Sabbath Keeping - Forgiveness

(One reason it takes a long while to do barn chores is due to the great help...Mr. Molly climbs on the tractor, burrows into my lap and proceeds to oversee my efforts. The diesel tractor is rattling along and Mr. Molly purrs. When I climb down to pull the Hay Hut over the round bale, Mr. Molly climbs into my seat where he has a cat bird view. Even when he jumps off the tractor, he doesn't go far and I must go s.l.o.w.l.y to make sure he's away from the tires. He is a Very Trusting Boy.)

"Even to my old age and gray hair 

You are the one who will sustain me.

You made me and You will carry me;

You will sustain and You will rescue me.

I will remember the former things of long ago.

You are God, and there is no other!

You are God, and there is none like you."

~ Isaiah 46:4, 9 ~ 

"Our callings could be at stake

 if we don't allow God 

to deal with our chronic insecurities."

~ Beth Moore ~ 

"Embrace and love all of yourself - past, present, and future. Forgive yourself quickly and as often as necessary. Encourage yourself. Tell yourself good things about yourself." ~ Melody Beattie ~

"To forgive is indeed the best form of self-interest since anger, resentment, and revenge are corrosive of that 'summum bonum', the greatest good." ~ Bishop Desmond Tutu ~

"It is essential also to forgive yourself. 

Self-hatred is not pleasing to Me, and it is very unhealthy for you." 

~ Sarah Young, Jesus Always ~

"The more you know yourself, the more you forgive yourself." ~ Confucius ~

"People can be more forgiving than you can imagine.

But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what's bitter

and move on."

~ Bill Cosby ~ 

"You cannot travel back in time to fix your mistakes, but you can learn from them and forgive yourself for not knowing better." ~ Leon Brown ~

"Forgiveness is for yourself because it frees you.

It lets you out of that prison you put yourself in."

~ Louise L. Hay ~ 

"When you forgive, you in no way change the past - but you sure do change the future."
~ Bernard Meltzer ~

"Forgiving is rediscovering the shining path of peace that at first you thought others took away when they betrayed you." ~ Dodinsky ~

"It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive.

Forgive everybody." ~ Maya Angelou ~ 

"Forgiving does not erase the bitter past.

A healed memory is not a deleted memory.

Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget 

creates a new way to remember.

We change the memory of our past 

into a hope for our future."

~ Lewis B. Smedes ~ 

"We all make mistakes, don't we?

But if you can't forgive yourself,

you'll always be an exile in your own life."

~ Curtis Sittenfield ~ 

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times

shall I forgive my brother who sins against me?

Up to seven times?"

Jesus answered, "I tell you,

not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!"

~ Matthew 18:21-22 ~ 

Please pray for ~ Alison ~ (If you've a name for this list, let me know.)

MAJOR WHINE with run on sentences: This past week, Rebekah told me moving was toward the top of most stressful life events. (Perhaps this is why God didn't let me move soon after Dave died; He knew I couldn't handle two such stressful events...wry smile.) Boxes are still 3 deep in the basement (including kitchen goods, bedroom things such as nightgowns, personals....you know...necessities!), the plumbing in the barn still isn't working because the plumber said he'd be here last week but not only didn't show, he didn't call, the studio has no insulation, heat, etc. and I'm waiting on John R. to return my dining room furniture he's had since May of last year. He's supposed to be restoring it but, thus far, I've only seen the Singer treadle sewing machine (he delivered about ten days ago). I'll show photos of the Singer this week and he did a wonderful job but he also told me he was bringing else everything last Wednesday. Now, he won't return phone calls, e-mails or texts and I'm sorely frustrated. Until I get the dining room chest, dish cupboard and 1800's "tall boy", all dishes are in boxes, the mantle is deep in candle holders, book cases are loaded with things that need a better home...on and on. Then...
BCBS decided to drop me January 1 and deigned to let me know February 2...how kind. BTW, did you know the CEO of Anthem BCBS makes $17 MILLION a year?! No wonder premiums are +$1000 a month with a $6,000 deductible! Then...
VAFB decided the truck didn't need to be insured and dropped it plus they STILL haven't changed my address. The old agent wants the commission so he's playing fast and loose with my new agent.
So, I've forgiven myself for the (many, many) wicked thoughts I've had this past week plus. However, I'm still working on forgiving the aforementioned for their misdeeds.
One thing at a time, eh?
P.S. I'm stopping now because it's getting depressing...all over again.
LOL

Sabbath Keeping

"I have loved you with an everlasting love.

