After that nice blog-cation, Virginia the Blogger went A.W.O.L. the past month for Several Reasons. Yes, it’s summer & that seems like a good reason all by itself, but a Bigger Reason remains: A NEW LAPTOP.
Why (the heck) would a nice new laptop cause any distress? Since this 7 year old laptop (note present tense, ie, the one in use for this blog) is Rather Ancient in Laptop Life expectancy, what Happy Technology Grooves to zip about on a shiny new laptop with all the latest bells & whistles…
But, wait! Those shiny bells & whistles involve WINDOWS 8. grrrrrrrrrrrr. It was quite the accomplishment just figuring out how to turn New Laptop off (altho the on switch is fortunately easy to find)… & then getting around the new ‘start’ screen (with no ‘start button’ … hmmmn) … but figuring out How To Load all the nifty photo programs from the old laptop to the new has Been Delayed.
Several times. (Does Not Help that the hefty ‘how to’ 600 page MicroSoft Windows 8 book continues key role as Door Stop…)
ooops.
But, here we go… it’s August & time for A.W.O.L. bloggers to get back into the groove (shiny new un-trained laptops or no!) In July this Roses in the Rubble blog turned TWO (!!) woo, woo – Let’s celebrate today with a few recent flower bouquets..
Each year these Resurrection Lilies only bloom on 0n the first day of August – a dear friend of Papa’s brought them over for us to enjoy…
Caught by a Thought of Patti LaBelle‘s in her “Patti’s Pearls” book of wisdom & lessons learned from a full life as famous singer (mother, friend, performer, wife, et all) –
“Every exit is an entrance to someplace else.”
Sometimes our roles in life change – maybe from student to Employed , or singleton to married, full time mother to empty-nester, or sadly married to unmarried … the list goes on. In her book Patti LaBelle describes how her perspective changed vis a viv her painful divorce after many years of marriage: “…I have learned to see the beginning in the ending… that the bend in the road is not the end of the road, as long as you make the turn… I’m not saying that my divorce is easy; it’s not. No end – at least to anything meaningful – ever is. But I’m not having a nervous breakdown over it because I have learned how to look at it. Not as an ending, but as a new beginning. Just as waking is an ending to sleeping.”
wow. let our minds munch on that for awhile (whatever change looms large in the vicinity of our lives at the moment..)
Peach roses (a personal fav of your humble blogger… along with yellow & RED, of course!) brightened up the July celebration of my brother’s 12 years at the Williamsburg Libraries.
Caught (by another) Patti LaBelle thought:
“You preach a better sermon with your life than you do with your lips.”
Not to embarrass my brother, Dwight, but the sermon of his life these past twelve years bellows love (that Sacrificial Kind) to all who know our situation. He returns from his job serving the community to serving my Papa in many roles: as The Orderly – hoisting him from hospital living room bed to hospital bedroom bed; as The Valet – rub-a-dubbing Papa clean each morning & getting him tucked in at night; & as The Therapist working Papa’s atrophied muscles out with rounds of Physical Therapy exercises… & So Much More.
Dwight’s life = a Very Powerful Sermon!!
Another dear family friend popped by last month with this most extraordinary fresh flower arrangement that lifted our spirits for days.
One more pearl of wisdom from Patti LaBelle:
“A thousand mistakes are an education if you learn something from every one.”
Our lives are often strewn with the rubble of our mistakes: from missteps (what we’ve sidetracked) & missed opportunities (what we failed to do) to misdeeds (what we’ve done wrong)…
Then there’s Failure (with a capital ‘F’.) We can choose to wither from our mistakes or we can learn from them & GROW (with God’s grace & Lots Of Heavenly Help) & try not to make the Same Mistakes, again…
That hard-won education is like this last white rose, life as we overcome…
Roses in the Rubble!!
grace, peace & inspirational flowers
Virginia : )
Roses in the Rubble 
Ginny,
I think going AWOL has not done your blog any harm…this blog in particular is one for the ages and a golden nugget of wisdom. So much truth to digest! And, your tribute to our precious brother Dwight is right on point–heaven will be filled with wonder as these unsung heroes of this life are honored by our Savior in the next. I love that quote from Russell Crowe’s character in Gladiator, “…What we do in this life echos in eternity!”
