climb every mountain (or maybe not)

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Virginia

Virginia has been off the blogging grid awhile, but this week marks 5 years here at Roses in the Rubble (drum roll!) so she’s getting back into blogging grooves.   

Canada Rocky Mountaineer mountainMy brother and I recently returned from a two week visit to Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies (Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff & Calgary.)  We saw some spectacular mountains and experienced a few high moments – high, as in ‘very high up,’ and high, as in highlights of trip.  (A danger of traveling with my brother – he puns it up regularly!)

I’m not usually one for climbing high mountains (the altitude definitely debilitates this red head) or watching others tackle such tasks, but last week I watched Everest, an inspiring film based on a true story that hooked me with personal triumphs & tragedy… and cinematography that just, wowed!

Everest refers to Mount Everest, one of the tallest and hardest to climb mountains in the world located in Nepal.  In 1996 New Zealander Rob Hall, who founded Adventure Consultants, successfully guided a group of climbers from a crowded base camp to the summit but they got caught in a blizzard-like storm on the way down. Inspiring story from start to finish (especially how Texan Dr. Beck Weathers fares) that moved my heart.

Lots goes into a climb like that (besides grit and determination): Oxygen, weeks of altitude acclimation (after months of training), knowledgeable guides, teamwork, trust (the ropes? ladder bridges?) … but then there’s The Mountain.  Great takeaway line from movie as discussions about competition between various groups erupt, “it’s not about us vs. each other, it’s about all of us vs. the mountain.”

As the movie so aptly demonstrates when the going gets very tough.

Everest is a BIG mountain, a bit complicated to climb, but mountains of all sizes (even much smaller) can challenge us as my brother & I discovered while zooming around the majestic mountains of Banff National Park with our hired car.

Enjoying a scenic drive down the Bow Valley Parkway (sighting bull elks & a grizzly bear near the road) we decided to stop for a hike in Johnston Canyon to see several waterfalls.  A 3 mile hike – how hard could it be?

I have a thing about heights (my knees & head wobble) but I also have a thing about waterfalls (they bobble my heart!)  So we set off enthusiastically.  Trudging along, we made it to the lower falls. Beautiful. But it was another mile to the upper falls, mostly up steps and a winding path.  My in-shape-brother was a little surprised that we kept on going, but I was determined to see the upper falls.

(Bad knees, bad back, bad ankles, as in previously fractured, along with previous neck surgery for discs that occasionally misbehave..)

Huffing, puffing, I was quite pleased (& relieved) to reach the Upper Falls.  We pushed hard and we made it!  (Of course, we had to hike all the way back down and out – carefully!)

Legs, knees and back felt like jelly afterward (but hey, that’s what hot tubs are for!)

Photo: Banff, Johnston Canyon, lower view of Upper Falls (VLW)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe we aren’t all cut out for Mt. Everest, but we can be inspired to tackle what challenges us close-by (& maybe not quite so high.)

Check out the movie Everest (on DVD or movie channels) & get your climbing shoes on!

Grace, peace & mountain-highs

Virginia : )

p.s. Here’s a trailer for the movie ….

 

Posted in Life (in general), MOVIES !!, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Love is a Verb

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Virginia

Our hearts are sickened and saddened by the senseless violence and killings over the weekend at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Shock.  Disbelief.  Anger.  Despair.

How do we respond to such reckless terror and hate? And perpetuated upon the LGBT community that has suffered such prejudice and malicious intent from so many, for so long (even Hitler during WWII.)

Everyone has their opinions – more gun laws (probably a very good idea to ban assault weapons & make stiff sentencing for those who use guns in acts of violence) or should more folks procure more guns to protect themselves?  Or should we focus on strengthening the battle against extremists (remembering that they do not represent a whole religion of over a billion people!)

It’s a complicated issue requiring complex thought – not name calling and more divisive antics that push our fractured country even further apart.  At a time like this we don’t need more Democrats or Republicans to divide us, we need AMERICANS to unify us.

As a groupie of late nite host, Stephen Colbert, I was moved by his challenge that we can change the script as these acts of terror continue.  Here’s a video  (it’s just 2 minutes to watch..)

