Snowy Scene reminds me of love

As I looked out our patio door this past week I beheld a winter wonderland! For some reason it reminded me of a scene in the movie Dr. Zhivago. I haven't viewed that movie in many years but the snowy, cold scenes have never left my memory. As the sun sparkled from the snowy, glittering trees, I was remembering how very much God loves us and the many ways he shows that love in the outdoor scenery we view and that is why the movie came to my mind. Russia was in the midst of great turmoil and upheaval , yet love still permeated among the people and especially with young Doctor Zhvargo and his wife. We are going through times of turmoil in our own country and it is felt strongly by many who are out of work. We all experience the price increases when we go to the grocery store and when we put gas in our vehicles. Yet Godly love doesn't change and it is always there for us to warm our hearts and help us through these difficult times. So as I gazed out my door that snowy morning, I thought of love (not shoveling snow or the other things connected with a snow storm ) for God's ray of sunshine was sparkling on the trees and I knew it also sparkles in my soul and yours!
The first chapter of my book "Living Waters: Writings from the Heart of a Christian" is titled love and gives an indepth view of God's love for us. The following is an excerpt from one of the messages in Chapter I. "My child, you are my precious dear one. My love for you is everlasting and endearing. I long to show my love to you in many ways. Open your hands and your heart and receive what I have for you. It pleases me to see you delight in my love, to bathe in it as a person bathes in the morning sunlight. Take my love and share it with those you hold close to you."

Birthday prayer

Tomorrow I celebrate the day the Lord chose to have me enter this world. I truly believe God knows everthing about me and watches over me. He has a plan for my life and I try and be obedient and follow that plan, however sometimes the road gets a little bumpy and curvy and then I wonder if I am on the road that brings about His plan for me. Whenever that happens I realize his great love even moreso, for he is always by my side cheering me on. God is all forgiving and forgetting and not like us humans who tend to hold back and not totally forgive or still on occasion bring up that offense that hurt us. My birthday prayer is that the Lord God will grant me the grace to not look back but keep my eyes on the present. I am very thankful for my life and all that has transpired in my seventy three years. I realize more and more that God's hand has been guiding me and leading me and I praise and thank him. I thank him for my life and for all life, for he is our creator and we are all made in his image and likeness. May his peace surround all of you this day and all of the days to come!

Mothers and daughters

This past weekend I was the guest speaker at a mother/daughter luncheon and was able to share how my book "Living Waters: Writings from the Heart of a Christian" came about. It was a beautiful sight to see mothers and their daughters enjoying this special time together. It was refreshing to see a special time set apart from their busy schedules to just enjoy being together and have that special bond as mother and daughter. I remember going to a mother/daughter banquet with my mother when I was about thirteen years old. I was so happy to be there with her and so very proud of her because she won the door prize for having the most daughters! (I was the fifth of six daughters) In today's society we seldom honor women who have many children, in fact they are often the object of ridicule and scorn! I decided to honor my deceased mother by giving my book to the woman present who had the most daughters. The woman who won my book was the mother of five daughters and was most pleased to receive "Living Waters". I couldn't help but wonder if anyone had ever complimented her on raising five daughters. Raising a large family involves many sacrifices for both parents, yet the reward of love and devotion from their family more than makes up for it. I speak from experience because I am the mother of three daughters and three sons and I feel deeply loved by each one of them.

Being prepared

Yesterday my husband and I raked and bagged the pine needles that were on the lawn and patio and generally got ready for winter by putting in storage some of the patio furniture. etc.   The day was a beautiful, warm fall day and I even had the thought we may be a bit premature in preparing for winter. Not so, not so, as today we woke up to a light snow that soon became a big snow storm!  As I sit here writing, I am thinking it is always good to prepare ahead of time for most things.  We prepare ahead of time for a trip, holiday meals, parties, weddings, babies, reunions, special gatherings, etc. One thing we don't prepare ahead of time is an unexpected death in the family. It is a shock like none other when a healthy, young person dies suddenly.  Everyone close to the deceased can hardly take it all in and are struck with a grief they didn't know was possible. Questions abound why would this person with so much talent and potential die so young?  None of us know when our time to leave this earthly existence will be, so be prepared is a good way to live each day that we do have.  How do I prepare you may ask yourself?  I like to think that living each day as though it may be my last day is a good way to start and by that I mean: 1.Start and end my day talking to the Lord.  2. Follow his commandments that he has given me in scripture.  3. Make sure that the Lord is truly my Lord and Savior and first in my life. There are many other things one can do to be prepared,  but for me these three simple steps give me peace knowing that I am ready and prepared ahead of time.

