Dogwoods

I love pink dogwoods, and they are so hard to find some time... My friends, Ron and Bebe, in Durham have a cool old dogwood tree that is part white, and part pink, and I just loved the age of the blooms and the feel of the tree.

I was struck by the commonality of some colors throughout the year -- the purples, the greens, the yellows -- but that the short period of red, and pink, and white, in azaleas, dogwoods and cherry blossoms makes Spring so special. I have been so thankful today too for the return of more traditional spring weather, the cool evenings, and the moderately warm days, and the opportunity to teach Sunday School, come home and watch movies, the Masters and work, have made this for a glorious day. What a blessed weekend this has been...

This weekend has also been filled with the strangeness of people. One friend dealing with unreasonable jealousy of her friends about a common friend. To hear how people react to the most common form of friendship, and how it threatens how others define their own self-worth, makes me wonder how we ever survive middle school, let alone going forward as adults. It's just disappointing to me sometimes. I guess I have no place to judge, but I do really worry about how people grow up and become brave enough.

Another friend is dealing with the reality of love, cheating, disappointment and the prayer that real love can be salvaged. In his words: "Love sucks." It tears your heart apart and the loss, or the possibility of loss, will open your eyes and make a man change faster than he ever thought possible. But fuck... to live without hope of a true, ever-lasting love is worst kind of depressing thought to ever consider.

I will close by mentioning my class this morning was focused on praise. Psalms 150, and the benediction of Jude, with the idea that giving thanks is an important part of our worship, and appreciation of the gifts that God gives us. It is not faith that sustains us -- it is our ability to recognize the need to be thankful and to give thanks, even for the smallest thing that makes life worth living.

D300 300mm f/11 1/600 ISO 200