A Psalm for the New Year: “May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings, May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up … Continue reading →
As we make New Year’s resolutions to improve our relationship with the Lord, it is reassuring to know that the Lord has already resolved to keep our hearts close to Him. “I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good their children after them.” Jeremiah 32:39 NIV Trusting Him to keep my heart close to Him~not just for me, but most importantly for … Continue reading →
Silent. Soft swirls encircle the trees. Quietly the flakes drift like wafers on piles of whipped cream. Building without a sound until one by one they heap up softly curved drifts that reach windowpanes and block doorways. The only sound heard is the whipping wind whistling round the corners of the house and through the gaping meadows. The roaring wind drives gentleness across the landscape. Trees bend white, skies are whisked gray, the visible becomes invisible. … Continue reading →
As I glanced out the front door at my pathetically wilted mums, my eye caught a yellow blossom. And then another. Circling the plant, I found at least three more blossoms on what seemed like petrified green leaves. I thought the sunny mums would never bloom again. I had come dangerously close to giving up on the plant. Just issuing a military “haircut” down to the bare bones. With the bud of new life, Hope sprung in my … Continue reading →
A once-famous commercial jingle promised that “Away go troubles down the drain.” with Rotor Rooter. That must be the motto I live by whenever a major holiday is approaching. You can find me scrubbing and cleaning our home. Trying to make up for all the time I missed. Washing the troubles down the drain. Hoping the house will sparkle and shine, making everyone comfortable (especially me). While this photo may be atypical for Thanksgiving, you now see how … Continue reading →
Sands of Carmel Lord, grace me with your Holy Spirit that I may walk in Your ways. Fill my heart with a desire to follow You. “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” Psalm 119:133 NIV Where is the Lord leading You on this journey with Him? From My Heart to Yours, Linking up with Word Filled Wednesdays at the Internet Cafe
Continue reading →Janis in her majorette boots “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13&14 NIV Accepting God’s word on this matter has never been easy for me. I can find numerous traits about myself I do not like (wearing majorette boots was not one of them). Not to mention those imperfections … Continue reading →
Life can batter us at times. Our plans and hopes crumble before our eyes. People disappoint us. Loved ones get sick. The job we’ve relied on for 20 years is yanked out from under us. Our savings is depleted and we wonder where the next dime will come from. But in the midst of our terrible circumstances, there is One who has a plan. We think it’s a back-up plan but it’s really the original plan … Continue reading →
Homeless in Vancouver by andrecarol, courtesy of Flicker I clicked the remote key pad and the car door unlocked. Opening the door, I was blasted with heat from the oven inside my car created by the sweltering Arizona summer. I quickly rolled down the windows to expel the furnace and twisted the air-conditioning knob to maximum. I started the engine and as I drove away for the last time, I wistfully memorized the scenes my eyes were taking … Continue reading →
My dish washing bottle of Joy detergent stood valiantly on our kitchen sink bearing a glaring red tag. A tag that said, “I’m not in demand any longer. I’m not with it.” Yet to me, it would always been the only brand of dish soap that I had ever used in our 34 years of marriage–and that I ever wanted to use. Just two months ago, we discovered that our favorite bar soap is no longer available, either. … Continue reading →
