I can sit quietly and wallow in this life called retirement. Like a child wallowing gleefully in a mud puddle, bouncing, splashing, and a puppy rolling in it, I can roll through my days, bounce from one activity to the next, and make a splash as I enter my 14th year of blogging.
Once upon a time my blog had hundreds of followers but as time went by, things changed, I changed, and priorities changed. Life is like that. But I still maintained my connection with a small group of blogging friends. We have sent sunshine into each other’s lives. Come join us today!
After a few years of dwindling posts, I have decided to return to my quest to encourage love, joy, peace, faith and unity through daily blog posts. Thank you for joining me.
Waking each morning from a restful night’s sleep I can make myself a cup of coffee, climb the circle staircase to my sanctuary, and sit quietly in my rocker. I can (with the help of my hearing aids) hear the ticking of the clock.
I can sync my breathing to the clock’s rhythm. Try it.. You can do it, too. Slow down. Breathe
I can listen for the voice of the Almighty as I rock gently to the rhythm. I can read my daily devotionals and meditate on God’s Word. I can plan my day as I tune in to God’s will for me today.
Praise God! Count my blessings. Pray for my family, friends, country, and this world. Confess my shortcomings, and ask for forgiveness. I CAN live each day with purpose. You can, too. Let’s do!
Let’s sit quietly and ask God for guidance. You with me?
I have had a break from my blog for awhile. Why? Spending time with visiting friends and family this summer and early autumn has taken precedence. Also, for the last 300+ consecutive days I have been doing a daily French lesson on Duolingo. Can I speak French now? No… But I can read and understand some. Time to move on. So, I’m exchanging that focus for now. I’m returning to my daily blog posts. I hope you’ll join me.
Today, I reread a response from a friend who wrote to me back in 2021 with this comment:
“You lit a candle in my mind and heart this morning when I read your blog post … Thank you for spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity through your blog…”
I kept a copy of that blog response in my journal titled, “I Can and I Will, Watch Me!” The entry that day in 2021 was, “I CAN Be an Inspiration.” That is my mission… and I have been neglecting it here on WordPress. But, I’m back!
My journal has 124 entries, each starting with “I Can…” As the “Inspirational Leader” I read one a month last year to my friends at Madison Valley Women’s Club. They responded very favorably to the inspirations. For the next few months, let me share one a day with you, okay? Hopefully you will follow along, and “I Will” be an inspiration to you, too. “Watch Me!”
I CAN Inspire!
I’m not in retirement I’m in re-inspirement Each day a new opportunity To inspire and To be an inspiration grabs me!
What is the secret to being an inspiration?
Love people and Try to understand them.
Reach out in love today.
Sincerely tell at least three people today, “I Love You.”
Inspired by today’s sermon by Brian Conklin at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church in Ennis, Montana
Come and have a drink with me The water’s fresh and the drink is free. No, huh? Water from a broken cistern Doesn’t quite look like something you yearn?
Well, Jeremiah recognized the problem, too. He spoke to the children of Israel and to you About the broken cistern and polluted water. He told ’em about a better source – come and listen, daughter.
Drink from this pure, flowing, everlasting spring. Let go of the water that’s full of things to which you cling. You think refreshment comes from money or possessions. You trade pure water for power and other obsessions.
Come and have a drink with me The water’s fresh and the drink is free. If you hope to satisfy your heart’s desires, Tune in to the Living Waters, not the liars!
God is the source of all Living Water for us. He wants to refresh us purely without much fuss. He says “Drink with me; fulfill your needs. Grow in love and faith; let’s remove the weeds.”
Isaiah speaks in Jeremiah 2:1-13 clearly About God’s grief as people turn away and nearly Break His heart as they rely on themselves with greed, Trying to go through life alone satisfying every need.
It’s not possible… we fool ourselves when we take control. Accept God’s invitation, refresh in Him. Make that your goal! Carve out time each day to drink deeply; refresh with Him From His Living Water – fill your cup to the brim!
Today’s Prompt was: What positive emotion do you feel most often?
My Response: Gratitude
I’m grateful for the neighbors who came immediately last night when I called them. I was frantic! Kenny, our pup, was crying. We could hear his barks and his whining, but we couldn’t find him. It sounded like it was coming from under the house. Maybe he went under the deck and got stuck on something. Maybe a rattlesnake bit him (years ago we had that happen to our Boston named Angela). We searched high and low for Kenny. No luck!
We were frantic! So we called our friends. They came. Four of them! We all searched. Still no luck.
So, we went into the house (we’d already searched there thoroughly).
When we walked in through the back door, there was a black and white nose sticking out from under Bob’s chair!! Kenny had squeezed under to fetch a toy – and he got stuck!! Whew!!!😥 We lifted the chair to release him. Gratitude? Ah yes!! 👏🏽
Thank You, Jesus!
