Recently we traveled on a beautiful vacation to Cancun with my twin sister and her husband. The climate and accommodations were outstanding, and also the precautions for COVID-19.  When I travel with my sister

Have you ever lost something, and you asked yourself, “oh where it could be?” Have you ever found something that you were looking for, but it took more than a day, or maybe a month, or even a year until it magically reappeared or it was found?

Waiting.

Finger drumming, foot-tapping, deep breathing, clock glancing, nervous twitching: waiting.

No one is really fond of the delay in itineration that slows our course to get from point A to point B. The hindrance in time until something else happens can cause great agitation in our lives.

I’ve always loved stories. In my middle school years I discovered what is known as NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). This event takes place during the month of November, and the goal is to write a 50,000-word novel in the short span between November 1 and 11:59pm November 30.

“Here come my beautiful daughters” would be the words that greeted my twin sister and me walking toward our mom’s room at the nursing home, where she spent the final five years of her life.

Dreams are within all of us. The desire for a dream to come alive is in everyone. When our desires are aligned with God’s word we can CONTEND and PRAY for the dream that is deep within us to come forth.

Earlier in the spring, I had a “bird’s eye” view of something very sweet. A young, baby bird was perched high atop a tree. With all its might, he kept flapping its wings in an effort to lift off the branch and fly like all the other birds around him.

Have you ever been there? Things not going as planned? Your vision on panning out the way you thought it would? I think we have all been there at one time or another, and those times can shape our perspective on how we respond and shape our expectations in the future. 

Several years ago, we were in Florida for meetings and decided to tag a family experience to the end of the trip. Our oldest son and his family joined us, and we treated everyone to Universal Island of Adventure and Sea World.

“Our family recently celebrated our 20-year Americaversary – 20 years since we sold up and moved our family of 6, almost 7, across the pond from the UK to the USA. It had been a long and emotionally exhausting process….”

“We have no heat in this house, it’s freezing!” were the words from my husband in a text message a few weeks ago. In which I quickly replied, “oh no!” but in the back of my mind I thought, “well our furnace is pretty old and maybe it’s time to get a new one”, but also hoping and praying that it was a quick and easy inexpensive fix…”

Springtime! As nature awakes and thaws during this beautiful season, it is what we cannot see that will bring forth the truest beauty. Tulip and daffodil bulbs wouldn’t make a pretty bouquet, yet they yield a delicate flower with a soft sweet smell.

I could feel the vibrations of the MRI machine as it started. The clicking noise and jackhammer-like sounds were barely acknowledged as I was deep in thought. Around September 2019 I began to experience what would be months of debilitating nerve pain, brain fog, and fatigue, along with other symptoms.

When our boys were young, we would take them yearly, or almost annually, to Sears Photography Studio at our local mall for the ever-fun family picture night. We laugh when we look back at many of those pictures. Memories surface of what was happening right before the photo experience. I can still hear my husband Steve giving the boys instructions to “smile and not ruin this for their mother.”

Rhythm at times is something that can be the most challenging thing to cultivate, protect and keep consistent in our lives when it comes to living healthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically. This is an aspect in my life that I am currently assessing and processing: what healthy rhythm looks like in my own personal life.

I love Jesus.  I know He loves me.  Yet, after decades of loving Him, I am still trying to wrap my head around the idea that He loved me first. 

When I met Kurt, my husband, for the first time.  I didn’t love him.  Our first exchange was just a handshake and a smile.

Sometimes, there are no words.

There are times when things just don’t make sense - life doesn’t make sense.

I’ll leave it at that – you know how it is.

Recently I opened my freezer to take something out to eat, only to find the expiration date was past. Taking a closer look inside the freezer, I realized that more items had expired. Have you done that?