I know this sounds strange but this actually is a very profound statement. It’s so true of me.

Let me ask you a question. Do you ever have a rush of thoughts that flit around your mind like a flurry of snowflakes whirling in the wind on a wintry day? Such flashes of elusive thoughts are hard to capture in your head, so I find it helpful to write them down and organize into some form of meaningful expression.

As a writer, I do it all the time! I call it creative writing!! I convert higgledy-piggledy thoughts from my head into written words to make more sense of them. Then, after reading those words, I can clarify precisely what I was thinking. Make sense?

Try it sometime!!

I snapped this scene with a screen shot from my iPhone. It’s the view of our sunny deck at the ranch, as revealed by my security camera app. A sense of calm rushes through me at the serene sight. Though not physically there, the image helps me recapture the sense of peace I feel whenever I am at Whispering Oaks Ridge. There, nestled away in the countryside, surrounded by nature’s beauty, my soul rests. I find solace. An unspoken assurance conveys a clear message that all will be well. Continue reading →

I awaken this morning at dusk to a steel-grey sky that shrieks of icy coldness. It’s dull and dreary, and as I approach the back door, the frigid temperature from outside permeates the glass, wafting me with a blast of cool air. The patio, clothed in a fresh layer of ice, confirms Winter is with us still. I shudder as a deep sense of impending gloom steals over me.

With a steaming hot cup of tea in hand, I settle in to read my daily devotional, but am immediately chilled by the opening sentence. “You will be wounded” says the author, referring to spiritual warfare—not a new concept to me, I’ve faced those attacks in the past. Nevertheless, a clear reminder that evil is an ever-present danger in our world. Continue reading →

Good morning! As daylight breaks and brightness fills the lower meadow announcing morning has broken, the waning moon fades into the frostiness of a pale sky. I never tire of the beauty of nature, the contrasts of morning and evening, and the freshness that accompanies each sunrise and sunset, especially those at the ranch. I recall this beautiful passage …….

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.  —Psalm 143:8

We live in troubling times. I pray today your heart is filled with eternal hope.

Tranquility. The welcome stillness where peace reigns. A reawakening of the soul and a powerful sense of belonging. Does your heart yearn for those precious moments?

I lean on the deck bannister watching deer graze beneath the oak trees. Even the whispering oaks are silent. I am struck by the serenity of it all. Golden rays of evening sunlight beam swaths of brightness across the meadow, transforming the cool wintry tones into warm autumnal hues. The scene is transcendent, like something from a painting. For a fleeting moment time stands still. It is magical. Continue reading →