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Weekend shenanigans

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.19.14.NIV

The past couple weekends have been wonderful. Last weekend, Finn went to his grandmother’s house and Ila went along. Leland and I had time to spend together, just the two of us. That’s rare anymore. Saturday evening we watched movies, and on Sunday we played video games.

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Brunch with Mimi
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Falling asleep on Mimi’s sofa

This weekend, Leland and Ila are at their aunt and uncle’s house, and Finn and I get to hang out, just the two of us. Friday night, we went to the store for a couple things I needed, we got ice cream, and we came home and had a movie night.☺️ Saturday, we went to the evening service at church. They had communion, which was wonderful. It was wonderful to worship Jesus freely and meditate on who He is.

Finn and I are just hanging out at home today. I’ve been doing some cleaning and organizing. We also watched the movie Cars. Every day this weekend.🤣 Not sure how many times. It was more than five. Finn also got me into Zoboomafoo, which (not gonna lie) I find charming. It’s the lemur.

Oh! Speaking of Finn, we are 90% of the way done potty training! He wears his big boy underwear all day now, and sleeps with a Pull-Up on at night. He’s made it through at least two weeks of school with no accidents. Hallelujah! If you missed my New Year’s poem about beginning potty training, that’s when we really buckled down and started this endeavor.

There you have it. Of course, today is Palm Sunday, where people wave palms and do things with palms in remembrance of Jesus entering into Jerusalem. No palms here, but I am eternally grateful to Jesus for rescuing a wretch like me, more times than I know, I’m sure. I’ve been honed in on completing the haibun poetry challenge, and I’ve written near to nothing else for the past week (at least!). I really just wanted to talk about Jesus.

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Familiar stranger

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Luke Southern

Rainwater is running down the road, creeks and streams are flooding. While standing in the living room, folding laundry, I feel a plop of water hit my back. What in the world? I look up. The ceiling is leaking.

Brings to mind a time years ago. I lived in my first apartment. I paid $550 monthly for rent. Imagine that?! The landlord was what some refer to as a “slum lord”. It rained and stormed so heavily that many people ended up needing repairs for roofs, including us.

A leak in the building’s roof made its way to my stucco tile ceiling, and it dripped badly from multiple places. When I called the landlord, he told me to “put some pots and pans down” to catch the dirty water. A month later, he paid Amish workers to come fix it.

Leaky roof
Rainy days half as long as night
Vernal equinox

Written for Day 19 of Garden of Neuro’s Haibun Poetry Challenge and Frank’s Haiki Challenge II.

mixed feelings

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Pedro Forester Da Silva

It’s raining again today. With so much rainfall in the past few weeks, the flowerbeds are overgrown with what some call weeds. I have mixed feelings about pulling out what I don’t want in order to cultivate the earth for the flowers I wish to plant.

Rainfall
Robin hops through grass
Without a sound

Written for Day 18 of Garden of Neuro’s Haibun Poetry Challenge.

Redefining Power by Melissa Lemay

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Redefining Power by Melissa Lemay My heart bleedsBecause it’s been woundedMy soul singsBecause it’s been carriedMy eyes cry tears For joy and for …

Redefining Power by Melissa Lemay

Thank you, Michelle, editor of Hotel Masticadores, for publishing this piece about resilience and strength. Click through to read.🙏🏻❤️

in the balance

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Image created with Microsoft’s Image Creator

I cleaned two ceiling fans the other day in preparation for opening the windows and embracing spring’s warmth. This week, the temperatures were mostly in the forties. I still have one ceiling fan left to clean. What I would give for a maid.

March winds rage
Tree limbs sway in the balance
Birds sit on thin branches

Written for Day 17 of Garden of Neuro’s Haibun Poetry Challenge and Colleen’s 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge. Kigo: March winds; location: Southeastern Pennsylvania, United States.

Tying knots

While I was living in Riverside, California, years ago, a girl named Melissa started teaching me how to crochet. I found it very relaxing, but I didn’t follow through with it. Later, I left California abruptly, and Melissa held on to some very sentimental things of mine for me. The plan was for me to get them back. I never did.

Tying knots in
People’s commonalities
Strung on a thread

Written for Day 15 of Garden of Neuro’s Haibun Poetry Challenge.

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Nykeya Paige

“flooding” by Melissa Lemay

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There is a subtle dysphoria that lingers with sediment along the walls in veins. I’ve nothing left from one moment to the next. I might be driving a …

“flooding” by Melissa Lemay

Thank you, Nolcha, for publishing this piece. (Side note: I’m super excited that some of my writing is being published with titles not in title case. Thank you, E. E. Cummings.)

Unexplained

I’ll never understand why it is easier (for many) to write things on some medium instead of carrying words verbally through the mouth to ears and then heart. Why do we hide behind pages and screens, when there is everything to be had within voice and touch.

Even those of us, with high emotional IQ, who have seemingly mastered displays of authenticity and depth, retreat into shells after the performance is over, when things are toned down. I suppose no one can live on the edge of light forever.

Tiniest details
A ladybug walks on my arm
Spreads wings and flies

Written for Day 14 of Garden of Neuro’s Haibun Poetry Challenge.

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