I have drawn you with everlasting kindness."

~ Jeremiah 31:3 ~ 

"Love is not blind....it sees more, not less.

But because it sees more, it is willing to see less."

~ Rabbi Julius Gordon ~ 

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, 

while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

"Love begins with like, then facing the same direction...together." ~ Sandra ~

"Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

"If she's amazing, she won't be easy. If she's easy, she won't be amazing. If she's worth it, you won't give up. If you give up, you aren't worthy. ... Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." (italics mine)
~ Bob Marley ~

"You don't divide your love; you multiply it." ~ Sandra ~

"Waiting is a sign of true love and patience. Anyone can say I love you but not everyone can wait and prove it's true."

"Love isn't something you find. It's something that finds you."
~ Loretta Young ~

"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not."
~ Andre Gide ~

"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings." ~ Anais Nin ~

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."
~ Ann Landers ~

"Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love."
~ Lao Tzu ~

Today, I am worshiping at Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church and listening to Part 3 of God's Perspective.

"God's Perspective: What Are the Beliefs I Build My Life On?" here, Part 1
"God's Perspective: How Do I Strengthen My Christian World View?" here, Part 2
"God's Perspective: Where Did We Come From and What Difference Does That Make?" here, Part 3

"I Am Second"

"Love must be sincere."

~ Romans 12:9 ~

(Today's post written for new Christian sisters Mackenzie and Karen with apologies for, perhaps, incorrect spelling.)

Please pray as the Holy Spirit guides.

Sabbath Keeping

"The LORD appeared to me in a faraway place and said, 

"I love you with an everlasting love. 

So I will continue to show you my kindness."

~ Jeremiah 31:3 ~

"The heart has its reasons for which reason knows nothing."
~ Pascal ~

"Every fear, every doubt is a crime against My love."

"Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and looks out the window which hope has opened." ~ C. H. Spurgeon ~

"Love is friendship that has gone viral."  

~ Sandra ~

"Don't forget to love yourself." 

~ Soren Kierkegaard ~ 

"I have decided to stick with love.

Hate is too big a burden to bear."

~ M. L. King, Jr. ~

"Love doesn't make the world go 'round.

Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."

~ Franklin P. Jones ~

"Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning, a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep burning and unquenchable." ~ Bruce Lee ~

"You can always give without loving

but you can never love without giving."

~ Amy Carmichael ~

"Nothing can bring a real sense of security 

into the home except true love." 

~ Billy Graham ~ 

"Where love is,

God is.

~ Henry Drummond ~ 

"God teaches us to love by putting some unlovely people around us. It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving to you." ~ Rick Warren ~

"In the New Testament, love is more of a verb than a noun. It has more to do with acting than with feeling. The call to love is not so much a call to a certain state of feeling as it is to a quality of action." ~ R. C. Sproul ~

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." ~ St. Augustine of Hippo ~

"Do not waste time bothering 

whether you "love" your 

neighbor; 

act as if you did." 

~ C. S. Lewis ~

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need, but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

~ 1 John 3:16-18 ~

Prayer Keeping ~ Anthony and family ~ Mark and John ~ Anita ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

~ Ireland 2013 ~

"The unfailing love of the Lord never ends. By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day."

~ Lamentations 3:22-23 ~

"Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely.
Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly.
Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. ... He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken." ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf ~

"Consider what you know to His immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once."
~ Charles Spurgeon ~

"God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty." ~ Peter Marshall ~

"You are not what others think you are.

You are what God knows you are."

