Tuesday, June 30, 2020

beauty for ashes photos by (me!) sandra, tvgp




Isaiah 61

In Jesus Chain-breaker, Pain-Taker, Way-Maker Name...    hallelujah! & amen!

***

before.






posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 11:35 AM 0 comments

Isaiah 1:19 photo by (me!) ~tops. meal by (my sexy!)


as I am with words; he is with food.

prior to taking one bite, I say, 

"Thank you Jesus!  Thank you Robert!"

posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 11:29 AM 0 comments

once a square of dirt and weeds photo by (me!) sandra, tvgp


I just can't get over how flowers can so dramatically transform what was once just a square of dirt and weeds.      -thriving!   new blooms, greeted by cosmos encore from last year..      amen that!

posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 11:25 AM 0 comments

Bragging Writes... neighbors we love (Ysidor! & Mary!)





posted by SHE @ 11:21 AM 0 comments

Christian Culture as prayed for by (me!) writeousmom

posted by SHE @ 11:12 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 25, 2020

with love, from niles (sexy! tops! sharon! rick!) #IWA #niles @writeousmom


on a perfectly beautiful day..  

this gorgeous park, found only accidentally by my mom & rick recently, when they searched for parking.  
salami, cheese, grapes, crackers, chocolates,  my mom's famous ultimate fudge, water, spirits
and an entirely wonderful and over due visit.

/had to incorporate a railroad track in the indigenous word art.. seemed only fitting.

with love & gratitude

amen!

posted by SHE @ 6:30 PM 0 comments

Monday, June 22, 2020

Happy Father's Day @ Vasona (sexy! & tops!)






special "thank you!" here to Gabriel for taking our 'indigenous art photo'

    we are grateful to everyone who has, does, and will agree to take our photo for us when we hand them our phone camera..   and we always say yes, or proactively offer to take pictures for others

but Gabriel went the extra mile without us ever asking..   she grabbed a cooler to stand on for a better angle, and figured out a way to adjust something on the phone so we were not entirely silhouetted out.

and we got to visit for a bit..    and i think we have inspired her to join in on the fun hobby of indigenous art too..

write on!  "cheers!" and encore that...   amen!

****

and of course, we said our "thank you" prayers, made calls, sent cards/gifts, etc. for the best dads in the world in our families...        we are blessed!

***

and we took a few pictures, I haven't posted here..  but that we treasure:

    to see caution tape around groups of the parks cement picnic tables and BBQ's.

and then to see families, friends, all picnicking on the grass that surrounded the empty, taped off table areas

the park was filled with walkers, hikers, bikers, families, friends..   everyone enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, gorgeous water, natural landscape, wildlife.    we saw a few people wearing masks, but it was the exception, not the rule.   -and there was honoring/respect for social distancing..  with each family/group separated by a distance from the next family/friend group   -but the families/friends themselves were hanging out like usual.

it was in every way, a blessed and beautiful day.    amen!

posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 2:01 PM 0 comments

Sunday, June 21, 2020

i saw God on April 30th, 2020 (me!) sandra, AKA ~tops

it is entirely true!  I, Sandra Harrison Kay, AKA, WriteousMom, AKA, Sandra tvgp; SHE; that cute chick from Hayward; Sandy Cheeks;   AKA, many names,  most currently  ~tops, 

many names but one person:  (me!)

I saw God on April 30th, 2020.    And this opportunity is available to anyone else brave enough, spontaneous enough, bold enough, 

crazy in love enough

to drive the drive I   -unplannedly- took my sexy on.

      
         /this may prove a key ingredient   -the unplanned nature of it all

***

        /and, ignorance..     - knowing very little about what you are about to get yourself into

***

so, sorry to say, but by reading this...    you will know too much, and therefore cannot have the same experience

but, apply the same formula when a window appears to be opening in your own life, on your own unique journey, and you will get the same results...

you sure do have to pay attention to those windows starting to open...

don't just pass by...

when the man you love, sitting in the passenger seat, looks at you and says, 

"96 more miles..   sure you want to do this?!?"

and you arrive at the fork...               

when you arrive at the next fork, that is; as there appear to be many knives, several forks, and only a few spoons at the supper table of life..

anyway..   where you see a familiar short cut, 

vs an entirely new path

take the entirely new path! the one you've never been down before..

I mean up.  the one you've never been up before!


 -because it seems to me, from my memory, that UP was a very consistent direction I drove my limelight for miles and miles and miles on the day I saw God

and AROUND.

