God bless all those who sacrificed their lives that we might live in freedom. I never take that for granted. Have a blessed Memorial Day🥰, my fellow Americans.
How about March showers and hail and snow and rain bring April’s flowers?
April is one of my favorite months. Our family has so many April birthdays! What was going on 9 months ago?
This month of March was filled with challenges. March madness included our granddaughter, Faith, who fell ill while vacationing in Switzerland. “I’m a million times better” she says… “today compared to yesterday.” Yay! Answered prayers 👌🏽❤️🙏🏽
That’s my dear granddaughter in a hospital in Switzerland. Please pray for Faithy… She’s moving out of ICU and into a regular hospital room today. Looking forward to continuing her vacation with hubby, Kyle, 3-yr-old Mable, and Kyle’s mother. They hope to visit our daughter, Faith’s Aunt DeDe, this week. They currently are about 4 1/2 hours away. God is so good! This is an answer to more than I dared hope for! I just was asking God to heal her enough so she could safely fly home to California. Auntie De will be so happy to see them and meet Mable for the first time.
God is amazing, isn’t He? He hears our prayers and answers with even more than we dare ask!
In it, we are reassured that God answers our prayers: 24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
But I didn’t ask God for Faith and family to be able to resume their vacation. I thought that would be asking too much. I just wanted her to get well and be able to travel home safely. Instead, Faith told us today that she expects to be able to resume her Swiss travels. Amazing!!
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
What have you asked God for recently? Has He answered your prayer? Have you ever asked for something and been given more than you requested? Tell me about it!
These “things with feathers” frequent our yard, hoping for food and safety.
This “thing with feathers” lives in the heart of love and faith
In the midst of raging fires, devastating wars, and rampant illnesses, falls and broken bones, may we too fly with hope perched in our souls and a wordless song of love ringing in our hearts!
May God’s angels guard you and may you be safe and healthy. May all your wounds heal and your body be renewed.
May all your prayers be answered.
The Lord Bless You and Keep You and give you Peace and Hope for a brighter tomorrow!
Yesterday we had “Christmas in January” for our nursing home residents because they were in “lock down” in December due to an outbreak of COVID among the residents. It was a glorious party. I am so grateful for their recovery, and the fun we had gifting them each with a pillow handmade and personalized by my friend, Linda Maydak. What a wonderful treat! Thank you, Linda!!
I had a wonderful time playing Santa and distributing the lovely gifts and the tasty treats w provided. It’s never to late to celebrate Christ’s birth and gift our friends with something to celebrate the wonders of Christmas! I hope you are remembering His gift of salvation and thanking Him every day, too. He gives us reasons to HOPE every day. Praise God!!
Oh, and before I close, please pray for my Writers’ Group friend, Janet Hill, who fell and broke her hip today. Join me in prayer for all those affected by the CA wildfires… and pray for peace in the middle east… and in the world. Amen!
Gone from home for three weeks Wonderful holidays and birthdays Shared with family and friends Missed my daily sanctuary quiet time
Back home and falling into routine Up around 8: and make coffee Climb the stairs to my “sanctuairee” Spend time with Jesus and His Word
Spend time with David Jeremiah Spend time with Guideposts devotionals Spend quiet time with God in prayer Ask God to be with each of you
Meditate with “All God’s Creatures” Contemplate love and life with Bob Goff Compare scriptures with Eugene Peterson “The Message” paraphrasing inspires me
What’s your favorite way to spend Quiet time? Do you carve out space for it everyday?
Where?
When?
With whom?
Regardless of when, where, and with whom, May your day always include space for Quiet Time
Pray with me, will you? For all those who are in distress: the homeless, the sick, the frightened, the lonely, those who feel helpless or hopeless. “Bee” the Light. Shine His Light wherever you go in this world. Lord, help us to reach out and to love as You love! Amen
What do you do while the clothes are fluffing in the dryer and you are waiting before taking them out to fold them?
Do you have paper and pens, color crayons and chalk sitting on your table where you’re waiting to fold clothes?