~ Shannon L. Alder ~

"God loves us too much to indulge our every whim."
~ Max Lucado ~

"We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our  mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground." ~ Brennan Manning ~

"Too much of anything is dangerous unless it's God's Love."
~ Reign ~

"The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands." ~ Martin Luther ~

"God proved His love on the cross.  When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, "I love you."
~ Billy Graham ~

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good, because He loves us." ~ C. S. Lewis ~

"...but God shows His love for us 

in that while we were still sinners, 

Christ dies for us."

~ Romans 5:8 ~ 

Prayer Keeping ~ Jim ~ Kathy ~ John ~ Sandra ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; 

He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love

to a thousand generations of those who love Him 

and keep His commands."

~ Deuteronomy 7:9 ~

"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,

Love like you'll never be hurt,

Sing like there's nobody listening,

And live like it's heaven on earth."

~ William  W. Purkey ~ 

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." ~ Marilyn Monroe ~

"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not."
~ Andre Gide ~

"Love all, 

trust a few, 

do wrong to none."

~ Shakespeare ~ 

"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages."
~ Nietzsche ~

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close." ~ Pablo Neuoda ~

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,

while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

~ Lao Tzu ~

"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."
~ Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook ~

"Without Jesus, possessing everything, we really have nothing. With Jesus, possessing nothing, we really have everything. " ~ Alistair Begg ~

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God."

~ 1 John 3:1 ~

If you've a name for the prayer list, please let me know. Because memory is a poor servant, don't hesitate to let me know every time you want a name added.

Prayer Keeping ~ Donna ~ Quinn ~ GJ & Bill ~ Faith & family ~ Noreen ~ Sandra ~ 

What's Your Excuse?

Adam was a liar

Noah was a drunk

Abraham was too old

Isaac was a daydreamer

Jacob was a liar

Joseph was abused

Moses stuttered

Gideon was afraid

Samson was a womanizer

Rahab was a prostitute

Jeremiah was too young

David was an adulterer

Elisha was suicidal

Isaiah preached naked

Jonah ran from God

Naomi was a widow

Job went bankrupt 

John the Baptist ate bugs

Peter denied Christ

Zacchaeus was too small

Paul was too religious

the disciples fell asleep

Martha worried

Timothy was too young

Lazarus was dead

the Samaritan woman had many failed marriages

What's your excuse?

Blessings ~ great examples ~ God's grace, mercy, love, patience ~

Open Yourself to LOVE

~ some of my aged flock, l to r - 

Polly Merino, Buffy Suffolk, Easter and Samuel Romey ~

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. (yes, it does hurt.) Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. (don't you mean, probably?) If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. 

~ Sadie, Sam, Abigail ~

Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. (but my dear, how utterly boring!) But in that casket-safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable." 
(o dear God, not that...no!)

~ Sadie, face to the wind and the sun ~

~ C. S. Lewis ~ 
(surely a man after God's own heart)

~ love, the story of Christmas ~

Since Dave has died, there have been lovely people who have gone out of their way to perform a kindness toward me. Jill, at Untie the Ribbons don't you LOVE that name? sent me a card every week! True, there are many, many weeks I don't remember but I still have each and every card. She also sent me two beautiful hand crafted textiles...a felted envelope and a felted box with the Prov 31 "woman" verse. Jill, every time God brings you to mind, you're tucked into prayer; thank you for your blessing of kindness and care!

Timi, in Hungary, sent me encouraging e-notes. Farm Girl Cindy prayed...oh how she prayed! Especially during that first March when I was close to ending it all. God bless you both; you are truly Women after God's own heart!

