Ashes into Beauty

I was hearing a Kathryn Scott lyric this morning in my head. I heard it in the voice of a young friend I call Amy - "the dork".  and the line from the song I heard was  "Turn these Ashes into Beauty".


Hmmm I pondered, what's beautiful about ashes?  Not much. Pretty tasteless n drab.  In the natural, they usually destroy beauty on this planet more than whats ugly. Here is a sculpture  of a bird on  a toaster, created from the ashes of a loved one after cremation.  Yea, strange but to the artist it was a beautiful way to remember someone they loved who loved birds.  Finding beauty in ashes... Hmmmm. I think they did remarkably.


 I remember driving through Yellowstone Nat. Park the year after the incredible fires that destroyed so much of the park. Mile after mile of just black and grey that used to be just about the most beautiful place on earth. I left feeling such sadness. Without knowing the future it looked hopeless.

And there it is. 
When things burn down by choice or not, there IS sadness.  Everyone deals with it differently... and everyone should.   It's lasts differently for each person as they go through that period of new growth.  And if you don't get natural medicine: sunlight, water, nutrition and rest, you will not come out of things quickly, and sometimes that's what friends are for. To ask us if we are doing these things.  (asking not telling)




And Yellowstone?.. Well, the next year my fishing partner Bruce and I drove back roads through the black and white and grey.  And where there were those combinations of water, and sun there was new life beginning. A bit of color, (or hope) amidst the death. This was one of the pic's from that road.
"Look up, from where will come your help".. 






Helping each other..


It's so clinical to give a quick answer to someone in that moment.
You feel so empowered by sharing "wisdom"... yet..


What is it that everyone needs when they've crashed, burned, lost or broke it?
What do I need,what do YOU need.?


I bet you need instructions.. that's it. The wise counsel of " sorry, here's how to get back on track". This photo reminds me that the broken wall next to this boy here looks like the shadow of someone speaking to him from the bricks if you squint and look at it blurry. Well, be wide eyed not blurry my friend.
There are "those" that "live" in the world of instructions.  They would tell you that's exactly what they need. They are logical processor - I would surmise left brains. They would most likely tell you that this was a critical error of whatever judgement they lost and they now have a 10 point plan to get it back, rebuild the Forrest and not let it happen again.  There have been a few days I've pondered being created like that.  Not....
Now mind you, I have many friends who are wired this way, and I love them, and am so happy they survive in the 10 point plan. My house was not wired with 110.  220 baby with a break out box for the  RB'ers. (not you arby)

Hey right brainers,  Dear Jesus take the wheel. It's Reckless Abandon with a smile and a risk.  (there is not a 10 point plan for right brain reckless abandon). If you've lived in RBRA,.. you know it.  You don't question things long enough to change your mind. You create inventions and art and love and poetry and businesses and free climb mountains and... well.... just watch Xtream Sports on cable.... (can you say poster children). if you are RBRA probably scared the hell out of your parents more times than they every told you. {and of course "scared the hell out"= "they prayed a lot, therefore hell was further away"}And that's a reformed definition at best, for those who just cringed at the word "hell" being used outside of and eternal destination. You experiment with "life" not to cop out but because it's an adventure and you will get hurt.  They don't teach this stuff in school...



Anyway, in an ADD moment right now, in this morning breeze, the sun just broke through the oaks and pines for the first time across my arms and face. And in that instant warm heat covered me for a brief moment , and it was in the words of Jodi Foster from "Contact"..  ( beautiful... it's beautiful ). 


ok im back. sorta, I'll try to not see anymore Squirrels.


Wait. No really. you won't believe this. I just wrote that,  and my giant schnoodle dog "Sophia"  just screamed by me with a squirrel in her mouth chirping away. Her first squirrel. You go Girl!!!  She dropped it in the yard and is now trying to figure out what to do with it.  Folks this is a play by play moment. Will my next sentence say the "head is off" or they're sharing nuts.   Well Lord knows she'd never kill it to kill it. After all, I just finished feeding her domesticated pellets, bladder control pills and a vitamin with filtered water. 
  What the heck would she want to eat fur for?  


Ok Ok, I called her off because I found the yr old squirrel had a lame back leg and couldn't run. That's not a fair fight. So I'm back now,  I picked it up and laid it at the edge of an old oak over my fence line. 


Do you naturalists feel better now:)   Now a real predator (cat) will tear it apart piece by piece tonight while I feel like some great rescuer of squirrels by day.  Confessional time...  I've probably shot most of this ones relatives in the last 20 years here, but fair is fair. If you're lame, that's not a fair fight. Let me now repeat "I'll try not to see anymore Squirrels". 


Ashes.. yes that was my point.  No value, just black and white. Carbon i believe.
No one likes looking at it across their land or life scape,  or experiencing it often if ever. But we do. And   we somehow think we won't.
From cradle to grave we do and they are all wrapped up in our choices. Some of us walk through life with a bucket of water to prepare for fires and others carry around the gas can.


And there's God in it all. Who put whatever He put in place, to allow each of us to have that unique combination of whatever we have to be "ME".    And we try to figure Him out with the brains He created in the bodies he created. Think about that one all you Mensa's. Ya. Newsflash (God is Not "figuroutable". my new word today, and I'm guessing that is a word in most languages except English.

"Ashes" however, is probably in every language. I wish with a smile and joy we could honestly teach children before they are adults, that they will encounter BIG fires and ash heaps in their lives.  Failures and Accidents, Premeditation and No-explanation. The "whatdahellwasthatallabouts" are a part of life.

The proverbial  Didn't you see that coming followed by "WE ALL DID" isn't love, nor is saying "do it again" in our lack of passive aggressive "not saying".   Our generations seemed to use whatever we can to mask the fire and ashes. Whatever drug or flesh candy or hobby or addiction or prescription we can run to, we ran to, or at least we entertained the thought.  And if we don't or didn't, and we're spiritually beyond that capacity of normal mortality, .. well... then I guess you'd be the ones with all the 10 point plans and logical solutions I need to read more often. Oh yea, I'd rather read the Word and then be quiet when it comes to self help.. And that's not a knock to mental health counseling. I think everyone should get analyzed by a stranger. It helps you learn to be honest with your self.


So today is a good day.. how bout you.   Breathing, sun shining, able to feel all your emotions. Yup it's good.  Not much to repent over yet today. I've only faced a lame squirrel and  telemarketers. Hmmm they are kinda the same.. Ok there's one sin.


In time, the ashes of your life will again be turned into something beautiful.   And you'll know why the fires had been set someday. Someday, yes that word is like a rock in your shoe.  Hey, you can take it out.  And today?  Just know that He love you, in the midst of it ALL,  He really does.  Close your eyes and Breathe... it's a gift.

Hey I wonder if Adam was really created from Ashes... 

 PS. this is not... beauty from ashes

And if your heart is spoken to by these blogs and stories going back some 6 years, Please take time to post a comment and more importantly click on the social media links and forward them to people you think might be need them or get some kind of understanding from them if not just a laugh at times.