• Blessings,  Great Blogs,  Hurricane Sally,  Lessons,  Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  Unity

    Hold Loosely

    Hold what loosely? I’ll get to that! God has taught me SO much over the last year. Retirement 4 years ago gave me more time with the Lord each morning than I’ve ever had before…and I have LOVED it! Retirement also has taught me how to live with my husband of 50 years full time…and it’s not all been pretty since it’s the first time we’ve ever lived together 24/7! You can read about that here in this post, Retired Together…3 Issues and 7 Tips. During pandemic, it’s as though retirement has gone to whole other level. Although we have made so much progress in learning to live together well,…

  • Blessings,  Spiritual Growth,  Unity,  Waiting,  What I'm Reading

    Are You Listening Now?

    Right now, I feel like this is what God is asking me…in so many ways. “Are you listening to me NOW?” Perhaps it’s the end of a long year we just experienced, a year of changes, cancellations, concerns and SO much more! Maybe it’s the uncertainty of all that is happening in our nation today. We don’t have a clue what will happen tomorrow. I can’t help but wonder if it’s because God is telling us to open our ears, listen and watch Him do His work in our world. Over and over He has shown his sovereignty to me personally and I am hanging on that even as I…

  • Beach Lessons,  Great Blogs,  Hurricane Sally,  Spiritual Growth

    What’s Ahead?

    Ok, we’ve turned the calendar to 2021. So what? What now? Will life “go back to normal after pandemic?” We do not know what is ahead, but we can choose to answer “so what” by how we enter this new year, even if it doesn’t yet include ditching masks for ever! Even if we still do not have a job, or family gatherings, or great health, or…… For a number of years I have sensed God giving me a theme, verse, or word to focus on for the year. Sometimes it’s just because of where I am in my life, although this past year my focus came from a topic…

  • Blessings,  Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth

    Blessed New Year!

    I am sure most of us are praying for a different year in 2021 than we had in 2020. But what a perfect time to think about the things God has done THIS year! Yes, among COVID, hostility, politics, loss, cancelled trips and church services, and many other disappointments, there is SO much we can be thankful for. Even with the Christmas day bombing in downtown Nashville (and 3 days without cell or internet service at our home!). Praise that only the bomber was killed and only minor injuries for a couple of police. Shout out for our Nashville police for protecting so many from harm that day, especially as…

  • General,  Great Blogs,  Pandemic,  What I'm Reading

    For the Christmas Season

    This week I am sharing some helpful blog posts for this time of year. Christmas 2020 may look different for most of us this year. Many are dealing with a variety of situations and concerns. May these posts encourage you as well as provide practical help for making this Christmas all about Christ! If you have some tough relationships that sometimes overwhelm you, Perhaps you or those around you are struggling with grief this year…for any kinds of reason or loss. Check out this post from Josh and Christi Straub Finding Hope Through Grief | An Advent Family Experience from LifeWay Voices. One last one for this week that I…

  • General,  Great Blogs,  What I'm Reading

    Christmas Urban Legends And Other Fun Stuff!

    Let’s have a little fun about some things we may believe Scripture says about the birth of Christ. Perhaps you already knew all these, but if not, it helps us discern between things that are in the Bible and things we assume are there! It’s a challenge to us all to study the Bible personally to challenge other worldly “legends” and un truths! These posts are brought to you by Facts and Trends! CHRISTMAS URBAN LEGENDS: NO ROOM AT THE INN CHRISTMAS URBAN LEGENDS: SHEPHERDS AS OUTCASTS CHRISTMAS URBAN LEGEND: THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE And … 10 HILARIOUS CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAILS YOU HAVE TO SEE And one last one……

  • Beach Lessons,  Hurricane Sally,  Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth,  Unity

    SO Much to be Thankful For

    2020 has brought many surprises and unexpected lifestyle transitions. At first it was not too bad. For most, extra time at home became a treasure to those whose lives were hectic. After a while though, virtual school and zoom meetings became a bit tiring. Not being able to eat out whenever you wanted and having to wear masks everywhere became tiresome. Watching church on line was a blessing for sure. Staying in bed longer and worshiping in pjs wasn’t too bad…at first. But after weeks of this, I LONGED to be back in corporate worship. And zoom life group was a life-saver to our women’s life group, but we SO…

  • Lessons,  Pandemic,  Spiritual Growth,  Test,  Trial,  What I'm Reading

    He’s In Our Boat!

    The banner photo above looks lovely, inviting, serene, peaceful. I would love to be in that boat pictured here. But what about the boats that are in the middle of a storm, waves crashing over the sides? I would volunteer to jump in to the boat for that ride! I recently started the Angie Smith Bible study, Matchless: The Life and Love of Jesus. One of the miracles of Jesus that I studied was one I’m very familiar with. But reading it during the 2020 season we are experiencing, just days after this crazy election, it was a reminder of what I really do know…but needed to consider once more.…