Saturday Scribbles Catch Up

Good morning to you all!  The past few weeks summer has come in all it's beauty.  June feels more lie August with temperatures in the 90's and until recently dry heat making it more tolerable.  Flowers are blooming including our beautiful rusty orange lilies that grace our front garden.  Joel has rigged up wiring to protect them this year as the deer always and I mean always eat them during the night. 

Speaking of nights, the past two weeks have brought more than a few nights of burning neuropathy like pain that wants to keep me awake.  An appointment with the oncologist, a lot of blood work, and some of our own research has not given us medical answers yet but we believe there will be a breakthrough. There was nine years ago, and we are standing firm that it will come to pass.

How that breakthrough comes is in God's hands.  What has come to light is God's presence on this journey.  His words given to me in the dead of night or in the morning light.  His words in visions, from friends, in devotionals, articles that keep popping up, and in His Word.......He is so good isn't He.  One 4 am wake up call from my central nervous system had me saying, "I can't do this anymore."  Immediately God spoke clearly in my mind, "THIS battle belongs to the LORD!"  These words can be found in the story of Jehoshephat and Israel in 2 Chronicles 20.  So in the midst of this we are praising God.  Praise is a weapon of warfare.  Giving thanks that His faithfulness and mercies are new every morning.  Giving thanks that He fights our battles and we are to remain calm and t.r.u.s.t.

Last weekend Joel went north to MN for his Aunt Harriet's 109th birthday.  He was able to stay with one of our families and have some good country porch and visiting time.  He was able to see some of his family as they celebrated his Aunt's day.  Her body is fragile but her mind is sharp!  My sister Kay came and spent two overnights with me while he was gone.  A blessing.

Speaking of blessings, my hubby just turned 75 yesterday!  So grateful for him in our lives!  So grateful for his good health..........and his broken bike is now fixed so he can be back out on his recumbent keeping in shape and enjoying nature.

Another blessing that has come recently is seeing our old friends Mary Lou and Keith who are full time RV'ers.  They spend winters in Tucson serving a large shelter there and then they travel the rest of the year.  What joy they bring when they come.  What fun to hug on them..........last summer we had to  visit from the garage with no hugs or shared meals.  What a difference this year!  Good fellowship, good laughs, and breaking bread together. AND celebrating two birthdays!  

We also were able to bread bread and visit together with our oldest son a little over a week ago.  Gotta love all those hugs and visits taking place right in our living room. So much to be grateful for.

Speaking of grateful, we are giving thanks, for sunshine, beautiful flowers, birthdays, a fixed bike, full nights of sleep, friends and family to hug and visit with, God's word in the night, the power of praise, doctors, tests that "rule out", the prayers of family and friends, and new mercies every morning!

Enjoy your weekend~

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you from Iowa, although it feels more like Arizona with temperatures in the mid to high nineties.  Very rare for June.........the saving grace has been that the humidity and dew points have been low so it is much more tolerable.  Unfortunately that will be changing and the temperatures will not!  Definitely having a heat wave in our little corner of the world.  

As I sit on the porch writing this I cannot help but be aware of all the sounds, smells, and sights that welcome me.  The birds are singing, the leaves are moving with the wind, a squirrl jumps from branch to branch. Our neighbor is blowing locust blossoms off his driveway, a daily occurrence for us too.  The bush next to our porch is filled with blossoms that give off a sweet fragrance.  The sky is so blue today, especially with all of the trees and bushes showing off their vivid greens.  Ahhhhh, porch sitting is a good thing!

Speaking of that, Joel is still starting his day with a little porch sitting.  Thirty degrees or 90 degrees, it does not phase him.  He just needs to start the day with nature.   He is always provided with entertainment from the squirrels, crows, blackbirds, robins, and our resident ducks who seem unafraid of people, dogs, or cars.  This time of year Joel also finds outdoor projects to do!  I guess you can take the boy off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the boy.  This week he took an old garden filled with wild tiger lilies and dug them up, put in new soil mixes, and planted coleus. We are looking forward to the coleus sharing their beauty well into fall.  God has certainly created a variety in nature for His people to enjoy!

Last Saturday we drove two hours south to our granddaughter G.'s graduation party.  It was so nice to see everyone after nearly two years.  We spent a couple of hours visiting with family,  "framily" (friends who are more like family to them), their neighbors, and co-workers of Matt's, before heading back home.  We were able to watch G's high school graduation on Sunday via livestream.  Just like we watched her Honors Event.  Truly, it is so great that grandparents and family can tune in from anywhere to be a part of such celebrations and milestones.  It makes me think about my mom and how much she would have loved the "latest technology".  I expect she was pretty lonely at times until she retired at age 76 and moved out to S.D. to be near my sister Jan.  That was such a blessing for her!  Seeing Jan all the time, and spending more time with the grands and great grands.  Loneliness became a thing of the past I expect.  