UP and AROUND, UP and AROUND...

no idea where I was heading really, but the road was so narrow, and the turns were so tight, all I could do was drive forward with my hands fixed in the 10 and 2 position

and my foot shifting: accelerator; break; break; accelerator...

break in; accelerate out...   slowly...    onward and upward...

I tried my best to keep conversation going with my sexy..   he seemed pretty calm, and seem to be enjoying the views..

"look!"    he'd say, 

and, I wanted to; I really did..   

but there were these cliffs..   and a tight turn, and the focus required to drive made it so that 

best I could do was   

well, if it were recorded; I would win the Guinness world record for fastest glance

my eyeballs moved to the view and back to the road in front of me in under one half, of one half of one second

"pretty"

truth is, I don't remember what we talked about, I don't remember any spectacular views..

not until we got to San Antonio Valley where the road flattened, and widened, and for miles and miles you could see beautiful trees, meadows, wildflowers, "look!  deer!"

and I could look!   whenever there were no curves, no cliffs and a wide road

I could look, admire, enjoy, talk to Robert, and drive so comfortably at the same time

I could do it all...

I love San Antonio Valley.    I really, 

REALLY wish it did not ever have to come to an end.

but it did.  and up, and around more tight corners, we went

my sexy joked, "they call this a two lane road?!?!   all they've done is take a one lane road and draw a line down the center"

thank God, with my nerves as close to being shot without actually being shot,  his demeanor empowered me to keep going

keep going, and going, and going...

because it turns out, once you arrive at a certain place, you realize, there is just no turning back.

-period.

you have no room on either side of your car to turn back if you wanted to

you will either crash into the side of a rocky mountain, or fall to your death off a cliff.

so, it is not a place of maybe this, or maybe that; it is only this: keep going.

I did consider putting it in park, and trading places.. Robert could drive, I would be the passenger

I know he would have done it.  he would.

but, I couldn't unpeel my hands from the steering wheel.

so, 

I never even mentioned it.  just kept going up...

for how long, I can't be sure, but, 

1/2 hour, 

hour, 

hour and a half, 

until

we finally, finally, finally reached some 4,200 feet above sea level!

the bay area's highest point!

and I paused a moment to talk to God..

because, somehow, someway, the only time I had to move over for another car, or scoot to the side for a motorcyclist, or bicyclist..

well,  Jesus..  I never had to drive backwards..

the only time I had to navigate the presence of another automobile, is when the road widened, or was flat, like in San Antonio Valley

"Thank You!"

I couldn't have made it this far without you!  I know you are with me!   -us; all of us!  me, my sexy, our family, friends, everyone on this road...

all of humanity!   everything is so beautiful!   you are amazing!   life is amazing!  

and, Dear God, 

can you please help me get back  ~home.

    -because you know the lyrics as well as anyone...   "what goes up... must come down"

and, now, the drive from the Lick Observatory was the same as the drive to...   only instead of UP and AROUND..  

it was DOWN and AROUND...

forever it seemed.

   -and I did see God!  -just like I told you.   I saw God   -and it wasn't exactly at the highest peak, where you might have first imagined, 

or in the epic views my sexy got to enjoy

or the forest of trees; or the mountain itself; or the narrow paved road; or the wildflowers, or the meadows, or the range of wildlife  -birds, deer, rabbits

in the beauty of the perfect blue sky; or in the spring sunlight.. 

although God is present in ALL of those things.

I saw God during my ascension    -he appeared only very briefly, and if I remember correctly, 

only 2 or 3 times over the course of such a long, challenging, dangerous drive

and he's still there!

you can see him too!

   -the most beautiful sight along the scary, narrow, hairpin turns of your life:



Guardrails.     -just the sight of them!   those are the truest, most beautiful sights you will ever see on your journey of life.    God is love; God is Guardrail.       Amen!
















***

on this same day..   we drove up Sierra, along the backroads from San Jose to Livermore.  And then on the way back  -Mines Road, in Livermore, the Mt Hamilton route back to San Jose.

Beautiful Scenery!    And more driving than I'm likely to do for the rest of my life.



