New Years

Posted on December 31, 2024 | 1 comment


December 31, 2024

Dear Family & Friends:

In the past I’ve written the notorious Christmas newsletter. I didn’t take the time this year but instead took time to write a Happy New Year’s letter. Hey, maybe it will be a new tradition. Maybe it will inspire someone.

Have you made your new year’s resolutions yet? I used to make a list, but then I stopped because I’d get mad and beat myself up over failing. Recently I thought about it again and decided maybe I need that challenge in my life. Don’t we all need to be challenged?

Resolution #1: I want to be a better [insert word here]: mother, father, brother, sister, employee, employer, Christian, etc. The list is endless. Everyone has something they can be better at. It doesn’t have to be big; simple small changes. The old adage says, “Pennies make dimes, dimes make dollars, and so on, and so on.

Resolution #2: I want to be more forgiving. Set aside the wrongs that have happened in our lives; the raise we didn’t get, the job that was passed to someone else, the relative who didn’t acknowledge the gift, the friend who talked behind our back, the driver who cut us off in the church parking lot, poor customer service, that list is endless. Let it go. If you are holding on to some old grudge that happened years and years ago, let it go. Life is short and tomorrow is not a promise.

Resolution #3: I want to be more intentional about sharing the Gospel. I know God puts opportunities in our lives every day. I want to be more aware and take advantage of them. If you have not yet made your peace with God, here’s your chance. You can do it privately in the comfort of your own home. Repeat these words:

“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen”.

God bless you if you said that prayer. The angels are rejoicing in heaven and you and I will meet again there. If you are still undecided, it’s okay. Jesus still loves you and we will not give up praying for you.

Resolution #4: I want to be more giving and helpful to those in need. Recently our very close friend was diagnosed with Laryngeal Cancer. He’s got a fight ahead of him. Talk about a wake-up call to not take advantage of the time we have been graced with on this earth. Every day is a gift.

Included with the hard copy letter is a bracelet for you to wear as a reminder to pray for Jeff. Maybe you don’t know how to pray. Hey, it’s okay, some people don’t. We all have to start somewhere. It’s really easy. God knows each one of us intimately. He knows our hearts so it doesn’t have to be a Billy Graham sermon ~ it can be as simple as, “God, I pray for Jeff Ayer to be healed.” Ultimately it is God’s will to be done. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Miracles happen for those who believe. Prayer changes things. God may even move in your own life. I implore you to wear this bracelet and pray for Jeff every day. (If you bloggy buddies are interested in these bracelets, let me know.)

A little more history on the bracelet. Forgive me for the length of this letter ~ sometimes I’m long-winded with the pen. The Only God theme is something Nen (and Jeff) came up with through the trial the two of them face ahead. Things happen big and small, good and bad, and through all of them, they are taking a stance that Only God will see this through. Only God will be the answer to all of our prayers.

If you’d like to do more for the Ayer’s through this season they face in their lives, please let me know and I’ll put you in contact with them. Right now Jeff’s diet consists of bland soups and protein shakes.  

Every prayer is music to God’s ears and every prayer counts toward bringing glory to the Kingdom of God.

Happy New Year and be blessed and cheers,

Chris ♥Barbie

*Thank you for taking the time to read all the way through this letter.

**James 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up.


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Kenya Update

Posted on July 11, 2024 | Leave a comment

Pastor Steve and the team had a great mission trip. I wanted to share the update we received.

Kenya Mission Trip

↑ (I really hope that link works, the pictures are awesome and the worship music is too)  

This is from Pastor Steve himself:

Hello everyone. I was finally able to put together a video of the Kenya Mission Trip. There were 12 of us and we created a shared album to put pictures into. In the 3 weeks we were gone there were 1,800 plus pic that we took. So to say the least, paring down that many pics to a 4 min video was indeed a challenge. But I think you will get a feel for what the team experienced while we were there.

Couple things I want to point out. There is a lady in the video with a baby sitting on her lap. Her name is Nora. She lives in a village near the Uturn in Kisii. She manufactures alcohol from chemicals and several ppl have gone blind drinking her alcohol. Pastor Gerry spoke with her last year when he went to Kenya and she stopped making the alcohol for a season. But it’s her only means of income. So she started making it again. We went to visit her and Pastor Gerry asked her if she wanted to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. She said yes, and we prayed over her! Please pray her confession is sincere and genuine. And that the Lord provides income for her to take care of her family.

