Cactus Flower

  In 50 days I'm supposed to be ready to get on a jet plane and fly to North Carolina.  Whew.  The list of crazy things to take care of before we can leave the country just got a little longer with the results of a recent eye exam for Byron.  I have to say that I was feeling a little dizzy last week!  But I'm working on faith and trust. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. My "paths:" Gotta get cataract surgery, two to be exact in the next 50 days. Gotta get ready for a missions team of three basketball players coming in 22 days for a two week stay.  Yes, I plan to put them to work. Gotta go to a weekend conference in another state in 3 days, and hurry back for the first eye surgery. Gotta get the house ready for a live-in pet sitter, and settle all the details. Gotta get the documents for a future church property. Gotta ge...

  It's that time of the year when I see lots of posts on social media from my USA friends about all things spring.  Here in my little part of the world, NE Brazil, it is the end part of our "summer" rainy season.  Soon we will move into our less hot and more windy "winter" season.   No one around me is talking about "spring cleaning," but I have that feverous desire to move things around and organized my life because it is almost time for a furlough.   My home organization revolves around the cycles of our furlough travels and not the seasons of the year. And yesterday I bought our furlough airfare!  So I guess it's time to clean out the drawers and cabinets and throw out all the crazy things that have accumulated over the past few years.  It's time to get the dogs to the vet, buy gifts for grandkids and find a person to stay in our house while we our gone, ah, and hide all things I don't want anyone to mess with! This morning I had set up ...

  Sometime last week Byron found this printed letter in a stash of old papers.  I can't help but wonder if I ever mailed it?  It's hard to say, but I'm almost certain my mother will remember!  It must have been meant to send to several friends as it has no Dear so-and-so listed.  It has some interesting insights into my early days on the mission field. I found a few photos of the time frame and added them to the bottom of this post. Sometime around 1997 in Fortaleza, Brazil... You'll just have to forgive me.  I haven't written anyone for months and months.  First one thing and then another kept me from having the time.  And then I simply felt that I had little to nothing that was good to write.  All my potential letters were full of all the sad, bad, and ugly things in life or were complete and utter lies.  So I would write a few and never send them and then I just stopped trying.  I think my state was certainly one of real de...

 As it seems the coronavirus mess isn't going away anytime soon, I have found myself a little despondent for the past few days.  It was a good time to work on an edit of an old piece... Job 23:10 KJV "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." This verse remains a favorite of mine. It was the verse of my graduating class at Roanoke Valley Christian School in Virginia.  I was a speaker at the graduation commencement of 1983.  I remembered mentioning how God will one day reward us for our faithfulness.  I think many times as a young woman I looked at this verse incorrectly.  I looked to myself, and saw that I only needed to be strong enough to make it through the trials and would as a result "get that gold." I often assumed that trials and tests are all part of the Christian walk to be accepted with great humility, as I have considered over the lonely times of missionary service far from family and loved ones....

  Sent from a friend who is updating an old book called Ladies of Grace.  I have to admit when she sent the request for a review of what I had written, I had no clue, just a faint little bit of a memory.   Ah, but this verse has rung true throughout my life.  Job 23:10 - But   He knows the way that I take; When   He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.  Even in times of calamity, God is good and He is real.   Going to be going over this verse again over the next few days, and considering what it means for me today, this year and in this place.   

  Photo by  Kelly Sikkema  on  Unsplash Girl, it seems there is something going on in your life.  Things are so crazy these days.  I haven't even really seen you with my own eyes for months.  Little message exchanges did not give me a clue as to what's really up.  I guess we can blame it on the world crisis, but I'm afraid it goes back way before. I remember you as the cutest little toddler with your black untamable curls.  You were a happy baby, or so I thought.  I was in your house often, and in your life.  I held you sometimes at church so your mother could listen to the sermon.  I spoke to you in English and sang silly songs.  I prayed for you. I'd like to think I had some influence in your life, but times and things moved us apart for several years, no fault of yours or mine.  But those were tough years for your curly head, and for mine.  And then by some little miracle one day I found myself in front o...