Thanx so much, Cin! Amen to the Gladiator quote!
So glad to have you back on base after your AWOL! Great post–as always, a real encouragement. You and Dwight are both amazing–but then ‘amazing’ runs in the family. God bless!
Yes, ’tis very true Dwight & i get ‘Amazing’ from both sides of the family…Papa & ESPECIALLY Mama (what she’s done for Papa the 30+ years of his quadriplegia is just BEYOND amazing! : ) Blessings to you, John & many thanks for your encouragement in the Blogosphere … grace, peace & Amazing Genes – Virginia
Ginny,
John Paine is right–BOTH you and Dwight are AMAZING and what you said about Dwight could be said about you! All the sleepless nights getting up with dad ir mother as needed, the daily meals, housekeeping, constant caretaking, patient case worker, ministry coordinator for dad and on and on it goes. We’ve shared so many family gatherings around your delicious cuisine which has come at great personal sacrifice to you. THANKS SIS! from all of your siblings 🙂
Thank YOU, Miss Cindy for all your encouragement, prayers, & the many times you’ve stepped up to help us… & especially your sis when she needed you (Africa comes to mind, but the history of your helping goes Way Back, like to all those moves to & from The University? when you were Miss Amazon Sister who carried heavy trunks up 5 flights of stairs without blinking? : )
lots & lots & lots of love to you, my Amazing sis… 🙂
grace, peace & Amazing Sisters – gL
I echo my sister (and John Paine whom is a communicator I respect greatly, Sis…. So glad he reads your beautifully written blog)…. The tribute to our brother is so well-expressed! He is a Prince of a man… To humbly lay his life down these twelve years to serve our precious parents… Enabling Dad’s ministry to continue……as God has allowed him to be with us….and to guide and love us as only he can do with the unique gifts God has given him…. And YOU sweet sister…. Area director for World Vision Tanzania to becoming caregiver in partnership with Dwight, for meeting mom and dads needs in this season…. It’s a model of “washing the feet” of those God calls us to serve….. I agree with Cindy, that the reward for the things done in this life will truly be in the next… We love you and thank God for you both every day!
Thank you, Shere, for this encouragement… & the Many Ways you have made our support possible with Your Support (like, giving up the choir last year to come hang out with the Savvy Saints every Weds so your sis can get out each week for A Breather?).. and So Much More… Dwight & I thank YOU for ‘washing our feet’ with the Love of Jesus (oh, & filling our tummies with such good eats, like the pecan pie you baked yesterday that is totally GONE today! : )
lots of grace, peace & Amazing Seesters – gL : )
And I feel compelled to express gratitude for your ministry also, sister, with your gift of encouragement through the written word….I have referred friends to your blog for uplifting and inspiring thoughts on how we journey through this life of suffering and pain, and still experience joy! It’s so often in our perspective…. You help us to have His eyes to see what’s in front of us….and your quotes from great men and women of faith help us to grasp more clearly the right perspective…. You have always been a reader since you were a child, coming home from the library with your HUGE pile of books (20+) to read…( And worried that they wouldn’t last you through the weekend..). Thank you for sharing the meaningful things you have learned with all of us, thus making our own walks through this life more thoughtful and purposeful! I love and respect you little sister!!!
Ditto back at ‘cha – love & respect to you & Cindy for all that you passed on to your little sis (from make-up to how to make it during Tough Times!) lots of Love – gL : )
I must have missed this one… rather ironic, since for a bit I had been thinking, “Hope all is well in Roses in the Rubble-land.” I think blaming Windows 8 is a perfectly legitimate excuse. I am happy to see you back around!
Thanx Jayme — so glad you’re back in the Blogosphere! …& hope all continues to Be Well as New Adventures begin for you & yours : )
grace, peace & New Adventures – VA