My husband had traveled to the Philippines to build homes.
He volunteers once a year and travels around the world to meet the needs of others.
His dream is to build homes on every continent.
He only has Europe and Africa left to make that dream come true. (Antarctica is not on the list)

He is typically gone for two and a half weeks when he makes these trips.
It is usually the middle of winter when he does this trip.
I keep myself very busy while he’s gone.
It is a time to catch up with friends for lunch or dinner.

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When my husband is traveling, things are a bit different around the house.
My music is played a little louder.
My dinner may be a wonderful salad with every vegetable imaginable.
My errands can run a bit longer since I don’t have to rush home.

One thing that I particularly enjoy is talking out loud to God before I fall asleep.
I always feel that God is close to me, but those times of sweet conversation are precious.
I say whatever is on my heart.
I know that I am heard.

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In the TV series, Christy, based on the book by Catherine Marshall, there is a powerful scene.
It is a scene that touches on race relations and the idea of acceptance.
The characters of Haddie McCabe and Daniel Scott forged an unlikely friendship.
Haddie was white and Daniel was black in the early 1900’s in the backwoods of Tennessee.

Haddie was also blind due to an disease that tended to affect the mountain people.
Daniel stayed on the outskirts of the Cove since he was different than everyone else.
The residents of the Cove did not welcome Daniel, who was in Cutter Gap to learn to be a doctor.
He wanted to be under the tutelage of Dr. Mac Neill so he could learn to treat his own people.

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I am blessed to be asked to speak to groups of women.
Often, I will speak to groups of young mothers.
Others times, I have spoken to groups of women of various ages.
It is always a humble privilege.

Being asked to speak is one thing.
Feeling adequate to speak is another.
I can never speak in my own strength.
I need God’s help, His words, and His heart if I am to speak to any group of women.

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My husband was away on business.
I was sitting in my favorite chair reading a good book.
Everything was quiet and peaceful.
Just the right conditions for falling asleep with the book on my lap.

However, not this time.
I heard a noise and felt a vibration.
I immediately thought of a plane flying low overhead.
I went into the foyer and opened the front door.

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She handled each person expertly.
It was crowded in line so I had plenty of time to watch her interact with the people.
She was a master of small talk.
She put each of her customers at ease.

Two women were ahead of me.
The one who was being waited on was buying baby gifts.
The cashier was complimenting her on her choices.
When was the baby born? She asked as she scanned each of her items.

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We all struggle with distraction from time to time.
I tend to be focused but I can get lost in the family pictures and find that an hour has gone by.
When I search for a quote in a book, I will sit there rereading passages for far too long.
If I go through my closet to make a give away pile, I pull out old clothes and try them on.

Distractions.

Any teacher can tell you that it is painful to watch a child that struggles with distraction.
Their inability to focus hinders their learning.
Teachers are always looking for strategies to help a child focus on the task at hand.
One such strategy is the personal office.

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Even when my children are not here at home, I still close their blinds at night.
There is something about the routine of that simple act that comforts me.
It allows me to walk into their rooms and think of them.
It allows me to pray for them at that very moment.

Closing their blinds is a prayer trigger.
We need those in our day.
We all have our concentrated times of prayer.
Maybe we talk to God on our walk, or in the car, or at the beach when we feel so small.

Prayer triggers are so important.
They are little serendipitous reminders to lift someone before the Lord.

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Mom, I’m right down the road.
Do you want to see my hair?
My daughter was a bridesmaid in a wedding this past weekend.
She had her hair styled for the occasion.

Of course! I can’t wait to see it! I said, hoping she would catch my excitement.
I can’t come in, she said; I have to head over to get ready so meet me on the driveway. Within minutes, she was pulling into the driveway.
She was out of the car and I hugged her.

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Going for your walk? my husband asked as he left for work.
I am, I said knowing I would walk after he pulled out of the driveway.
I got myself together, gathered some mail that needed to be put in our mailbox and left.
It was a lovely morning, cool before the humidity set in and sunny enough for sunglasses.

I set out to walk the hill first.
When I got to the top of the hill, there was a lawn service truck.
I see this man faithfully cutting neighbor’s lawns each week.
We both smiled and said, Hi, to each other.

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