Easter Meditation 2025

youtube link to He's Alive

Attached above is the link to Don Francisco singing "He's Alive," recorded (in this video) about 12 years ago on the TV show, The Gaither Homecoming Hour. Recorded for the first time many years earlier, the lyrics are taken from the biblical account of the Apostle Peter when he is in deep remorse for denying Jesus and then, 3 days later, seeing Jesus alive for the first time after His crucifixion. Click on the link above to listen to the song, if you are so inclined, and you will be glad you did.

Over the recent past my meditations have repeatedly been focused on not the lost (those who don't know Jesus as their Savior), but instead on those of us who do know Him as our Lord. In spite of our label as "Christians," we still sin. We make mistakes, use poor judgment, failing to think things over thoroughly before taking action, overlooking what begs our attention, and sometimes we blatantly do what we know we should not. We are all hypocrites at times. Yes.

Intentional sin. God forgives even that. This is perhaps what amazes me the most as I ponder Jesus' willingness to pay the price for my sins. He forgives even the intentional sins.

Here are the lyrics to the song above:

The gates and doors were barred and all the windows fastened down
I spent the night in sleeplessness and rose at every sound
Half in hopeless sorrow and half in fear, the day
Would find the soldiers breaking through to drag us all away

Then just before the sunrise, I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle, and a voice began to call
I hurried to the window and looked down to the street
Expecting swords and torches and the sound of soldiers feet

But there was no one there but Mary, so I went down to let her in
John stood there beside me as she told us where she'd been
She said, "They moved him in the night and none of us knows where
Oh, the stones been rolled away, and now his body isn't there"

So we both ran toward the garden, then John ran on ahead
We found the stone and the empty tomb just the way that Mary said
But the winding sheet they wrapped him in was just an empty shell
And how or where they'd taken him, it was more than I could tell

Perhaps something strange had happened there, just what I did not know
John believed a miracle, but I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him and then saw Him die

Back inside the house again, the guilt and anguish came
Everything I'd promised Him just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices, I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive, it could never be the same

Then suddenly the air was filled with a strange and sweet perfume
Light that came from everywhere drove shadows from the room
Then Jesus stood before me with His arms held open wide
And I fell down on my knees and clung to Him and cried

Then He raised me to my feet and as I looked into His eyes
Love was shining out from Him like sunlight from the sky
Guilt and my confusion disappeared in sweet release
And every fear I'd ever had just melted into peace

'Cause He is (alive and alive, He's alive, alive, and alive, He's alive)
(Alive and alive, He's alive, He's alive)
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, and I'm forgiven
Heavens gates are open wide
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, and I'm forgiven
Heavens gates are open wide
He's alive (He's alive), He's alive (He's alive), He's alive (He's alive), and I'm forgiven
Heavens gates are open wide

He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, and I'm forgiven
Heavens gates are open wide
He's alive
He's alive (He's alive), He's alive (He's alive), He's alive (He's alive), and I'm forgiven
Heavens gates are open wide
He's alive, He's alive, He's alive, and I'm forgiven (He's alive)
Heavens gates are open wide
He's alive

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Don Richard Francisco

May your Easter be a time of peaceful reflections and joy. We have so much for which to be thankful. Until next time, magnify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3

Respecting Holy Week

 

source of these flowers
that I bought for myself!

My blogging friend, Jennifer, said in her comments on my last post, 

"I love a 'nice chat with a friend' feel when blog reading." 

I'm so glad she feels that way because that's what I hope to achieve as these words are pecked out on the keyboard. (visit Jennifer's blog at this link: Trading Ashes for Beauty)

All of us need people we can just be ourselves with, those who will listen to (or read) our stuff as we pilot ourselves through the delights and disappointments of life here on earth. And we all have both. 

Contrary to my usual blogging habit, it's not been an entire week since my last post, but I wanted to share some things here before my Easter submission. 

one of many lakes in my
+55 retirement community

The above photo is at one of the two locations where Gary and I always stop our bikes to sip some water before continuing our usual route back home. My friends who know birds can probably make an accurate guess as to what kind of fowl are out there in the water. I know this much, they're not ducks, probably Egrets. So beautiful. Scenes like this are pretty much a constant here, for which I am grateful.

new water softener

Retirement does not guarantee peace. This week there was a disruption to our tranquility (and the checkbook) with the realization that our water softener needed either repair or replacement. Due to its age, we opted for the latter. 