Love gives us hope that change is possible.

Love gives us the courage to act.

Love is a verb.

My heart and prayers are with all who are suffering the loss of loved ones, struggling with injuries, with the city of Orlando in the aftermath of this violence, and especially the LGBT community in our country and all over the world.

“Love gives us hope that change is possible…“

grace, peace & love

Virginia

p.s. here are links to two moving tributes, one from Lt. Governor Spenser Cox, a ‘white, straight, Republican politician’ in Utah, and the other from CNN’s Anderson Cooper reciting the names of the victims, (so many so young!)  I was particularly moved by the name Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, aged 49, the mother of 11 children,* a two-time cancer survivor, who was at the nightclub hanging out with her gay son. What a cool mom!  Her son survived.

(*my father was one of 11 & I am close to her age…)

Here’s Lt. Governor Cox: My Heart has Changed (click below)

https://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=40209267&nid=148&title=lt-gov-cox-speaks-at-vigil-for-orlando-my-heart-has-changed

And click below for Anderson Cooper’s moving tribute:

CNN Anderson Cooper: Tribute to Orlando Victims

Posted in Advent, Life (in general), MOVIES !! | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mother-less on Mother’s Day…

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Virginia

Mama bday flowers (2)After a whole week of rainy days it was great to just be outside today absorbing sorely missed sunshine. Couldn’t help but remember the many hours spent with Mama last year on the deck lounge chairs, enjoying the trees, the breeze, and the birds tweeting about us. Tweeting around us (not sure if they noticed us enough for bird discussions) but maybe we caught their attention.  Papa always called us his two Virginias: the elegantly angelic Virginia, “Ginny” his wife (with lovely white hair), and Virginia, his daughter (with flaming red hair.)

I hope I didn’t cause too many of Mama’s white hairs, but for sure, with five children we all probably caused a few (equally distributed, of course, since my siblings read this blog!)

Contemplating these memories, suddenly TWO BLUEBIRDS flew near our birdbath. A pair – a bright blue male and an almost disguised female, but yes, as she flew away the blue peaked out from under her wings.

Mama loved bluebirds, a sighting was always cause for celebration.

It’s so hard, missing her.  I miss Papa… but we had Mama all last year to hug on when our hearts hurt. We tried to pamper her (after her 30+ years of looking after our wheelchair-to-bedfast-bound Papa, she surely needed it. Add the preceding 28 years of raising 5 children, there could never be enough pampering in the world for our Mama!)

I keep finding notes she wrote to me over the years.  When I worked overseas she sent many small cards with encouraging words, written in her precious script. I put them in books & all sorts of places, but what joy to uncover them now. It’s like hearing her voice across the divide.

And then I remember the embrace of her love.  A few weeks before she died, Mama and I sat on the loveseat in the living room and huddled a hug of comfort that lasted awhile. I know she missed Daddy each and every day – they were like glue, stuck together (but oh what joy & fun they made together.)  In his absence she let us love on her, but she loved on us, too.

Every night tucking her in, I’d say, “Mama, we love, love, love you!” Repeating it loudly so my brother Dwight would hear his cue to come in.  He’d kiss her on her left cheek while I’d get the right.  Then she would say, “you know, I love you!”  We have her notes, often slipped stealthily under our doors.  It was painfully hard for her to write, but how precious now her words, like gold.

When she couldn’t even speak that last bedridden week of Hospice, at one point she reached her spindly skinny arms up around my neck into a hug – a final embrace of her love that I will never forget.

It’s hard to be mother-less on Mother’s Day.  But I am grateful for the gift of my precious Mama’s love, and the legacy of her love – the love of God in and through her – shared in so many ways over so many days and years of faithful mothering.

Mama, we miss you!  We love, love, love, love, love you!!!

Z Great Grand kids Dean May (2)Mama last May with Dean & the great-grand-kids (Joy’s foursome : )

grace, peace & Mother’s Day blessings

Virginia : )

p.s. Here’s a poem I wrote for Mother’s Day years ago while working overseas.  I sent it to my sister who printed it out & put it in a frame as a giftie for the actual day. Several folks requested a copy after Mama’s Memorial service (where I read it under sibling pressure that all of us should share something!)