In Jesus protective and trustworthy name!   hallelujah & amen.












posted by SHE @ 12:03 PM 0 comments

Friday, June 19, 2020

CH!! squidmann... leonardstegmann.blogspot.com

k, so, sexy & I are watching songland..

one of the candidates goes by the name of father dude   /and if you are reading this squidmann, you are already recognizing..

but for us; name means nothing, although I did say out loud, "that's a cool name.. very fun"

and then one of the judges inquired about the name and where it came from

and then, 

and then, 

father dude said something about being a fan of Mystery Science Theatre 3000

and that's when the pinball got released and starting bouncing all over the place in my mind

       squidmann!

and I was trying to tell Robert..

and here is all I remember on my own without any research:

you   -leonard-squidmann   are a big time fan of mystery science theatre 3000

/I've never seen one episode; know nothing of it..

and, you have like, not all, but 

the whole point is that you have  ALMOST ALL of the episodes on some format (VHS? DVD?)

and despite some noble efforts...  you are still shy a specific episode -and prevented from having the ENTIRE COLLECTION.

 ***

and, so..  squidmann…   will you please encore your Mystery Science Theatre blogposts


***

it's for the same reasons we so quickly reach for google, when we can ALMOST but not quite remember the actor in a given movie...    or remember the actor, but the not movie he was in..


  -the gift of memory aid!

***

and p.s.    -was just in half moon bay on Wednesday      -gorgeous! landscape..


thanks friend!    xoxo  ~s.c.


posted by SHE @ 8:11 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 18, 2020

in word AND deed... (sexy! & tops!) #IWA


repeatedly I tell my children, "put God first and everything else will fall into place"

but I dont just say it

we practice it; every. day.

we wake up and watch Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Bishop T D Jake's.  our 'spiritual trifecta'

Robert says a prayer out loud.  90% of my own prayers are silent; internal only

and then i will say something like

"this is the day the Lord has made,
we have re-joyced, re-Joel'd and re-Bishop'd
and we will be very glad in it!"

and WOW to the month of June "thank you Jesus!"

which has included our bike ride in monterey, a spectacular lobster lunch prepared by maria and john and wonderful visit with our friends sammy and minnie...     a way fun dinner, dessert, LCR game and wonderful friendship visit hosted by valerie and sebastian.. with john, maria, tony, adam, layla, and included charming company of snickers, almond, cashew, and peanut; two corgis, two chiwawas (sp?)

robert and I having our own -just the two of us -romantic dinners

an awesome & uplifting friendship visit with my beautiful friends catherine & carla.  each our own chair, at a social distance at veterans plaza park in pleasanton...  but our first in person since february..    an extra "thank you!" here to carla for hosting a couple zoom coffee visits to hold us over until...

several beautiful walks, social distance visits with neighbors, telephone visits with family & friends...

some recreational tennis  (entirely new to me) at a local park that recently opened...

and we are only 1/2 way through the month!

for Robert & i..    our experience is that we are continuing in 'due season'     -write through the pandemic...  write through the peaceful protests and the riots undermining the peaceful protests.

and my experience..  waking up next to robert..  watching the birds on the seed bell out our kitchen window while I pour our coffees.. looking at our ginkgo.. flowers, california flag yard art..  watching passersby..  several who we know by name now..

glancing all around our ~home, and the many pictures of loved ones and fun loving experiences...

it is my interpretation that I am living in a pre-ordained life that was waiting for me...   if I did not grow tired and weary

so that is my message then: keep GOD 1st place..

and although you may be tempted..

dont grow tired and weary.    keep going!

there is a due season waiting for You Too

in Jesus trustworthy and faithful name!

amen.


picture from our picnic in half moon bay yesterday   Hallelujah & amen!

posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 8:04 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 15, 2020

The Heart Seen... precious & charming contributions...

from squidmann & spike:

Puppy worth long waiting for...


   -great article!  "thank you!"   xoxo  ~s.c.


***

and more blessings for & from carol frost! "thank you!"   xoxo 




posted by SHE @ 2:46 PM 0 comments

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Speaking of Domestic Violence (me!) sandra, tvgp



as i've mentioned  -when you have lost a loved one, anniversaries, birthdays, holidays are times of peak and intensified sadness

we are approaching the one year anniversary of cynthia's death.

we, robert & i, have decided in advance, that we will not recognize the day of her death, but instead will remember her with a memory celebration of her life, on her birthday in september

i am so grateful for how  -Jesus lead-
we have moved on from this horrific violent tragedy and great injustice

Ephesians 6:13

..having done all the crisis demands...

ryan is in jail.   it will be anywhere from 4 to 5 years before he is officially sentenced; but he is off the streets    -we cannot do more here; it is done.
the family gathered, shared love & memories, and placed cynthia's ashes with her parents ashes
there is not more we can do here; it is done

those are the practical/pragmatic realities the crisis demanded.   add in realities the crisis demands like cleaning cynthia's aparment; dividing/donating her property; legal paperwork; visits to police station, mandatory phone calls, etc.


and Robert and I decided together, that evil had already taken too much territory

that if we spent our days upset, in a rage, tormented, angry, vengeful and/or inconsolably sad 

that would be evil claiming even more territory.

we are fighting like Christians in this spiritual battle

love, peace, joy, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control

Trusting God


the obituary enlightens people about domestic violence 

and requests/suggest   [does not demand or pressure or force] 

but if you would like, 

in lieu of flowers

donate to a domestic abuse center of your choice.


