Hello to you. How are you? I am doing ok but just found out my dear friends brother-in-law had another bad fall today and really hurt himself. I just was with him this past Sunday! You never know when you are going to see people again so cherish the moments! He is in his 80’s and lives alone with his dog Pepper. If you pray or just vibe healing please send all the good you can to Roy.
Dear Jesus please wrap Roy in your loving and healing presence – he loves you so much. I also ask for healing for my cousin Heidi, Aunt Ruth, Uncles John and Bill. I pray for this dark and heavy world that needs you now more than ever. Let there be unity, peace and love. We are all your children. Let there be healing for the sick and injured. Let there be food, clothing and shelter for the less fortunate of this world to include animals. With you all is possible! Amen.
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Hello and good evening to you. It’s the end of the day and I figured I would write to you before trying to go to sleep. How was your day? Did your team win the Super Bowl? I only saw part of the game and missed the half time show that got mixed reviews. I was glad to see Trumps feathers got ruffled by the show. I am so sick of him! Way to go Bad Bunny! I don’t get reception for NBC and refuse to pay for Peacock – so no Olympics either.
The subject of my blog is poking fun at myself as I have become such a serious person. I used to have a sense of humor! Every day now there is something going on in the world that ticks me off. There just doesn’t seem to be an end in sight! We are expected to wait out 3 more years of this nightmare fuel?! So the challenge is to not let the headlines get to me without putting my head in the sand and pretend that these goings on are normal. I want to reclaim my middle name – Joy!
This Friday I will be another year older with my cousin Tony. We are going out to eat at a restaurant in Star my Aunt and I stumbled across a couple years ago. It was the Rustic Table and is now The Rare Steakhouse. I’ll celebrate with joy that I even have loved ones to share the day with! I am going to pray that Jesus, through my loved ones, friends and Link, will soften my heart.
Dear Jesus please soften my heart in these trying times. Help me reclaim my inner child. I ask you to put your loving arms around all those who are sick, hungry, in the healing process, those without shelter to include animals. Please shine your love and mercy through each of us that we would be worthy vessels of your will here on earth. Please be with all the leaders of this world – give them wisdom! Amen.
Hello to you. I’m not tired yet so figured I would write to you. In the hours before sleep seems to be a time I get clarity enough to gather my thoughts. I tried to watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics but don’t get channel 7 (NBC) and don’t feel like signing up for Peacock. From the snippets I saw it looked like Italy did a great job with it.
My thoughts tonight turn to the feeling I get inside when I am honest with myself. For example during my recent doctors visit I was honest with her about my lifestyle choices – may be spending too much time on social media. May be not being as active as I could be because of the ear condition I have. She recommended trying to limit my time on social media and trying to walk more each day. What I wasn’t open to her about was my addiction to Grub Hub and how easy it is to order food that isn’t healthy for me. I am vowing to myself that the last time I ordered food is my last time caving in to the convenience. I get hungry late in the day and rather than making my own food I will order a pizza from Papa John’s. In my garbage right now is like 5 empty boxes from weekly orders! Pizza is no help for my weight issue nor my cholesterol levels. The two medicines I’m taking – Depakote and Olanzapine are notorious for weight gain. I never feel full or satisfied. The next time I see my doctor I will have a clear conscience as I am vowing to kick the habit! I have a month before I see her again. I am hoping the scale will budge in the right direction and to save some money too. Grub Hub doesn’t come cheap! After delivery fees, tax and tips each order is over $30!
Dear Jesus please continue to surround my cousin Heidi and my Uncles John and Bill with your healing love. Please be with my friend Jeannie who keeps getting sick. Please be with her brother-in-law Roy who seems to be making preparations to go home to you. Please be with all the vulnerable to include animals in the extreme cold – let there be shelter, food, clothing and warmth. Please be with all people and animals healing from sickness and ailments of any kind. Please be with my Pastors daughter Harper. Please be with the leaders at all levels of government throughout the earth. Thank you Lord. Amen.