The Mystery of Magnificent Motherhood

On Mothers Day we celebrate the mystery of Motherhood. From the outside, Motherhood doesn’t seem so mysterious but just simply the mastering of responsibilities and physical tasks.  Responsibilities that include raising children to know right and wrong, not to hurt themselves, to study, and to grow from turbulent twos through the terrifying teens into functioning adults.   Physical tasks involve delivering babies (washing them, carrying them, helping them walk) cooking, cleaning…

These, admittedly, amount to a great deal of work.

Magnificent Motherhood, however, is a mystery that involves more than just responsibilities and tasks.  To understand this mystery, special qualities are required:

Magnificent Motherhood is SACRIFICE.

Selflessly sacrificing (all the time) & the last piece of chocolate cake.

Magnificent Motherhood is JOY.

Joy even when illness strikes, the pots overflow, & we act unruly..

Magnificent Motherhood is BEAUTY.

Beauty seen in us (even with pimples) & nurtured in our surroundings.

Magnificent Motherhood is GENEROSITY.

Generously sharing special gifts, checks, and Mr. Madison’s fudge.

Magnificent Motherhood is MUSIC.

Music composed in a heart overflowing with the joy of Jesus.

Magnificent Motherhood is ACTION.

Hugging us, holding our hands, and helping us through each crisis. 

Magnificent Motherhood is PRAYER.

Unceasing prayer – faithful communion with God (often on our behalf.)

Magnificent Motherhood is FAITHFULNESS.

Faithfulness to God (1st),  and 58 years (!) with the Fabulous Fossil.

Magnificent Motherhood is LOVE.

Love shared from an inner spring that never diminishes…

It’s actually very simple.

The Mystery of Magnificent Motherhood is

MY MOTHER,

Virginia Francis Johnson Woodward

With love  & appreciation from her daughter,

Virginia Lea Woodward

Posted in Life (in general), Quotes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

…a beautiful spring day…

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Virginia

Even though we’ve had some frosty nights this week (& one Canadian buddy posted photos of snow in Ottawa yesterday) it’s SPRING!  Flowers busting out all over make it hard to stay on the road when cherry blossoms and majestic dogwoods divert attention from the boring pavement.  Oooops.

One of my favorite spring-is-here happenings in Williamsburg has come –  the wisteria  is ‘in’ at our downtown Regional Library (of course, lots of books are also ‘in’ our library to be checked out, figuratively and literally! : )

It’s a gorgeous sight — a gigantic arbor with lavender wisteria twisting in & out & all around exuding beauty to be enjoyed…

wisteria WRL april 2014Add a blue sky, fluffy white clouds:  voila, a beautiful spring day!

So maybe the internal scenery of our lives is not so sunny right now… maybe even downright CRAPPY — but it’s still a beautiful spring day.  And hey, if we take time out from the doldrums dredging us in despair (or variations of crap), we might notice that, yes, it’s a beautiful spring day.

And if we get up off our tushies to go see the wisteria at the library, it’s interesting to note that after several months hiatus the MAD ABOUT CHOCOLATE SHOP has re-opened with all the old goodies on the menu — chocolate ganache brownies, griffin bars, cakes, cookies – the whole works.

It really is a beautiful spring day!!

“And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.”

Percy Bysshe Shelley

IMG_3648grace, peace & beautiful spring days

Virginia : )

Posted in Life (in general), Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Holy Saturday (betwixt & between)

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Virginia

At the end of Good Friday’s crucifixion Jesus is laid to rest in the tomb. Imagine what it must have been like for Mary and His followers who stood at the Cross, and for those, like Peter, who failed and fled.

Although Jesus had told them about the Resurrection, they didn’t get it.  All they saw was the suffering of their Savior – His death, an executed exhibition of rejection.  For Mary, surely she must have pondered Angel Gabriel’s words, the incarnation, the gifts of the three kings, all the miracles of Jesus – maybe each scene mindflashed as she stood at the foot of the Cross.

It’s hard to stand in that place betwixt and between our hopes and dreams when we don’t understand what’s going on around us.  We might ask, ‘where are you, God?’ when the crosses of suffering in our lives are too much for us to bear.  We may lose hope.

