We had looked forward to this time for months. With our son having left for boot camp only two weeks prior, we knew that a few-day visit from our friends would be the perfect pick-me-up for our droopy spirits. But as the time approached, I felt myself sinking into a deep pit. Son had not called or written–my heart breaking while other Moms reported glorious words from their offspring. Energy levels plummeted with the mood. I looked around the … Continue reading →
Nervous, as I always am before an event that I am hosting, I checked off my last minute list of goodies to be packed in the car for the party. Star-shaped cookies wrapped in wristbands, two floral centerpieces, the cake, photos of our youngest, the Navy journal, and, of course, the camera. Everyone was in the car when I glanced back and saw youngest’s jeans–they had the fashionable hole on the knees. I started fraying like his jeans, and … Continue reading →
Only 22 days left. The countdown makes my heart race. The urgency builds to a crescendo tapping out every sacred moment. The notes beat a rhythm in my mind, echoing the refrain, “make every moment count.” On July 18, our youngest son, Jordan, leaves for Navy Boot Camp. The final papers have been signed. The final “Yes,” has been pronounced. Lists have been checked for the meager items he can take. Left behind are remnants of memories for … Continue reading →
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 →
Flower of a prickly pear plant “Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;” Psalm 98:4 NIV As I look around me, the desert seems to be bursting forth in song to the Lord, God its creator. Prickly pear cactus shout in brilliant yellow, while giant saguaros trumpet forth in white bursts that carefully quiet within at night. Strawberry hedgehogs and scraggly chollas display splashes of God’s pallete in … 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 →
Along the hiking path The airplane ticket had been purchased during the long weeks of silence and wondering. I knew that I would need to escape the walls that closed in around me every weekend. A full week of Spring Break would either provide rest or more turmoil. I wondered, though, if distance, a change of environment, and time spent with my best friend could really grant me the peace I sought from the thoughts that assailed me. Hiking … 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 →
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 →