Secondly, CC Kebabe had it’s first Women’s Conf. The pics you see of all the women standing together is the conf. We weren’t sure how many would attend. That Saturday the sanctuary was filled! And the men on the team served the women lunch. Which in that culture never happens. Men don’t serve women. NEVER! So the women were very blessed to see us serving them! Praise God! And finally, we went to several schools and saw many children raise their hands to receive Christ.

Be praying that the seeds planted would take root and bring a harvest for the Kingdom, even 100 fold.

Thank you for all your support. God is so good!!

(Tall Cool ☺ne and I wasn’t on the trip, but we were there and we’re still there, praying)  I hope you join us in prayer for all of God’s people!

Cheers,

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Africa Update

Posted on June 11, 2024 | 1 comment

 

As I mentioned the other day, one of our pastors is on a mission trip in Kenya, Africa from June 9-25th. I always thought I wanted to go there because it would be adventurous. Probably a little more adventurous than these old bones can handle at this point in my life, not to mention the terrorism that is going on over there.

Tall Cool ☺ne and I have committed to praying for the team while they are spreading the Gospel. I am asking those of you who feel inclined to pray also. God hears us and two is better than one. If you are not sure what to pray for, here are certain things that can be prayed on a daily basis while they travel.

1. Travel safety, both in the air and on the ground.
2. Favor with the local communities they are serving
3. Opportunities to share the Gospel
4. Fertile ground for the sowing of God’s Word.

Most recent update that we received from Pastor Steve stated all the supplies and luggage made it to the destination. It was a 29 hour trip (I’m sure they were exhausted). Along the way they had a couple of wounded soldiers, (not sure of details but pray for healing). They are visiting a children’s home today and worshiping at the UTurn Ministry. Pray for God’s will to be done.

God bless,

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Africa

Posted on June 8, 2024 | 1 comment

Short and sweet but important. Maybe you remember when I talked about the Underdog in the A-Z blogging challenge. I mentioned wanting to go to Africa and Tall Cool ☺ne said we were not going to Africa. One of my fellow bloggers said he thought I still could.

Well it just so happens that one of our pastor’s is on a mission trip there right now from June 9-25. Pastor Steve is there with a group of others. So in a way I am getting to go because I am getting updates.  Tall Cool ☺ne and I are praying for the team.

That is the reason for this post. If you know anything about travel in Kenya, it is extremely dangerous: terrorists, weather conditions, health hazards …to name a few. So please pray for their safe travels and for God’s will to be done. I’ll provide updates and what the team is needing for prayer in future posts. They are on a 28 hour trip right now with stops in Rome and Paris. Pray for safety as well as their luggage arriving with them.

More updates as they come to me.

Cheers,

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You’re Invited

Posted on May 21, 2024 | Leave a comment

Since the challenge ended I’ve been trying to bring myself back to blogging. Ideas pop up in my head in the wee hours of the morning and I’m too lazy to get out of the bed to write things down, then in typical fashion, when I do get up, the thoughts are gone and some other project or task takes over my thought process.  I know, I know, pen and paper next to the bed, but that brings up another whole issue when I turn the light on to see and it wakes up Tall Cool ☺ne…that doesn’t set well with him.

Any hoot, I’m here to invite you to church on Sunday.  Yes, you read me right. I’m inviting you to come to church.  Last weekend Pastor John asked us what we thought the reason was for people not going to church.   The biggest reason people answered was because they had never been invited. So I’m inviting you.  If you can’t make it physically, come virtually. 

This weekend is gonna be HUGE.  Every Memorial weekend and every Labor Day weekend we have baptisms at Calvary Chapel Lexington.  People are taking the plunge and making an outward expression of an inward belief.  I took the plunge 16 years ago this weekend and my life has not been the same since.  It’s the best choice I ever made with my life.

So much is going on with church right now.  Pastor Steve is getting ready to leave for a mission trip to Kenya in June.  I think I wrote about wanting to go in a previous post.  Although we won’t be making the trip, we will be praying for all of the team who is going to support U-turn for Christ, not just in South Carolina, but everywhere.  I implore you to pray for them as well. It’s dangerous and all kinds of things could go wrong. Pray for travel safety, pray for favor with the local communities and the opportunities to  share the Gospel.

That’s about all for today.  I really hope to get back to blogging and visiting all of the bloggers out there who finished the A-Z Challenge strong!  Keep writing, keep blogging.

Hope to see ya at church on Sunday!