We might stumble, fail, and fall as we follow Jesus along the Via Dolorosa.  For Peter, imagine the anguish he must have felt denying Christ, not just once but THREE TIMES.  Not just dashed hopes, but deep doldrums of despairing failure.

Yet in those places betwixt and between, of questioning, between a rock and a hard place when we don’t see a way out and all is dark — there is hope.  Jesus didn’t stay in that grave, He rose.  That’s what Easter is all about: Resurrected Love, Resurrection Joy, Resurrection Hope.

Hope that is a gift of God. Hope packaged with grace to keep us standing like Mary at the foot of the cross.  Hope wrapped with mercy and forgiveness, since on the Cross Jesus atoned for our transgressions, our failures, stumbles and falls. Hope that lifted Peter, who failed Jesus miserably, yet forgiven, became the rock upon which Jesus built the church.

Whenever & wherever we are betwixt and between, Christ is with us.  If we believe & accept the gift of hope God has given us, we can have hope and be hope.

SC Cross on beach sky view“God gives that we may give.”  Pope Benedict XVI

grace, peace & Easter hope

Virginia : )

Photo:  St. Christopher’s, Seabrook Island, SC

Posted in Lent, Sunday-ish Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

overcoming fear….

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Virginia

It’s so easy to be afraid these days.  Bombings killed people senselessly this week in Belgium and Turkey, last month in Nigeria, while today yet another bomb claimed lives in Iraq.  My heart and prayers go out to all the victims, their families, and communities.

But it’s not just bombs and global terrorism that frighten our hearts.  Watching the divisive Presidential primaries, seeing the ugly face of prejudice, xenophobia, even violence?  In the United States? Where freedom and equality are the basic tenets of our Constitution and country?

It’s hard not to be very afraid.

Fear can decimate us, divide us, destroy what’s good… if we let it.

Faith can deliver us from fear, if we have courage that believes.  Courage is a two-way street:  it takes courage to have faith, and having faith gives us courage to face what we’re afraid of..

We need to exercise our faith, by having faith when clouds of darkness swirl around us and it’s hard to see the light, and by being faith that stands as a beacon in the night.

“Fear imprisons; faith liberates;

fear paralyzes; faith empowers;

fear disheartens; faith encourages;

fear sickens; faith heals;

fear makes useless; faith makes serviceable.” 

Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969)

candle (2)grace, peace & courageous faith

Virginia

Psalm 27:1  “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life, of what shall I be afraid?

Posted in Lent, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hope…

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Virginia

Here’s a quote from one of my favorite writers for our hearts and minds to munch on:

“Our hope is not based on something that will happen after our sufferings are over, but on the real presence of God’s healing Spirit in the midst of these sufferings.” Henri Nouwen, Making All Things New

Whatever we may have suffered through in the past, or will encounter in the future, or what we may be facing right now — when we turn to God in our sufferings, we find God is already there in the deepest places with fountains of everlasting love ready to touch our hearts with healing balm that calms our fears.

We don’t need to be afraid because we can hope in God, now.

Hope is an invitation…

Because hope, like faith, is a choice.

Hope is an invitation…

FL SA great cross trolley tour (2)grace, peace & hope

Virginia : )

Photo:  Great Cross, Saint Augustine, FL

p.s. Today’s Scripture readings included the account of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointing the feet of Jesus with costly perfume. Thought to write something, but found it said already in a previous post.  You can read it by clicking here: Mary and Martha

Posted in Lent, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Passion Sunday …

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Virginia

Passion Sunday’s liturgical readings begin with Palm waving & then take us through the whole account of Christ’s passion found in the Gospel of Luke, chapters 22 and 23.

FL SA shrine cross distant view (2)As we contemplate the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us, here are some thoughts and a poem your humble blogger wrote a few years ago on Passion Sunday.  May they help prepare our hearts and minds for Easter…

Facing death may be a tough challenge, but what gets me most about the Passion is how Jesus sacrificed Himself – for us.  And, you know what? Sacrifice might be a scarier concept than death, because it involves little deaths to self each time we choose to lay our lives down for others. While reading today, a quote from G.K. Chesterton popped out: “the Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”  This made me pause & reflect on SACRIFICE as an ideal, for real…

SACRIFICE
..is not necessarily easy or nice…
it’s HARD and TOUGH to do.

