Yesterday I picked up my paintbrushes and began painting again. It's been over a year since I did this. I was inspired by a piece of fabric my sister bought for new kitchen curtains last week. It's a spring print with different kinds of birds and dogwood blossoms on a sky blue background. Birds and flowers are two of my favorite subjects, so I've painted her a new picture to coordinate with her curtains.

Trouble is, once I get started painting, I drift quickly into the zone. Hours pass before I know it. Nothing else is so relaxing. Today I spent 6 hours painting a shoe box. With the Singers and Standards music channel playing on the TV, and with Mike gone to the gym, then to lunch with Ron, and the dogs napping close-by, I got totally lost in the land of alpha brain waves, a kind of mini-vacation.

When Mike came in, his negativity sent me running for my upstairs sanctuary. I really didn't want to relinquish my peaceful place in the living room, but I was glad to have an easy escape available to me. It's not often I wait until 3pm to even log on to my computer.

The lyrics to a new song were in today's email, wish I knew the tune. It was written in 2005 by Dent Davidson of the Olympia, Washington Diocese for the consecration service of their new Bishop Suffragan. Our choir is buying a new anthem in memory of my mother. If David doesn't already have something picked out, I'd like for him to investigate this new song. I'll suggest it to him tomorrow night.

Open, open, open my heart. I must be open to everyone.
Often goes Love in the stranger’s guise. Open, open my heart.

You are the peace of all things calm;
You are the place to hide from harm;
You are the light that shines in dark;
You are the heart’s eternal spark.

You are the caller, You are the poor;
You are the stanger at my door;
You are the wanderer, The unfed;
You are the homeless with no bed.

You are the one driven insane;
You are the child crying in pain;
You are the other who comes to me;
If I open to another you’re born in me.

You are the door that’s open wide;
You are the guest who waits inside;
You are the light, the truth, the way;
You are my Savior this very day."

Open, open, open our hearts; we must be open to everyone.
Often goes Love in the stranger’s guise; open, open our hearts!