Cheers,

 

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Reflections: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on May 5, 2024 | 5 comments

I had my thoughts all planned out on how my reflections post was going to play out. But then I realized I didn’t really answer any of the questions. So I’m copy & pasting question and answers after.

There is one thing that is certain in the world of blogging. Bloggers come and bloggers go. Some people can handle the isolation that comes along with being a blogger. Some can’t and so they move on to bigger and better and more instant gratification social media events. One thing is certain, change: it can be good, it can be bad, but it is inevitable.

We tend to follow blogs we are familiar and comfortable with. When visiting new blogs takes too much time to find the post or the beginning of the challenge, I leave.  If I can’t find out how to comment, I’m probably not going to spend time visiting again.  If I have to create a username or an account on that platform, forget it. (Sorry, I’m not doing that.)

Time is precious. We all want to make our minutes count. Once they are gone we can’t get them back. I know I am going to use my minutes on something I enjoy. If reading and commenting on a new blog is more like work than a hobby or enjoyment, I’m not going to do it.

I enjoy this challenge very much and I enjoy my fellow bloggers, who I visit and who visit me. I wish I had had more time to visit this year. (Work really cuts into my hobbies and things that I enjoy doing) Maybe next year will be different. I always say I’m going to blog more throughout the year, but somehow I just don’t seem to do it. Maybe this year will be different. Change is good, change is bad, and change is inevitable.

• Did you win? YES
o Did you post an alphabet of letter-inspired posts? YES
o Did you HOP to other A to Z participants? YES
• Do you believe your blog saw an increase in traffic and comments during April 2024? YES, because I don’t post much throughout the year.
o Did you check the MasterList to be sure your entry was correct? YES and it is.
• Do you feel the A to Z Team (Arlee Bird, J Lenni Dorner, Zalka Csenge Virág, John Holton, Jayden R Vincente, and Ronel) supported you, your blog, and this challenge enough in 2024?John visited often (thanks, John) 
o What changes do you hope the team might consider for next year? Maybe ask if more people want to be involved with helping support the new bloggers who join.  Example have each team member have a team of  “helpers per say”.  Separate the list of challengers and divide that list and give them to the “team helpers” that way they would be responsible to for visiting each and every post.  I don’t know, just thinking out loud.
 Will you do the challenge again next year? YES
o Did you use the http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2024-graphics.html Graphics page? YES
 Is the HTML useful to you? NO I just copy and paste.
 Are there any other images or graphics the team could offer to help you? What other images or graphics are there?
o Any suggestions for the team? GO TEAM
o Any thanks? Thank you team for all you do.  AND THANK YOU to my fellow bloggers who visited consistently and commented and offered encouragement.  I appreciate you all, and wish I had visited more.  I could tell you my excuse, but everyone has those and in the end they don’t really matter.  
o Any requests for the 2025 team’s theme? (The posts you’ll see on this site in April.) What was the theme this year?
o Any post ideas or requests for our monthly posts on the blog from June to February? Little challenges to get us involved.  Writing prompts, add a picture, create a poem, think of a new game.  Just “tossing it out there”.  ☺
 (Guest posting requests? Poke team captain J!  https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/)  POKE POKE POKE
o Have you followed the social media of the A to Z Challenge? YES, but I really hate social media lately.
• What was your favorite comment left by another A to Z participant on your blog during the challenge? 🏆 I love all comments that are left on my posts, with the exception of premade copy and paste comments that you see on everyone else’s posts.  “Visiting from A-Z, good luck” and then they post their link.  It’s like they didn’t even read the post.  Just they just commented to comment and to get traffic to their blog. 
• Did any other A to Z participant make you and your blog feel especially valued this year?  All of my regulars make me feel valued.  Love you guys.
• Do you have a favorite blog that you found during the challenge this year? YES!
• Do you feel you had a positive impact on the Blogging Community during the hop?Probably not anymore than anyone else.
• Did you invite or encourage any other bloggers to join the challenge? YES
• Have you learned anything because of the #AtoZChallenge? YES, time is precious.
• Did you use a theme in 2024? Any thoughts on themes? YES, if I use a theme in the future, my posts will have to be done ahead of time.  It just didn’t work for me this year. I find a lot of my writing comes out best when it is spontaneous.
• Was taking part in the challenge a positive experience for you and your blog? YES, I love this challenge.
• Consider the significance of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge, our values (community and inclusion), and your feelings about the experience. How may this influence your future blogging, learning, or actions? I really want to write more throughout the year.  We have a group among us who care about each other and offer support and encouragement.  That is important.  Even if we only get together April, I bet a lot of us could reach out with a post in the middle of the year and the true supporters of this community would be there in a heart♥beat.
• Any other thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the #AtoZChallenge 2024? Can we do APRIL CHALLENGE IN AUGUST?  
• Will you consider doing the challenge again next year? YES