~ some of my American Curly horses ~

Debbie, at Just Breath, is one of those and her ministry, For Your Tears, blesses folks all over the world. If you've never gone through the grieving process, perhaps you won't understand when I say, there are huge swaths of time that are, quite simply, gone forever to me. I haven't a clue what I did but was, most likely, here on the farm. I just cannot remember huge chunks of time; meaning, sometimes, entire months. That's how it was with Debbie's handkerchief. It arrived in the mail, beautiful!, and I placed it on the table until I moved it somewhere safe. Ahem. Does that sound familiar...somewhere safe? Every now and again, I run across it, pick the box up and cherish the kindness all over again. Earlier this week, Debbie commented on Saint Patrick's Day post and I popped over to visit her and BAM! On her profile page, there it was: For Your Tears. 

Debbie, I haven't a clue if I sent you a thank you note, sent you a piece of money (as my mother-in-law used to say) or...did nothing...? Bless you, Debbie, God bless you for your kindness in sending me such a beautiful handkerchief. Did you know? Did someone tell you Dave died? I am curious but, beyond curious, I am grateful. God bless you, yours and the work of your hands and heart; thank you so very much!

P. S. Breath was "my" word for 2012; it was so difficult to remember to breath and, too often, I'd find myself gulping air like I was starving for it. Just Breath...yes!

So many kindnesses from so many people and at a time when I felt totally alone; cut off, adrift, lost. Each act of kindness is noted by God, even though my feeble memory might remember sporadically; He knows. Your act of kindness will return to you, magnified and I bless you all. Thank you; you helped keep me alive.

There are only two ways to live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." ~ Albert Einstein ~

Today's Miracles ~ love ~ LoVe ~ LOVE ~ lOvE ~ Christmas ~ Easter ~ women after God's own heart ~ God is love ~

A Hiding Place

~ my daily view ~

Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party here; there are giveaways!

Moses had his desert. Abraham had the pagan city of Ur. Joseph had his prison. Esther had her harem. Mary had her pregnancy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer had 
his prison.
Dave and I had Thistle Cove Farm.

Where is your hiding place? 

Does God have you standing behind a sink of dirty dishes or pails of dirty diapers? Does God have you in a dead end job, working for a boss who is conniving, manipulative or coarse? Are you sitting at the sickbed of your beloved? Where is God hiding you? Are we, daily, ready to do His will, the job He has for you that only you can accomplish? How is He preparing you? 

These are questions I ask myself every day. I've a good idea of what God wants me to be doing now but haven't a clue about the future. I know my past has brought me to this place, this time, this farm and God uses it all to prepare me for doing the job He has set before me. 

~ Sandra and Dave, Azores Island ~

Some of you know, Dave, my husband, died, very suddenly and unexpectedly, in November 2011. He had cancer and we knew his time was short, p'raps six months but were hoping for another year. Our plans were to sit down on a Monday and he'd tell me everything I needed to know to live life without him. We didn't get a week, God called Dave Home on Saturday. 

Thistle Cove Farm was, for both of us, A Hiding Place and for me, over the last year plus, also about the grief. Throughout the years, Dave has been woven in my blog posts to the point it's difficult to tell which is the man and which is the myth. smile We'd found each other in Richmond, lived next to each other and, after six years, decided to marry each other. His first wife, Cathy, had died of cancer and Dave was a basket case. He was smoking too much and drinking too much but only enough to make him miserable yet not kill himself. 

~ Dave, headed to London ~

I know God sent Dave and I to each other and then, to this farm. Thistle Cove Farm was our hiding place, where we learned to trust and love, where we grew in our marriage and in our walk with God. Dave didn't accept Christ until the last few days of his life but he was always searching, seeking and finding Him on this farm. In the morning, Dave's favorite thing to say was, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." It was always a beautiful start to our day and, whatever happened,we knew God was already there.

Dave and I brought baggage into this marriage and, those first years, it weighed us both down. We struggled to make "us" stronger than "me" even while we had other people living with us. Those first 18 months, two contractors lived with us and, every day, I cleaned for and fed four people. It was exhausting and exhilarating. Even with all our baggage, I knew Dave was a man worth the wait. A man who would grieve so heavily and so long for his first wife, was worthy of his namesake, David. Very soon after meeting him, I knew I'd have gone to hell to fetch him; as it was, I only had to go to the gates and wait. I feel his presence and his absence each and every day. Never am I unaware he's gone. Never does the black hole readjust to allow his space to be overtaken. Never is a long time.