Something I have noticed in recent years, many things in a house tend to need replacement around the 15-year mark. That has proven true here. In the three years that Gary and I have been together, he has replaced the air conditioning system, the floors, painted the exterior, had the roof replaced, had to change out some light fixtures, and updated the landscaping (with more to come in a couple of weeks). That's just a nugget of experience for homeowners among my readers to keep in mind.

flowers from Publix

On Wednesday morning we took flowers to the cemetery to decorate the graves of our late spouses. I know Tom would like this bouquet I carried on my lap as we drove down there, especially the yellow roses that were tucked in there.

markers like this help us find our destinations

With this being a veterans' cemetery, Gary likes to say our dear ones are buried among heroes. I like that.

On an inconvenient note, I shed some tears at the cemetery (not unusual) and had to wipe my glasses dry when I got back into the car. However in doing so, I managed to pull apart the frame and one of the lenses fell out! We were an hour away from home and had plans to enjoy lunch at a nearby Cracker Barrel, so I felt kinda blind for a couple of hours until we could get back to town and make a bee-line for my eye doctor's offices. While my cataract surgery of last summer had improved my distance vision, my reading ability is just about nuthin'!!! without glasses or readers, unless the font is huge. Gary helped me figure out my food choice on the menu and it was all good.

On a more cheery note, I tried a new recipe from Taste of Home. If you subscribe to their website, perhaps you saw it, too. If so, did you think, as I did, that it was a pleasant contribution to the spiritual tenor of this Holy Week?

my version 

Maybe intended to remind us of church stained glass windows, Broken Glass Jello does just that. It is a little labor-intensive and called for using up a lot of pans due to the required number of colors/flavors of jello. But I thought the effort was justifiable for an occasional treat. 

photo from Taste of Home

This picture from Taste of Home looks better than my finished effort, which is still in the 'fridge right now, firming up. I plan to slice into it this evening. In the meantime, you-know-who was given utensils to scrape the bowls before washing up and he gave the impression that the recipe would be a success.

Now to move more fully into Holy Week... Church hosted a Maundy Thursday event with five stations that have been prepared for contemplation, prayer, and communion. Intended as a solemn activity, a printed sheet of instruction is made available at the entrance. People were to progress at their own pace from one area to the next. 

station 1

This first station focused on reflecting on our sins before God, silent confession, and trusting His forgiveness. Then touching a folded towel beside a jar of water, we were urged to remember Jesus' humble service of washing the feet of the disciples, and our need for grace. 

my [plastic, disposable] communion cup,
which I brought home with me

The second station was a remembrance of Christ's atoning sacrifice -- how Jesus paid the price/punishment for our sins. A small plastic chalice was provided that contained the bread and the juice for a very private communion service proclaiming Jesus' death until He comes.

The third station gave the participant scripture to be read either aloud or silently, thanking God for His Word (the Bible). Index cards and pens were provided for writing an especially meaningful verse to take home.

station 4

At station 4, which as you can see, continued with the theme of tasteful decorations illustrating the theme, the focus was praise and worship. We read Psalm 100:4-5,

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The last, station 5, had a cross and opportunity to pray submission to God's will, to whatever He revealed during this process. Again pens and index cards were provided for writing a prayer. The participant could take the card home or leave it at the base of the cross. Assurance was given that no one would do anything with the cards. It was simply an opportunity to "seal the deal" (my wording) on commitments made. 

I am glad to have been able to experience this Observance during this Holy Week to think and thank, so to speak. Just as we go to the cemetery to remember and honor our loved ones who have died, this activity on Maundy Thursday was a pondering of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. 

