We had a dead bat in our basement.
It has happened before.
It happened many years ago in the house we lived in before our current home.
I thought it was a one time thing.

I remember that winter morning.
I woke up and got dressed before the children were awake.
The house was very cold.
Something was wrong.

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I love cold weather.
People go down to Florida to get away from the cold; I embrace it.
I love to walk in the cold.
I always feel more alive.

I have my walking coat that I have had for years.
The zipper pull actually broke off last year.
I had it replaced at the dry cleaners.
I could not bear to replace that coat, since I love it like a worn pair of jeans.

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Do you remember the old refrigerator boxes?
Those boxes provided hours of play for my children.
Those boxes became all the things their imagination could create.
Those boxes seem to be a thing of the past.

Appliances still come in boxes.
Stores sometimes offer lower prices for appliances which are out of the box.
However, those that are in the box come into your home already unpacked.
The boxes remain on the delivery truck.

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I have been struggling with a cold for the past week.
I do not have much of a voice when I speak.
Sadly, I am not able to sing.
It has been a week of much needed rest.

My two-year-old granddaughter was here for the weekend.
What a joy it is to have my grandchildren here.
I use the word, joy, when I describe my family.
It is not cliche.

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This Whisper was originally published on February 23, 2016.
I am republishing it because a sweet picture of a little boy and his sister reminded me.
I use the precious picture with permission.
May there be more chivalrous protectors.

I had an early morning appointment and I needed to silence my cell phone.
As I was getting ready to leave, I put my purse and my coat in my lap.
I could feel my phone vibrating.
I wondered whether it was a call, a text, or a reminder.

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Every so often, I clean the outside of my kitchen cabinets with Murphy’s Oil Soap.
I love the smell.
I love how clean the cabinet doors look.
I love the way the wood shines.

I decided to wipe the front of all my cabinets early in the morning.
I got out my bucket and put just a bit of Murphy’s Oil Soap in the bottom.
I put warm water in the bucket, filling it only half way.
I got an old towel from the rag bag.

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You could feel the excitement in the air.
It was palpable.
We had prepared for this day for months.
Six of us had prayed, and planned, and waited.

It was the first day of women’s Bible study at church.
It was the first day that a homeschool co-op was going to be joining us.
While the children were in their classrooms, the moms were studying God’s Word together.
It was time to meet these women for whom we had been praying.

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I have a cute little bistro table and chair set on my porch.
It has been used more times than I can count.
It is a place for a friend and I to have a cup of tea and talk.
It is a place to sit and watch the birds that are always nearby.

My side porch has a wonderful server table that is next to the bistro set.
It is a perfect place to put a pitcher of iced tea and some delicious baked goods.
It is also the place that the squirrels decide to use to crack open nuts they have stored away.
I find the open shells and debris everywhere.

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I was on a search for a patio umbrella.
With the changes happening to our deck, it was time to freshen up some other things as well.
I wanted to keep the same hexagonal glass top table and the same chairs.
However, I wanted to change the tan color of the metal table to black.

My husband worked on it over the weekend.
It looks like a brand new table.
The umbrella was the only thing I wanted to buy new.
You would think it would be easy to find a nine foot patio market umbrella.

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We have so many books in our home.
Upstairs, on the bridge, which overlooks the foyer and family room, is Grandma’s library.
That is what I call this special place.
Three large, overstuffed bookshelves, and a comfy oversized chair with an ottoman, are there.

Grandma’s library contains all the books I read to my own children.
Grandma’s library contains many books that I purchased for my grandchildren.
It is a cozy spot.

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