It is within your power to change your marriage because it is within your power to change yourself. Only you are able to decide if you want God to change you and thus change your marriage and your life. Once, someone complimented me on something I'd written and asked if it'd been hard to write so honestly. My response, "No, not really. All I had to do was cut open my heart."

And, so it is with marriage. It took Dave and I a long while to trust each other, fully and completely. While I was the first to say, "If you want to leave, then leave now but if not, never bring it up again." Almost always, Dave was the first to say, "I'm sorry, let's not argue, life is too short." It took time for my fear to subside and for me to trust with my heart. Too much with too many had paved my heart path with shattered glass.

I had to learn trust before I could accept cherish.

In order for me to stand in the light of Dave's love, the shadows had to be dispersed. In my case, there didn't need be shadows to prove the light. I had to, willing and freely, cut  open my heart to allow trust and love to grow. That's what I did with Dave; that's what I'm doing with God. It was within my power to change my marriage because it was within my power to change myself; to allow God to change me I, freely and willingly, cut open my heart again.

I want "us" more than I want "me".

Linking with Jen at Finding Heaven Today and the Soli Deo Gloria Party.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle." ~ Albert Einstein ~

Today's Miracles - memories, good and bad ~ free will ~ Dave ~ hiding places ~ God's love, grace, mercy and kindness ~ Jen ~ change ~ Thistle Cove Farm ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

~ Levi, Lover Cat ~

"The Lord is slow to anger, 

abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. 

Yet, he does not leave the guilty unpunished." 

~ Numbers 14:18 ~ 

"When someone loves you, 

the way they say your name is different. 

You just know that your name

 is safe in their mouth." 

~ Billy, age 4 ~ 

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore...So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."  ~ Rebecca, age 8 ~

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." ~ Karl, age 5 ~

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." ~ Chrissy, age 6 ~

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." 

~ Terri, age 4 ~

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is okay." ~ Danny, age 7 ~

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas 

if you stop opening presents and listen." 

~ Bobby, age 7 ~ 

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss."  ~ Emily, age 8 ~

"If you want to learn to love better, 

you should start with a friend who you hate."

~ Nikka, age 6 ~ 

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day." 
~ Noelle, age 7 ~

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling...he was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."  ~ Cindy, age 8 ~

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." ~ Clare, age 6 ~

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."  ~ Elaine, age 5 ~

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
~ Mary Ann, age 4 ~

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." ~ Lauren, age 4 ~

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."  ~ Karen, age 7 ~

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
~ Mark, age 6 ~

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. 

But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. 

People forget." 

~ Jessica, age 8 ~

"Love is like a little old woman (Sandra) and a little old man (Dave) who are were still friends even after they know knew each other so well." ~ Tommy, age 6 ~

An elderly gentleman's wife died and his four year old neighbor saw him crying. The little boy went into his neighbor's yard, climbed into his neighbor's lap and just sat there. Later, the little boy's Mother asked what he said to the neighbor.

The little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

For all of you who have helped me cry, prayed for me, loved me this last year, since Dave died...may God bless you richly, well beyond your deserving and so much that your life overflows with blessings to give away.

"My command is this: love each other as I have loved you."

 ~ John 15:12 ~

To read Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party post, click here.

If you'd like a name added to the prayer list, please let me know. Names must be given weekly, no anonymous requests, please. Around the world, people are praying.

Prayer Keeping ~ Maxine ~ Stephanie and family ~ Timi and family ~ Jane and Lance ~ Debbie ~ Quesenberry family ~ Smith family ~ Steve and Gwen ~ persecuted Christians ~ 

Sabbath Keeping

"All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful

for those who keep the demands of His covenant."

~ Psalms 25:10 ~

"To recognize with delight all high and generous and beautiful actions; to find a joy even in seeing the good qualities of your bitterest opponents, and to admire those qualities even in those with whom you have least sympathy; be it either the Romanist or the Unitarian, this is the only spirit which can heal the love of slander and of calumny." 

