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 →

No, just the people who inhabit it. They are a little off kilter. Well, some of them.

My blog posts have taken a backseat recently while I focus full attention on my father’s WWII memoirs. I am really enjoying organizing what he has written into a manuscript, editing (minimal) and rereading his stories, and deciding which photographs are appropriate to include. I am writing chapters to insert as back stories for additional information and clarification to what he wrote.

So, what do my dad’s memoirs have to do with the crazy world today? Actually, quite a lot! Continue reading →

Our beautiful world is a crazy place right now! Have you noticed?

There’s so much going on all around the globe these days, it’s nigh impossible to keep up with it all. With the pandemic still a threat and world economies struggling from extended shutdowns, did we really need the additional natural disasters of hurricanes, floods and rampant fires?

Then there’s the human factor. The social injustice protesting, the looting, the widespread violence in major cities, and the most divisive and derisive general election in the history of the United States is ramping up to a crescendo. 

The Life and Times of now are challenging, do you agree? Continue reading →

How many times have you heard someone describe another person as being like salt?  

Growing up, I heard that expression many times from my grandmother about someone she considered to be an upstanding, down-to-earth person of integrity who was honest and reliable. She would say something like, “He’s a good sort—the very salt of the earth!” Of course, I later realized that the saying originated in the bible, quoted from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. 

In my bible, a present from my grandfather, he inscribed, “let your light shine forth.” I expect you hear similar words spoken today that encourage you to shine your light.

“You are the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5:13
“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

I have had plenty of time during the three or four months of Covid-19 lockdowns to digest the tragic loss of life in the pandemic, and to observe the troubling acts of violence, looting, and blatant disregard for law and order. I have seen anarchists claim autonomous zones in cities, while authorities stand back and do nothing. Things are chaotic. Those who read my blog regularly, or who have read my book My Soul Sings for You, understand what I mean when I refer to the life and times of now—the beautiful, crazy, but often worrying, time of life in which we find ourselves today. We are in it—up to our necks! I have had cause to evaluate what is taking place in the world. Continue reading →