May we all sing with the Psalmist:

Magnify the Lord with me;

Let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:3

Blog Fodder Discoveries

from Sister on FaceBook

Do any of my blogging friends refer to their writing ideas as "blog fodder"?  I've been using that phrase for years, as those closest to me are well aware. (and sometimes they have been labeled as such!) Herewith are my most recent inspirations. I'll start with books.

purchase information

My mother passed away this past October at the age of 99 years. Sister has been finishing up with the disposal of those things left behind. We both have been purging from Mama's house for years as she moved from her house to assisted living and finally to the nursing home, so the vast majority of everything has long since been gone. This book pictured above is one of the things still on hand. 

Our dad had some very old copies of Dale Carnegie books. If you knew my dad, you knew he successfully applied Mr. Carnegie's lessons on how to relate well to people and business problems. I now have those books, and this one by Don Gabor. His writing is like an updated version of the concepts by Mr. Carnegie. The first chapters talk about first impressions, how to make good ones and why bad ones fail. It seems to make common sense, but when relationships go sour, that "common sense" proves to have been in short supply.

purchase information

Recently we were in another city where my husband needed to occupy himself while I met with some people. He found lunch at Chik-fil-a and then poked around Barnes and Noble. 

Finding this book written by "The Fonz" of the 1970s-era "Happy Days" sit com, he made the purchase, read it, and now I have completed reading it, too. To make a quick summary of the book, Henry Winkler was type cast after his 6 years with Happy Days ended. Thereafter he battled with his insecurities and rejections as an actor. It was interesting; you can see more about this book if you scroll to the top of my blog and click on "Book Reports."

purchase information

I know I am not alone in saying I tend to read more than one book at a time. My current read tends to be whatever book is beside whatever chair I have landed upon. This one, Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer, is a favorite with me, and I'm not done with it yet. Of all the many books she has written, this one has been the most popular. I would enjoy taking an entire day to do nothing but read its pages from cover to cover, but the information is so applicable that I dare not go through it quickly. For those of us who have a bent in the direction of melancholy, this book explains how to do battle with that tendency and be successful.

link to the movie trailer

Gary records a lot of what we watch on TV. One afternoon when he was viewing the options, this movie popped up. He had not seen it, but I had and recommended it, so we watched it that very day. Based on truth (with some things changed), it's an endearing story for family viewing. (You may want to have the tissue box close at hand....)

We're retired, so it's really nice that we can sometimes ignore our To Do List to watch an unplanned movie.

Mari's WonTon Taco Cups

Those of you who read Mari's My Little Corner of the World blog may have seen her recipe in late March for WonTon Taco Cups. I made my adapted version of her recipe (due to what was on hand and the dietary preferences of my roomie 🙄🤭). This is one of those recipes you can prepare with a myriad of things, as long as you have the basic WonTon wrappers in your 'fridge. (find them at your grocery store somewhere in fresh produce, refrigerated) You can also make as many or as few as you want -- it's a delightfully flexible concept. 

Case in point: before sliding these cups into the oven to bake, the last instruction was to sprinkle shredded cheese on top. I wanted to save some of my cheese for other uses, but I had pre-cut Cheddar cheese squares on hand, so I put one square atop each filled wonton cup. These squares are sliced a little thick, but if you love cheese, this is the product to use.

By the way, Mari posts the most wonderful recipes every week, as well as cute cartoons, pensive photography, and really clever crafts to do with visiting grandchildren. Go see it all by clicking on this link: My Little Corner of the World.

While I'm on the subject of food (and this will not appeal to everyone), one evening this week I had a sardine sandwich. My mother used to encourage me to eat canned sardines for their health benefits. 

Once you get the square can open (no easy feat for my arthritic hands), they look kinda icky (as a lot of fish does), but I bought the boneless and skinless variety. They are salty and do not need to be heated up or cooked. 

I laid the 4 fishies on a slice of bread that had a thin layer of Dijon mustard. That was topped with a large leaf of Romaine lettuce and another slice of bread and thoroughly enjoyed. I offered to share with Gary, but it did not appeal to him, so I got to eat all of it myself. Find sardines on the grocery shelves near the tuna.

Morphing from food to shopping and gifts .... I baked my tried and true recipe for chocolate chip cookies, taking the advice of my good friend, Betty Crocker, to add an extra half cup of flour to the dough. That makes the end product a little taller and softer. 

