Update 3/6/10 Day 117

Dear friends,

We are watching my all time favorite animated film tonite, Beauty and the Beast. I love that Belle, with that "dreamy far-off look, and her nose stuck in a book..." She's the Disney "queen" of princesses as far as I'm concerned; seeing beyond the externals, self sacrificing, good sense of humour, devoted to her father, and brave. If I were a cartoon princess, I'd want to be her. Heck, I kind of want to be her anyway, at least in character. Plus I love the song about Gaston: "no one plots like Gaston, takes cheap shots like Gaston, plans to persecute harmless crackpots like Gaston..." Howard Ashman could certainly pen an entertaining lyric!

Did you see the big yellow ball in the sky today? Wasn't it fabulous? And there are green things poking up through the dirt in front of my house. My friend Joan the Gardener must be licking her chops! The Great One deserves our devotion every day, but on the sunny days with a hope of spring in the air it's easy to sing a song to Him and say "how great Thou art." Stephen went out to get the mail today and wound up walking around the neighborhood with his cane. David started whittling sticks outside, and Joe and I went for another driving lesson. Hannah went for a run with her friend Lauren. We all took advantage of the golden rays on this northern hemisphere, and I say "bring it on". Winter is waning, in our hearts and in the weather, and though I love winter's charms, it is time to move on to the next season. I'm telling you when I see that first tulip I'm going to do a first class jig! By the way, I've been wondering if I'm too old to take tap dancing lessons. I've always loved those 40's movies with the tappers, and the Harlem guys who turn the sound of shoes on a wooden floor into pure joy...

If you have never read the John Bunyon classic "Pilgrim's Progress", I do recommend it. It's a bit dense language wise, but worth the effort for its lofty virtues. I read it years ago, but looked at a little piece of it today, and it reminded me of the great help all of you have been to me for the past almost 4 months. We truly need one another to stay alert in this upside down world, and to keep from being sucked in to the downward pull of a culture gone mad. The two characters, Christian and Hopeful, are journeying toward the Celestial City, and they say "To prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall into good discourse". Then they sing this little song:

"When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,
And hear how these two pilgrims talk together;
Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,
Thus to keep open their drowsy, slumbering eyes.
Saints' fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell."

Your good company with me along the pilgrim road, our "good discourse", has kept me from the traps of self pity, bitterness and falseness. As we go along the road to recovery, you have continued on with our family, keeping us alert and reminding us of the Great One's care and faithful love every day. We have been encouraged by you, dear sojourners, and we are so very grateful.

So I'm thinking about Barrie, my adopted Dad, and his home grown tomatoes this summer, and visiting my brother in law Tom Terrific and Sweet Sandy to go swimming in their pool, and taking a long, deep draught of ocean air at Coast Guard Beach. I'm not wishing away March, but I'm afraid, like Belle, that I do have that "dreamy, far off look", and my nose stuck in Google looking for a place on the Cape that has parasailing... I can't wait for my baby girl to splash in the waves and her Daddy to skip rocks into the salty sea. I think I'll cry a river remembering November's heartache, and recalling the relentless love of the Savior of All. Summer will mean more than it ever has, because we have felt the sting of winter's cold breath. In more ways than one.

I've got to go watch Belle give that Gaston the boot he so richly deserves.

I'll write again tomorrow - indeed every tomorrow until the One and Only says: "done". That day will come, but it's not yet. I love you guys dearly.

Your friend on the Pilgrim's Progress Road,

Loriann