Thursday, July 29, 2021
one last blanket
Thursday, February 18, 2021
this is what makes for a happy and peaceful life
"I just don't think I'm looking for the big moments in life anymore. It's more the simple ones that make for a beautiful day now. Like the sun rising and the moon dancing, and the wind singing and the leaves grooving, and kids laughing and music playing, butterflies twirling, heart-smiles staying -- and me being present to witness all these little beautiful things. This is what makes for a happy and peaceful life. I'm sure.
Friday, January 15, 2021
Saturday, January 9, 2021
christmas cards
I was cleaning the house today, putting away the last of the Christmas decorations and I gathered up the Christmas cards that the Preacher and I had received during the holidays. As I was going through them one last time before packing them away, I began to think about how great it was that people still mail out Christmas blessings.
In today's time of social media it is very easy to just send out Christmas wishes through our social platforms. And while I type this I am really talking to myself. Every year for the last several years, I have said that this year I will sit down and write out Christmas greetings to all of my family and friends. Then the days move on fast and I feel defeated that I didn't get it done.
Christmas cards were special during the years of my growing up. We enjoyed going out to the mailbox and seeing how many cards we would receive. The most special card for my mother and I was the card that she would receive from her pen pal who lived in England. The fact that our family who was living in the middle of Indiana would receive a card from across the world was exciting.
The amount of cards that we receive has diminished over the years but I have some family that sends them out faithfully every year and if they stopped sending the cards I think that would make me sad. We also receive cards from old friends and it is good to see pictures of their children growing and knowing that they are doing well.
So through this post we want to say thank you to those who sent us Christmas blessings.
We love you all!
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
brave
"The gate is wide, the road is paved in moderation The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in Welcome to the middle ground You're safe and sound and until now it's where I've been.
'Cause it's been fear That ties me down to everything But it's been love, Your love That cuts the strings
So long status quo, I think I just let go You make me wanna be brave The way it always was is no longer good enough You make me wanna be brave"
And then, as the Lord always does when He wants to teach me something, two articles came across my computer screen.
Susie Hawkins from namb.net writes
"(1) Bravery is faith fearlessness, (2) Bravery demonstrates trust, (3) Bravery takes risks. C.S. Lewis said, "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point...a chastity or honesty or mercy which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful till it became risky". And as he points out, kingdom-minded lives require us to be brave in living out all biblical principles, even challenging conditions. In fact that is exactly where "true bravery" occurs.
Laura Stephens Reed, from laurastephensreed.com writes:
"Prior to the pandemic, a number of clergy were working under unrealistic expectations, whether those came from their congregations or from their own internal "shoulds". And then in March they had to change the ways they did nearly everything and fast. They became not just preachers but tech experts with all that entails: recording, editing, sound mixing, lighting, inviting people to and teaching them how to participate in and managing online meetings, exploring the most accessible social media platforms, and monitoring cyber security. They spend many hours trying to get all of this right because worship and Bible study and fellowship are so critical, not knowing that they'd have to continue all that they started beyond a few weeks, often without much help from others. The effects of all these difficulties are taking their toll. They have deepened pre-existing fault lines and created new ones. Clergy who already had some sense of discontent now have one foot out the door, and some who were happy are seriously questioning whether their current context is still a good fit. The result, I predict, is going to be a tidal wave of pastoral departures once churches re-gather, and maybe sooner depending on how long the pandemic rages on. Church folks, this time is hard for everyone, It's hard for you and it's hard for your pastor."
Yes it has been hard and tiring. There were some days when the Preacher and I were very tired from trying to keep it all going as if there was nothing wrong.
But brave? Did we feel brave? No.
The Preacher has taken precautions due to some breathing issues but he loves the Word of God and loves his congregation. So he will continue to be brave for the Word and for you.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
out of the stump
Friday, July 3, 2020
my house
AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE
WE WILL
love
serve
honor
magnify
praise
worship
fear
obey
follow
trust
THE LORD
Joshua 24:15
Inspired by @christinecaine IG post
Thursday, April 16, 2020
lies that i tell myself
I had purchased this book last year thinking that he might be able to use it for Mother's Day but he went in a different direction.