Romans 15:13New International Version
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peaceas you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit
Hello to you. I am writing from the Sunrise Cafe. I walked over as I couldn’t stand my own company any longer. My ear condition is real bad today too. I got what I needed even before my meal – a big hug from Emma the manager! She is such a joy! Sometimes that’s all we need is a big hug and a warm hello and Emma does just that. When I left I thanked her for the hug and she thanked me back! She needed the hug too that’s why she did it.
Their slogan is so true! I feel like family when I go here.
When you live alone like I do physical contact is rare. I cherish every hug I get! I’m grateful for Link but he can only do so much.
Dear Jesus thank you for Emma and the staff at the Sunrise. Thank you for them being your body that comforts people like me in the world. I pray for all those in the parts of the country experiencing extreme cold – may there be warmth, food, clothing and shelter. I pray the same for any homeless and wild animals. I pray for any and all regions of this country and world experiencing unrest. Lastly I pray for my cousin Heidi and all who love her as she will be having surgery on her brain Monday. Guide her surgeon and staff and grant her a speedy and complete recovery. Amen.
John 15:1-8New International Version
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Hello to you. It’s a sunny Sunday here in Idaho. I hope you are safe and warm where this finds you. I’m just back from church and a short walk with Link. My back isn’t being friendly today. Church was nice. I was joined by Jeannie AND Roy! He had a present for me – rainbow colored slippers he crocheted. The ones he made me for Christmas didn’t fit so these are replacements. These fit nicely and are so pretty! It was so good to see Roy and Jeannie. Today was baptism Sunday. There were 6 young ladies who were baptized – got me teary! It’s beautiful to see young people profess their faith.
Slippers from Roy
Today we were in Luke 5:17-26:
Luke 5:17-26 New International Version
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
The question Pastor Jason had for us was who do we have in our life that would be willing to carry us on our mat to the feet of Jesus. I have several people that have been those type of people in my life. My cousin Tony and his wife Tawna are the first to come to mind and my Aunt and Uncle. When I have needed help they have been there for me no questions asked. Before surrendering to Jesus, they were loving witnesses of his love for me. They were patient and kind.
Dear Jesus I pray for the people of Minnesota and other parts of the world that are full of unrest and turmoil. May there be your peace. I pray for your help for all the people and animals affected by the winter storms and extreme cold. Thank you for this day. Amen.
Hello to you. I am writing to you after listening to Jonathan Roumie praying a prayer from Saint Padre Pio – it’s beautiful and spoke to me. May be it will speak to you too:
Saint Padre Pio
Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.
Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company.
Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love.
Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes; death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You.
It is getting late and death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it’s dangers. I need You.
Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!
Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen
Dear Jesus I give you thanks for this day. I lift up to you my cousin Heidi as she continues to heal. I lift up this world and all of the uncertainty and chaos – all the most vulnerable be they human or animal to your loving care. I pray for all your children. I pray for this planet and all of its majesty. I give you thanks for all my blessings. Amen.
Hello to you. It’s late as I write to you. I can’t sleep so figured I would write to you. How was your day? My day was long but uneventful. I got Link out on a walk today. He’s been willing to go lately and I like that!
Yesterday was prayer group day but because of fog and icy roads we did a conference call and were still able to pray together. We have a lot to pray about. My prayer request was for my sweet cousin Heidi who is recovering from a burst brain aneurysm. We also prayed for our dear friend Cheryl Hargan who had surgery today – a double breast mastectomy. We also prayed for Pastor Jason’s daughter Harper. We are a growing church so lots of leadership spaces need filling. Our time praying isn’t just about needs but also giving praise. Local police and fire departments are picking up their bibles and more are coming to Christ. In a time of great turmoil in our country and world there is much comfort to be had in following Jesus.
Dear Jesus please be with our leaders at all levels. Please help them navigate this increasingly violent and confusing world. Let your will be done in all these affairs. Please be with all our friends and family going through health and wellness challenges. Please be with the people of Iran and all parts of this world who are in turmoil and chaos right now. I pray you would help those who give sanctuary to animals. . I pray all this in your name. Amen.