As for shopping, first a little history: in 2018 when my first husband and I were building a house in this town, Ona came across my blog. Not a blog author herself, but one who enjoys reading blogs, she followed my adventures from Jacksonville to our current location, realizing that I was moving to an area she and her husband were considering for themselves some day in the future. 

Of course, not only did she watch our house under construction and the moving in (via my blog), but also the arrival of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the most unexpected passing of my husband. Then a year or so later came the Hallmark movie-type of romance when I met Gary, our commitments to each other and the blending of our lives -- all in that same community that had originally interested Ona in the first place!

End of the history lesson and moving to present-day: just this week Ona and hubby moved into our community, so we are neighbors! Well, it's a huge community, so they're a mile or two from us. 

We have stayed in touch all this time and today Gary and I got to see their new house. In my shopping this week I searched for something "Florida" to give to them as a house-warming gift: the star-shaped picture frame was perfect and she loved it. We also included some of those chocolate chip cookies since they are still in the unpacking process of their move. (by the way, I found the frame at Home Goods.)

Shopping... I'm sure many of you are unhappy with the closure of JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts. I gave up sewing, quilting, cross stitch and crafts when my life got turned upside down 4+ years ago. I'm a different person now in so many ways, but I do pull out one of my sewing machines when mending is required. 

me in 2014 surrounded by my quilts 
and making more in my
unfinished basement sewing room

Now my hobbies are bike riding, reading, a little cooking (since Gary is King of the Kitchen), and Sudoku.

my local Jo Ann's emptying shelves

I have probably been inside a Jo Ann's store barely a handful of times in recent years, but as a tribute and a way to put closure on that part of my own personal history, I walked through the store this past week. Some aisles were absolutely empty of everything while others still had merchandise for sale, greatly reduced. I did buy one thing, a white crochet doily for our coffee table. 

I walked nearly every aisle but then realized I was wandering close to grief over things best left alone, so I paid for my purchase and left. 

BRIGHT yellow jacket

I made an on-line purchase of late: a very bright yellow hoodie to wear on the cooler mornings on our bicycles. I've been wearing an orangey hoodie for well over a year, but I've read research that says yellow-green chartreuse is more easily seen. I've not been able to find that exact color at a reasonable price, so I opted for this one and I just love it. 

Our recent after-breakfast outdoor temps have been in the mid-50s, so this jacket has felt very good. My color scheme for bicycle wear has evolved into black pants/capris/shorts and yellow tops (T-shirts, tank tops, and hoodie) with black athletic shoes or Keens sandals if the weather is hot. It's very important to dress so others can see us easily on our bikes.  My helmet (a gift from Gary) is purple, to compliment my purple bike.

my lawn boy

While I'm on the subject of outdoorsy things, Gary cut our grass this past week for the first time in over a year. Not a lazy bone in his body, it's taken this long to thoroughly heal from health matters this past year. He really enjoys outdoor work and it's good to see him out there once again.

me and grandchild number 10;
granddaughter number 5

This has been a long post of "blog fodder discoveries." With Easter just a week away, I'll move toward conclusion with this snapshot taken in 2019 when granddaughter was a lot shorter and wearing her bunny ears and I had a little less gray hair. Of course Easter, the real significance of the day, has absolutely nothing to do with rabbits and chocolate eggs but we do include the fun with the serious. 

In recent years as I've had a lot of time and reasons to ponder some weighty topics, I have found very good examples in a personal study of how Jesus handled that last week before His crucifixion. People lauded Him with great enthusiasm one day but very shortly after that, He experienced scorn, cruelty, injustice, rejection, and profound loneliness, all combined with tremendous physical pain.

While we are spared all of that, we do experience some of it in various forms at different times in our lives. We do well to study the responses of Jesus. One thing He said that continually shows up in the forefront of my mind is this:

Father, 

forgive them

for they know not what they do.

Luke 23:34

Until next time, grace and peace.

The eternal God is your refuge, 

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Deuteronomy 33:27

P.S. I have promoted books and other products in this post but have not been paid for any of that. I just share things that have benefitted me that could be useful to my readers.