So this year when he and I were discussing his sermon plans, I reminded him of this book. He asked me to look over the chapter headings and let him know out of all of the chapters what were the topics that I thought women would want to know the truth about.
The book deals with the lies that we as women tell ourselves and the author then tells you what truths the Lord wants you to hear.
So I looked them over and this is what I saw:
"About God" the lie is that God doesn't love me.
"About Themselves" the lie is that I'm not worth anything and physical beauty matters more than inner beauty.
"About Sin" the lie is that my sin isn't really that bad.
"About Priorities" the lie is that I don't have time to do everything I'm supposed to do.
"About Marriage" the lie is that it is my job to change my mate.
"About Children" the lie is that I can't control/can control the way my children turn out and that I'm not a good mother.
"About Emotions" the lie is that if I feel something it must be true.
"About Circumstances" the lie is that I just can't take any more.
We need the truth told by the Lord so that we will not believe these lies anymore.
There are several more "lies" that we tell ourselves that are discussed in the book. These are just a few that I pointed out to him that he could possibly use for his series.
I would encourage you to pick up the book and read it. There might just be a lie that you have been telling yourself that the author has put in the book.
There is also this book for men
The preacher will be discussing a few of the lies that men tell themselves when he starts this sermon series.
Maybe you and your husband/boyfriend/fiance' might want to pick both of them up and read them together as a devotional. There are a few topics/lies that do overlap.
The funny thing is, is that the women's book just happens to have a few more pages than the men's book. I don't know but maybe that says something about us women.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
faith
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)Before the new year began I saw a few Pinterest sites and Facebook posts asking what would you would choose to be your 'word' for 2020.
I thought about this and decided that my word for 2020 would be the same that it was in 2018 and 2019 -- FAITH.
When I was a little girl my mom and dad took us to church every Sunday. I learned all the Bible stories and all of Jesus' parables. The one that fascinated me is in the book of Matthew, chapter 17, verse 20, where Jesus tells his disciples that if they have the faith as small as a mustard seed, that they can move a mountain.
My mother had a necklace that had a clear round ball on the end of the chain, and inside of that ball was a tiny mustard seed. I remember just barely being tall enough to see above her dresser and playing with her jewelry. This necklace intrigued me. How did they get that little seed inside of that ball. I knew the story it represented but it didn't make any sense.
How can you move a mountain with a faith as small as that seed?
In April of 2018 through January 2019, I became fully aware of how a figurative mountain can be moved with a faith the size of a seed.
My faith throughout that year wavered, I will admit it. But I held onto His promises and as of January 9, 2019, He showed us just how powerful faith in Him can be.
I didn't want to ever lose that knowledge that a faith as small as a mustard seed can overcome. I also didn't want to ever forget just what the Lord did for our family throughout that year. So back in April of last year I went and had a tattoo with the word 'faith' placed on my arm.
It is small and it is there just for me. I didn't get it to make a big show. I got it so that I am reminded of His power. And if anyone noticed it and asked why, I would be able to tell them of His power and His love.
Before going into a nursing home my mother asked if I wanted any of her jewelry and I was excited to see that she still had her mustard seed necklace. So now it is mine.
Just a side note here, but if you are interested in a tattoo, I highly recommend Faith Tattoo in Golden, Colorado. And yes I feel like the Lord directed me to this tattoo shop because of the name.
Monday, October 14, 2019
only one person
At some point you're going to realize there's only one person
whose name alone can make your day better.
Only one person you look for when you enter a room.
Friday, September 20, 2019
crochet
one last blanket
This little baby blanket has a story behind it. My mother is in a nursing home due to a severe stroke that weakened her legs and her hands...
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This little baby blanket has a story behind it. My mother is in a nursing home due to a severe stroke that weakened her legs and her hands...
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While praying one day, a woman asked, "Who are you, God?" He answered, "I Am". "But, who is 'I Am'?&q...