****

i cannot process, think about, consider, or write about this violent tragedy; this murder

without seeing it in contrast to our recent current events

and ponder

media attention and how it does and does not work.

awareness campaigns and how they do and do not work

protests and how they do and do not work



***

i know this:

where you see enlightenment, peace, unity, justice, healing and love

you see God at work through people

where you see ignorance, conflict, division, injustice, aggravation and hate

you see humanities enemy at work through people

***

In Jesus name, with love & gratitude for our healing

and in prayer for healing for all

hallelujah & amen!



posted by SHE @ 12:28 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear - by (me!) writeousmom







and during our picnic in Monterey, we briefly discussed current events

Robert shared his perspective  -from the point of view of a white Christian man who nobly served 27+ years as a deputy sheriff in santa clara county

Jack mentioned having participated in a peaceful protest in Pleasanton

I mentioned how I recently blogged 'all lives matter'  -and how I learned that someone with a public profile was FIRED for saying the same thing

?!?!    "i'm sure glad I can't get fired from my blog.."  I said with a smile, and the sign of the cross

and that's when my daughter said, 

"do you know the rebuttal for that.. what the perspective is?"

"no..  share"

and she said, "it's not that only black lives matter, but more like, if you saw someone wearing a pink ribbon, you wouldn't say, "ALL CANCERS MATTER"  -which in some way would discount or marginalize breast cancer

"thank you! very much for that," I told my daughter,   -at least it offered me something to consider

and, 

I've been doing just that...

and I thought,  -of all the times ive seen a t-shirt, or pin, or bumper sticker with a symbol which was designed to create awareness about a given cause

what do I think/how do I feel when I see it...?

and, I feel just as I've written a million times now:

-that is your suffering and therefore your instructions

what I've said a million times is this:

we come to earth with instructions.
what we love to do instructs us on what we are here to do
what suffering we endure instructs us on who we are here to help

***

and, not once; EVER
have I felt  -when a customer passes through with an awareness symbol

not once have I ever felt  -mandated- that I should wear one too..  or else!

not once have I criticized, marginalized, discounted anyone for wearing one; 
or not wearing one!

I only feel compassion
   oh, that's your cause..  


unfortunately, my personal experience is that there is a different, underlying, ugly, bully like vibe
associated with this current -cause

unless you support us...    and there is some level of threat attached

and I don't experience that with any other cause. 


I would repoint everyone to johanna ray vollhardts teachings

because, when I see purple, pink, blue ribbons for different causes
this seems to help remind us,  US/ALL PEOPLE, suffer in some way;
suffering is a common denominator; shared, but different manifestations

but the black lives matter, seems to fall in the 'unique' to us, category
at least the way it is portrayed, and experienced by me personally

and johanna teaches that when we realize we all share in suffering of different types
this results in altruistic responses  (inclusive victim consciousness)

and when we teach, there is a suffering/victimhood/injustice unique to you (your group)
this results in aggressive response.


I've never felt my job can be threatened by not supporting breast cancer 

"if you don't wear this that means youre pro-cancer"

I've never disassociated myself with anyone who does not openly support
and help end human trafficking

although I've felt some peer pressure when the donation cup comes around for (one of the few causes) that is not an occurrence within my family/friend circle

-and speaking of..

in my family/friend circle our direct life experiences include

poverty
skin cancer
parkinsons
violence against women
domestic violence
autism
alzheimers

to name a few...

i'm going to jump around here a little bit, 

I can't remember which comedian, but it is a black comedian

and, he is addressing gays in his audience, and all the heightened discrimination they were facing at the time of his show

and he light-heartedly jokes..  /I paraphrase here:

"i'd love to help you out, but look at my skin..  I've got my own problems to deal with"


it is the exact internal sentiment I have with todays current events

yes..  your life matters
you have a cause; it matters


I've got my own causes to work on and work out..

