Finding extraordinary treasures in ordinary and challenging days.
Welcome! I’m Marilyn.
I’m Marilyn and so glad you stopped by.
My grandmother had a beautiful lilac tree in her yard. Occasionally, she would snip a few stems, place them in a jar of water, and set it on her kitchen counter. Even now, if I close my eyes and inhale, I smell the sweet fragrance.
Lilacs are a treasure and a trademark of my hometown, Rochester, New York. Colonists brought small slips of these beauties to the new world and later, varieties were developed by horticulturists. Today, thousands of people from around the world, visit Highland Park, where over five hundred breathtaking and colorful lilac varieties cover twenty-two acres. As a child, I went there to see an array of trees on Lilac Sunday in May.
A canning jar filled with lilac cuttings on the kitchen counter, the tenancy of horticulturists, and acres of varieties of lilac trees on display for the world to see. Each in its own rite is an extraordinary treasure.
Isn’t life like that, too? Small moments and big ones, ordinary and challenging times, personal and shared experiences? In each, we can find extraordinary treasures.
The simplicity of growing up in an Italian family that honors tradition, moving several times in my married life, raising three daughters, and the greatest challenge of my husband’s sudden fatal heart attack, have shown me the treasure of God’s faithfulness in all seasons. You can read more on my About page.
If you’re looking for encouragement and extraordinary treasures, you’re at the right place. Together, we can find peace during pain, wisdom for a decision, learning through waiting, compassion when grieved, and even joy when circumstances say otherwise. I invite you to meet me at my blog and join the conversation each week.
Looking for treasures with you,
Marilyn
Coming up-Tea for Two Tuesday!
Although January is Hot Tea Month , tea lovers at Holiday Insights created Tea for Two Tuesday, celebrated on the third Tuesday in March. Tea for one, sipping while reading or pondering is a respite and a piece of serene-tea. When I add soft instrumental music to the background, I often call it a "selah", the word we find in Psalms, a...
Happy International Women’s Day
Today we celebrate women. I am preparing a tea with friends and was reminded how valuable tea was when it first made its way to America. Tea was kept in a locked caddy and even the housekeeper didn't have the key. It was kept by the woman of the home. Women today, in our homes and outside, still hold keys--to set a tone of peace and love, to...
Jewelry and the Treasure of Words
As my daughter Kate and I explored the hobby of jewelry making, we didn't know how complicated and costly it would be. It was fun to imagine finished pieces, but choosing patterns, stones, beads, and appropriate clasps to finish the pieces was time consuming. Each part had its purpose and the result would make a statement and a difference....
Have we connected on social media?
You can find me here:
“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:11 (NIV)
