Good morning ladies! I can hardly believe it's the weekend already. Some weeks seem to go so fast. How are you today? Thank you for all your responses yesterday to pray for my son. I talked with him last evening for quite awhile as I strolled through Walmart. He said that he'd applied to a number of places yesterday, including several ministry positions. He is hard at work looking and sending out his resume. I was glad to hear that. He seemed to be pretty upbeat. No word on his car yet about how long it will take for the repairs.

What do you have planned this weekend? I know we are having our Thanksgiving service this Sunday. I'm looking forward to it. And next Sunday starts the Advent season. Yay! Today I am going to work on a project for an outreach ministry at church. We are giving gifts to six families in our community and we are using a "gift tree" at church to provide tags that people can choose to buy the gifts. I am the one making the tags. I purchased what I needed for them last night. It will be a fun day for me! 

Worship

I know this song today is an old one, but it's still one of my top three favorite Christmas songs. I think you will enjoy the video that goes along with it. Have a great weekend and a FULFILLING FRIDAY ladies!

"Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" by Amy Grant

Good morning sweet ladies! How was your weekend? I'm sorry that I didn't get a note and worship song out to you on Friday. I actually had the note started when there was a knock on our door. It was the furniture delivery man. Yay! I mean...he was supposed to call us when he was half an hour out.... Anyway, everything is in and set up and we are loving it! Finally! It was worth the wait. Yes, we are still getting used to having a foot board for the first time (in a tiny space), haha! A couple bruises for both of us running into it. We'll get used to being very careful. And, after that? Well, the day sort of got away from me. You know how that is, I'm sure. But here we are...starting a brand new week and the sun is shining!

Devotion

What a great devotion today! And some key tips on how to communicate with others. What a blessing we can be! Have a MUSICAL MONDAY ladies!

"Three Keys to Connect in a Stay-at-Home World"
CBN Ministries, Carol A. Brown

I am a hands-on kind of person. I like to visit, exchange messages, and join groups. With this much involvement, I considered my time in retirement rich and satisfying. Yes, life was full, God was good. Then the pandemic hit.

There was no toilet paper, no bleach, and no spring softball games. With my own family widely spread across the country, I was dreading many weeks alone in my hometown.

My church was in constant prayer about ways to keep us connected. Volunteers were asked to make telephone or video calls. I began by calling the familiar names on my list. As I reflected on these conversations, I realized that encouragement doesn’t need to be a one-way street. My spirit was lifted and my prayers for others took on a new and more personal meaning.

Susan was a widow with only a cousin nearby. With no children and her siblings living in distant New York, she relied on church to be family. As I punched in her phone number, I was ordering in my mind what to say to relieve loneliness and fear from the virus. I soon discovered a good phone visit can be the fruit of genuine concern for others. What a great visit, as she described her family, her married life, and adventures as a young woman. Even though I had known Susan for many years, her travels and life experiences were entirely new to me.

Annie had recently lost her grown daughter following an extended illness. Her grief resulted from the deep pain that can only come from loss of a child. After several months, she had made the hard decision to leave her home and move into a continuing care facility. Again, I braced myself. How could I be a comfort? I had never experienced the kind of loss she faced. Once again, conversation flowed smoothly as Annie expressed deep thankfulness for her new living environment. She loved the flowers and birds outside her window, the friendly staff, three meals of good food—more than she could eat, and the calls she received from her remaining grown children. I soon realized, only the Spirit of God could give this woman such a thankful heart. Only the Spirit’s prompting could give her the words of encouragement she extended to me.

Judy and I had worked together for about a year. I had always appreciated her integrity and commitment to the workplace. Several months before the pandemic she had become seriously ill. At home now, she had many fears and concerns for her health and for the safety of her adult children. Her husband, being an essential worker, feared becoming infected and contaminating their home. Once again, God was faithful to provide comforting words to a family who faced many challenges because of prior health concerns.

I began to see a pattern in how people respond and how I can best communicate my love and concern, and more importantly, the love of God for them. I learned to stop, look, and listen.

STOP -- Give people enough silence to respond. Spaces within the conversation give them time to reflect and express their needs.

LOOK — Pay attention to their facial expressions, environment, and other signs of their anxiety or peace.

LISTEN — Be ready for the Holy Spirit to tell you what may be comforting, affirming, or encouraging.

The psalmist was right...

“They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast trusting in the LORD" (Psalm 112:7 NIV).

​Even as I applied these simple steps, I remembered to pray, “Lord, may my words benefit others according to the need of the moment.”

Good morning ladies and happy Veteran's Day! Thank you for your service to our country if you served in the military! It looks like a beautiful winter scene out my window this morning. A good recovery from yesterday, that's for sure. Yesterday, when I took Molly out (several times), it was literally pouring ICE! Later on it turned to snow and is very COLD so dangerous driving (and walking). It's still quite cold this morning, but the SUN is shining brilliantly through the little icicles on the trees.

