15 Nov 2025 Sonder

Good evening – it’s before the nightly journey of bedtime. I have been getting some sleep and having some pretty wild dreams. Hope this finds you well. Tonight I learned a new word from a live streamer I watch named Maddie. She said her favorite word is sonder. Here is what AI says it means:

Sonder is the realization that every random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own, with their own ambitions, friends, routines, and worries. It is a neologism created by John Koenig in The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows to describe the profound feeling of understanding that everyone is the main character in their own life story, not just a background extra in yours. 

If you think about it there are so many random people that flow in and out of our lives. So many stories to be told. I often think of this when I’m in the car and come to a stoplight with many other cars filled with people. I think of the multi-verse. How many worlds within worlds! Each car a world of its own and within that world passengers – each a world of their own. No one is insignificant. Everybody is somebody!

Psalm 8:4-6New International Version

what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[a]

You have made them[b] a little lower than the angels[c]
    and crowned them[d] with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their[e] feet:

11 Nov 2025 Free Dinner

Hello to you. I’m just back from a walk and fantastic free steak dinner at Texas Roadhouse with my cousin and fellow veteran Tony. When we got there it was really busy but we had a short wait. Lots of Veterans! You could tell by their caps. A lot of Vietnam veterans. We were really pleased with the service and the meal. Our server was Devon and he was very attentive. For a free meal we got quite a lot and the quality was really good. We got iced tea, fresh baked rolls, a salad, 6 oz steak and fully loaded baked potatoes. It was the perfect amount of food. Tony and I got caught up and swapped stories about our time in the service. He was in the Navy. We are both getting older and had lots to talk about with our bodies aches and pains! We don’t get to see eachother very often so tonight was a real treat for both of us.

Two cousins and veterans on the town

A psalm giving praise for everything:

Psalm 150New International Version

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

10 Nov 2025 Never Alone

Hello to you. I hope you are doing well as you visit me here. If you’re struggling just know that I’m praying for you and you are never truly alone. There are people like me all over the world who pray for those who feel like they have no one that cares. Don’t be afraid to reach out! I always feel better when I do it.

When I was younger I can remember having crying fits when I felt alone. I would just sob and be inconsolable. Then all the sudden I would feel this soothing warmth envelope me. It felt like a big warm hug! Was it divine comfort? I wonder sometimes!

I was married 28 years of my 57 years to two very different men. I never really had to live alone before getting married. When I was active duty I lived in dormitories and usually had a roommate. These past few years of living alone has been hard at times. We are not meant as human beings to be alone. Becoming part of a church has made all the difference. There are warm greetings, big hugs and smiles at least once or twice a week. Having family close has helped also. When we lived in Texas we had Kyle’s family but they didn’t live real close. My family here is so supportive, loving and kind! My Aunt Ruth and Uncle John are dear friends as well as family. They frequently invite me over to share meals and watch our favorite shows and movies. I also have three cousins and their children who surround me with love. I am very blessed! God definitely works through those he has put in my life.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day and my cousin and I are planning on going out to eat. Many restaurants here have free meals on Veterans Day. Our going out together is becoming our tradition. My cousin Tony is someone very special to me. He’s the one who didn’t hesitate when I reached out for help leaving Texas 5 years ago. He and his wife Tawna shared their faith with me and really have brought the living Jesus into my life. Tony is definitely proof to me of Gods goodness and proof I am not alone on this journey.

My cousin Tony at my recent baptism

4 Nov 2025 Sisters

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well. Today began with meeting with fellow Sisters in Christ for Bible study. Today’s study was about the story of Joseph. We learned about how his story is very similar to the story of Christ. The Bible study we’ve been using is God of Covenant by Jen Wilkin. The study is taking us through the book of Genesis. I didn’t get the book as I’m terrible about doing the homework – I get easily overwhelmed. I read the Bible that the study is covering and participate in discussion. The ladies are so welcoming and kind!

Part of what we covered today:

Genesis 37New International Version

Joseph’s Dreams

37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.

This is the account of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age;and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

One of my favorite songs by Dolly Parton is from the story of Joseph:

https://youtu.be/w_-YbWHs6DE?si=RT3d8PXqWzI20oLz – Dolly Parton Coat of Many Colors

3 Nov 2025 Let Your Butterfly Out

Good day to you. I’m just back from our church’s women’s coffee. Today there was pumpkin and apple pie too! Perfect for the season. We talked about a lot of things today to include prayers for family and friends, possible outreach opportunities and Missy read from a devotional that mentioned the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. Missy said it made her think of a butterfly living inside a caterpillar waiting to be let out!

