wakes and gets my attention like waves splashing and crashing into me. Let the rhythm wash over me. I want to be in the midst of it to revel in its crashing, splashing waves.




Linking up with:

Poetry Revisited

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,

bearing fruit each season without fail.

Their leaves never wither,

and in all they do, they prosper. 

(Psalm 1:3 NLT)

At Ant Kamp last week, we had several guests including Juniper Gillian, my sister and the kids' mom. She spent Tuesday with us in the Secret Garden . . .  painting, eating lunch and slurping sno cones. Later in the afternoon, she challenged us to write poetry. The little ones went off on other adventures, while Apple Pie, Juniper Gillian and I wrote poems. Here's some of our fruit.

painting by JG

A Flower
    
A flower, it opens in the morning,
but closes at night.
Is it afraid to stay up all 
night? Does it wonder what the sky looks like when it
sleeps? If you think that, 
then next time don't pick
the flower. Let it dream.

Written by Apple Pie (2013 copyright. all rights reserved. Apple Pie.)




Two Haikus

two shoes a pairing
travel on the path alone
dare to find a way


pass by blowing winds
to tell the story in time
of new life again

Written by Juniper Gillian (2013 copyright. all rights reserved. Juniper Gillian.)


Three Stanza Haiku

tidal pounding waves
uniform polish flat gray
rock garden lined street

haystack rock stands firm
immovable mass unmoved
sunlit moss glows bright

rock or wave which me
illuminates middle years
ebbing and flowing

Written by Juniper Gillian (2013 copyright. all rights reserved. Juniper Gillian.)




Red Shoe

red shoe with a hole
found along the creek bed old
where is your mate?

Birds of a Feather

birds of a feather
tangerine, yellow and green
a tropical view

A Riddle

one chip
two flips
three dips
four rips
five nips
six hips

what are you?


Written by Kel Rohlf (2013 copyright. all rights reserved. Kel Rohlf)

Thrilling Guest Thursday: Jeanie Kelley

Greater love has no one than this,

that he lay down his life for his friends.
(John 15:13 NIV)

 

 

 

Welcome once again, our friend, Jeanie Kelley. Today, she ponders the topic of friendship:

 

What I would love to see is the church to welcome sinners into the church. Welcome them in a way to truly get to know them personally. While I was growing up, I did not have many friends or just one special friend. If I had walked into a church, I would have gotten scowling looks from people who thought I should not be there.

 

(2103 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. Jeanie Kelley.)

 

 

Click here to read more from Jeanie about friendship.

 

Iron Chef Challenge: Watermelon, Chocolate and Eggs

 

As iron sharpens iron,

so one person sharpens another.

(Proverbs 27:17 NIV)

 

In the tradition of the Iron Chef show, we participated in our own version today at Ant Kamp. The competitors were challenged to make a meal using watermelon, chocolate and eggs. They were judged by the reigning Rohlf "Iron Chef," Ant Kel and a wee girl.

 

The Ingredients

 

 

 

The winner presented us with a watermelon-chocolate mint cookie 'smore sided with a fried egg and a spring of lemon thyme.

 

The Winner!

 

 

 

 

Other dishes included melon balls drizzled with milk chocolate sauce, boiled egg garnished with pureed watermelon, pureed watermelon-mint beverage, fried chicken and scrambled eggs. Two chocolaty deserts vied for the judges' points: mint chocolate cookies drizzled with marshmallow sauce and chocolate dipped banana bites with a little "kick" of cayenne pepper in the dip.

 

 

The Process

 

The End Result

 

 

What would you make with watermelon, chocolate and eggs?

 

 

Hideout: A Place of Refuge

 

This cool log fort caught my attention while
on retreat a couple weeks ago at
Plays With Purpose's country place.
Wish we were still there!

 

You are my hiding place;

You will protect me from trouble and

surround me with songs of deliverance.

(Psalm 32:7 NIV)

 

 

 

 

Where was your favorite childhood hideout?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking up with . . .

The Sunday Community

and

and Sunday Stillness

 

Ordinary: The Regular Course of Things

Teach us to make the most of our time,
so that we may grow in wisdom.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy

to the end of our lives.
(Psalm 90:12 & 14 NLT)

In the regular course of things, school ended for the year. And now it's time for summer camp (aka "Ant Kamp") with Aunt Kel. Spending the month of June with my two nieces and two nephews, who range from ages eleven to six, will be the joy of this summer.

We started the week out celebrating my birthday. The day started with donuts, then brownies for lunch, and ending with a frozen cake made by my sister. It was a sweet day!




Each day has been packed with fun. I wake up with the sun to squeeze in a few minutes of solitude with my journal. Then the troops arrive before breakfast, and so we begin the day together with a meal. After that we gather in the quiet corner for a little prayer time, followed by each child choosing a "place" to go to for their own time of solitude. It could be the porch swing, the hammock, the living room, the gazebo, the quiet corner or the art room.

They have surprised me, in that, they are willing to stay by themselves reading, drawing, creating art or music for close to an half hour. The girls often want me to join them. So I divide my "quiet" time between them. After solitude, we just let things happen. Play a game. Go to the pool. Eat lunch. Rest. Watch Scooby Doo. What more can a kid ask for?!

Are we learning some great spiritual lesson? Maybe? As I think about it, my youngest niece presented us with a great truth today.

When I asked what her favorite part of "Ant Kamp" was so far, she said:

 

Being with you!

And that's the truth: God's favorite part is being with us.



Photos from the last three days of "Ant Kamp"