A Time to Ride Our Bikes

 

photo credit

While some of my readers are welcoming cheery yellow daffodils as they emerge from the vanishing winter scape, here in North Central Florida, it's the wild flowers that salute spring. Predominantly pink-to-purple, yellow, and white, the roadside phlox bloom from April through June and have seemed to be more abundant each year. 

I say "salute" because we've already had spring weather for several weeks along with some unwelcome summer temps and sticky humidity. 

unloading our bicycles

Since I come from the high altitude/low humidity of Colorado, even though I've been a Florida resident for nearly eight years, a lower dew point is my preference. (note: dew point is not the same as humidity, but they are closely related) 

However, I should add this note: "they" (whoever "they" are!) say women living in the South tend to look younger with more supple skin due to the humidity... 🤭 and my naturally straight hair does have more body with the additional moisture.  

entrance to the 49th Avenue trailhead

Hmm. I've digressed. Back to Spring. Before the barometric reports get scary with hot weather and hurricane forecasts, we are taking advantage of the more comfortable opportunities to ride our bikes beyond the confines of our gated retirement community. 

yours truly ready to ride

We have been riding some 5 miles or so inside our neighborhood for over three years now, which still does not cover it all. It's a nice route that takes us through at least seven of the 16(?) neighborhoods within our gate. Now that I'm past the hurdle of regaining my bike legs (it had been some 30+ years since I last peddled anything), and Gary's health is strong, we've been loading our bikes onto the car and trying out the trails featured in Florida biking books.

a water bottle is essential

Oh by the way, let me hasten to inform you that we are not of that set of bikers who tempt fate on the shoulder of two-lane roadways with the tight pants*, special cleated shoes, and little rear-view mirrors attached to their helmets like antennae, as well as bikers who have to lean far forward to reach their handlebars. No, that's not us.

illustration credit

Far from it. We are two seniors in the late-autumn of life who are, by God's grace, still able to balance our butts on a bike seat and move forward without falling. Both of our bicycles are "Townies," which embraces "flat foot technology."

close-up 

That means when stopped, we can stand straddling the bike with our feet flat on the ground. That's important to us as seniors with the thought we are less likely to fall when stopped at an intersection. 

storage in the garage can be an issue

*Uh, well, okay. Allow me to back up (carefully, of course) on something I said a couple of paragraphs ago. I DO wear the tight spandex pants, capris, and shorts. I wear them because they are very comfortable and the fabric does not slide up and down my legs as I peddle. (so let's just save the judgmental attitudes on that issue)

Also, and this is helpful info: if you can't find a comfortable bicycle seat (that can be a very important consideration when contemplating this sport), there are spandex pants with a surprisingly comfortable pad sewn into the hind-quarter part. I know because I have two pair of them (shorts and pants). Since purchasing them, I have moved onto a different bike with a much more comfortable seat, so I seldom wear them any more. But there is that option. 

And regarding my snarky description of mirrors ("little rear-view mirrors attached to their helmets like antennae"), I have two mirrors attached to my handlebars, and Gary has one on his bike. I like to tease him that he's always in my rear view mirror, which is where he prefers to be so he can keep an eye on me!

requirements (aka good ideas)

But to get to the actual bike trail, this one had helpful signs and we do our best to obey them. No, my helmet does not do my hair style any favors, but Gary has convinced me he is not bothered by that. He is very safety-conscious and is more concerned with protection.

Which leads me to making mention of the electric bikes that are soooo popular these days. They whiz past us all the time, even within our retirement neighborhood. Gary has said time and again, if these old people fall off one of those electric bikes at breakneck speed, well, it's just not going to be pretty.

