Until Tuesday

I tired of her. I was busy with my young children, my housework, and giving piano lessons.

She required much of my time. She was needy. Often invited herself over. I couldn’t get anything else done. I talked with another friend and asked advice about the situation. She offered a suggestion.

(more…)

I hear the Master whisper . . .

I drive past it nearly every day, on my way somewhere. Today, though, I pull over and park my car in the lot, now overlaid with weeds. I look at the church – an unkempt building that has been empty for many years now – and I listen. No music flows through its closed windows.  No children laugh or play on the rotted teeter-totter in its side yard. No pastor preaches from its pulpit. Instead, I hear the sounds of the country – the birds, the leaves kissing the breeze, a tractor in the distance,

(more…)

The Apron

Do you ever find time to get away by yourself and have some quiet time with the Lord? When my children were at home, I thought it must be impossible to have quiet time with the Lord in our busy, noisy household! But then I heard about Susannah Wesley!

(more…)

Alone. Without a tissue.

The room is small. The chairs uncomfortable. I see her through the glass, waiting for the thick door to unlock, controlled by someone we don’t see. Someone in another room looking through cameras into hallways and rooms, cells and blocks.

(more…)

Dear Mother (in purple crayon)

IMG_2982I almost tossed it away – it looked so insignificant, written with a purple crayon, personalized with my favorite drawings: a tree on the front and a swing set on the back. But evidently it was not insignificant to her,

(more…)

Your Faith Has Healed You!

I yearn to hear those words,

“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed of your suffering.”

Being raised with teaching that certainly God can heal but He doesn’t always heal,

(more…)

A Bird for His Purpose

Brilliant. Beautiful. Graceful. Pleasant. Stately. Confident. Cocky.
 
“Cocky.” That’s the trait that ended Gary Hancock.
 
     He couldn’t help being “cocky.“ That’s how God made him, the very peacock that he is (was). Through the years, I’ve witnessed  the “cockiness” of the wild turkeys that strut our yards and fields – of the pheasant that crosses the road as though he owns it, which he does! Likewise, it was the innocent, stately, God-given confident “cockiness” that brought about Gary Hancock’s demise one afternoon as he crossed the road he assumed he owned.

(more…)

#29 Our Cute Little Trailer: Our Sequel to The Long, Long Trailer

Have you ever seen the old movie, The Long, Long Trailer?  Oh my goodness! It’s a classic! So try to watch it, if you haven’t.

On their honeymoon, Lucy and Ricky go  across the country with their new 40-foot house trailer.(Their names are Tacy and Nicky in this movie, but I’ll call them Lucy and Ricky!) Here’s the “trailer.” to the movie:

(If the website music is playing, you’ll want to “pause” it so you can hear the videos in this post. (Find the music adjustment on the right of laptop or tablet. Scroll to bottom of post for music adjustment on phone.)

Who wouldn’t want such a beautiful trailer as they bought.

(more…)

#19 Our Own Oregon Trail

We left the Redwoods, our hearts full. (Have you read that post? Click here.) We yearned for more time in these forests, but it was time itself that caused us to move on. We tried not to look at all we left behind – rather at all that lay ahead for us.

We took a bit of the Redwoods with us – a seedling for our grandson, Noah. It would yet travel over 2500 miles with us. I babied it all the way.

(more…)

#27 The Patriot

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.

~ Abraham Lincoln 

Those of you who personally know Ron and me are aware: we are patriots. Being a patriot seems to make the division in this country in the last few years most disheartening, to say the least. I think that may be the reason God led us to Mt. Rushmore in our northwestern cross-country journey a few years ago – to remind us that we are not alone in our love for this beautiful country of ours – and to challenge us

(more…)