Which Would You Prefer?
Today I learned that I often totally misread or misunderstand what others enjoy. I think because I love to do something that others will also love to join me in that thing. So when I approached a couple to see if they’d like to join my husband and me at a restaurant, I followed my […]
God Presence Brings Success, Favor, and Blessing
When I read Genesis 39, I’m always so moved and inspired by Joseph’s story. I’m amazed at what happens to a life when God is present. When God is present in our lives, we succeed. When God is present, God causes things to prosper. When God is present, we find favor with others. When God […]
As Everything Is
It’s time. Finally, it’s time. I can finally venture to the garden each morning to pick a bowlful of ripe raspberries. What a simple pleasure that connects my soul to all the things I treasure: simplicity, nature, and grace! Yes, the raspberry reminds me of God’s favor on our lives and the grace we enjoy […]
Finding All the Baby Turtles
I’ve always loved turtles. It’s a great day when you find a turtle. Yesterday morning at White Lake, I stumbled upon what seemed like a nest of baby turtles freshly hatched. I felt like I was in heaven! I counted at least 8 little turtle hatchlings swimming near the shore. Yes, it’s always a great […]
All There
Back in my 20’s, I loved this quote from missionary Jim Elliot: “Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” Wherever I am, I want to be all there. Being “all there” means so many things to me: it means not always wishing […]
Settled Down
This morning, I read about the idea of “[keeping] ourselves in God’s love” from Hannah Whitall Smith. She writes that keeping ourselves in God’s love “does not mean, as so many think, to keep ourselves loving Him. It means to settle ourselves down, as it were, into His love as an absolute and unalterable fact, […]
Propagate
I discover a beautiful blooming gardenia down in North Carolina, and I secure permission to take a few cuttings. I’m studying how to propagate. These cuttings may grow roots in a few months. I’ll keep them in fresh water like this until enough roots grow. Then I can transplant the gardenia to a pot. I’ve […]
Daily Dose of Whimsy
We discover a tree frog has jumped into our car. The little frog decided to journey with us until we found a place to let him jump free. Meanwhile, I look around me at all times; whimsical things might just join along for the ride. .
A Little Laughter
What if you prayed for laughter today? I think about the blessing of laughter and the numerous health benefits from having a good laugh. You’ve heard it said that “laughter is the best medicine,” and perhaps we’ve overlooked why. Laughter, it turns out, improves the immune system, relieves stress, and even eases pain. I’ve read […]
The Shape of a Life
I’m learning so much from my plumcot trees. My two-year old plumcot is finally old enough to prune into the kind of shape I’m hoping for. Shaping a tree like this seems so odd; you remove healthy, beautiful branches–not because of damage or disease–but simply because they aren’t part of the plan. The lesson: I […]