Be

"Solitary"
A solitary tree stands in a field in Cades Cove. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
© 2014 Kristina Plaas, All Rights Reserved
I had great intentions of doing a scripture-based Countdown to Christmas blog all month but, like with other holiday things, I am learning that I need to reduce my expectations and simply my approach to Christmas this year. That means my blog content will be spontaneous -- the things that are on my heart in the moment.

I did something tonight that took much courage on my part, but it was something I needed to do for me -- I attended a holiday memory service at the hospice where my mother died last August. It was the first time I've been anywhere near there since her passing. It was very emotional for me but I think it was also healing. Two large fir trees are a part of the landscaping in front of the hospice. The trees were adorned with golden lights and gold lame bows, the lower branches filled with tags containing the names of persons to be remembered on this occasion. I did not ask to have mother's name placed on a tag, so she wasn't there but in my heart her name was there with dozens of others. A short service of music and a reading of names took place outdoors, under the near-full moon and clouds. Afterwards, a lovely reception was held inside.

I may have been the first person crying, long before the service started. I walked in the front door and saw the Robert Tino artwork over the fireplace, and tears were inevitable. It was the Tino print that told me I was making the right decision to have mother transferred to the hospice. It was the beautiful chapel that told me I would find peace there. It was the kind and gentle people that told me I would be supported in the moment and in the future. Yes, yes, yes.

At the close of the service a man recited a portion of the 46th Psalm in a way I have never heard before. It was profound and I was deeply touched. It's counsel I hope to employ in the coming weeks.

Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know
Be still
Be

I think it's fair to say that my mother would want me to be -- be who I am, be the kind of daughter she lovingly raised me to be, be the person God created me to be. When I take the opportunity to be still, I know all these things. Be. Just be.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

Image
Another Saturday night and it's time for another pound cake! This time I went for a chocolate sour cream pound cake -- something I've not made before. I trust my vintage Southern Living magazine recipes (this one is from 1992) and this one is another winner. I tweaked the recipe just a tiny bit and added a glaze. Here's what I did: For the cake: 1 c. unsalted butter, softened, plus additional to prepare pan 2 c. granulated sugar 1 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed 6 lg. eggs, at room temperature 2 c. all purpose flour (plus additional to prepare pan) 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1 c. cocoa 8 oz. dairy sour cream 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract For the glaze: 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar 2 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1-2 Tbsp. milk Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10" Bundt or tube pan and set aside. Sift together flour, cocoa, and baking soda and set aside. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluf
Read more

Heavenly Light

Image
"Heavenly Light" Morning light illuminates the trees at the Missionary Baptist Church in Cades Cove.  Great Smoky Mountains National Park © 2014 Kristina Plaas, All Rights Reserved This was the featured image on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Facebook page this morning. It's the perfect image for a Sunday morning, especially on Memorial Day weekend when we remember the lives of those lost in the service of our country. This weekend many of us also choose to remember the lives of family and friends that have passed on. And so the illuminating rays of sunlight over the Missionary Baptist Church in Cades Cove speak to each of us and to those no longer with us. It's not hard to feel the spirit and the peace portrayed. This morning my friend, Bryan Nowak, noted that the sunlight looked like heavenly beams. I smiled knowing I had titled this image "Heavenly Light" shortly after the photograph was taken last June. The name is inspired by a sacred
Read more

Welcome and Gratitude Day 9: The Smoky Mountains

Image
Over the past two years I have focused my creative energies on developing my skills as a nature and landscape photographer. I have been sharing the results of my travels and camera-clicking primarily on Facebook, but narrative space on Facebook is limited. Many of my FB friends have been encouraging me to  expand to a blog. I resisted at first, but have come to realize that I really want to write a new blog. I am grateful to all those who have been my friends, cheerleaders, and supporters of my creative activities. I hope to share a bit more with you now that I have the space to do so. With the arrival of November, I began a series of Gratitude posts to express my feelings during this season of Thanksgiving. I can't turn back the clock to the beginning of the month, but I will try to post as many of them here as I can. I'll start with today's message: Gratitude Day 9: The Smoky Mountains The Tree in Cades Cove, near the Dan Lawson Place, with Rich Mountain in the bac
Read more