Heart To Heart

I so wanted to load a song I heard last week so you could hear it. (I couldn't get it to load.) But, it goes to the tune of "Are You Sleeping? (..also known as Frere Jacque...)  Never, ever play with matches If you do, if you do You could burn your house down You could burn your house down That won't do, that won't do! It was one of the little Webber's preschool spring program songs. They also sang such hits as "Deep and Wide", and a 4 year old round of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" - and 6 other songs! THE BEST! The match song was especially meaningful to me because one of our sons had a life-long love of fire. Even built a kiln for his senor project for GPHS. He built that kiln in our garage - through all stages of trial and error. We've had home made potato launchers, many adaptations of fireworks - and really - he burned his eyebrows off enough times that it's amazing he HAS eyebrows at all. Some of these activities were...

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters Chapter I I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost... I am hopeless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. Chapter II I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I  pretend  I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in this same place. But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.   Chapter III I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I  see  it there. I still fall in... it's a habit... but, my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is  my  fault. I get out immediately.   Chapter IV I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. Chapter V I walk down another street. - Portia Nelson

                                                                                                                                    Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;                          my hope comes from Him.     He alone is my Rock and my Salvation;                         He is my Fortress I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God;                         He is my Mighty Rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people;   ...

(Just want you to know that I could hear the MOAN from some of you..) 10.  He's clean, and He cleans. 9.  He's not afraid to try new things (like scuba diving or one of my new cooking attempts  - equally      life threatening) 8.  He gets that I love shoes 7.  The opinion he values the most is God's opinion 6.  He WANTS me to flourish, and prays for it to be so 5.  He fixes stuff 4.  He hugely believes in our kids, and delights in our grandkids 3.  He's a really great kisser 2.  He's a champion for the abused woman, and the neglected child 1.  He's shown me how Jesus loves

Yesterday's Super Bowl will be marked in my memory by yet another cat trying to jump onto my head.  I've written about that before - how my head seems to attract the activity of cats - but this time it had an unusual (!) element. We were at the home of friends, enjoying the game with several people as well as the family cat - who had sniffed and investigated me, but had seemed pretty bored with what she found.  I thought I was cleared.  It's like the feeling I have when I make it through security at an airport!   And then came the twist.  My friend Debbie SAID TO THE CAT, "Do you want to jump on Jeanette's head?"  At which time, the cat walked around the recliner, jumped from the floor to the top of the chair and swatted at my head.   Really?  The cat took my friend Debbie's suggestion??????  It was just weird. My reason for sharing this with you is this... The responsibility of care for my elderly parents,  the re...

There are some things that most people have an opinion about... Toilet paper (Personally, I’m for it) - single or two-ply? Licorice - black or red?  Coconut seems to cause some division -water, oil, milk or butter?  Lima beans, peas, and cooked spinach - also seems to draw some discussion.  Gluten?  Red meat?  Mother's milk?   Seems to be less people wearing pajamas at home but more people wearing pajamas at Walmart - where do you stand on pajama wearing? Style, length and volume of worship at church can get the words going. How about being put on hold, having to go through 85 automated cues, having the real person not be able to help you and then ending the call with the famous, “can I help you with anything else today” statement? I could go on with the things that people feel strongly about (just off the top of my head) but I’m not gonna... What if we felt strongly about loving each other?  What if the message of our a...

It was my Sunday to lead worship this morning. I did something I rarely do - I led what I personally needed to declare. Usually, my M.O. is to lead on behalf of the fellowship. Today I felt permission to lead from a more personal place. "Every Move I Make I Make in You" - Don't even remember the last time I led that song - it involves La-la's and I'm not a La-la'er! But, when I walk into my parents accommodations these days I feel the definite need to know that I'm not alone - and... that I'm not failing when I can't fix them - and... there is a way to do this with joy. I am definitely not the one in control of life. In my heart I sang over my friend who goes in for a biopsy tomorrow morning. A tumor on her liver. Lord, what happens in the realm we cannot see when we sing Your song loud and strong? "You are good and Your love endures forever." We declare Your Goodness, Lord, in the lives of those we love and are contending f...