Visit others in the reflection hop!
Cheers,

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Zealous: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 30, 2024 | 6 comments

As we wrap up the final letter of the A-Z challenge, it’s plain to see I have a lot of zealousies (I know that’s not in the dictionary as a word but I’m using it anyway). I’m zealous about my husband and making him happy. I try to do things I know he likes. I make food (for the most part) I know he enjoys. Of course I am not perfect at this and I can tell you he would love me to have a zeal for housework. But that’s probably not going to change after all these years.

I have a zealousness when it comes to letter writing. I have missed that so much this month. Typically I’m a 10-12 letter-a-week writer. I’ve been lucky to manage one. I am looking forward to getting caught up with my pen pals and get back to a normal (not that I’m normal by any means) routine.

I have a zeal for cooking. I love trying new recipes and making old recipes even better. If you have never visited my kitchen, I’m inviting you over. You have a free pass to Crackerberries Kitchen.

My desire to share my experiences and devotion to Christ is marked with zealousness. My whole life has changed since I accepted the free gift Christ offers by accepting Him into my heart. It was 16 years ago when I took that plunge under the water over Memorial Weekend and outwardly pledged my commitment to live for Christ. It has not been an easy road, and I know I can expect more trials and tribulations. But you know what? In the end I’m going to spend an eternity on roads made of gold. I’m going to be in a place where there are no more tears, no more suffering, and no more persecution. I’m going to heaven when I die. What about you? Will I see you there? What’s your zeal in life?

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Yellow Dot: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 29, 2024 | 1 comment

yellowdot

When I look in the mirror,
the person that I see
is someone I used to know,
staring back at me.

For each blemish,
mole, and every strand of gray hair,
has earned it’s own special place,
on my head in there.

I wonder if those wrinkles
on the face of me,
are what one considers,
as aging gracefully?

Stories I could share
would make a heart skip a beat.
But I always made it through,
landing on my feet.

Some will blame their parents,
for things they might have done,
For my faults I lay no blame,
I’m the only one.

Things that I’ve been through,
I admit I’m not too proud
Events caused much innocence
in my mind it did becloud.

I always give credit
where the credit is due
for those who helped influence
my life as I grew.

But all of the mistakes
are mine alone to own,
not in my parents face
will they ever be thrown.

Too many people now
are living in the lies
hiding behind the veil
or some other disguise.

Lives are not certain,
tomorrow not guaranteed,
we take the path we learn
whether or not agreed.

I’m still learning some hard lessons
as I’m growing old
much of that instruction
I don’t like to be told.

As I reflect on
the tests that I’ve been through
you may disagree,
but in my mind it’s all true,

Life is not easy
and we won’t get all we crave.
I won’t give into my wants
or let them me enslave.

No trials, tribulations,
nothing in defect,
there’d be nothing to live for
if we were all perfect.

I give all the glory
to the One and the Only.
Jesus Christ, my Savior
Who died on the Cross, for me.

Of course there is a much deeper story to the yellow dots than this poem, but this is part of my reflection on being a yellow dot and I am what I am because of Jesus Christ and Christ alone.  This is a recycle from the 2015 challenge.  I thought it was worthy of sharing again.  Keep reading and you’ll find out more about where the Yellow Dot came from.

Y

The story about the Yellow Dot came about one year from a family reunion (there were so many of us at one time).  When the families came together we had name tags and there were colored dots that indicated which family heir line you came from.  This particular year we were yellow.  When looking around at the yellow line of family members, a lot of us were a little different.  All the dogs weren’t barking if you get what I’m saying.

Even though my sister wore the same yellow dot as I did, her and her husband said I was like the others. So when I came home from the reunion, I noticed there were yellow dots on my mailbox and I thought they were playing a joke on me because of the reunion.  Come to find out it was the paper delivery person, putting dots on the mailbox to let them know I received both the daily and the weekend paper. I took the YELLOW DOTS to heart.

To this day, I wear the Yellow Dot with pride.  It is what it is.  It’s where I came from, it’s who I am.

