May
2
2023

The Puppet

Posted in Faith | Leave a comment

They came upstairs from the basement.
Two of my granddaughters were giggling as they came into the family room.
We’re going to have a puppet show, they said excitedly.
My oldest daughter had the puppet on her hand.

This is not an ordinary hand puppet.
This is the kind of puppet that has a metal rod attached to one of its hands.
My daughter positioned herself behind the loveseat.
My granddaughters sat near the fireplace to get a bird’s eye view.

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Apr
25
2023

That Kind Of Encouragement

Posted in Discipleship | 2 Comments

There are nine of them.
Nine young moms in a Bible study group.
Nine young moms I lead in discussion.
Nine young moms who are in my phone contacts with praying hands next to their name.

We have been together for two years of Bible study.
They all have young children.
If truth be told, the total number of children far outnumber us.
We have all grown so close as our lives are shared.

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Apr
18
2023

A Similar Greeting

I went to a large high school.
There were 4,000 students in the entire school.
There were 1,000 students in my graduating class.
Only the first student and the last student were named at our actual graduation ceremony.

All the students in between those two names were graduated on the spot, en masse.
We all threw our hats in the air at the outdoor ceremony.
And just like that, four years were completed.
And just like that, many of us went on to college.

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Apr
11
2023

The Shape Behind The Blinds

Posted in Faith | 4 Comments

My son, daughter-in-love, and two granddaughters were here for the weekend.
They came a few days before Easter.
It was lovely to have the extra time with all of them.
My oldest granddaughter came through the back kitchen door with a wide smile on her face.

Hi, Grandma, she said happily after knocking on the door, which is too heavy for her to open.
I’m sleeping over at your house! She said joyfully.
You are, I agreed.
I’m so excited about that! I said and I meant it.

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Apr
4
2023

Where Did They Go?

Posted in Holy Week | 2 Comments

I sat in church a few Sundays ago and witnessed a baptism.
What joy when someone comes to faith in the Lord Jesus and makes a public testimony.
What a privilege to witness their obedience to the Lord Jesus and be baptized in His name.
To be buried with Him in His death and be raised with Him to new life.

The baptismal pool is in the front of our church.
It is under the wooden cross.
The pool itself is behind a low wall.
The person being baptized is seen from the waist up to any of us sitting in the congregation.

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Mar
28
2023

Hand Painted Basket

Posted in Family Life | 2 Comments

I enjoy switching the seasonal decorations around my house.
Little touches here and there that help set the tone for the particular time of year.
The seasonal flag outside on of our garage doors gets changed frequently.
There is something comforting in the rhythm of the seasons.

Easter decorations are out now.
Bunches of silk forsythia in a large vase just beg to be touched to see if they’re real.
Heavy porcelain eggs in a special dish purchased many years ago, are on the dining room table.
Adorable rustic bunnies, on my Hoosier cabinet, were made by a Mennonite woman.

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Mar
21
2023

Roundabout Way

Posted in Salvation | 2 Comments

It was my husband’s birthday weekend.
To have a birthday on St. Patrick’s Day, and have the last name of Gallagher, is quite special.
He and I celebrated his birthday on his actual day.
The following day we had a family dinner.

We had seen our son and daughter-in-love, who live in Virginia, the weekend before.
We always FaceTime anyone who is not physically here.
It helps make sure that everyone is included.
How our grandchildren love to “help” blow out the birthday candles.

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Mar
14
2023

Bought Back People

Posted in Salvation | 2 Comments

I am so glad that I saved most of my children’s toys.
They are still in great shape.
They have been well loved and well used.
They are now the toys of the next generation.

My grown children are nostalgic when they see certain toys come out again.
There is the bin that has all the little figures from Happy Meals back in the day.
Muppets, Fraggles, Sesame Street characters, and Berenstain Bears.
Winnie the Pooh, Princesses, Little Bear, and even Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe figures.

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Mar
7
2023

Can You Fix It?

Posted in Salvation | 2 Comments

It was a sleepover at Grandma’s house this past weekend.
We had three of our grandchildren here, Friday afternoon until Saturday after dinner.
Favorite toys were set up in the family room.
The gates were placed near the front stairs for our one-year-old grandson who loves to climb.

Our two granddaughters, his sisters, love to ring the doorbell when they arrive.
It doesn’t matter that the garage is open for the entire family to come inside.
They like to ring the doorbell because they like to surprise me that they are here.
Of course, an Academy Award performance on my part is in order.

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Feb
28
2023

Ear Buds

I am an auditory learner.
I truly remember everything I hear.
Perhaps that is why Whispers are so important to me.
I pay close attention to the sounds around me.

I am not always good at remembering names.
I wish I was better at that skill.
However, I do remember everything I have talked about in conversation with someone.
I remember all the details and minutia that others have long forgotten.

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