Thank You, God, Thank You, Jesus! Thank You for neighbors, for answered prayers, for the safety of our pup! Whew!!
Remember that first picture up there of Kenny lying on a quilt? I’m grateful for it, too. Do you have a memory quilt?
I love mine! And no, Kenny doesn’t usually get to lie on it! It was a retirement gift from my teaching colleagues when I retired back in 1999. The sentiments on it and the remembrances are so precious!
Marta Garcia did the stitching and each of my colleagues at school added a piece with their name and sometimes a sentiment. “Stitched with dreams of traveling forever,” Marta wrote.
If you live in Ennis, Montana with the Madison River running through it and the spectacular Rocky Mountains as your backdrop, and people from all over the world coming here to fish and to just relax and enjoy the peace, the open spaces, the wild animals, and the proximity to Yellowstone, then you live daily with an attitude of gratitude, and guess what? Traveling forever is not a daily prayer. We are grateful that you come to us! Keep doing it!
“Take genuine interest in other people… turn to the person next to you in the grocery store and ask what the highlight of their day has been… Your question … will probably be the highlight of their day.”
That quote is from Bob Goff’s Catching Whimsy, 365 Days of Possibility.
He challenges us with today’s action step:
“Engage the people around you with love and inexplicable curiosity today.”
Time with Saskia & Laszlo is so precious!
I need to be sure and practice “With-ness” with them. God sent them to us so we could really BE with one another.
Who are you going to really be with today? Bob Goff uses Galatians 6:10 to remind us of Jesus’ words to the people: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone.”
Let them know you are 100% with them … and curious about how life is going with them.
How is life going with you!?
My life is quite lovely. Kenny’s is, too. I hope yours is, also.
The topic of the sermon at church this morning was Mary & Martha… Luke 10:38-42
At the Home of Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Join me with the sermon notes I took in church this morning.
Our church has a new paint color
Here’s the old paint color
That’s our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church in Ennis, MT. I love the new paint color. What do you think? I like to think of it as “Green and Growing.”
The mint green is soothing, don’t you think?
Today’s sermon examined Mary & Martha’s story. Mary’s soothing choice compared to Martha’s busyness. Which choice do you relate to?
Our interim pastor, Brian Conklin, shed interesting light on the age-old story. Here are my sermon notes from this lovely Sunday morning.
Martha is active and faithful She’s committed and frustrated We’ve been in her shoes Sometimes we’re annoyed, too
Jesus, in gentleness, corrected Martha, telling her that Mary Is doing what is right for her But He doesn’t rebuke Martha
Martha’s resentment is clear And it’s easy to understand She’s worried and distracted We are like her all too often
In our culture we celebrate Productivity, and forget to be Present to the importance of today Our stress pulls us apart
Our presence is what’s needed Be present for each other Be fully present in God’s presence Listen to Jesus. Sit at His feet
The posture of your heart: sitting, listening, being attentive Is worship… Stillness reduces stress Christ tells us to pause. Peace! Be still!
Sit in His presence Luke 12:25 reminds us “Don’t worry!” TRUST God is with you. God bless you
Turn your anxiety into prayer Find rest for your soul Anchor your heart at Jesus’ feet Be present with Christ.
Amen?
My peace I give to you.
But Jesus didn’t scold Martha or tell her what she was doing is wrong. Someone has to prepare if you’re going to share a meal, right?
Who do you relate to? Mary or Martha? Why?
My birthday’s this Thursday. No one mentioned it in church this morning. No one sang to me. I want to be Mary, sitting with Jesus. He would sing to me! It’s my week.
Jesus would say, “…few things are needed—or indeed only one…”
And He would probably scold me. “Get your mind off of yourself. Reach out to others. Did you remember to wish Debbie & Steve a Happy Anniversary? It’s their week, too!”
Ah, my friends, Life is Good! Count your blessings… and remember, “…Mary has chosen what is better…” Be still… and listen!
1 Cor. 12:7 “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits.“
What were you given? Wouldn’t it be fun to have your family and friends tell you what gifts they see working in you? I had that unique experience yesterday at a meeting of our church’s elder board (The Session).
The “gift” I most align myself with is: “Intercessor.” My daily prayer time and the lists of people I pray for daily are an integral part of my life. I am grateful God gave me the gift of praying for others.
In today’s devotional by Bob Goff, he dealt with this subject. Quoting 1Cor. 12:7, he went on to say,
” God has created us ro come together and form a beautiful community that highlights what we each have been given and can contribute.”
Using the familiar story of Stone Soup, Bob Goff wrote, “You know where this story ends already: the soup becomes a delicious simmering pot made up of everyone’s contributions… We all need to throw in what we’ve got and it will be enough.”
