Leaving A Trail of Beauty

Light and darkness. My favorite time of day on both ends of the spectrum is when those first slight streaks of daylight begin to break through the darkness, and the converse of it found in the very last moments of light left before the entire landscape is engulfed in velvety blackness. I love the hope found in light splitting through the darkness and awakening a new day. I admire all creation staying hushed until daybreak as well, instinctively knowing the signal comes along with that rhythmic rising of the sun. The end of the day has its charm in my heart, too. I find it endlessly satisfying to watch the sunset and see the stars emerge twinkling amidst the growing inkiness of the nighttime sky. Unique as the number of days in existence, the colors and display are ever-changing. Yet the cyclical nature of it brings comfort and peace. Both the light and the darkness find their home with God. He spoke and they did His bidding. Until He called light into existence, darkness cov

Whatever it is, whatever you have planned or are afraid to plan. That dream? You know the one. Yes, that one. The one you whisper in hushed tones to yourself or when you think no one is paying attention. God hears you. He’s the One who planted that dream in your heart. He’s the Master Gardener, and He is tending that dream for you--especially when you feel like you’ve run out of everything it takes to make that dream happen on your own. See, it was NEVER meant to be that way. Take your hands off your dreams. Yes, you CAN have more than one! Take your hands and open them. Loosen your grip and lay the pen down. You are NOT writing your own story or fulfilling your own dreams! Back to our verse for today, I need not grow weary in doing good. In due season, I will reap if I don’t give up. Friend, are you at all like me? Do you get tired of doing the “good” thing? Do you find some days you just want to make bad choices and throw caution to the wind because it just doesn’t matter anyway? Th

( a time to intentionally redirect my gaze and give testimony to the ways God blesses me) How is God filling my tank this week?  Freedom: I take it for granted way too often, but I am deeply proud and blessed to be an American. I am grateful for the men who signed the document all those years ago to intentionally set forth a different kind of place for people to live free. Have their ideals and convictions been compromised in more ways than I can enumerate here today? Absolutely. However, I still sit here in my home today, with the freedom to open my laptop and write what I want, when I want, and hit "PUBLISH"  for you to read when you want. Lots of our freedoms are still intact, and I am grateful. Fans: The heat of summer has been steady and steamy this week. I am extremely grateful for fans, both the ceiling kind and the portable tower one I've been toting around my house to whatever room I am currently using. At the moment it oscillates at the foot of m

The BEACH.  My solace.  My refuge.  The place my heart soars and my soul is at rest.  Don't get me wrong. I find beauty in every single day. I see God's power and majesty on a regular basis in the mundane and the extravagant. He is visible all around me when I take the time to intentionally look around and acknowledge His presence.  Yet at the beach, I stand at the water's edge and watch the methodical lapping of the waves against the shore. Or in stark contrast, I find myself in awe of the pounding of the wild and gusty surf during a storm.  The powerful hand of my God moves the entire ocean, and it shoots sand and salty spray into my eyes -- chafing my skin and sending shocks of exhilaration into my heart. I am thrilled at His power and majesty so visible. The same power that propels the water to the shore and pounds the coastline with such unrelenting vigor is what alters my other very favorite past time at the beach.  I am a sheller. From my very f

God gets my attention through repetition. How about you? What I am continuing to discover in my almost four-decade "expotition" with my friend Jesus is He knows I don't usually get His lessons for me the first go-round. He repeats. He puts out virtual road signs.  Sometimes He puts out literal road signs to garner my attention and my gaze. He has specific Scripture rise to the surface again and again. He puts a word in my path and writes it in all capital letters EVERYWHERE so I can't possibly miss it. Silence has been the most recent. Jesus gave me almost a month of an empty nest to foster an atmosphere of solitude and silence. He has brought any number of lessons across my path to reinforce His message for this season.  My life has been filled with noise outside my head for decades and self-imposed noise for far longer. How do I avoid silence? How do you? Music Television Internet surfing Reaching out to others rather

( a time to intentionally redirect my gaze and give testimony to the ways God blesses me) How is God filling my tank this week?  I am serving at VBS for the first time in eight years, and it has been a true pleasure. My crafty heart is in its element amongst paint, glue, crayons, colored pasta, and pom poms. I've met some wonderful ladies who have served alongside me, and we have shared the message that no matter what comes their way -- at age 3, 4, or 5 -- God is good. The same is true for me. When life isn't fair . . . God is good! When life is scary . . . God is good! When life changes . . . God is good! When life is sad . . . God is good! When life is good . . . God is good! Life DOES get wild, and through it all . . . God is GOOD!  I am thankful to have friends who will vouch for me on a moment's notice. The depth of friendship is boundless, and I am blessed beyond measure in longevity and quality. Summer breezes. I am so thankful for the early morning