Today I have a follow-up doctor's appointment at the Mayo Clinic extension in Mankato. It will be for the sore throat, which is less painful now, but still ongoing. Also, it's a first appointment for a new doctor for me. Please pray that I won't be overwhelmed. First appointments involve so much. It wears me out just thinking about it. Thank you. Since we're in Mankato.....haha, yep, we talk like this now, we need to shop for our Operation Christmas Child shoebox, go to Kohl's, and get a few of the food items for Thanksgiving.  The way that people are shopping now (at least around here), we decided to get what we need, even if it IS a little early. A funny side note: it is well-known that you use Campbell's Chicken Gumbo soup to make sloppy joes here in Minnesota. I was taught this by my Mom who grew up in Minnesota and so that is how I make them. It's been an absolute frustration since Covid started to find this soup on the shelves ANYWHERE! For months! People are hoarding it; it reminds me of the toilet paper situation. Ha! Well, just yesterday my sweet husband said he had a surprise for me. I'm thinking chocolate, but he pulled TWO cans of chicken gumbo soup out of his bag!!! Yay!!! So, it's sloppy joes tonight!  Our Governor just put new restrictions in place yesterday. So, a few things to do. What do you have going today?

Devotion

This is a sad devotion today, but also a hopeful one because we know that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live eternally with him! Have a WARM WEDNESDAY ladies!

"The Ultimate Sacrifice"
CBN Ministries, Diane Pearson

"Dear Mom and Dad,
It looks like we may go overseas for duty in two or three months. I don't think we will ever go in the fighting zone. The old saying is 'a good soldier never dies' so don't think too much about it. I'm one of the best!
Your Soldier,
Eugene"

That letter postmarked July 16, 1944, was from my husband's Uncle Gene, a 28-year-old infantryman in the Army in World War II. Unfolding that yellowed letter was like taking a 68-year step back in a time machine.

Our family was going through a difficult but necessary task when we found that letter. My mother-in-law died, so we were going through all her worldly goods, preparing to sell her house. What should be saved? What should be discarded? Even the smallest items evoked memories we didn't want to let go of, and the emotions attached to certain items were heartrending.

In one drawer, we found visitors' registers from funerals of my husband's grandparents. We found Gene's letter stuck in one of those books. My mother-in-law, Gene's sister, was his last surviving sibling, so she inherited all the papers relating to his military service.

In a large manila envelope, I found a letter from the U.S. Army dated December 7, 1944: "It is with profound regret that I confirm the recent telegram informing you of the death of your son ..." One month later a proclamation signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt awarded Gene the Purple Heart "for wounds received in action resulting in death."

Also included in his papers was a picture of a U.S. Military Cemetery where Gene was buried in Limey, France, with row upon row of white crosses stretching as far as the eye could see. A letter from the War Department states: "Here rest the remains of those heroic dead who fell together in the service of our country. It is my sincere hope that you may gain some solace from this view of the surroundings in which your loved one rests."

As I looked at that picture of those white crosses, a profound sadness came over me. I thought: That old saying, "good soldiers never die," is not true! Rain falls on the just and on the unjust! He gave the ultimate sacrifice. How can I make sense of this?
Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, wrote similarly negative words as he pondered the meaning of life. He said,

"We all share a common destiny [physical death] — the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad ..." Ecclesiastes 9:2 (NIV)

And regarding the time of death, Solomon wrote:

"No one knows when their hour will come ... men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them." Ecclesiastes 9:12 (NIV)

Solomon wrote these words around 935 B.C., nearly a millennium before the birth of Christ. The Old Testament writers had only a vague idea of life after death, but present-day believers have the gift of the New Testament. We know that physical death is followed by the promise of eternal life.

The Apostle Paul wrote,

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NIV)

Christians are instructed to live "not as those with no hope." None of us can escape physical death, but we can choose to live in eternal life when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Take comfort in the words of Jesus,

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." John 11:25-26 (NKJV)

​Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice. Our sins are forgiven because of what He did on the cross for us. Rejoice that we will be in heaven with Him.

​Good Monday morning ladies and Happy November! I hope you had a great weekend. For me, it was kind of like a roller coaster ride. A couple days of hills and valleys. I think I've mentioned to you that I've been struggling with a sore throat for about a month now. It's been a bit mysterious because the pain comes and goes. There are no other symptoms. I called my primary care doctor several weeks ago and she thought it was due to reflux which, at the time seemed like a real possibility. She put me on an extra antacid, combined with my already high dose of medication for this. This brought me no relief from the sore throat. This past Friday night I went to bed with the worst pain yet. I decided that if I woke up with the pain, I would go to Urgent Care that morning. So, that's what happened. The clinic was a branch of Mayo Clinic and the doctor that saw me was great. Very understanding and compassionate. For just a quick Urgent Care appointment, I was pleasantly surprised. We were there for at least an hour. He went through my history with me, did the usual exam, and even did bloodwork. I don't have any type of virus or infection. He tested my blood for inflammation and some of my markers were elevated. He also thought my throat had inflammation. He prescribed a medication for pain when it gets bad. I am probably having a flare of the autoimmune disease. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing anything. Better to know.

