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. Today has been good. It started by my waking up in time to get to the ladies coffee time at Grace House. It was good to see everyone and get caught up. I took the opportunity to share about my cousin Heidi and we prayed for her and also I asked that we pray for this country and world. Especially Minneapolis and Iran. Also I am very concerned about what Trump is doing with Greenland and our European allies! What he wants isn’t what most Americans want. I feel like he’s acting like a spoiled child! We want affordable housing, food and healthcare! Every day I live in regret for having anything to do with this administration. I let myself be influenced and that won’t be happening come midterms!
Today was Martin Luther King Day – hopefully not our last! My grandparents would be so sad to see what is going on in our country. Both of them fought for civil rights. Here are some of his most famous quotes:
On Love & Hate
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
On Justice & Injustice
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
“A right delayed is a right denied.”
On Courage & Action
“Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
On Dreams & Reality
“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.”
“You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream.”
On Service & Humanity
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
“We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”
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.
Good evening. It’s from bed that I’m writing to you. I want to acknowledge the murder of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents – this has to stop! I feel really sad about what is happening in our country. I’ll leave it at that!
This murder should not have happened!
I was sick recently so I didn’t feel up to writing. Thankfully it didn’t last long! I had loving family and friend support. I have an appointment next month to try and do something about the pooling sensation in my ears. I hope something can be done.
Today was a day of praise and worship. Even though I was having the pooling sensation in my ears I went to church this morning and a prayer and praise gathering at Grace House this evening. It did my heart good to see my church fam! The service today was about the prodigal son parable Jesus told out of Luke 15: 11-31 niv:
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Dear Jesus I bring before you this broken world and thank you for the good that is within it. People like Renee should not be murdered! I pray for her wife, kids and dog that are left behind without her.
In the midst of tragedies going on all over the world people are gathering together in your name- singing your praise. Let the light, the good outshine the darkness. Let there be healing for those who need it. I have loved ones who are going through trials – please be with them. Wrap your loving arms around them and assure them that everything is going to be ok.
Hello and good evening. It’s the end of the day as I write to you from here. Today began with a blessing of friendship. My friend Jeannie and I met for breakfast at the Sunrise Cafe here in town. We had a good visit and got caught up on family, church and world affairs. She shared a strange dream she had that I was in. I was the best part of the dream. I wasn’t much help in deciphering it!
Jeannie is one of the only people in my life that I can talk to about political matters. We both are pretty disillusioned about the cluster of a mess Trump has made! The only good thing I can see about what he’s done is people buying less cheap plastic things that end up in the landfills.
I have been recovering from a cold since before Christmas so I stayed away from everyone. My cousins wife showed her friendship and brought me chicken soup, juice and losenges and my Aunt brought some food by on Christmas Day. All I wanted to do was sleep! There has been a super flu going around and even as isolated as I am I still caught some of it! I am not feeling 100% but will stay positive! I am so blessed to have family and friends that are looking out for me.
Mark 9:23New International Version
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Hello to you. It is evening as I write to you. My thoughts are winding down and soon it will be time for bed. I’m trying to do what my therapist and I talked about on Tuesday. I told her about my troubles falling asleep and her suggestion was that I go to bed when I’m sleepy not just tired. Her advice really resonated with me. I had never really thought of going to sleep that way. When you’re sleepy you will feel it whereas when you are tired it’s more of a cerebral thing. For example I start going to bed at 9 pm and won’t fall asleep til 1-2 am! I usually have to have a nighttime meditation from YouTube on. The one I listen to the most is from the Relax For Awhile Channel with Joanne: https://youtu.be/204EcI6-9Vo?si=_NM2VlXI8PvdFgWZ
I wanted to mention that I am deeply disappointed about what is being done to the east wing of the White House. He’s acting like it’s his own house and can just do whatever he wants to it without permission. It’s our house! Very sad!
John 1:5New International Version
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
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
6 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. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Good evening to you. I wasn’t going to touch this topic but after seeing this clip I had to share it. The Jesus I know and love isn’t the same one coming out of the White House and other parts of the country.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8SbNxTn/ – Rev Peter Preble message about wanting to be called a follower of Jesus Christ vs a Christian because the label of Christian has been co-opted by the wrong people.
Beauty in the setting sunSetting sun on walk
As the day draws to a close, I thank you dear Jesus for allowing me to walk with you tonight. With you in my life I am never truly alone. I love you and give you thanks for my life such as it is. Thank you! 🙏
Hello there. How are you? I’m just back from my evening walk – just one time around the big block today. My back continues to be a nuisance so I have to be careful. I have been feeling something in the air lately – fall is coming. There is an anticipation in the trees and the rest of nature. I love how cozy fall can make life seem. The warmer clothes come out. Hot cocoa with marshmallows gets made. A fire gets lit in the fireplace. Candles get lit. The days get shorter. All of these and more rituals of fall are coming. Do you like fall? The only thing I don’t like is having to take up leaves!
It’s easier to think about changing seasons than it is about what is happening to our world right now. I pray for our country and this world every day. I pray for our leadership at all levels as they are being challenged so greatly. I pray for our fire fighters, police and first responders. The world is a very dangerous place for them. I pray for the men, women and children trying to survive in war torn regions of this world. I pray for the poor, sick and homeless. I pray for all neglected and abused animals. Jesus we lift up this broken world to you – there are some things we cannot fix without your divine intervention. Have mercy on us – please hear our prayers!
Oh and I wanted to mention there have been a couple recent blips on the radar with regards to UAPs:
Hello to you. As I write to you tonight, I have a heavy heart. With the recent murders of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska and so many others that don’t make the headlines, it’s just a really sad time for America. It feels like every day we are being fed negative news. We can’t catch our collective breath! What I’m having to do is turn to God and pray for our country…for this world. I want to use my words here to lift up the spirits of those who intentionally or unintentionally visit my blog.
I would ask you reader what are you grateful for today? I am grateful for the savior who unconditionally loves me. When everything is dark there is light in Jesus and giving thanks. What we focus on the most gains the most power. I want to focus my personal power on the good in this world even though that is so hard to do right now.
My prayer for today:
Dear Jesus the people of this world need to know you now more than ever. I pray that those who are casting about and are lost will be lead to your loving and merciful light. I pray for the truth of what you taught us how to love one another, your creations and you would take center stage. I pray especially for the children that are the innocent in the affairs of adults. They should be able to go to churches and schools free from fear. I also pray for all animals that you would intercede for those being needlessly abused and neglected. Thank you holy father!
Mark 10:13-16New International Version
The Little Children and Jesus
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms,placed his hands on them and blessed them.
To be 