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From Despair to Joy: An Unexpected Journey (Part Two)
Road trips have always been a part of my life. Changing scenery, picnic lunches, and stretch breaks generate mostly happy memories. Each trip usually involved a good measure of planning, the most important being where and when the day’s travel would end. Having that final stopping place chosen ahead of time helped everyone cope with the long hours in the car. Have you have found that true in life as well? Although I know of a few “free-spirits” who relish the spur-of-the-moment adventures, most need to plan. We need to know the plans for the holidays: where we’re going, and who’s cooking what. Yet, if Covid taught us anything, it’s…
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From Despair to Joy: An Unexpected Journey (Part One)
Driving home recently through an unfamiliar area, I realized my GPS could not pick up a signal. Knowing I was headed in the correct direction, I searched for something recognizable. There should be a turn coming. But where? I sure missed that familiar voice telling me, “In four miles, turn right.” I don’t know about you, but I like those little nudges. It reminded me of a time when God whispered in my spirit that a change was coming. My journal entries from that season attest to the promptings of God, through prayer and Bible reading, which led me to understand about an upcoming “turn in the road.” This doesn’t…
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I AM JESUS’ LITTLE LAMB
My love for lambs started as a child when my mom would sing “I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb” to me and my siblings. Then the death of my dad, when I was 10, left me feeling like a lost lamb. Verses like “He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (Isaiah 40: 11) brought comfort and enhanced my love for these soft, gentle creatures. Soon a collection of lambs began, including ornaments, mugs, knick-knacks, and plush lambs. When my children were born, lambs and sheep adorned their nursery, and we sang the old hymn at their baptisms. Recently, a wonderful thing happened—a live lamb…
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From Picky Eater to Let’s Eat Lettuce: My Journey with Food
NOTE: Although different from my usual style and topics, this blog is one of great importance. I hope you enjoy a peek into my personal journey with food. If we’ve recently met, you may know I love Jesus, people, and fruits and veggies. If we are better acquainted, you’ve probably witnessed my passion for pizza. But if ours is a life-long friendship, you may be aware of my former (self-imposed) title: Pickiest Eater Ever. No kidding! My childhood menu was limited to grilled cheese, pizza, peanut butter, chocolate shakes, and when I got a tiny bit older, chili dogs (Portillo’s only…extra cheese). No veggies and very little meat. And fruit?…
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Expect the Unexpected
I knew there was trouble when I saw my son’s phone number calling early in the morning. “I need dad,” he said when I answered. Ah! Must be a car thing. Yep. On his way to student teaching, the accelerator in my son’s car had stuck open. “And I am teaching today and being recorded!” he added. Unable to diagnose the car issue 1,000 miles away, we encouraged our son to seek another mode of transportation and worry about the car later. We hung up and prayers ensued. “God, help him to borrow a car. God, someone must have a car available! Help him find a generous person! Help him…
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Who Will Join Me at the Manger?
Well, here we are – just days from the end of a year that will no doubt go down in history. Already, we laugh/joke/sigh/cry about 2020. Personally, I think I handled the early parts of the lock-down like Wonder Women. Already working from home, I faced the challenges (mostly) with courage, as I believe many of you did. But as the months wore on… and a hurricane hit (our first bad one)… AND then I got the dreaded disease, my strength faltered. Life came to a halt and I entered this holy season, emotionally crawling on my knees with my knuckles dragging in the dirt and my heart struggling to…
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