Blessings and Graces

A good time was had at the mountain wedding this past weekend.  The weather turned out to be very pleasant and the scenery was magnificent! My grandson and his new bride said their vows down at the river and after the ceremony all of the guests returned to the wedding tent to enjoy delicious food, beverages, and dancing to a live bluegrass band. It was a fun weekend and a beautiful wedding.  I am so thankful that my husband and I are able to attend our grandchildren's weddings and special events.  This is all part of the life cycle that we all enjoy so much.  I look forward to someday being a great-grandmother and seeing and loving these little ones too!  Only God knows how long  each one of us will be on this earth, so I try and enjoy each day I have and each celebration that our family has. We all are given so many blessings from the Lord and graces to meet each challenge that comes our way.  I cannot do it on my own, but with Jesus I can do all things!  I am thinking today of the many things I have to be thankful for and the list goes on and on.  Have you tried writing down everything you are thankful for?  If you haven't you will be pleasantly surprised just how long the list becomes.  Even if you are upset with someone that has hurt you it is a good idea to list all of their good attributes and soon you realize they are special and you can love them regardless of what they did to you.  God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves and sometimes this can be quite a challenge, however with God's help we can do all things!  May your week be filled with many  blessings and graces and may you remember to thank God for each and every one!  Have a great week!!

Weather and a wedding

I am excited about another grandchild getting married this weekend and I am also praying for good weather.  The wedding is being held in the mountains and today it is rainy and on the cold side!  The weather in the mountains is usually cooler and could possibly get snow rather than rain. However, Jesus is Lord of all things and can command the sun to come out and provide a beautiful day for the wedding.  He commanded the wind to calm down as the disciples were fishing on the sea, so I ask myself do I have the faith to believe he will do that for us if the weather doesn't get better?  I believe God answers prayers and does it according to his will for each person or situation.  So I will continue to ask and then leave it in his hands, for  he knows what is best for every prayer that comes before him.  There will be a tent with heaters, so we will all be toasty warm if the temperature doesn't warm up.  Of course these are all really very human concerns before any big event, however I recognize that the most important event of my grandson's life is about to take place as he promises to love, honor and cherish his future wife.  It is a BIG deal to promise to live the rest of your life with this one special person. In my fifty five years of marriage, I have found I didn't have to do it by myself as the Lord was always with me.  In good times and in bad, he gave us the guidance we needed to get through whatever we were dealing with.  He has been with us throughout our marriage and this is the only way we could have reached the milestone of so many years together.  I trust he will do for my grandchildren as he did and is still doing in my marriage. Marriage is like the uncertainty of the weather for this mountain wedding as they may have to wait until the last minute to see if it will be warm and sunny and in marriage you sometimes have to wait for the Son to come and help you solve a pressing problem. Dear Lord, please grant them a long and happy life together!

Sisters

I have spent the past week with three of my five sisters and all I can say is that it has been a warm, wonderful, sharing time together. We have had great fun together and some of the things we did, besides sit and reminese, was an afternoon golfing together, scouring the flea markets for just that certain gem, shopping, going out to eat, having fun at the Farmer's Market, the art displays at UW, and viewing the Wyoming Broadcasters Hall of Fame. We sat on the patio visiting and drinking tea and eating goodies. We watched a movie and some news, but mostly the television was off. As I am writing my blog this morning the song "Sisters" comes to my mind. The one sung by Rosemary Clooney in the movie "White Christmas". The first line begins: Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters
Never had to have a chaperone, No sir,
I'm there to keep my eye on her. Caring, sharing
Every little thing that we are wearing.
I know that we did alot of that growing up. My sister Jane and I double dated and did many things in High School together and we did keep our eye on each other, and stuck up for each other. This past week has been a caring, sharing week and I loved every minute of it. We are all getting older and don't move as fast as we once did, but patience, love and forebearance always was upper most in each of our hearts. I also wonder how much longer we can have these times of reunion with each other and then I thank the Lord for this one. Another line in the song comes to my remembrance and I will close with it. "All kinds of weather, we stick together The same in the rain or sun. Six different faces, but in tight places We think and we act as one!"
Please enjoy your sister today and the rest of your life!