I do.
I love to write Acrostics while waiting in the laundry room for the clothes to fluff so I can fold them wrinkle free.
Here are a few of mine. You can guess the topic knowing these were created within the last four months.
ANTICIPATING OWEN 2/14/24
O ur W onderful E specially N ew
P resent U plifting us: P up!!
Screenshot
POOPY OWEN 3/18/24
P lease O bey, O wen! P oop Y our shit O utside W hen E ver N ecessary!
Please, Lord, help us figure out how to train this puppy to go outside – and to come when called!
OWEN LEO:HE’S LEARNING! 4/20/24
O odles of fun W hen he behaves E ven when he forgets, he N ever ceases to bring joy!
L et us be patient and E ncourage his good behavior. O wen is such a love!
FUTURE PLANS 6/7/24
F irst U p: T rouble erupted U nder our noses R eally sad E vent happened P up Owen died L anding outside the window A ttached to his leash N oose around his neck S uffocated, hung himself.
Where do we go from here? How do we keep living in this empty, vacuous house without Owen? He filled all the empty spaces in our home and hearts. We are devastated. Can’t think future plans right now.
DON’T GET STUCK 6/14/24
D isasters O ccur N ightmares T raumatize G oodness E nters T hrough S ensitive T rusting U nderstanding C aring K indred Spirits
We have been so blessed this week to have the love and hugs, flowers and cards, calls and caring of so many of our family & friends. They have encouraged us to grieve, of course, but “Don’t get stuck.” In Owen’s sweet memory Move On… Laugh again, Love again, Rejoice again, Snuggle again with Another Boston Terrier.
We’re not quite ready yet… But God is helping us heal. Thank you, God’s angels. We love you!
The best gift of all Jesus gave to us one day With His sacrifice
It’s eternal life Promised by His life and death Free for those who thirst
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:24
2 Corinthians 9:15
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
Gifts come wrapped with bows Must be untied and unwrapped You’re the receiver
Even God’s own Son Won’t come and break in your door You must open it
Revelation 3:20
American Standard Version Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Accept your best gift Untie the bow; Open door Accept faith with joy
Return the favor By the joy you radiate Your gift back to Him!
Happy February, my friends! I hope your 2024 has begun well. If you follow my blog, you know Bob & I had a wonderful beginning for the new year as we traveled and visited family & friends in CA.
Now we are home and settling in – – with Christmas decor finally put away and the house clean and semi-organized again. It’s time now to take away that “semi-” & get serious! I am sharing a Word for 2024 with my blogging friend, Sue Newell at Sue’s LIFE Journal – Sharing LIFE Our word is SIFT.
No, our “Sift” is not intended to be a sifter. Ours is an acronym with each letter representing something we intend to focus on this 2024 year. Let me tell you about that first letter – S – for Simplify!
My office is not quite that bad… but it’s cluttered. My closets are overloaded with clothes I should give away. My storage room downstairs is full of things I really don’t need. My filing system lacks the kind of organization that it should have. So, this is the year to take care of those problems. Organize – and simplify!
In today’s entry for Turning Point, Dr. David Jeremiah inspired me to begin with prayer and purpose. He quoted an important verse from scripture:
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. 2 Peter 1:3, NIV
He put that concept of “NEED” into a Godly perspective as he reminded me of a Maslow concept. Dr. Jeremiah wrote:
“In 1943, Abraham Maslow, the son of Jewish immigrants to America, published his famous diagram illustrating the hierarchy of human needs. It was a triangle that explained our physical needs, our need for safety and love, and our need for esteem and for self-actualization.”
Then Dr. Jeremiah inserted a principle you and I believe. He said, “But Maslow was a humanist who neglected to mention our spiritual needs as described in the Bible.”
The patriarch Jacob said, “God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” (Genesis 33:11, NIV).
As I apply that word, “Simplify” to my 2024 days, I will keep a clear definition of NEED in mind! And I will remember I have MORE than I need!
Has God inspired you to SIMPLIFY your life in 2024?