Gary heads west

We travel at whatever speed our legs will move and that's good enough for us -- no battery required. The result is we use up a lot more calories this way and do a better job of getting our heart rate pumping. (enough said about that; I may have pedaled over some toes with that)

good info on the trail

These trails we've been riding are wonderful with wide asphalt, plant-life cleared away several feet away from the trail's edge, and even painted mile-markers. On this trail the information was posted every quarter of a mile. 

bear encounter

Yes, there is the possibility of meeting up with a bear. I confess that I have not given that a lot of thought but I can tell you my absolute first response would be prayer. (Even, "O God!" is a prayer. ) I do think a calm statement or two made to the bear would be a good idea, assuring the creature I mean no harm while backing away slowly, not showing my teeth or doing anything else that could be understood to be offensive on my part.

a highway at trail's end

The end of the trail intersected with a state road. We stopped there, sipped from our water bottles, found a way to meet nature's needs (no port-a-potty 😆), and had a pleasant conversation with another bicyclist. (Note to the wise, it's a good idea to tuck a tissue or two into the pockets...)

We pedaled back to the trailhead for a total trip of some 12 miles. That's long enough to ensure that I'll take a good nap after getting back home. 

With all that said, it was a good ride. We may go back another time to explore a second trail that stems in another direction from the parking lot. 

Other activities of note this past week include the most welcome news that 3 skin biopsies taken from me a couple of weeks ago (looking for melanoma), came back as benign. I will go back to the dermatologist in 6 months for a re-check, and that is fine with me. I am so thankful that test of my faith turned out well. (and yes, sun screen has become more prominent in my daily habits...)

Also, the ladies Bible study of which I am a member began a new book this past week:

purchase information

My headcount around the room came up with about 26 gals. The discussion was good and I am finding the book to be very insightful as I study its pages at home. 

In chapter 3 is a passage that may be the most often quoted from the entire book. It's the one that starts out, "There is a time for everything..." and goes on to state there's a time for birth and death, planting and harvesting, mourning and dancing, and so forth.

Since I am a person who is fascinated with words, I pondered another way to phrase "a time to be ..." or "a season for ..."  What I concluded is that there is an appropriate time for these things.

To me, that means we may be able do some things at any time we choose, but we need to keep in mind that there are appropriate and inappropriate times to do those things. Wisdom will teach us when things are proper, fitting -- appropriate.

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

With that said, I close. Until next time, grace and peace. Thanks for stopping by and for all comments both now and in the past. You all are such an encouragement to me.

more Florida wildflowers

Collating Recent Days

When I moved to Jacksonville, Florida from Colorado in 2017, our back yard had two Bottle Brush trees. They were kinda scraggly but the flowers fascinated me. Not knowing the name of the tree, I called it a 'bottle brush" because of the flowers.

It was when a landscaper came to give us an estimate for some yard improvements that I realized I had called it right -- it was, indeed, a Bottle Brush tree! 

I no longer live in Jacksonville, but I have seen many of these trees since leaving Colorado and they always delight me. There was a healthy one outside the kitchen window of my house from 2019-2022. While standing at the sink I could watch hummingbirds slurping up nectar from the bright red flowers!

Changing the subject and referring to my post title today, what does it mean to "collate recent days"? 🤨

Using a fancy word is just the writer in me wanting to show off with clever usage of words and phrases to avoid saying the same thing the same way all the time. 

My well-worn copy of Roget's College Thesaurus is essential as I compose these blog posts, helping me to expand my vocabulary and to make my writing more interesting as well as to better hold the attention of my readers. So, the title of this post is just another way of saying, "what went on with me this past week." 🥴

Since mention has been made of a thesaurus, I'll share the stack of books that have been holding my attention of late. Some I've read, some I'm in the process of reading, and some are waiting their turn. 

As I've said before, I'm not much of a 'beach read' kind of gal. If there are too many characters, I get lost in all of that. If the book has enough interest for me, I've been known to write out a list of the personalities, noting their significance in the story, to help me keep them straight. But sometimes that gets tiresome and then the book is put aside and forgotten.

I like the category of "self help" because I need all the help I can get!!! Put biographies in there, too, along with historical fiction, and then the book is more likely to get read and appreciated for the life lessons included therein.

If you are viewing my blog on a computer screen (as opposed to a mobile device) you can probably see just below my header that there is a section titled, "Book Reports." I haven't updated that in a few months, but if you click on those words, you'll see my impressions of books I've read.