After the appointment we did our shopping and I made it to Hobby Lobby to get the yarn. Yay! It was a much longer day than originally anticipated, but still a nice day out and about.

On Sunday, we had a great message on healing and forgiveness for wounds that have taken place in our lives. At the end of the service, we were asked if we wanted prayer and annointing. I waited awhile and nobody was going forward, but I felt a nudging from God because of something the doctor had mentioned to me at Urgent Care. As we were talking everything through, he told me that the Prednisone I had been on for years had probably been the cause of my hips needing replacing at such a young age. It can cause bone deterioration. I was stunned for a few minutes because I'd been told that my autoimmune issues had caused it. Never once was I told it was due to a medication. When I think about it, I probably came across some information about the ill effects of Prednisone, but never connected the dots of what it was doing to me in that area. As I processed this through Saturday evening and into the next morning, I started to get frustrated and angry. It was all aimed at my first rheumatologist from years ago. She had handled my case so poorly in so many ways. I realized in the church service the next morning how bitter I had been about it, and how this new information was devastating to me. I can't even tell you if this medication even helped me. I've been off of it for over a year now and I don't see a difference. Anyway, regardless of mismanagement, I knew that I had to forgive this doctor. I also had to move on from it because things are the way they are now. We can't live with the "what if?" As my husband prayed for me and a friend talked with me after the service, I realized that God had used this appointment to help me move on. The doctor told me that he would recommend a new rheumatologist in the Mayo system. I will also be calling a nutritionist today to see how diet can help me on this journey. Thanks for reading all of this. Maybe it will help you in the area of forgiveness in some way. Please let me know if I can pray for you. I feel it's important to share our stories with each other. I appreciate all of you!

Devotion

This is a powerful reminder that God has put in each one of us a passion for something specific in this life. He is transforming us day by day to do this calling. Have a MEANINGFUL MONDAY ladies!

"God Calling"
CBN Ministries, Allison Johnson

“Mom, you’re different.” Kayla sat on the edge of her bed carefully arranging her stuffed animals as she prepared to snuggle into her blankets for the night.
Smiling, I reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, “Sweetie, what do you mean I’m different, different how?”

She paused thoughtfully and then surprised me by throwing her arms around my neck and whispered in her 8-year-old voice, “Mom, you’re still the same Mom I’ve always had ... you’re just different. But, it’s okay; you’re still the best Mom ever.” Kissing my cheek as she released my neck, sinking into her pillows she motioned for me to finish tucking her in.

As I turned out her light, her words echoed in my mind. I knew I was different, definitely. God had been working on my heart for a long time. I liked who I was becoming with my new outlook and felt excited about where God was leading. Walking through the rest of the house locking doors and closing blinds, I reflected on how God was moving in me. New truths about my values, and my passion had pointed me to a new way of being that ushered in a fresh feeling of freedom and contentment.

What are your values?

God created each of us with our own God-given design. These values are the foundation upon which we build our lives. Things like, living with integrity, honesty, respect, and loyalty are the basis of a value system that serves to empower us to steward our lives well. Recognizing the values He instills within us allows us to live with clarity and purpose. Knowing our values gives us the ability to partner with the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV),

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

By trusting in this promise and standing firmly upon our values, we can release ourselves from the world’s expectations of being someone we are not and instead believe the truth of who we are in Christ.

What is your passion?

Discovering our passion begins with God and it’s through this relationship that we can become a person of influence. Operating in our passion makes everything bright, meaningful, and filled with purpose. Passion is what gives us the energy to dream the impossible, believing it is possible. My passion is to encourage others to be who God intended, helping others to fulfill their potential for greatness. This passion was placed in my heart by God, just like your passion is waiting to be unlocked. Ask yourself, “Who is God calling me to serve?” And then ask God to break through the lie that says you can’t do it and instead embrace the truth of Philippians 4:13 that states so clearly that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.

A new way of being…

It takes courage to admit when we aren’t content and it feels risky to appeal to God for a new way of being. At the beginning of my own transformation, I was anything but happy and desperately wanted change. I was counseled, coached, mentored, and studied the word searching for the truth of who I was and who God intended me to be. I discovered that Christ calls each of us to seek Him because He wants to be our new way of being. Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT),

“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.”

Now, the words “You’re different Mom,” are words that fill me with the affirming truth of being in a transformational relationship with Jesus. The old has gone, the new has come. Will you let Him transform you?