This Week at Iten's Acres: The Beautiful February 19, 2017

As you would expect, I meandered The Acres today. Some hyacinth, daffodils, crocus have taken a peak to check out the weather. A couple crocus have bloomed already and one orchard iris. I would imagine with the predicted warmth of this week, that more will show their courage. God, of course, is doing beautiful things even if I'm not here. Always a good reminder of the Source of the beautiful. We need not be in the presence of those we know and love to be assured that He is investing the beautiful in their lives. And ours. And we can rest assured that there is more beauty to come. Can't wait!
The Posse is down to one--a couple days without the free lunch must have sent them looking elsewhere. The Boss has spent the day scolding me for my negligence--well, for something anyway. The feathered friends quickly returned as soon as I put out the food. Must have a video camera on the place. Still snowbirds, of course. Winter has a long way to go. The goldfish are out in number. Somehow they sense my presence and slip into deeper waters or the other side of the pond when I circle their home. I suppose it's a little misleading to call them goldfish. They come in such an assortment of colors. And enjoy schooling around together.
Perhaps next Saturday will also be warm, and I can get some work done on the place. So much to do. So little time. Such old bones. The greatest tragedy of old age is that the only thing that gets old is the body. Can't wait for a new one. And new gardens. (Sometimes, I think, that the Garden of Eden must have been within the boundaries that God uses to give the borders of Abraham's Promised Land. If so--and please, forgive my heretical imagination--I know where the Tree of Life grew.) But, alas, my work this week will be back with the kids. That's not really an "alas"--I love being with them. By God's grace I can enrich their souls so much more than I can enrich their brains. As Potok has said: Is there anything more dangerous than an intelligent man without a heart full of compassion, caring, and a love for the beautiful?
For me, this week has been a thing of beauty. Time with my beautiful son. A brief bit of time with my other beautiful son who stopped by a few times to check on big brother. Time in school with a host of beautiful colleagues and beautiful teenagers (no, that is not an oxymoron), Time walking the beautiful Acres. And time immersed in the caring prayers of friends and family. Yes--and don't forget it--He does all things beautifully in His time. And each moment of time is His.