Hello to you. It’s evening as I write to you. Today was pretty uneventful but I did finally get my butt to the grocery store and Link and I got a big walk (1/2 mile) in today. He’s been willing to go so I take him. I am happy his legs aren’t bothering him right now.
Older picture I have of Link wearing his walking gear
The past couple days I have really had low energy. The thing going on with pressure in my head and ears has been real bad. My back hasn’t been kind either. When that’s all going on I don’t want to do even the most menial of tasks. I am like a water spigot that flows either full blast or barely a dribble! I have seen both an ear and head doctor and neither one found what is causing the stuff in my head and ears. We have prayed about it ever since it started but God hasn’t relieved me of it. This bible verse keeps coming into my mind about what I’m going through and what I need to do:
2 Corinthians 12:9New International Version
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
For a long time, for most of my adult life, Christmas has been a hard holiday for me. Christmas Eve is the anniversary of when I lost my birth mom to suicide. I was only about 10 months old so I didn’t really get to know her. My Dad and stepmom always tried to make the holidays special and it helped me not dwell on things. My Dad and I would decorate the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Dad loved Christmas or at least he made a good show of it! I have not decorated for Christmas for several years now and hate the materialism that Christmas often becomes. I live in a tiny home so I don’t like getting stuff to have to find a place for and I don’t like shopping. That is why I like Thanksgiving – the focus is on food and family! Now that I’m living near family with little children to celebrate with, I’m thinking may be my heart will be softened! Kind of like the Grinch story. Our families little ones the Cindy Lou Who’s in my life!
Luke 24 NIV – scripture from Sunday
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulershanded him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Mosesand all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Hello to you. It’s the end of the weekend. Today was a good day. At church my friends were there to include Jeannie and a healing Roy. You could see he was healing on his face from the fall. After church I had breakfast at the Sunrise which is always good – got my Emma fix! She and the other staff are so kind to me. My Aunt Ruth invited Link and I over for chili for linner (lunch and dinner) and we watched a good movie based on a true story called The Stray:
The Stray is based on the true story of director Mitch Davis and his family. The film recounts how a stray dog named Pluto wandered into their lives when the family was facing struggles, saving their youngest son and helping to heal their family bonds. Davis stated that Pluto “saved my life and my family in more ways than one.”
It was as we feared as it goes with stories about animals – especially dogs! I won’t ruin it for you but I recommend you have Kleenex!
A good true life story
The second part of my topic today comes after watching a livestream of the Bishop James Long on Tik Tok this evening. He explained really well why there is evil in the world. God created everything but he did not create evil. Evil is a product of free will – choice. He used the example of a knife. A knife is created as a tool to be used for good. The knife doesn’t choose to be used to kill someone. The person who uses the knife for an evil purpose is to blame for what it’s used for. We are created for good but have the free will to make choices that are evil in nature. God is not responsible for our evil intentions. It’s so easy to want to blame God for the evil that happens in this world! Why does he not stop it? If he stopped it all then we would be automatons – mere puppets with no mind of our own. There is justice – we may not live long enough to see it but it will come. We all are responsible for making good choices and taking responsibility for bad choices.
AI Overview – question about where in the NIV Bible is free will mentioned
The term “free will” does not appear in the NIV Bible, but the concept is addressed throughout Scripture through passages about human choice and responsibility. Key passages that illustrate choice include Genesis 2:16, where God gives Adam and Eve a command, and Joshua 24:15, which presents the people with a choice of whom to serve. The Bible also mentions “freewill offerings,” like those described in Exodus 35:29, which were given willingly without coercion.
Passages illustrating human choice and responsibility
Genesis 2:16-17: God gives Adam and Eve a command, presenting them with a choice that has consequences.
Joshua 24:15: Joshua tells the Israelites, “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…”.
John 7:17: Jesus states that “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God”.
Galatians 5:13: The Apostle Paul writes, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love”.
Passages about “freewill offerings”
Exodus 35:29: “All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do”.
1 Chronicles 29:6–9: The people made freewill offerings of jewelry and other materials to help build the temple.
Ezra 2:68 and Ezra 7:16: These verses mention freewill contributions for rebuilding the temple after the exile.
To be 