~ F. W. Robertson ~ 

"In peace, Love tunes the shepherd's reed;

In war, he mounts the warrior's steed;

In halls, in gay attire is seen:

in Hamlets, dances on the green.

Love rules the court, the camp, the grove,

And men below, and saints above;

For love is heaven, and heaven is love."

~ Sir Walter Scott ~

"Thou shalt love the Lord the God with thy whole heart, with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind." This is the commandment of the great God, and He cannot command the impossible. Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand." ~ Mother Teresa ~

"Some people you have to love from a distance." 

~ me ~

"Where do you pasture your flock, O good shepherd, you who take on your shoulders the whole flock, for the whole of human nature that you take on your shoulders forms one sheep. Show me the place of green pastures and the restful waters, lead me to the grass that nourishes, call me by name, so that I who am your sheep may hear your voice. Give me by your voice eternal life. Speak to me, you whom my soul loves.

This is how I name you, for your names is above every name and cannot be uttered or comprehended by any rational nature. Your name, which reveals your goodness, is the love my soul has for you. How can I not love you who loved me, even though I was black, so much that you laid down your life for the other sheep whose shepherd you are? Greater love than this cannot be conceived, that you should purchase my salvation with your life."

~ St. Gregory of Nyssa ~ 

"Father of spirits, this my sovereign plea

I bring again and yet again to Thee.

Fulfill me now with love, that I may know

A daily inflow; daily overflow.

For love, for love, my Lord was crucified,

With cords of love He bound me to His side.

Pour through me now; I yield myself to Thee,

O Lord that led my Lord to Calvary.

~ Amy Carmichael ~ 

"This is the miracle that happens every time to those who really love: they more they give, the more they possess of that precious, nourishing love from which flowers and children have their strength and which could help all human beings if they would take it without doubting." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~

"The man who says, "I know him,"

but does not do what he commands is a liar, 

and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word,

God's love is truly made complete in him.

This is how we know we are in him;

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

~ John 2:4-6 ~

If you'd like a name added to the prayer list, please let me know. Unless told otherwise, names will be kept on the list for a month; around the world, people are praying.

Prayer Keeping ~ Maxine ~ Pamela ~ Sandy ~ Katie ~ Raeann ~ Geoffrey and Terry ~ Misha and J ~ Jane and Lance ~ Stephanie and family ~ Steve and Gwen ~ Quesenberry ~ Jill ~ Renee ~ Quesenberry family ~ Jessica and Erik ~ Debbie ~ Maryann and family ~ me ~

Sabbath Keeping

~ love of country ~

"And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; 

and they seemed unto him but a few days,

 for the love he had to her."

~ Genesis 29:20 ~

"Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing it all for love." ~ St. Therese of Lisieux ~ 

"A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge." 

~ Thomas Carlyle ~

"A part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve." 

~ Joseph Joubert ~

"A woman knows the face of the man she loves

 as a sailor knows the open sea."

~ Honore de Balzac ~

"It is better to be hated for what you are

than to be loved for what you are not." 
~ Andre Gide ~

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." 

~ Mother Teresa ~

"We accept the love we think we deserve." ~ Stephen Chboskey ~

"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,

Love like you'll never be hurt,

Sing like there's nobody listening,

And live like it's heaven on earth."

~William W Purkey ~

"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you've never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can't wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasurers kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it's like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn't exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day's work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there's no need for continuous conversation, but you find you're quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who  is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there's a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that's so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life." ~ Bob Marley ~

"Come live in my heart and pay no rent." 

~ Samuel Lover ~

"Do all things with love." ~ Og Mandino ~

"Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil

but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts

always hopes, always perseveres."

~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ~

If you'd like a name added to the prayer list, please let me know. Unless otherwise requested, names will remain for one month; around the world, people are praying.