My most recent completion was Holy Living in an Unholy World. (click on the title for purchase information) Not a very long book with 196 pages, Dr. Robert Jeffress has written to Christ-followers who are feeling disheartened with the increasing evil in today's world. He takes the reader through the New Testament book of Ephesians to remind us of the benefits we have as Christians and then to instruct how we are to face the problems confronting us. A couple of the chapter titles really describe the book well:

How to Dress for Spiritual Success

Order in the House

Preparing for War

One of his statements that grabbed and held my attention was this one in the chapter titled, "Soaring with Eagles When You're Surrounded by Turkeys" (not meaning any disrespect here; we all have at one time or another had to struggle with difficult people):

"God's will is to make us like Christ,

and that sometimes includes hard things."

This was a good book that both encouraged and instructed me with truth I need to mature in both life and faith.

Speaking of "hard things," this past week began with a list of issues needing resolution, matters that have been hanging over me for weeks. For the most part, they had to do with social media, apps, the failure of business mail to arrive in a timely manner, questioning how to rectify that, and dealing with people over the phone who do not share my birth language. 

To be fair, these people seem to definitely know what they are talking about but their ability to connect with my senior state of mind, as well as some hearing loss on my part, and with their difficult articulation of English -- well, many of you know what I mean. It is often this enigma that results in my procrastination to address the problems. 

One note I will add, however, is that for the irritation of being kept "on hold" on the phone for long periods of time, I have learned to grab those coloring books of mine so I can do something creative and calming during the wait. (see my last post about coloring books)

But with all of that said, virtually all of the difficulties were resolved and/or I finished this week with a much greater sense of assurance that all is working out as it should. Whew!

Moving on to less-irritating thoughts, at the top of that stack of books in the earlier snapshot is my Sudoku puzzle book. I bought this for myself while standing in a long line at Kohl's at Christmastime in 2023. Having never tried Sudoku before and knowing I should challenge myself more with brainy things (and the fact that the book cover said there is no math required), I bought it for myself. There are 216 puzzles in this particular book. I'm currently working on number 186. 

I generally finish one or two a week only working on them in short spurts of time before moving on to something else needing my attention. I Googled a question about how to do the puzzles. Short Youtube videos were the most helpful to me. It's fun.

Take note of the blue clip-on light in the above snapshot.

I found this nifty accessory at Barnes and Noble bookstore and I love it! It's an LED light with a flexible arm, bright, and re-chargeable. We tend to not turn on lights in our house until it's really dark, so I use this little light for my puzzle book and don't need to switch on the lamp beside my recliner. It works great! I think I spent something like $32 on it, which may sound spendy, but it's so convenient and well-made that the money is worth it. 

There is more I want to share before leaving the topic of books in my house. Gary is reading Henry Winkler's book, Being Henry. 

Although I've not read it yet, at the end of each afternoon session of reading and blogging here on the lanai, I ask Gary, "What's Henry doing now?" (what is going on in the chapter you're reading) and he talks about that. 

We have talked about a lot of the books we read. Like me, Gary leans into biographies and history. He especially appreciates the war stories that have taken place in our lifetime. In one of the trips to our public library, Gary came home with this:

Blaze of Light

It is the true story of Gary Beikirch, a Green Beret Medic and Medal of Honor Recipient from the Vietnam War. During that same time, my Gary was serving in the Air Force military police in both Japan and Thailand.

I was in junior high and high school while these men's lives were in daily danger. For the most part I was oblivious to what was happening on the other side of the world. Teen magazines, orthodontia, acne, teasing my hair, and discovering boys made up much of my world. 

The book validated much of what my husband had already heard, seen, or experienced; while my reading of its pages humbled me greatly. Even as an adult in my seventies,  I matured with the reading of every chapter.

After he got back to the States, this man struggled greatly with PTSD, lived alone in a cave while a student in a Bible college, and then entered Christian ministry with his wife. 

photo source

Closing out this blog post, which has had a lot more verbiage and fewer photos than my normal habit, Isaiah 43:1,2,3 comes to mind. 

Do not fear for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

In 'collating' (that word again! 😏) the events of this past week, I see that necessary things were accomplished and my ability to cope with problems has improved. It is also a good idea to submit to the lessons of humility.

Until next time, grace and peace.