I was sitting in my back yard yesterday afternoon enjoying the cool breeze and sweet sunshine. We were babysitting Tim and Mercedes pups for the weekend, my grand pups, so with 5 dogs now in the house, it was time for some outside play time. As I sat there looking and listening to the birds that were in and out of the martin box hotel posted on the fence my eye caught a glimpse of a rather large dandelion seed that was in flight. It was coming from the west, just over our garage and moving eastward across the yard. I noticed it as it cleared the garage and then hit the plum tree branches high at the top. It then broke free and its direction now turned more north east as it started in the direction of our roof on the house towards where I was sitting. In an instant the Holy Spirit quickened me, almost simultaneously as the seed was in flight and impressed these thoughts ....the seed was on its journey and then without notice the tree became an unexpected obstacle then just as sudden as the tree had snatched it, the seed was released to a different direction of flight, moving freely again, set on a destination, a purpose. It was so clear to me what He was saying. That no matter how many obstacles come in to my journey, He will take me and place me in a new direction. It might be an unexpected direction, but the seed nonetheless continued on its journey and was being and doing what it needed to do...the seed floated with reckless abandon...in submission to its ultimate Creator.....

      Peace :)

Marx Reichlich
German (active ca. 1485-1520)
Last Judgment
Oil and tempera on panel

Medieval Christians viewed the Last Judgment in both cosmic and intensely personal terms, as the climactic moment of human history - the end of the world and time - and the terrifying instant when their own souls would be judged by Christ. Following long-established pictorial tradition, this late-15th-century German Last Judgment shows Christ seated upon his rainbow throne, flanked by trumpeting angels who awaken the dead to judgment. He is attended by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist, who prayerfully intercede on mankind's behalf. The stalk of lilies and sword flanking Christ's head allude to the dual nature of his judgment, symbolizing divine mercy on the one hand (his compassionate acceptance of all righteous souls), and divine justice on the other (his swift dispatch of the wicked).
Below, on earth, the dead rise from their graves and are marked for salvation or damnation. Among those pure souls waiting in line to ascend into heaven are a monk (with tonsured head), an emperor, a pope (who wears the three-tiered papal crown), and a couple holding hands - almost certainly Adam and Eve. Howling in despair at the prospect of eternal torment, the Damned are attacked by an army of demons who haul them into the fiery pit of hell. Among the condemned is a bishop whose miter, or crown, has been confiscated by a demon - a warning to the clergy that they, too, must remain above reproach or suffer the consequences. The message conveyed to the 15th-century viewer could not have been clearer: No matter one's station in life, only virtue will insure reward in the hereafter.

  A Perfect Friday Night goes like this with a group of 8 women:

Recently opened in May 1999, this little bistro, with an upscale eclectic menu, was selected by the Zagat Survey (America's most prestigious restaurant guide) as One of the Top 15 Restaurants in the Houston Metropolitan Area and the Top "Eclectic-International" Category. "The space is pure charm..., with its huge window panes, high ceiling, mustard interior, bright hardwoods and antique glass. " - DineOut, Shelley Barnes

Away from the usual tourist haunts, the Mosquito is "...tucked away in Galveston's Historic East End. This urban American cafe is clean-lined and uncluttered in sharp contrast to the Victorian gingerbread that surrounds it. The menu is just an unusual for the island, showcasing salads, trendy grilled sandwiches and deep bowls of pasta. - Zagat Survey Food Guide.

  Next we wondered over to The Grand for Menopause The Musical

It’s back! The Grand 1894 Opera House presents Jeanie Linder’s hilarious celebration of women and the change with encore performances of Menopause the Musical.

Menopause the Musical is a celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived The Change. This side-splitting hit has not only swept the nation from coast-to-coast, but has become an internationally acclaimed production, entertaining audiences with performances in over forty cities and six countries.

It all starts with four women (a power woman, a soap star, an earth mother, and an Iowa housewife) in a NYC Bloomingdale’s lingerie sale with nothing in common but a black lace bra and memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, and chocolate binges. The show is set to 25 re-lyricized baby-boomer songs such as I Heard it Through the Grapevine (You No Longer See 39), Heat Wave (Hot Flash), and the disco favorite Stayin’ Alive (Stayin’ Awake) just to name a few. “The show’s appeal transcends all socio-economic, cultural and age lines,” says writer /producer Linders. Since its first performance, the show has evolved as a “grassroots” movement of women who deal with life after 40 and all the challenges that result in the mental, physical and spiritual freedom of the post WW2 baby boomer generation. “Whether the women are draped in pearls or plastic beads, they all laugh the same way.”

Come enjoy an evening of laughter at The Grand as Menopause the Musical launches women into a celebration of a new phase of their lives. You are sure to agree with ABC-TV’s The View’s Joy Behar who said, “You’ll love it. It’s hilarious. Go see it.”

This is the last weekend for the play, so if you are out and about in Galveston OR want to make the effort to plan the trip--it is well worth it!!