30 Jan 2026 Emma Hugs

January 30, 2026 by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, Food, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Uncategorized, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

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. ²He 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. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain 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. ⁶If 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. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

30 Nov 2025 The Stray and Free Will

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025 by saymber, posted in animals, history, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Spirituality and Religion

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!

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.

16 Nov 2025 Testimony

November 17, 2025November 17, 2025 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. How has your day been? I hope well. Today began with going to church at Grace Bible Church in Middleton. The past couple of Sundays we have gotten to hear how loving Jesus has transformed peoples lives and gotten them through difficult times. Today my friend Jeannie was on the big screen and she was wonderful. Tragedy has struck her family more than once but yet her faith has not wavered! Ironically her name is Jeannie like my Mom and she lost one of her daughters to suicide. Her other daughter was in a bad accident on a 4 wheeler.

Jeannie giving her testimony on the big screen

We were in Philippians 4 today:

Thanks for Their Gifts

¹⁰I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Pastor Jason emphasized that relying on finding joy for anything outside of Jesus would eventually fail us. This is so true – Jeannie’s testimony echoed this. Her faith was strong enough, deep enough to get her through horrible tragedies. How deep does the well go she both asked and answered in her testimony. Contentment in any circumstance is a choice. No matter what life throws at us we don’t have to go it alone. My own life experience speaks to this. After all I went through these past few years the people I relied on could only lead me to the unwavering and unconditional love of Jesus.

After church I decided to have breakfast at the Sunrise and I’m glad I did. I met a widow of seven years named Christine. She sat in the made for two table next to mine. I asked her if she had a church home and she said she used to when her husband was alive. He used to help put the directory together and she helped out in the kitchen. I made a plug for Grace but it sounded like she was waiting for another church to be built to go to. I told her we meet at the auditorium at the Middle Creek high school. This by chance meeting felt a little like a mission God used to send me on frequently when I lived in Texas. May be I’m what she needed to see and hear today. May be I planted some good seed even if she chooses another church. Had I gone grocery shopping as I had originally planned we would not have met! God truly uses each of us to be his body!

6 Nov 2025 Thursday

November 6, 2025 by saymber, posted in Uncategorized

Hello to you on this warm and sunny Thursday morning. I’m just back from Thursday prayer with Lois and Pastors Jason and Jim and breakfast at the Sunrise Cafe.

Today we prayed for the needs of the church, our town, country, individual prayers and the world. My prayer request is usually the same – for my Uncles Bill and John. I also pray for my friends Jeannie who can no longer attend because of her work schedule and her brother-in-law Roy who has trouble getting to church without Jeannie’s help. Our little group is lead by Lois Tupyi and sometimes it’s only been her and I. It’s nice to now have Pastor Jim added to our numbers. We keep praying for more people to join us but that doesn’t seem to be Gods plan right now. Our church is really growing and we pray about that – we pray for volunteers to step up to the various needs we are experiencing.

Lois Tupyi during prayer – we go around the room praying for person on our left

Mark 10:45New International Version

⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 6:9-13New International Version

⁹“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

2 April 2022 Helpers

April 2, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, drawing, Food, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Nature, photography, Social media, Spirituality and Religion, Television, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Check out 2 April 2022 Saturday chat https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1444240928

Hello to you. Hope this finds you well. If your not well, if some shit is happening in your life, I hope there will be support for you. Remember the power of prayer and meditation. Remember you are not completely powerless no matter how things may seem right now. Even if we can do one small thing….better than nothing.

Yesterday was a day to get out a little bit. I walked up to Ridleys to pick up my pills and then stopped by The Sunrise Cafe for a yummy breakfast. The people that work there brighten my day and their cook always makes my breakfast just right. On the way there and on the way home I took a few pictures. Spring is so inspiring! All around me Gods creation waking up and reminding me just how beautiful this world is.

This morning my thoughts turned to Mr. Rogers….helpers. Being a helper can be doing big things and it can be doing small things. Sometimes being a helper starts with yourself – self care for example and then expand out into the world you live in as you feel lead. Clear the blockages you make in your head and in your life so that the Spirit can work in you…make it possible for you to be a helper.