Mar
19
2024

A Little Boy As He Waited

I found myself in a waiting room last week.
The wait was not long, but it did allow me to people watch a bit.
For me, that is a wonderful way to pass the time.
There is such scope for the imagination, as Anne Shirley of Green Gables would say.

I purposely keep my phone in my pocketbook.
It is amazing that this is the first thing most people do when they are waiting.
I see it in the grocery store line.
I see it in a doctor or dentist’s office.

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Mar
12
2024

The Long Cord

Posted in Daily Living | 6 Comments

I do something which my husband does not understand.
I can tell that it bothers him.
Even my oldest daughter finds it strange.
I do not wrap the vacuum cord around the handle like it is designed to do.

I vacuum often and find it annoying to have to stop and unravel the long cord.
When I am finished vacuuming, I simply take the cord and make large loops with my hand.
I hang the lightly looped cord over the handle.
The next time I have to vacuum, the cord is easily plugged into the wall.

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Mar
5
2024

Sugar Trail

It was my food shopping day.
I usually go to the grocery store in the morning.
However, this day, my husband and I went out to breakfast with friends.
I knew that I would go to the grocery store in the afternoon.

Every week, I could easily call my grocery order into the store.
Of course, there are variations, but often, I am replenishing the same items.
I am restocking my pantry.
Mostly, I am buying fresh fruits and vegetables that get eaten far too quickly.

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Feb
27
2024

The Gift Of Reading

Posted in Discipleship | 4 Comments

It was another Grandma day.
I picked up my oldest granddaughter from school at noon.
She is in kindergarten and goes half day, three days a week, and all day, the other two days.
She ran out of school and gave me a big hug, which of course, warmed my heart.

I had a little snack ready for her in the car.
I was driving her back to our house so she could have lunch with Grandma and Pop-Pop.
I always let her choose the music we listen to as we drive.
This day, she wanted to talk, and talk she did…all the way home.

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Feb
20
2024

A Bit Of Negotiating

Posted in Prayer | Leave a comment

When my children were young, there were always little surprises on special days.
Valentine’s Day presents were especially fun.
My husband would send a bouquet of flowers for me with five balloons attached.
He would choose a balloon for each child, knowing which one they would enjoy.

Those balloons were usually tied to the bottom of their bed.
With cathedral ceilings in areas, it was wise to keep the balloons in a room with low ceilings.
Getting the balloons on Valentine’s Day is something they remember fondly.
Now, it’s time for Grandma to think of the next generation.

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Feb
13
2024

Banners In The Sky

I am not a beach person per se.
That is a strange truth considering the fact that our entire family goes to the beach each year.
Perhaps it is the fact that we are all together that makes this time so special.
It is not the sun and sand that call to me.

Being Irish and fair skinned, my time at the beach is under the umbrella with lots of sunscreen.
None of us come home with a tan.
A few of us come home, despite our efforts to the contrary, with some sunburn.
Sun kissed rather than sun baked is fine with me.

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Feb
6
2024

The Castle Park

Posted in Faith | Leave a comment

When my children were small, I looked for opportunities to do fun things together.
It was important that those fun things didn’t cost a lot of money.
Discretionary income was not used on frivolities, since there was a budget to consider.
However, fun things could be done that often didn’t cost anything.

Going to the library was a weekly excursion they enjoyed.
Sometimes, getting ice cream after going to the library was the thing to do.
Usually, the place that brought the most joy was right down the street from the library.
My children affectionately called that place, the castle park.

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Jan
30
2024

Telegraphing

I have been listening to Louisa May Alcott’s books.
I had read Little Women when I was in school and re read it a few years ago.
Hearing the books, read in their entirety, was a special experience.
Obviously, the stories take place in a different era, but there are many similarities.

Listening to Little Men, Old Fashioned Girl, and Rose in Bloom, I enjoyed the characters.
Women are women, despite the era.
Friendships are deep, when they are based on the things that matter.
Friendships are superficial when they are based on frivolous things.

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Jan
23
2024

The Audience Of One

Posted in Worship | Leave a comment

I watched him at church.
I caught his movements out of the corner of my eye.
He was way off to the right in the front of the sanctuary.
I noticed his exuberance.

An upbeat worship song was being sung by all of us.
I watched as his hands orchestrated.
I watched as his arms kept the beat of the drums.
I watched as he punctuated the sky with a, pow, on the last drumbeat.

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Jan
16
2024

Little Feet Under The Piano

Posted in Evangelism | 4 Comments

My son sent a text to the family.
He was telling all of us that his four-and-a-half year old daughter was taking piano lessons.
Her teacher is a young woman with an obvious love of both children and music.
Lessons are basic and introductory, but the motivation to learn to play is there.

My son and daughter-in-love are very musical.
Music is always heard in their house.
Their two daughters cannot help but be surrounded by it.
They are catching their Mommy and Daddy’s enthusiasm and the sheer joy of music.

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