Jordan, the Youngest (L), me and Tim, the Oldest (R) At moments I wondered how the day would turn out. The morning began quietly, leaving me a little on edge. But the sermon at church set me on the right path. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:15 NIV Our Pastor was making a point about what causes … Continue reading →
He is not here; He is risen, just as He said…Matthew 28:6 NIV The morning began under a shady tree on a grassy slope as strains of worship filled the air. While a whisper of wind built hopes of keeping the outdoor service cool, the Arizona hot ball of yellow soon beamed steamy rays on our church family. But the worshipers were undaunted as their hearts lifted praises to the Risen Savior. Greetings rang out. “He is … Continue reading →
It’s been a while since I’ve listed the many joys the Lord has lovingly spread across my path. To see His hand turn the simplest moment into a joy has filled my heart with delight. When I forget to write down the day’s joys, I look back later at that day and am amazed at how many things He has turned into a joy. I still need to train myself to see the joys as they are happening. What … Continue reading →
Searching for His joys throughout the day changes my perspective. I begin to see the blessings in my life and how the Lord is working. Joy refocuses my attention on the beauty the Lord is giving me for the ashes of broken dreams, anxiety, and fear. In these past two weeks, the Lord has poured out blessings in unexpected places. Everywhere, I’ve seen His hand from celebrating a birthday with a dear friend to a class trip to the … Continue reading →
Woven through the storm clouds, God threads moments of sunlight. Rays that splinter the darkness, calm the anxious heart, refresh us with rest, and touch our spirits with His Joy. This week the Master’s golden threads were interlaced abundantly throughout my life. Praise God for His glorious touches of Joy and His mercies. 763) flowers from a friend to say she cares and that she is praying 764) cards that arrive daily from friends reminding me … Continue reading →
On a mild December afternoon, a sparkle in the yard caught my eye. It seemed to come from the orange tree. And although I knew it was too early for blossoms on the tree, I tip-toed out to the tree with curiosity. No blossoms greeted me, but the tree had green, golf-ball sized oranges perched on scattered limbs. I was stunned. I had never seen a blossom in the spring after our frigid winter that nearly killed the fruit … Continue reading →
With the holidays upon us and issues to sort through in my life, I will be taking a break from blogging.Thank you to all of my faithful followers who have inspired and encouraged me in this journey of writing. I pray you have blessed days with family and friends through this season. And, maybe, when I return to writing, we can reconnect again. Giving thanks to the Lord for: 724) Coworkers who are friends … Continue reading →
I snuggled onto our family room sofa to to read my morning devotional. But once I started into Colossians, Chapter 3, I could not stop. “Set your hearts on things above,…” I read. The room was quiet and the view outside was cloudy creating a calming spirit in the room. I could see that my heart and mind were not focused on heavenly things but on those of this world–the housework, bills, family issues, work, worry about the … Continue reading →
The sky was a patchwork of puffy, white clouds stitched across a blue background. The air whistled a crisp fall breeze as the children danced around the play equipment and fed the curious animals in a traveling petting zoo. Adults dressed in purple shirts wearing warm, easy smiles wrapped their guests in love as all proclaimed the goodness of the Lord. After three long years, a sweet girl with brown ringlets had become the daughter of a very … Continue reading →
It’s been a while since I have put a number to all the thank yous my heart holds for the Lord. The blessings have overflowed: 683) the arrival of fall, even if the thermometer still reads 90+ degrees 684) this autumn season full of promise, bursting forth in harvest; a time to gather, and a time reap what we have sewn 685) the love of family and friends as we joined in the celebration of one of … Continue reading →
