There was something dry and brittle in my heart – something that didn’t belong. The day was gloomy gray, and so was my spirit. Everything felt heavy, and tears flowed with no warning. My whole body felt weary and wounded. My jaw ached from the constant clenching and my shoulders from hunching. And my head hurt the way it does…
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“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson As fall races towards winter, I’ve wandered and pondered a little more often. I take deep breaths of the fall air, and I feel a twinge. Winter isn’t far away – I can hear it in the howl of the wind and…
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“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” Billy Graham The wildflower fields are brown except for a few fading blossoms. Stopping to enjoy them, they seemed brave to me. I know they are just flowers, but wandering in their midst the last few chilly days, they quietly delighted me. I…
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All summer the yellow coneflowers held my attention more than other years. At first, I thought it was their hope-filled color, but something told me there was more. And in my mind, I heard a specific song when I contemplated the coming lesson. In a whimsical mood one day, I said to no one in particular, “They remind me of…
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Author’s Note: Although some might hear my voice in this post as loud, it’s a whispering post. The “discussions” I’ve read and listened to lately and a few I’ve participated in leave me wondering, “What in the world happened to common courtesy and respect?” And it’s not just from one segment of our world. The shouting and disrespect come from…
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A couple of weeks ago, I was in a mood. The kind where the only way out of it was lots of coffee, a long walk, and finally a nap. So, I headed outside with a full Thermos of the caffeinated stuff and my camera just in case I saw something worthwhile. Yeah – it was that bad. It was…
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When I go out to write, I plan to stay long. Sometimes from BL (Before Lunch) to AC (Afternoon Coffee). A couple of weeks ago, I went to two places – I love the salads and iced tea at one and the coffee at the other. I couldn’t believe the things I heard from two groups of women. When I…
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I love a rousing hello when I knock on a friend’s door and she calls out, “Come on in!” as if I’m the new best part of her day. Or if I’m meeting someone for lunch and as I look around I hear, “Joy! We’re over here!” (this one is often partnered with a friendly wave) And then there are…
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This almost grown up blue jay baby cracked me up, and then reminded me of me. This young bird stood on the food she wanted and begged then demanded that her parents feed her. The parent birds stayed hidden in a nearby bush. Their calls to her were gentle as if they were letting her know they were there for…
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Every day when I wake up and after I have savored my first (and maybe my second!) cup of coffee, I make plans to get out to this space ASAP. It’s here that with my second (or third!) cup of coffee I take my stress to God. And I let the gentle invitation of Jesus words wash over my heart. Because…
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When Jon and I moved out here just over ten years ago, we started growing wildflowers – lots of them. We’re now up to approx. 19 acres of them! We knew not all of them would bloom the first year so each spring there’s a Christmas-like anticipation about what new blossoms might show up. When we discovered this one shooting up…
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