Prayer Keeping ~ Maxine ~ Raeann ~ Jane and Lance ~ Linda Sue ~ Steve and Gwen ~ Stephanie and family ~ Timi, Miki, Mira, Mark ~ Quesenberry family ~ Kary ~ Debbie ~ Jill ~ Yvonne ~ me ~ 

Courageous Risk

"You are never too old to set another goal

or dream another dream."

~ C. S. Lewis ~

Dave watched as I carried household goods from one side of the street to the other. Probably, I was an interesting diversion for him; now in his eleventh month of mourning. Cathy, his wife, had died of cancer and those last six months were dreadful, horrible, awful, almost too much to bear for Cathy and for Dave as he watched her slowly slip from the land of the living to the land of shadows to the other side. Theirs was a love born of youth when they’d met in college and neither had dated many, if any, people and certainly none very seriously.

Five years prior to Cathy’s death she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer. Once diagnosed, she and Dave fought it together; side by side they would sit in various doctors’ offices or the hospital, listening to the latest news, considering their options, making decisions, being brave soldiers always together. From my, now distant, vantage point and experience, it’s the “being brave soldiers always together” that made any of it bearable. For either of them. For either of us.

In October 1987, Cathy walked onto the plane, destination an Arizona business trip. A week later, she was wheeled off the plane, never to walk again without assistance. The cancer metastasized and the fight renewed with a vengeance, and, in February March she died but Dave’s descent into hell had already begun. He lost himself in the quiet darkness of their home, in the bottom of limitless cans of beer and endless cartons of cigarettes. Night after night after night he would drink, smoke and wait for his end, pray for his end. It didn’t come; at least, not then.

I was living across the street in a small two room apartment but, in true urban fashion, had never met any of my neighbors. One day, just to be friendly, I took notes around the small community and invited all to my apartment for tea. Living two doors down from Dave, two little old ladies showed up, blue hair and white gloves, to sit and chat while we drank tea and ate homemade cookies. They told me Miss Campbell had passed away and her little cottage, the one between them and Dave, was for sale. They put me in touch with Mr. Campbell, the brother, and in a few weeks, I was the proud owner…me and the bank…of that little cottage. It was a cozy cottage, one thousand square feet, room enough and then some, for me and the cat.

From his front window, Dave watched as, through the February snowstorm, I trudged household goods from one door stoop to the other. On one trip, he ventured onto his front porch and called to me, “Would you like some help?”

Puhlez! Free help?! I like to think I was charming as I, through frozen blue lips, called back, “Yes, and thank you!” In a minute, he, wearing a blue down parka, met me at my little apartment. I sized him up and gave him a small lamp to carry; surely he could manage a small lamp…please God! He did and made about three more trips before I took pity on him. “Would you like a cup of coffee?” From the tobacco smell, he probably needed a cig break as well. smile He did and he did so we sat and chatted while he drank a cup of black coffee and took hard drags on his cigarette. His accent told me he was from West Virginia while he admitted he thought I was stealing from Miss Campbell. That floored me! I asked for clarification and he said, “Well, I could see you carrying stuff and, knowing Miss Campbell had died, I thought, perhaps you were robbing the place.”

Choking back laughter I said, “But if I were stealing, wouldn’t I be carrying things OUT of her house and not INTO her house?” The look on his face was priceless! “Oh yeah”, he admitted. “That’s right.”

Our courtship began as friendship. We both needed the safety net of someone who didn’t place demands, who didn’t want anything other than to share a meal or a cup of coffee. I carried the scars of so many disappointments; Dave carried the scars of losing his best friend and love of his youth. So, having nothing much to lose, we were totally honest with each other and that honesty carried us through our life together.

That first week, Dave invited me for a meal and took me to a neighborhood restaurant. He said, “Order anything you want” and I looked at him like, “is there an option?” Many years later we would, often, talk about that first meal; I ordered steak, salad and potato and then, so did Dave. It pleased him I didn’t order simply a salad and use some “female excuse”, as he put it, to say, “Oh, I’m not really that hungry. I’ll just have a salad.” I told him, “I should have been military. I eat when it’s there and I sleep when I can and, by the way, don’t expect sexual favors for this meal.”  He had a hearty laugh and nodded his head, affirming what he’d heard; it was a while before I found out, he’d been a Captain in the Army.

