Picket Fences

Our women's ministry just finished a study. A question really stood out to me. " You're still standing, aren't you ?" I mentally took a step back to take a good look at this question. "Yeah," I nodded. "I am still standing." But I think the real question is, "How am I standing?" Here on the day of the big "FIVE - O" birthday, that's a pretty huge question. There are quite a few ways I could stand. In the pain from the past, unforgiveness, self-medicated, bitter, worse yet with gaping heart sores oozing with, well...I'm not going to gross you out. Or... forgiven, bruised, scarred, strengthened, wiser, and able to forgive what has been. Life is so tough. If you are sailing through, count your blessings, but many haven't and are not sailing through. A day can start with the sun shining through a slit of your curtain. The birds chirping a song and your heart is singing along. Great hair day, bills paid, food on the t...

What do we do, when those we love are gone? Whether they walk out of our life by choice or death? Or we find ourselves walking away. When our dreams disappear? When we hurt so bad we barely can make it through the minutes of the day? Ever wonder why life seems unfair? Anger, hurt, betrayal loom on the horizon of the heart. A tear is waiting to drop. Blink, blinked away. There has to be something, someone, who will fix what isn't right in life. Hands reach for what will medicate the pain. Or cling to a person, who seems to be the answer. I've stood where darkness surrounds me. Pain rudely tramples down the walls, I built around my heart. Illness isolates. Goodbye is not by choice. A dream blows in the wind. I've cried in the black of the night, loneliness of the day. Pain searing through my whole being with no answer seemingly in sight. One day I pushed through the curtain of religion. Peered into a well of life. So misunderstood by my circumstances. I found a hand catching...

I want to say thank you to each person who has served in the military for our country. You made yourself available to protect not only our freedom, but other countries. I can't tell you what that means to me and other Americans. I love living in America. Thank you and may God bless you and surround you with love.

What a day we had Saturday! Our Brownie and Girl Scout Troop had a planned food drive to pick up donations for a local family shelter. In the heavy rain and ever increasing growing mud puddles, I had the privledge to watch two girls go from house to house, knock on doors and ask for donations. Although cold, tired and wet they not only perservered, they pushed on with excitement and smiles. It was awesome to watch their reaction whenever food was put in their hands. Once it was brought to the vehicle off they would race to the next house. The people in the neighborhood were very generous. We decided to stop knocking on doors when it began to thunder and lightning. Afterward, we met down at the shelter. I was amazed at the amount of food the entire troop had accumulated. Soaked and hungry the girls proceeded downstairs to stock the shelves with the food they collected with no complaints! Tears spring to my eyes at the memory of those faithful young girls working as a team to stock those...

I have to tell you, the past week I was able to store up some very special memories. My brother-in-law came home on leave from Iraq and we had an early Thanksgiving. Also, my husbands parents came to town and another brother-in-law got married. And yesterday we got to celebrate my sisters housewarming. During this recession, God allowed her to have a new home built. Family and friends gathered together throughout the week for different celebrations. I can still hear their laughter and see the smiles as I sip on my coffee today. God's word says to meditate on things that are true, holy, pure, just, praiseworthy, knowledgeable and of good report. Sometimes we have to look hard to focus on those things, but I've found it's definitely worth the look.