The Stories of Our Lives (Part Five)

This is part five in an ongoing series.
Part One: As The Story Turns
Part Two: I Don’t Have A Hallelujah
Part Three: Can You Hear What I Hear?
Part Four: Get Up, Girl!

“There I saw a stream … “
~ Ezekiel 47:1

Life can require us to take action. Times of “action” can come from a positive place … or a not so positive place. Action can come from choice or force.

Despite the birth of the action, we’re setting into motion a needed response to a dilemma or situation that needs our attention.

My husband and I were blessed to live in Colorado for a few years. I was awestruck by the picturesque beauty of the Rocky Mountains that surrounded our little town outside of Denver.

The Stories of Our Lives (Part Four)

This is part four in an ongoing series.
Part One: As The Story Turns
Part Two: I Don’t Have A Hallelujah
Part Three: Can You Hear What I Hear?

“Now get up and stand on your feet.”
~ Acts 26:16 (NIV)

The word “surrender” can come with a negative connotation. To surrender evokes visions of fighting to hold on to something we don’t want to release. It means we must “hand over” possession of our “stuff” to someone else.

Usually, this “handing over” is under duress. To surrender means to relent … whether we like it or not.

Can You Hear What I Hear?

The Stories of Our Lives (Part Three)

This is part three in an ongoing series.
Part One: As The Story Turns
Part Two: I Don’t Have A Hallelujah

“And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.”
~ 1 Kings 19:12

Have you ever been in a place—a meeting or gathering—where there was a lot of shouting or even anger?

You couldn’t hear clearly enough to make out what anyone was saying. But then, out of the bedlam, came a soft voice with such authority it caught the attention of everyone in the room.

That was the powerful moment I experienced while trying to process the loss of my husband to pancreatic cancer. Locked in my walk-in closet where I pray and study, God whispered.

I Don’t Have A Hallelujah

The Stories of Our Lives (Part Two)

This is part two in an ongoing series.
Part One Here: As The Story Turns

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death …
Psalm 23: 4

The death of someone you love is devastating. It doesn’t matter if you know the disease is incurable, or how long they have fought against it. It makes no difference whether it is sudden. The loss shakes you to the core of your being.

The days following my husband’s passing from pancreatic cancer is and was, a blur. I remember bits of those days, but most of them remain locked away somewhere in the hollow fogginess of loss. It’s fear I remember most. Confusion and doubt were fear’s closest companions.

As The Story Turns …

The Stories of Our Lives (Part One)

This is part one in an ongoing series.

Picture it … Somewhere in the mountains of East Tennessee, January, 2026.

Those living in the South (and I’m talking about the United States, of course) may remember the unusual weather we had early that year. My story takes place a few weeks before ice and snow basically shut down the South.

Bear in mind that we of the South are never truly prepared for major winter weather. We hang on to the hope of our normal mild winters, refusing to accept even the hint of snow, or more accurately, ice. Okay, yeah, there’s always those few prepared for whatever. It is the South after all, and we have our share of preppers.

Anyway, back to the story …

This particular morning was COLD. Twelve degrees cold. My mom and I were heading back to the great Peach State of Georgia from the great Volunteer State of Tennessee. I’m a Tennessee girl to my bones, but I’ve learned to love Georgia after living here almost thirty years.

Love With A Capital V

Ahhh … love sweet love.

What the world needs now.

I want to know what love is.

Can’t help falling in love.

What’s love got to do with it?

Love hurts.

The dichotomy between the bliss and despair of love has persevered since the dawn of time. Love songs have surely been around that long as well. I imagine Adam might have felt like singing when God created Eve.

“Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib,
and He brought her to the man.
‘At last!’ the man exclaimed.”

-Genesis 2:22,23 (NLT)

“At last, my love has come along”.
I think it’s safe to say Adam was pleased.

You may look at my title and assume at this time of year, that the capital “V” is for Valentine’s Day. But, if you did, you would be wrong. My “V” is for “Vulnerable”.

Cozy Musings From A True Southerner On A Winter’s Day

At the moment of this writing, much of the south is still recovering from ice and snow dumped across several states in January 2026. Actually, we’re quite upset about the whole thing. All these high-pressures and low-pressures should know that this kind of weather belongs up north. Way up north. We of the south want our normal winter temperatures back!

Make no mistake, I’m not afraid of a bit of winter weather. I lived in Colorado for a few years and trust me, snow was not scarce. Neither was extreme cold. But that’s what you expect in Colorado. Georgia, not so much.

However, cozying up with a mug of hot chocolate and a piece of peppermint bark , I found myself musing about snow (or ice) days and how joyful they are.

Stupidity, Thy Name Is …

True story. I started a Bible study recently about new beginnings. Where do new beginnings begin? With repentance. Real repentance. Transforming our minds repentance. (from the Greek, Metanoeo)

I want a new beginning. Forward is my word for 2026. So repent I did! Asking God to forgive me, to transform and renew my mind. I meant every word.

Forward!

Hey 2025 …

I’m saddling up, climbing on, and riding into your sunset. Forward into 2026 and whatever God has for me.

Selecting a word for the coming new year is a thing, right? Well, my word for 2026 is “Forward”.

“moving toward a place, a point or a time”
“advancing”
“relating to the future”

After my 2025, “Forward” is definitely appropriate for me. Maybe for you as well.

Forward denotes advancement—moving in a direction away from whatever it is you want to leave behind. Maybe you want to leave behind the pain of loss and its grief, financial woes, bad relationships, or stress from a home renovation that is taking waaaaaaaay too long!

ThanksLIVING

Thankfulness means ThanksLIVING. It’s a choice we make day by day. Sometimes moment by moment.

ThanksLIVING: A Cost

When facing punishment for his sin, King David turned back to God and His great mercy. The prophet Gad, sent by God, told David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, as the Lord had commanded. When King David told Araunah he had come to buy his threshing floor, Araunah told the king to take it and use it as he wished. But King David knew he could not give thanks on an altar that cost him nothing.

	Step Into The Water… on Get Up, Girl!
	Step Into The Water… on Can You Hear What I Hear?
	Step Into The Water… on I Don’t Have A Hall…
	Step Into The Water… on As The Story Turns …
	Get Up, Girl!… on Can You Hear What I Hear?