Funny How Things Work Out

Five years ago a house in our neighborhood had a sign in the front yard that the house and the contents would be auctioned off. I went and looked through everything and thought it looked promising and planned on attending. It was canceled. Two years again there was a neighborhood garage sale and there I was standing in the driveway talking to the male owner about the books he had for sale and how impressed I was with the deck on the front of his home. We had a good visit and I left.

Yesterday I drove back to our old neighborhood hoping to find this man at home to ask if I could take pictures of his deck. Low and behold as "fate" would have it, he was walking toward the road as I pulled it. He said I would be more than welcome to take pictures and to please go around and see the one in the back also. About this time his wife joins us and he explains to her what I am doing there. We took off and she started telling me about her journey. I loved hearing all about it. She had got to thinking about five years ago that if something happened to her husband (they were in their 60's then) that she could not take care of the farm, the animals and all of the acreage. They decided to go for a drive......they saw the auction sign, walked the property, called the auctioneer, went through the house and wrote out a check. He canceled the auction. They sold the farm, moved into the house and remodeled like crazy. She told me about putting in a new kitchen and all that she got into. She planted pines in the back that are already taller than the house. She can see no houses from her back yard and has made an oasis. Her slice of heaven. Her eyes sparkled, she is full of life and living. Oh, how she inspired me. She is ready to buy another house down the street and flip it when the market improves. She allowed me to takes pictures all around but they don't do justice to the scenes. And my description of her doesn't even come close. 71 years young and planning and hoping and dreaming and by George....doing.....full of vim and vigor and joy. Isn't that what God had in mind??

Welcome To Spring 2011!

Welcome To Spring
By: Terri Burton




This winter seemed particularly long to me. I counted the weeks, the days until surely spring would arrive. During the counting and the dreariness I remembered a long ago day 40 years ago in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My husband and I were just coming home from church and pulling into our driveway. Our first born was a precocious four year old little girl who was already reading Nancy Drew hardback books. As we stopped the car she asked a question, “Mommy, may I wander over and marvel at the flowers?” I was pretty use to her speaking in such a formal way but sometimes I wondered if she knew what she really meant. So I asked her. She replied in an assured voice, “to look at with awe and amazement!”. I laughed and replied that she certainly could.

Isn’t that what we do every spring? We simply look at God’s creation with awe and amazement and our hearts rejoice. Thanks be to children that remind us. Thanks be to God for all.

When I Am Nervous, Thank You For Peace!

That is what I was telling myself as I cooked a huge pot of chili, cleaned the house and baked brownies. There was 8-12 women coming to my house in just a few hours. I would like everything to be perfect....it could not be....it never is.....I am not either...never was. I take deep breaths and remind myself that I know these women, they are my friends. I have been to their homes. They do not look for dust or cob webs. I am thankful it is night and they can not see my dirty windows. I light candles, prepare the buffet with dishes and silverware. Put sour cream, chopped onions, oyster crackers in pretty bowls. Put pretty quilts over the dining tables. Breath. Remind myself that more than what I look like or what the house looks like, they will remember how I treated them. I want them to feel loved, appreciated, welcome because they are. Pray, deep breaths, open the door. Open the arms.

Touching My Heart Changes My World!!

I had quite an experience a couple weeks ago when my husband and I were walking down the street from a restaurant to the antique mall. First I should tell you that I am 62 years old, overweight and long past being noticed or complemented by strangers so that you can appreciate all my emotions when this happened:) There was a shop owner standing out in front of her store. We had seen her before but don't know her name or anything about her. The most we have ever spoken would be a "hi" coming from both sides or maybe if I'm feeling southern a "hey". She spoke this day to my husband and said, "Your wife is so pretty and always looks good. You must be very proud of her!" He replied, "I am, I am" which was quick thinking on his part. I said, "Oh, thank you so much, you made my day!" And she did. I call this a "God" thing simply because God knew I needed a boost, a "hug" that day and He found a soul that was willing to provide it. What a blessing. Simple words. I wonder if as humans we hesitate to give each other complements like we should and I wonder even more as woman to woman we do it enough? It costs us nothing and it can make our world a better place....let's just do it!!

Finding The Quiet In The Middle Of The Quake

I heard a remarkable message this morning at church. I would like to share a shorter version of how it spoke to me. The minister started out by reminding us of earth shaking message everyone receives at one time or another in their life.
"I regret to inform you", "I think we need to stop seeing each other", "The test show that it is malignant","I want a divorce," "Your daughter/son was in a car accident", "The budget demands that we cut back and I'm sorry to let you go". We all get a message that stuns us to our core at sometime in our life".

Then he proceeded to explain how a relationship with God offers a place of quiet that is holy and sacred. He gave two examples of his own life and how he had found peace with and through God in those horrific times.


It reminded me of a hymn we sang in church when I was growing up, "Near To The Heart of God". Is there any one out there that remembers it too?

I heard another minister on TV today say that going to church was important but having a one on one personal relationship with God was even more important. Do you agree?

There is such a difference to me in a message where you can see and feel that the speaker knows and has experienced what they are sharing. The words vibrate with Truth. Reminders on our journey home.