Passion for Paraguay

Tajy is Paraguay's national tree. I took a picture this morning of this yellow lapacho full in bloom, as of this writing. Lapachos come in pink, yellow and white. And when they bloom, you know the spring is just around the corner. Lapachos are the emissaries, story tellers of a new season. The winter is passing, while the spring is peaking around the corner (sept 21).  I love the image, the message Lapachos send us - nature speaks. We all need signs, posts and markers that help our minds, bodies and emotions transition from what was to what will become. Lapachos do that for Paraguayans every year.  Tajy (in guarani) or Lapacho in Spanish is not only known for its beautiful flowers, but also for its artistical qualities. The matero or guampa to drink tea is also often made of lapacho. Great carvings use lapacho as row material. Its durable and considered very hardwood. Although lapacho now a endangered and protected tree, it used to be the favored wood for underground posts, ou...

I can’t say enough how Julie's words in her journals have blessed me. Over the 12 years of our marriage, we occasionally read to each other entries from our journals. But only occasionally. Why read each other’s journals when we had each other in person? In person, we could talk and share insights, struggles, and dreams. We met every morning for Paraguayan tea time. It was a ritual, a sacred date that we considered one of our daily highlights. Missing the 6am tea time was almost a transgression of a family tradition. Today during my early tea time, I opened a journal from six years ago. Julie was sharing her struggles as a mother, wife, and daughter of the king. A few months after Timmy’s birth, she wrote: "It’s my first Mother’s day ever. Thank you God for the privilege of being a mom. What a life change I have had in the last six months. Timmy has consumed so much of my time and energy but it is all worth it. Timmy is sitting up unassisted and soon, will ...