Psalm 8New International Version

Psalm 8[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] A psalm of David.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
    in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[c]

You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]
    and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their[g] feet:
all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

2 Nov 2025 Mind of Christ

Hello to you. I am writing to you today one hour falling back. So far I’m not affected! I went to church today and it was really nice. So many warm greetings, hugs and smiles. I am so grateful for my church family. My friend Roy was there today with my friend Jeannie and he did really well getting up and sitting down through the service. I’ve been praying for him!

Today was dedication Sunday (baptism comes later by choice) and two couples dedicated their baby girls:

Dedication Sunday

Today we were in Philippians 2:5-11:

Philippians 2:5-11New International Version

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Pastor Jason emphasized how we get the mind of Christ through self sacrificing, loving other people and being obedient to Gods will. How we get the attitude of Christ is to spend time with him in his Word (the Bible) and through prayer.

20 Oct 2025 Women’s Coffee

Hello to you. Hope your day is going well. I was late but right on time to the Woman’s Coffee today at Grace House. I wasn’t going to go but God wouldn’t let me rest about it. Missy always makes me feel so welcome as do the other ladies. Sometimes you just need to be with other women! We talked about being a Mary or a Martha in our lives. We talked about things you try to help a teenager who has a lot of questions about God. I felt just by her sharing and the feedback we gave her God was at work to help her. We prayed for dear Charlottes sick dog Annie. Charlotte left us in tears as she had to take Annie to the vet. I’m glad I went! I usually am it’s just the going! I didn’t sleep very well last night – that’s why I didn’t want to get up and go. I always feel bad for Link because he always gets disturbed with my tossing and turning.

Isaiah 41:10New International Version

10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

19 Oct 2025 Myths

Hello to you. I’m just home from spending some time with my Aunt and Uncle. We had leftover spaghetti and watched a couple episodes of The Good Ship Murder on Brit box. I like it when they invite me over! Sundays can be lonesome. Link is always so happy to see Ruth and John. They have grass and carpet which he loves rolling around on.

I went to church this morning (I almost didn’t go because I didn’t sleep well) and today we were in Philippians:

Philippians 1:18-26New International Version

18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[a] 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Pastor Jason talked about some myths there are in being a Christian. The first myth is you have to know everything. You don’t! Share what Jesus has done for you. The second myth is you have to be a good speaker and communicator. It’s not what we say it’s what we do that matters. The third myth is that we have to be outgoing to share our belief in Jesus. Just giving our personal testimony to even just one person is good!

18 Oct 2025 No Kings Day

Hello to you this sunny Saturday morning. Today, all over the world, no kings rallies and marches are going on. People are gathering together in numbers to voice their discontent over what is manifesting all around the world. Our ancestors here in the states left Great Britain and came to America to escape tyranny and religious persecution. We wanted a life of freedom and were willing to fight and die for it. We are now having to rise up again and hopefully our elected representatives will take notice. It can’t be just for a day!

There are some who are saying if things keep going the way they are, there won’t even be an election in 2028! With everything that has happened already that rumor isn’t too far fetched. They are finding ways, plotting ways, to make it more difficult to vote. Finding ways to stop certain voters. The upcoming primaries will be very important and will have an impact on what happens in the future.

The upheaval that is happening all around the globe is a warning sign for those in positions of power. We the people put you there and we the people can remove you!

Matthew 24:6-8New International Version

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

17 Oct 2025 You Are Complete

Hello to you. Yesterday I got the groceries after prayer and it was about $250! Ipes! I got asked by my friend at prayer, Jeannie, if I was interested in taking on another senior dog. I have been praying about it. Tonka is the name of the Yorkie mix who is about Links age. I just don’t think I can afford another dog. Vet bills and food is so expensive! That’s what happens when you start thinking about adding another pet to your family!

Today began early for me as my Aunt invited me to join her at the Sisters of Grace gathering in Nampa today. There was a guest speaker named Lester Villatoro. I know Lester through his leading music worship at both Nampa and Middleton campuses.

This message from Lester’s testimony really resonated with Aunt Ruth

After a nice buffet of stuff people brought to eat, Lester’s testimony was quite moving. He spoke of his first wife who battled and died from brain cancer, the near death births of both his girls and how he met his current wife. When he spoke of his teenage girls and how big and much they laugh and asked us to remember when we stopped doing that – when we stopped feeling beautiful or enough the answer for me was immediately my divorce. Up until then I laughed easily, felt young and beautiful. I am a much more serious person than I used to be. What he said next was powerful too, he said you have to let go of what’s holding you back. I still haven’t completely let go! He had a lot of encouraging words for us women. After he spoke they did a drawing for prizes and I was hoping I wouldn’t be called as I try to limit what comes in to my house because it’s so small. My number was the first called! Thankfully my Aunt liked what I got and took it for me. I didn’t need wooden spoons for Grandmas kitchen! The ladies at the gathering were so sweet and so welcoming. The Sisters of Grace community is quite strong and growing.

Psalm 100New International Version

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.