As the fruit and nuts and leaves fall from the trees around our yard, I can’t help but notice the poignant reminder that our lives, too, have seasons — and they change. As I reflect on this, I am reminded that the most fruitful season may not appear to be the currant one – even though it may appear so with the fruit that is dropping into the baskets at this time. I’m looking ahead to the winter when the trees have no leaves or blossoms or blooms and I’m praying this time will be the most fruitful of all.…
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I just came across a little note in my basket… and thought, this is just what I’m needing! The reminder to have a Mary heart and a Martha mind was the gist of the note. I’m personalizing it a bit to be: Mary thoughts and Martha hands. I must be in the Word and in song in order that my heart and mind are stayed on heavenly things. I must be in the Word and in song that my hands and plans are stayed on heavenly things — working at or accomplishing good things. This is such a needful reminder…
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That might sound like a strange title to a message I want to share with you today, but perhaps by the time you finish reading this letter, you’ll have an idea and perhaps realize some things you’ve been wanting to take care of for some time. So, what’s pulling on your apron strings? You know… the thing or things that nag at you or that seem to be pulling at you from one direction or many. You may be attempting to work around your home and keep having interruptions or distractions that prevent you from accomplishing what’s really needful. You…
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I’ve sure been thinking of the serendipity of finding the pages of that letter in the old desk — I shared about yesterday. In addition to the great wisdom and blessing of the words of these two pages, the fact that they are only part of a longer letter is fascinating to me — fascinating and wonderful. You know, another wonderful aspect to all this is that it sure blesses me and encourages me further regarding the integrity and depth of grandma’s character — that, and the quality of friends she had. So, here’s a bit more from the letter.…
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This has been a most interesting year. I wonder what I’ll think when I look back on this year — in years to come. I wonder if the rough edges will seem smooth later on and I wonder if the smooth days will be remembered with even more fondness. Hmmm. It’s interesting to think of all this. As I looked back at the very few posts over the last several months, I noticed I’ve been sort of stuck in a recurring theme: journaling, remembering, recording… messages that will be left behind. Tonight, cleaning in one of the bedrooms upstairs, the…
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Though I have a number of very favourite or treasured verses I continually recall, there are a few that give me great encouragement and great hope. Some I have copied and posted in my home, some I have highlighted or underlined and some I have recorded alongside God’s work or answers to prayer, continued petitions, blessings and other heartfelt matters written in journals. As I’ve been slowly reading through the Word this year, I’ve been sort of surprised at the number of verses I’ve underlined or highlighted. I’ve been continually blessed and encouraged by dated notes beside significant verses…
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“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” proverbs 31.26 As we have “spell-check” to alert us to misspelled words – or a grammar-check to alert us of grammar mistakes, this verse serves a divine speech-check — except that we never get a second chance to say the right thing first. This verse then would be our speech-filter verse. The word spoken is spoken – no highlight, delete, re-speak… what’s said is said. We might tend to say the first thing that comes to our mind — and may not stop and…
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In my drafts bucket I have a whole bunch of half-begun and mostly unfinished drafts of letters and blog entries I intended to send or post. Many never get finished. I either don’t have time or I don’t have enough of the “rest of the story” in my head to complete the work. Usually, it’s the former, not the latter. So, time takes time. I’ve said this to myself, to my children, to other women… I’ve thought this many, many times. I’ve usually thought this as a self-reminder when a situation seems to be unchanging or a problem seem to…
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Do you occasionally emerge from a situation — a conversation, a class, a conference… an experience — and say or think: Well, that was sure a waste of time or that was a wasted opportunity or that was a waste of money. We do say or think those things, from time to time, don’t we? What keeps us from saying that was a waste — or — what would keep up from saying or feeling that was a waste? As I’ve shared with you many times, I write a lot… I write in journals, I write on scraps of paper,…
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Browsing through a bunch of papers and stuff… a slip of paper… the quote: “It is in the quiet crucible of your personal private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born and Gods greatest gifts are given in compensation for what you’ve been through. –Wintley Phipps The paper is yellowed, the ink is smudged. I mull the quote over in my mind – having done so many times before, I reflect on what it’s meant to me – what it means to me today. I know it’d be real easy to just think on the first part… the crucible part…