Heart To Heart

 I have learned a couple of things from the recent, unprecedented wild fires that surrounded our valley - as well as a great deal of the west coast.   Here's an official list of things to focus on... But, besides this "get you started" list of things to think about, I found a couple of surprises as we sheltered evacuees last month. Maybe keep an extra pair of underwear in your car.  People who left with just the clothes on their back talked about this dilemma (after about 3 days!).  And, when you are donating underwear, new is super appreciated!  Imagine having all that you own destroyed, and looking through donated items (not all, but much of which were things the donor would never wear in a million years).  The feeling of "this is good enough for you cuz you don't have anything" is not a nurturing, encouraging feeling.  The look in one women's eyes when we found a package of new underwear - just her size - was really, really great! And, then we found...

Part of my heritage is early on-set of grey-white hair.  My dad was grey by 19.  My sister was white in her 20's.  She had always been blond, so it was an easy fix for her when she preferred blond.  My mom stopped dying her hair at 88, I think.   I started covering my grey in my 20's, which was a looooong time ago.   I have a list of really committed friends who promised to come in and cover my roots with a sharpie if I was ever in a coma for any length of time.   White hair is hard to cover, and is seen easily when it's not regularly maintained.   (I wonder how many people are still reading this blog entry at this point...) Enter COVID19 quarantine......and today..... Today I begin the process of growing out my white hair.  The real me will become very, very evident. Ashley (my heart friend and hair stylist) did her thing...this first step....we washed and toweled dried and she turned me around and .... I cried. I cried at not seeing my root...

Did you know that blessings come in all shapes and forms and ways?  -Yep Did you know that you have a choice whether or not to accept something as a "blessing" or not? -Yep Did you know that grief is not one size fits all, but the process is needed and necessary? - Yep So, here's a weird thing.  It's been a little over a month since my sister died and I have the feeling that I should be over it by now, passed it,  processed through it already, for Pete's sake.  I would never ask that of someone else, but because of all the strangeness of our lives with Covid19, I seem to be asking that of myself.  For heaven's sake, she's so much happier and freer and painfree and free to laugh without oxygen now......get over the grief.   But, on the other hand...grief is evidence of loss, of love, of life.   My weird blessings... Getting to fly with no one sitting next to me on all the flights it took to get me to Cincinnati and back to M...

2020 - the year I honestly thought we'd be living like the Jetsons.  Flying around in our space cars.  Having our meals happen instantly.  Every house having a robot maid named Rosie.  No one is overweight or has bad hair days. Meet George Jetson - His boy, Elroy  - daughter, Judy, Jane - his wife (theme song is running through my head) Their dog's name is Astro BUT, I'm still washing floors and scrubbing toilets and riding in a car with wheels on the ground and trying to figure out what to make for dinner with no help from "Rosie" Instead - 2020 started out with head lice (which Dennis really enjoyed being a part of.  He takes that little metal comb very seriously).  And, then - a series of infections in and around my eyes, a reaction to the antibiotic drops.... I can go into more detail if you want, but you don't, so I won't. Expectations.  They have two sides. "Without a vision, the people parish" - Prov 29:1...

His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.  Luke 1:50 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.” 2 Samuel 24:14 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.   Luke 6:36 ...He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  Titus 3:5 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Matt. 20:30 We live in a very entitled culture.  Even in the Church I see some of this sense of entitlement.  It's almost like God should feel lucky if we decide to live for Him.  It breaks my heart for more than one reason.   Without a clear sense of our need for the MERCY o...

I can't honestly remember who I heard this bit of wisdom from originally, but the thought of it is so strongly in my mind I'm going to try to share it... Know when you're vulnerable.  Be aware of what makes your heart and mind wander - of what makes your texts or social media posts or conversations sound short, abrupt or snarky. Know when you should not make huge decisions, or when the thoughts you are rehearsing in your mind are not TRUTH, even though they might make sense at the moment - or, feel very real. The easy pattern that I'm thinking about right now is - H.A.L.T. If you're feeling that snippy, snarky, stinky attitude creeping in, ask yourself... ~am I H ungry? ~am I A ngry? ~am I L onely? ~am I T ired? These are basic needs that your body, emotions and spirit will be effected by. Of course, you know I'm going to say - "LOOK UP!"  Lean into God, instead of leaning away from Him when you feel stinky.  Let His heart fill your he...

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 Last night we had a set aside time for prayer at our church.  Each time we meet it looks different.  This time, the instruction was to pray alone (for the most part).  If someone had a scripture, or particular word or prayer direction they were to go to a microphone and share what was on their heart. After about 30 minutes I found myself walking up to mic.  I could hear the words (in my heart), 'come boldly to the throne' - but it felt like I was standing in front of a judge.  Pleading for friends and family that so need healing in various areas of life.  Immense needs.  Needs only a HUGE God can speak Life into.   And then...I heard myself praying out loud for the young lady (pedestrian) that I hit with my car three weeks ago.  She was cited.  She was injured.   The police say I cou...