Reflecting on that trip south...................most of my clothes I did not wear during Covid lockdown?  Tight.  Traveling, visiting, and traveling again on the same day?  Exhausting for me this time ~ not always, but this time.    Being around a lot of people after living a too quiet life at home?  A bit of adjusting.  Putting aside those minor glitches,  it was great to see, hug, and visit with some of our family.  It just felt so "normal" to not wear a mask and be able to hug on those we love and care about.  Nice.....

Speaking of normal, I got new glasses this week and my vision is back to 20/20.  This is a big deal for me, as the retina specialists keep telling me........"For the aggressive AMD you have, your vision is remarkable!"  I will definitely take "remarkable"~!!  Thank you Jesus!  

Speaking of Jesus, have you watched any episodes of "The Chosen"?  It is really a great series about Jesus's life and ministry.  We have been able to find Season 1 and some of Season 2 on YouTube.  I confess that the director's long talks and promotion of the series can be annoying, but the episodes themselves are so good. The portrayal of Jesus and the disciples is so real, no natural.  We highly recommend it!  We also finished up watching "Atlantic Crossing" on PBS, another mini series that was excellent.  PBS does some great shows for television!  For a small donation you can get a PBS Passport and watch any of the shows online.  (I sound like a commercial!)

Speaking of commercials, has anyone seen the one with all the babies making such wonderful expressions?  One is chewing on his toes, another raising their eyebrows.  Oh, there is just something about a baby, isn't there.  Their innocence, the trust they have for those who love them....the joy in their eyes, their faith in the world around them.  Yeah......we could all use a little more of that.  Our youngest grandchild, J., turns 13 this week.  Wow.  Happy Birthday! These grandparents will be waiting awhile for any babies to appear in the family!

So, this week I am grateful for new glasses that are brightening my world, babies that make us smile, PBS, "The Chosen", porch sitting, going to G.'s graduation party, hugging on family, phone calls, texts, pictures, a  coleus garden, walking, summer grilling, air conditioning, a grandson's birthday, and so much more......

Enjoy your weekend!

The More Revisited

I wrote this article four years ago and just recently re-read it.  I felt the need to share it once again to those who read my blog.  

The More

It all began innocently enough.  She sat on her sofa searching for worship music on her laptop. Scrolling down the many videos available her eyes stopped on one by Heidi Baker and Ruth Fazel.  As she touched the keyboard the most beautiful music filled her ears.  Worship music to Jesus,,, soft, mellow, and so so intimate in ways she did not yet understand

As she stood alone in her living room and sang along, she reached her arms skyward and asked for "more" from Holy Spirit.  More of the Presence in the room, in her body, in her heart.  It began slowly.  A gentle heaviness descended upon her making her move involuntarily.  Soon it was hard to stand so she sat and then it was hard to sit upright so she laid down, letting the Presence of God cover her like an heavy blanket.  A warmth filled her....a peace and sense of contentment and deep love that she longed to hold tightly to.

When this living, breathing blanket came, the Presence moved in.  As days passed there were times her husband needed to help her get around the house, as she continued to be under the Presence of God.  The encounter was at times frightening while at the same time so powerful she did not want it to end.  It was at times confusing while at the same time filled with clarity.  She was experiencing what she did not yet have words for, but knowing it was from God, she surrendered to His will.  Through the encounter, He began the process of the healing she longed for.

Four years later it continues to be difficult for her to describe what occurred during those weeks, as she daily opened her eyes to the glory.  His presence.  Time seemed suspended, yet went by so quickly.  The season of encounter was so intimate, so revealing, so healing as The Presence ebbed and flowed in intensity. doing a graceful dance in her, upon her.  She did not want to live or breathe without it, but slowly the Heavy Blanket subsided and eventually routines returned.  But not to normal.  Nothing could ever go back to what was.  With each sunrise she felt God was with her, but in remembering she could only seek more, ask for more, receive with open arms the More.

(April 2017)

This woman was and is me.  So much has happened since I wrote this eight years ago, but I still find it difficult to explain.  Recently I have been reading a book by Kathy Vallotton where she describes a similiar experience and I found myself nodding my head in agreement.  Yes.  Being "under the Spirit" as she defined it.  Here is the bottom line regarding this experience.........I did not want it to end and I have longed for more of this type of experiences and am still waiting.  I know deep in my heart it was from God and I believe that during this season of encountering Holy Spirit,  healing was taking place deep within my soul.  

There is always more mystery to God, more to God than we could ever understand.  We need to only trust Him in this journey called life.  Trust Him in the good times, the bad time, the ugly times.........the mysterious times.  

I am Walking Beside You

"Nothing, 

Nothing will ever stop Me from pursuing you

Why question My hand in your life?

Letters to the Unforgottten

by Ana Werner