What other gift attributes did my friends identify for me? writing bedrock firecracker cooking music (and as mentioned:) prayer warrior
Of course, the one that surprised me the most was “Firecracker.” Is that a gift? Should I associate that with being explosive or being a sparkler? There are many ways to define our gifts, aren’t there? What’s yours? Ask a friend. Bob Goff ended his devotional in “Catching Whimsy” with this faith step:
Ask the people around you. “What are you good at? What lights you up and makes you spring out of bed?”
Here are the gifts my friends identified in each of my fellow church elders’ lives. For privacy’s sake, I will identify them only by their initials
PC patience, music, steadiness, kindness, calmness, humor
CD steadfastness, empathy, compassion, devotion, humor, determination
SH faithfulness, dependability, devotion. willingness, generosity, commitment, obedience
We began our Session meeting in prayer with this scripture as our guiding principle: 1 Cor. 12:1 paraphrased “Don’t be ignorant friends. A variety of gifts are given- We all are made to drink in One Spirit.”
We can (or can we?) control how others see us. Would I have liked others to see in me dependability, thoughtfulness, initiative, wisdom? Of course! Those weren’t mentioned. What can I do about it?
Live mindfully. Love outlandishly. Purpose my life to “Show who God is.”
Are you with me? Throw your gifts in the pot, and let’s make Stone Soup into God’s Love Soup.
Independence Day in Ennis, Montana is a happening!
Horses, kids, candy, vintage cars, wagons, clowns, cowboys, singers, you name it!
The Virginia City Players posted this photo on their Facebook page. Main street was crazy today!! There are thousands of visitors who flock to our town for the parade and rodeo today. As I write this, back home after a busy, delightful morning, it is hailing outside! Don’t like our Montana weather? Wait five minutes!!
Our little Ennis bursts at the seams today. Happy 4th❤️🇺🇸
Thank you, Roy & Barbara Washburn, for hosting such a wonderful morning filled with food and friends and treasured friendships. Yours is the perfect yard from which to enjoy the parade! Happy Birthday, USA! We are so grateful to be living in this Land of the Free!
Sometimes we are so busy with our “To Do” lists that we forget to take a break. And when we do heed the nudgings and step away from all those tasks for a day or two, the rewards are so great that we wonder, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”
Our interim pastor, Brian Conklin, did just that this week. The results of his “break” was a beautiful article for our July newsletter. I am delighted to share that article with you here. Enjoy!
Reflections on Psalm 8:3–5
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?”
—Psalm 8:3–4
I spent the first day of July winding my way up Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park—awestruck by the mountains, shaped by glaciers over hundreds of thousands of years. Honestly, the only reason I made the trip was because friends were visiting from out of state. Like many of us, I had a full list of things keeping me tethered to home in Ennis: dogs to feed, a lawn to mow, a garden to water, an overdue article to write, and a Sunday service to prepare for. A trip to Glacier felt impractical—out of the question, really.
Once again, I had placed myself at the center of my universe, absorbed in my own schedule and priorities. But I had made a promise—and so, I went.
It took less than five minutes inside the park for everything to shift. My eyes lifted from my to-do list to the towering peaks above me. With every mile we climbed, my world grew smaller. The grandeur of creation was overwhelming—humbling in the best way.
At Logan Pass, we hiked through lingering fields of snow toward Hidden Lake Overlook. Along the way, we passed a herd of bighorn sheep, spotted a grizzly below, and watched in amazement as a mother mountain goat and her newborn walked straight down the trail toward us—so close I could’ve reached out and touched them. I stood frozen, breathless with wonder.
That hike filled me with awe and clarity. It made me stop and remember the words of the psalmist:
“What is man, that you are mindful of him?”
To stand surrounded by so much beauty, so much power—wild, ancient, and untouched—and to believe that the Creator of all this is also mindful of me? It’s almost too much to comprehend. I felt small, yes—but also cherished. Insignificant and yet beloved.
My priorities? My worries? They suddenly seemed like paper boats in a vast ocean.
It’s sobering to think it takes this much grandeur to lift my head. How easily I become consumed with my own concerns and forget that the world does not revolve around me. How easily I forget who I belong to.
I’m grateful for the reminders—whether from mountain peaks or quiet whispers—that the God who shaped the stars also holds us close to His heart. When we lose sight of that, our days fill with noise and urgency. But when we remember, everything shifts into perspective.
Henri Nouwen once wrote:
“You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests…
That truth will set you free to receive the beauty of nature and culture in gratitude, as a sign of your Belovedness…
But that truth will also allow you to let go of what distracts you, confuses you and puts in jeopardy the life of the Spirit within you.”
So let us lift our eyes. Let us marvel at the works of His hands. And let us walk through this life—humbled by the majesty around us, but confident in the love that holds us fast.
Regards, Brian Conklin
Thank you, Brian, for taking a break, and for sharing those lovely insights with us! I’m so glad you and your wife, Dawn, are a part of our church family! What a blessing!!
My WordPress friends, what “break” have you taken lately? And how did it affect you?