As time went by, we introduced each other to family and friends. One person, when I introduced the two of them, told me later, “What on earth do you see in him? He smokes and he drinks and he looks terrible.”

Interesting question but it told me more about the one asking the question. What I saw in Dave was a man who, eleven months later, was still in deep mourning. A man who loved more faithfully than I’d ever know possible. A man who was willing to die but committed to living because his life wasn’t his own. Even then, he would say, “if there is a God, I leave God’s business to Him; it’s enough I take care of my own.”

Therein is the crux of the matter. If Dave loved that deeply, that faithfully, that truly the wife of his youth, I was willing to wait for whatever he had left when he came out the other side.

Eventually, I taught Dave how to love again and he taught me how to trust again. We made a formidable team and people always thought of “Dave and Sandra”; almost never “Dave” or “Sandra”; that was right and telling.

Now, from the vantage point of almost six decades, I listen to young wives and husbands and wish I could tell them, “You can’t possibly know what you don’t know but know this…most of what you’re talking about, fighting about, arguing about simply Does Not Matter. Better a loaf of bread made with love than a meal eaten in anger. Better a glass of ice tea shared on the porch in companionable silence than a bottle of champagne sipped through clenched lips and bitter words. Better memories of love than memories of strife. Look beyond the obvious, look beyond the physical and look with your heart. Better yet, look with God’s heart. Be the man, or woman, after God’s own heart and it…life…will fall into place. Yes, you’ll have tests, trials and tribulations but being brave soldiers together will, not only make life bearable, it will make life wonderful. Trust your eyes but listen to your heart; your heart will guide you in a courageous risk.

Blessings ~ God's own courage ~ Jack Lewis ~ Cathy ~ trust ~ love ~ loyalty ~ Dave ~ 

A Dog's Purpose

Recently I read A Dog's Purpose by Karen McNeil and thought you'd enjoy it as well. If you don't please, don't tell me; I'd still prefer to think the best of you. -smile-


"Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.

He said, "People are born so they can learn how to live a good life - like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" He continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

+Live simply
+Love generously
+Care deeply
+Speak kindly

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

*When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
*Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy
*Take naps
*Stretch before rising
*Run, romp and play daily
*Thrive on attention and let people touch you
*Avoid biting when a simple growl will do
*On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass
*On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
*When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body
*Delight in the simple joy of a long walk
*Be loyal
*Never pretend to be something you're not.
*If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
*When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gentle.

Blessings ~ my teachers: Abigail von Rotten the Terror ~ Grandma Grace ~ Sadie Hawkins ~ Sam P. Spade, Secret Agent ~ Sophie Lauren Butterball ~ Bandit ~ Jake ~ and all the others whom we've loved dearly and who have gone ahead ~

Marriage 101

~ love changes everything ~

Dave would tell me, "It's my job to protect and provide for you and my family."
I'd reply, "And it's my job to take care of you."

"Love, love changes everything

Hands and faces, earth and sky

How you live and how you die

Love, love can make the summer fly

Or a night seem like a lifetime

Yes love, love changes everything

Now I tremble at your name

Nothing in the world will ever be the same

Love, love changes everything

Days are longer, words mean more

Love, love changes everything

Pain is deeper than before

Love will turn your world around

And that world will last forever

Yes love, love changes everything

Brings you glory, brings you shame

Nothing in the world will ever be the same

Off into the world we go

Planning futures, shaping years

Love (comes in) and suddenly all our wisdom disappears

Love makes fools of everyone

All the rules we made are broken

Yes love, love changes everyone

Live or perish in its flame

Love will never never let you be the same

Love will never never let you be the same"

~ Andrew Lloyd Webber,

Love Changes Everything ~

Blessings ~ love ~ broken rules ~ protection ~ provision ~ safety ~ care ~ Dave ~