Myrna's Treasure

It was Wednesday evening.  We were gathered around tables at our weekly prayer service.

She sat across the table from me, heart-heavy with the recent loss

of her best friend/sister-in-law.

After prayer, my husband led us in a discussion study of John 12

and the story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet 

with the precious ointment.

The discussion ended, folks got up to leave,

 and my friend across the table timidly motioned for me.

She handed me this treasure, wrapped loosely in Christmas paper.

She said she'd lost something precious this week and felt God directing her

to share something precious with me.

Only after unwrapping the "treasure" did the full impact (and parellel) of this friend's

timid and generous gift strike me.

Indeed, as did Mary's ointment THAT day,

THIS lotion's fragrance filled and CONTINUES to fill the room of my heart.
***

Dear Myrna.  I receive and return the treasure of love.

The Eye of the Coach

 We had a rare and wonderful opportunity

to watch one of our grandsons compete

         in the regional gymnastics meet near our home.

 

 I took a lot of photos--

many blurred because of the motion.

 When I got home and took a closer look at them,

I was struck by a common thread--

the eyes of the coach were constantly on our grandson!

The thought came to me almost immediately--

the eye of my Heavenly Coach

IS constantly on me.  

"His eye is on the sparrow..."

I draw great comfort and confidence from that realization.

The realization of my Father's watchful eye will remain

long after the photos fade.

About Prayer

My phone broke this morning and I can't get it to a repair shop until Monday so I will be out of communication for at least the next couple of days. Pray that it is fixable; I really don't want to have to buy a new one!

So came the Facebook message from a missionary friend in Indonesia.  I shuttered realizing how out of touch and discombobbled I'd feel if it happenened to me here in my comfortable, familiar environment.

I started to respond with something "spiritual", like "Aren't you glad communication with God is never broken?"

I deleted that when I remembered Psalm 66:18.  Instead I sent a sad-faced emoji alongside praying hands.  Then I did a heart-check and prayed for her.

It's a concept about prayer that I sometimes forget.  I'm so thankful the Heavenly Father forgives my acknowledged and confessed sin.  I'm thankful I don't have to wait until Mondays to experience restored communication!

Who Lists

Jack Graham@jackngraham recently tweeted: "We all have do lists. Things we do and want to accomplish. But let’s not forget our Who list. The people in our lives who need  love and support. And those who need Jesus. Who is on your list?"

The concept of a Who List intrigued me.  And as I reflected on it, I realized that as I've aged, my To Do List had progressively morphed into a Who List! So much so that I think I might need to give some attention to my To Do List!

It's all about balance, isn't it?  And discernment to recognize the what, the when and the who...

Ambiguity: My Thoughts

My thoughts about ambiguity this afternoon...

It tends to confuse, weaken, muddle, disappoint, excuse, overlook, mislead, whitewash, ignore, blink and wink.

I'm not a fan (as you might have perceived).  

As the Moon Sets

The lesser light

It shines so bright.

No light its own;

Nor does it know.

"He must increase; I must decrease." (John the Baptist)

One Old Lady's Perspective on Technology

One more podcast

One more link

"Cut time online"

"Don't miss a beat"

It's quite contradictory, don't you think?

"Follow me, text me"

Until I'm perplexed

Whatever are they going to

Think of posting next?

In my aging viewpoint

It's getting out of hand

In the country, in the town,

In the church, and all across our land. 

Only so many hours

In a person's day.

How did we survive

Before technology came to play?

Paraphernalia

In addition to a good marking pen, 

my reading paraphernalia

includes a scrap piece of paper

On which I jot down page numbers

(in the case of borrowed books)

of sentences or thoughts

I want to return to/copy.

Often that piece of paper serves

as bookmark.

But when it doesn't, I have alternatives

from which to choose!

What paraphernalia do YOU

have at hand as YOU read?

Spa Day today.  Not in the usual sense of pampering, but satisfaction of time well spent, invested, productive, varied, and intentional.

My men are away for a couple of days freeing me to use my time differently than normal.

The balance of time spent with friends, a bit of music therapy (as I called it), tackling a large typing project, finishing a book I'd started, and eating healthy meals makes me smile as I reflect on the full day I've enjoyed.

Thanks be to God.

First Wave

After a quiet Christmas Day,

our days began to fill up

with the arrival of the "first wave".

Our house occupancy 

more than tripled

and though the visit was short,

Turning Seventy

 A fast photo to document...

and a strong verse to experience in the coming year...

Celebrating my Savior's birthday

and my own.

Not a Season...a Savior

We (well mostly my husband)

finished this puzzle this afternoon.

Admiring its beauty,

a phrase keeps crossing

my mind--

A Savior.  Not a Season.

So insistent is this phrase,

I'm working on a poem

featuring this line.

Seasons come and go.

Not the Savior!

Pre-Thanksgiving Christmas Outing

Head Start

I spent the majority of 2018 trying to keep a calendar and other notes, shopping 

lists, birthdays, etc. on my cell phone.  

While there are many advantages to doing it that way,

I've decided to return to a more familiar format.

 I was really excited to find this beauty at our local Walmart!

The format is familiar--

one I've used several years in a row.

It fits easily into my purse.

I spent some time last evening recording birthdays

and look forward to a productive year

thanks to this head start.

I'm sure I'll be using my phone as a back up--

it IS helpful.

But for me, it's hard to improve on the security of paper and pen.

All the Time

She (to me):  You see beauty in "everyday" things.

Me (to her):  All. The. Time.  Yes, I do!

There's NO beauty like God's!

Ode to Late Bloomers

Iris in October

Vigorous and fully formed

she wears her white

with confidence

amidst

wilted stems and faded blooms.

Few know or remember

where she came from,

but all who see her

notice her unexpected beauty

calling forth

admiration

and sparking

hope.

Calendar Girl

 A local mortuary is going away

two versions of a 2019 calendar--

a "Christian" version and a "Catholic" one.

I chose the Catholic one for its

beautiful pictures and explanations.

Although I use calendars less and less,

I couldn't pass up this high-quality gift.

I will find a good use for it!

I'm still an old-fashioned Calendar Girl

at heart

In Some of our Spare Time

In our spare time, we look for interesting (and free) events in our area--

like this Cruise-In.

It was a near-perfect day, weather-wise.

A good time was had by all, including my

91-year-old father.

I'm so thankful to be sharing these experiences with him.

buying and selling

This past week, I collected 20 tins scattered around our bedroom and posted them for sale.  (It's been awhile since I have posted and sold anything on one of the Facebook sale groups I am part of.)  We also listed the rusty farm implement parts shown below.  They, too, sold.  We'd used them as a border for a flower bed, but were ready for a different look.  The buyer will paint and sell them as sunflowers and make a tidy profit, I'm sure!

Meanwhile, we did a bit of BUYING, too.  Here is my husband at work on the piece we found for a very reasonable price.  At first, I was going to redo it to sell.  But then I got thinking that it would make a great television stand replacing a low buffet we had been using for this purpose.  Soon I will post the finished project...

The Local Pony Parade