and i'm not going to force this issue of human trafficking down your throat

threaten you if you don't help out

or call you out in some negative way as being "pro human trafficking" for not wearing one of these:



if I may borrow and reuse my favorite colloquialism of the day

i'll do me.

you do you.


and if everyone is out there following their instructions

doing what you love, and

helping others in the same areas where you have suffered

it will only make the world a better place 

for 

everyone.


in Jesus name,  amen.

posted by SHE @ 12:20 PM 0 comments

"Thank You! Jesus!" (& robert!) for our Monterey Day! #IWA #asilomar #monterey #handfeedsquirrels #bikeride @writeousmom








..for my daughter, "Happy Birthday!"

and what I told Robert, and my son

"for (me!)…  this is like my birthday, valentines, mother's day & Christmas all rolled in one"


posted by SHE @ 9:04 AM 0 comments

Sunday, June 07, 2020

Most Valuable Lesson about Aggression as seen/shared by (me!) sandra, tvgp

wish I could make the watching and study of this program, with everything Johanna Ray Vollhardt, has learned and teaches about aggression  -a mandatory requirement in school curriculums everywhere


subject: aggression
program: Charlie rose
guest:  johanna ray vollhardt

primary lesson: what results in an altruistic response vs. violent response to victimization
  

my initial reaction to the program


***

my sincere curiosity  -as I do not know..   have no personal experience traveling, experiencing the culture in germany or israel  -and I don't read about....   -but, I very recently heard a black man on tv, talking about how America has never properly atoned for slavery.       are there percentages of jews today, looking for the current generation of germans to atone for the holocaust?   are they stuck?   have they moved forward?  what can we learn from each other....

and, turn page;  yesterday was the anniversary of D Day   -and it just sharpens the breaks in my heart to consider our service men and women out there  -putting their lives on the line for all americans

  and to watch so many americans fighting against each other..  it's the saddest thing.

****

on a very happy note  -we were out on a walk yesterday, and a very diverse group of people were out and about on walks, playing baseball, tennis, cricket...  walking, jogging, exercising in the greenbelts

shopping!  and restaurants with "dine-in" now available.

and "michaels! is open"    -I've had a gift card just waiting.... waiting...

and I am now the proud owner of a new Fiskars paper trimmer  ("thank you Deborah/Solomon and Robert!")..    and I was inspired recently to create a mag time frame..

and you know what that did,   -write

that inspired me to make another one...       and another one after that..

the joy!









and so, ….    i'm in the early stages of researching/learning about a shop on etsy, 

   -my heart has refound the creative beat it loves to dance to

in Jesus name,  hallelujah & amen!

posted by SHE @ 6:37 AM 0 comments

Friday, June 05, 2020

with love and gratitude for noble law enforcement officers from (me!) sandra, tvgp

we are re-celebrating and Praising God that Robert is already retired.  hallelujah! ..but we have friends in law enforcement

quality human beings, with concerned spouses, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, friends, neighbors

..to watch you demonized in the news, to watch you up against thugs, looters, violent criminals..

to watch bullies/gangs supported, encouraged

to watch you work mandatory over time

to watch your autonomy, and authority stripped,

to watch you asked to accomplish what is impossible for anyone

and then criticized for doing the best you can under impossible circumstances

the reactionary part of me says... give them what they want, so they can see..

all law enforcement officers quit.  at the same time.   just go home, be with your loved ones...

let the thugs, gangs, looters, released inmates continue to set afire family owned stores, smash the car windows of totally innocent citizens, steal alcohol and jewelry and anything they can and want to..

let thugs continue to threaten and intimidate in large numbers without consequence..

you are digging your own grave.

how will we EVER recruit noble law enforcement officers?

you give voice to victims, thugs, politicians

but none to the hard working men and women in law enforcement uniforms doing the impossible.

I'm sickened. 

I dont see this as a time of positive change..

but of mass stupidity.  unnecessary violence and loss of life.

****

we've seen it...  abuse of power..Catholic Priests; abuse of power; me too movement..

and if abuse of power was accumulating within law enforcement..     and be careful of the hype

well, I certainly did not see mass rape and sexual assault survivors rioting.. destroying...

in the name of awareness, safety, equality

justice.

you are better than this

YOU are making this black and white

but this is about Right or Wrong.

content of character.

in Jesus name,   amen.








posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 6:21 PM 0 comments

Meditations for (me!) sandra, tvgp

posted by SHE @ 7:51 AM 0 comments