SACRIFICE
…lay down our lives?
…pick up our crosses?
(Jesus’ yoke making burdens Light –
they’re still there, however much we fight…)

SACRIFICE = a journey
a process, one day at a time
letting go of ourselves
doing the ‘next thing’ –
small steps of faith, small ‘tries’
amidst difficulties, despair, frustrated sighs.

Letting go of what we can’t do…
so God CAN do. It. Through. Us.
Our sacrifices made aNew.

JESUS –

The Glue
Keeping disparate pieces of our lives
(minds, hearts, spirits)
Together
(no matter the weather…)

SACRIFICE –
‘tis hard, that’s true
laying our lives down…
But, as we try it…
God DOES make us New!

SACRIFICE
Tis’ a difficult ideal
(for real!!!)

…but a Person to follow
God in man (& woman!)
each day our hearts to fill
Flames of Fire
…Love incarnate on a Cross bleeding
…may our minds & spirits be heeding

JESUS CHRIST…

To know Him still
each day, in every way

Mercy in forgiving
Grace abounding
Joy in living
Love surrounding…
plus Peace & Understanding
& the Wisdom to do –

acts of kindness, courage & selflessness
without much trumpeted ado.

 All for Him…
Ideals in living – who counts the cost?
Far richer the sacrifice
in Him Who makes ALL things New.

Broken hearts, dashed dreams
…& our stumbles along the way
HE takes us in as we are
from the rough & tumble fray

The Cross, HIS Sacrifice
…Leads us…
Every Day

…….

So, sacrifice? an ideal? … yes, ’tis  possible – in Christ! – for real.

——

grace, peace & sacrifice

Virginia : )

Photo: St. Augustine, Mission Nombre de Dios (November, 2015)

Posted in Lent, Quotes, Sunday-ish Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

God’s Master Plan…

Posted on March 19, 2016 by Virginia

While sorting through boxes this fall, I found an old handwritten card from my Mama that I took on my 8-day silent retreat.  She concluded the card by saying,

“We will be praying with you for God’s will to be done in your life at this time.  We’re glad He has the master plan (for you and for us!) 

All our love, Dad and Mom xxx ooo

Then she added these Scripture references.  May they bless you on this Lenten Saturday.

I am confident of this, that the One Who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.  (Philippians 1:6)

Now to Him Who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  (Ephesians 3:20)

SA (88)grace, peace & Master Plans

Virginia : )

Photo:  Western Cape region, South Africa

Posted in Lent, Quotes | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Power of Love

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Virginia

Today is Mama & Papa’s wedding anniversary.  Since they were married in 1956, this would have been a big one to celebrate: 60 years!!  The fact that they shared 58 years together before Papa passed is nothing short of a miracle of love and God’s grace (when the docs all said Papa wouldn’t make it to 65, then 70, and then 80 — he was 83 when he passed.)

Mama and Papa 50thHere they are celebrating their 50th (notice the 50 red roses in the background that Papa asked the anniversary elf to procure for his beloved.  It was no small feat transporting the huge arrangement home when it took up half the car!)

Mama was once asked why she stayed with Papa through all his years of physical challenges.  Her reply?  “I made a vow.”

…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death do us part…

Oh, how they loved each other! How they cherished one another… through good times & challenging times, including 30+ years of Papa’s quadriplegia AND raising five children (not sure which was more challenging! : )

Their love for God powered their love for each other, and God’s love in them powered their love for us and so many.  What a testimony of faithfulness and faith-filled-ness…

We’re not talking syrupy sweet sentiment here, but commitment to receive love & be love (even when the going got tough) with God’s kind of love that empowers and empassions others…

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails…”  (I Corinthians 13:4-8)

On this Lenten Thursday, are we committed to this kind of love? the love of Christ that empowers and empassions us to hope, to trust, to protect, to persevere?

grace, peace & powerful love

Virginia : )

Posted in Lent, Life (in general) | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment