The Season of Change

I was born in the mountains— I spent my childhood there. When I return to them, I am happy and sad, because the mountains are only mine to borrow. They are not mine to keep.

Emotions float to the top of my soul like marshmallows in cocoa— warm, bittersweet emotions.

I want to stay in the mountains— not just for a few days. I want to stay long enough to adventure; explore; rest; create; reconnect; and pray.

I am drawn to the autumn colors of the mountains and to the falling leaves. When October comes, I must journey there. The changing season is symbolic of the change I long to see within myself. It feels like instinct, but it is certainly the Spirit of God, who longs for my change even more than I do.

Thank you, God, for leaves on a porch; for crisp air; for a thick blanket next to a fireplace; for hot apple cider; for homemade meals around a table of friends who feel more like family; for quiet peace; for fog on the mountains; for the smell of lavender; for joy; and naps. Thank you, God. All of this means so much to me. You knew it would.

Dedicated to Dee and Mark Mueller, the founders and hosts of Hearth Ministries.

When I Was Young

When I was young,

I used to climb to the top of a tree.

Alone, I felt at peace–

Safe.

From there, I could see water, land, and more trees.

I could also dream.

I wish I could remember what I dreamed about.

My mother took a picture of me in that tree–

Me, with my permed hair and bright eye shadow.

I wanted to look like the other girls–

To fit in.

It didn’t work.

It never worked.

I’m not sure why she took that picture.

Maybe she thought I was cute.

Maybe she admired my climbing ability.

Maybe..

She wished..

She could climb a tree, too.

And be alone.

At peace.

Safe.

The Poet

I used to write poems of trees
For trees were all that I saw
Until I moved to the sea

Then night and day
I wrote poems of waves
That rose and crashed around me

Of wind and rain
That tossed my boat
Upon the choppy sea

Then with head hung low
Against the port bow
Adrift on the angry gray

I promised myself
And vowed to my God
To return to the trees someday

The Diet

Cake?

No thank you.

My middle is round

From all the cake I've found—

Chocolate, vanilla, confetti, pound.

"Cake."

I even love the sound.

Pastry Chefs are profound;

The Michelangelos of dessert;

Their delightful, tiered creations

Frosted with flair and precision.

Yet, I stand by my decision.

Ice Cream?

Fall

Spices in the air

Color in the trees

Crunching of the leaves

Crispness in the breeze

A Hope

A Vibrancy

That breaks monotony

And excites me to the core

Leaves me wanting more

Of this magical autumn time

The season when I thrive

I feel abundantly alive

As creation breaks from her cocoon

And flys all around me

I'm drawn in by her beauty

And inspired to create

My creator can relate

For this wonder

It's all His

Spoken word

He did it first

Let there be

And so there was

He looked around and called it good

Four seasons all built-in

Each one pointing back to Him

But I feel Him

Hear Him

See Him most

In the Fall

Morning Song

What a beautiful time,
Morning;
When light is just arriving.
There’s nothin’ like gettin’ up early,
Sittin’ on the porch swing,
And listenin’ to the birds.
It’s like the good Lord puts them right there with a special song.
And in the newness of the day,
His joy appears,
And hours vanish,
Like glistening dew on the roses.

Dedicated to my porch-swinging, bird-loving, rose-growing mom.

A Tale of Fire & Ice

A snowflake said to a flame,

“Hello. Who are you? What’s your name?”

The flame, pretending not to hear,

Said to the snowflake, I need to come near.

Said the flake to the flame, “You shouldn’t.”

Said the flame to the flake, “Who wouldn’t?”

You’re unique, special, and one of a kind.

I’ve admired your beauty for quite some time.

The snowflake, flattered and intrigued,

Said to the flame, “Yes, sit next to me.”

As they sat there together, one could already see,

A dramatic change in the snowflake’s beauty.

Her dazzling white fell to the ground,

In deep pools of water, without a sound.

To stay with the flame would be her demise,

But the flame said he loved her, and she wasn’t so wise.

The flame wasn’t innocent, he knew how she felt.

Yet, he sat right there and watched her melt.

Almost A Riddle

A circle is round

In fact, it is bound

To be round for as long as it exists

A circle cut in half

Is only half round as it once was

And as a circle, almost unrecognizable

You can no longer roll it about

A wheel? It just won't do

Need a button or a dial?

It's simply not for you.

When folded, almost triangular

No other circle quite so strange-ular

And devoid of its rounded pride

Is now a circle with three sides

Half of half a circle

Resembles a piece of pie

But it certainly doesn't taste like one

Unless it was a pie, to begin with.

First Born

It’s amazing how difficult it is to be firstborn
The second does not understand
They see privilege
Favoritism
Unfairness
Yet being firstborn comes with so much responsibility
It’s built-in
It’s part of the job
It looks like bossiness
But it’s protection
It looks like don’t wanna play
But it’s growing up
It looks like never share
But it’s longing for something
Anything that is exclusively yours
Firstborn means
Being in your own world sometimes
It means different teachers
Different friends
Different likes and dislikes
Different experiences
Different memories
It means moving at a different pace
Moving ahead
And eventually
It means leaving and not coming back
It’s not insensitive
It’s not uncaring
It’s just firstborn

Introducing My Very First Book, Pages of Sunbeams

Today's blog is going to be short and sweet.

On December 13, 2022, my very first children's book was released. It's called, Pages of Sunbeams: Joyful, Singable Rhymes To Brighten Your Day.

I just wrote that sentence and I feel as though it couldn't possibly be true. I was so calm when I wrote it too. Maybe that's because I have been in the this process since August. I've been working with a publisher, having conversations about it with friends and family and scoping out opportunities to promote the book and the purpose behind it. I often talk about it on video, sharing on social media with friends and followers. I even talk about it to people I have just met. This dream has literally become my reality!

It's Christmas time and I'm honestly too tired to write about this or anything else; but it's been a while since I've written and I want you to know I'm still here. I want you to know, the process of writing and publishing my first book has been life-changing in many ways. I am not being flippant about the term, "life-changing" either. I am serious. I have learned a few things about myself that surprised me. I've learned some surprising things about others too. I don't want to randomly throw words on a page so I won't share those things today. I'm just giving you heads-up. A longer, revealing post is coming. Until then, enjoy this beautiful season!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah! Mechelle