Photo taken in Maui, Hawaii, where the light was so mesmerizing. Psalm 42: 5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. I have been prone to "dark days" since I was a little girl who changed homes nearly... Continue Reading →
I Love Being an Encourager
It took me becoming a blogger to see this calling. I love to write, and, admittedly, seeing less than 20 people read the posts you thought were earth-shattering and would change the world for the better, shakes your faith in your writing abilities and makes you question if God truly meant for you to blog.... Continue Reading →
Word Soup! 100 Word Wednesday, Week #115
See all the pretty little letters, waiting to be formed into words. Those words can praise or criticize, according to how they are unfurled. The tormentor creates the words that cause pain and take away joy. But the one who seeks to encourage forms words that do not destroy. Words like "You are priceless" are... Continue Reading →
Love Makes All of the Difference
I was listening to a song named Loved Heals, and it struck me just how true that has been in my life. Mothers and fathers who live in poverty-stricken areas do not love their children any less than middle-class and wealthy parents. But, the hardships and violence of poverty often takes a psychological as well... Continue Reading →
Our Mountains, Our Strength
Tattooed on my body are the struggles I have survived, These marks define what I believe to be true. They tell the world that I have overcome mountains, And in succeeding, my strength has been renewed. Scissored from my life are the fears that kept me Afraid to ascend to the heights of whom I... Continue Reading →
The Amazing Things You Learn When You Travel
I never thought that I would leave my hometown, much less one day walk down the Champs Elysees in Paris! Since 1997, I have been traveling alone, with tour groups, and now, with my husband, Douglas. It is impossible to over-exaggerate the benefits of traveling, for we learn so much about ourselves and others when... Continue Reading →
Mirth Keeps the Love Alive
Most women seek a man who will lavish gold and diamonds upon them, and I was no different when I was younger. But, as I have aged, I have found that a man who keeps me laughing, someone with a great sense of humor and fun, is more precious than gold or diamonds. I hate... Continue Reading →
Dream Big or Stay Home
In response to the Daily Addictions prompt today, I decided to innovate our blog by writing a poem to encourage and inspire readers today. We will still write prose, of course. But, I so enjoy the poetry blogs, and most of the blogs I follow are poetry-based and so well done. But, I want to... Continue Reading →
Spend Wisely While Young!
The plan was to move to Portugal and live cheaply on our pensions and Social Security. Living in a country with cheaper rents and expenses meant that our monies would go further and last longer, allowing us to travel all over the world. But, after six weeks in Portugal, I knew that living in a... Continue Reading →
The Excruciating Pain and Promise of History
Douglas and I are in Savannah celebrating our wedding anniversary. It is a beautiful city, one that reminds me so much of European cities in the styles of the houses, and in the layout of streets. People also walk a lot here, and there is a public transportation system geared toward making it where visitors... Continue Reading →