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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X: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 27, 2024 | 1 comment

I’m skipping X. Today is X’d out. In my opinion there are no good X words to write about that I haven’t already engaged in. If you want to read old posts about X they can be found here:

X-Ray Vision, Xylophagous or Xylotomous, Xtra Xtra Read all about it, Xavier, Xenophobia, XXX, X, X marks the spot

X is letter number twenty-four,
To me is nothing but a bore
There aren’t many words that start with X
Most are further in, like ex- or Tex
I’m not getting hung up with this letter today,
Company is coming and I wanna play
So I’ll be back on Monday with the letter Y
I know it’s not much but I gave it a try.

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Where’s Waldo: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 26, 2024 | 5 comments

Wow! It has been an adventure for sure. What I have discovered about myself through this year’s challenge is that even though I had a plan and a theme, what I had in mind and what plucked out on the keyboard were two different things. Well laid plans aren’t always what we think they are going to be. Next year I’ll probably ditch the theme idea. That is, if my wrinkles give me wiggle room, and if the werewolves don’t get me!

What have you discovered about your writing through the challenge? Will you do it again next year? What kind of changes will you make? Where will your blog take you from here? Will you continue to blog throughout the year? If you are not a blogger and just a reader, would you like to see more of my posts throughout the year?  These are questions I’ve been asking myself, so I am passing them on to you.  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Stay tuned, we have X, Y and Z left.

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Variety Show: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 25, 2024 | 5 comments


Typically I wake up in the middle of the night and my thought for the days post will come to mind and I’ll start pondering it in in the wee hours of the morning until my watch vibrates at 3:25AM. By then the post is pretty much written and I just have to transfer it from brain to dashboard. Today that was not the case. So here we are with another post that has nothing to do with my theme. I really hope you enjoy the variety show.

A Good Cause

Outside Perception

Everyone Has a Story

Crackerberries Kitchen

Finding Eliza

How Would You Know?

The Other Side

Lisa’s Garden Adventure

JMD Creative

Leap of Dave 

Janet’s Smiles

Sue’s Trifles

A whole slew of other blogs to choose from

Hope everyone is having a great day.  Only four more letters to go.  We can do this together.

Cheers,

 

 

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

 

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Underdog: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 24, 2024 | 5 comments

The pink moon from our walk this morning

I’ve always had a warm spot in my heart for the underdog, the team voted most likely to lose, the kid that struggles to keep up with his classmates, the runt of the litter. Why do you think that is? I think because I have always been an underdog or some people would call me an outlier. Either way is fine by me. I’m a step behind or as Tall Cool ☺ne most recently put it, “your elevator doesn’t go to the top floor”. It’s all good.

I remember when I first was saved heard about mission trips to different parts of the world. In our church the missionaries went to Costa Rica and others to Belize (I thought these were vacation spots). I told Tall Cool ☺ne I thought we should go to Africa. He said I was crazy and we were not going to Africa. That was several years ago. I’m probably too old to be a missionary in Africa now. But I still think about it and even though I see how awful some of the things that happen there can be, I often wonder what kind of difference I could make.

Last night, well the last few nights (it takes us a few sittings to see a whole movie – we fall asleep) we’ve been watching Machine Gun Preacher and maybe it’s just for this post but Sam Childers is still helping children in Uganda. Wasn’t he an underdog at one time?

Everyone can make a difference in the underdog’s life. Maybe it’s just a smile when you see someone at the grocery store, a nod when you are driving past someone on the street, a wave as the car passes by during your morning walk, a thumbs up on a Facebook post. What kind of difference can you make today?

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Theme Tempting: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 23, 2024 | 4 comments

Temptation interferes with my good writing habit
Satan lurks to devour, I understand this tacit
Some people are paid for their thesis or theory
For me it’s therapeutic when I’m feeling weary
The task at hand is one post a day
Like gathering manna, I must do it God’s way
Though I try to write more and get further ahead
The words won’t come, so I Toon Blast instead
I know it sounds silly wasting time on a game
If my post doesn’t come there’s no one to blame
But I trust in the Lord with mind, soul and heart
He’ll guide my time and I’ll finish what I start.

Be encouraged, be blessed and if temptation gets you, take the challenge, turn and finish what you start.

Cheers,

 

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Surrendered: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 22, 2024 | 1 comment

Melvin Naylor’s Memoirs is available to purchase on Amazon.

Have you?
Have you? (Asking for a friend.)

I know you don’t want to hear me preach and I can’t help it. One year ago today my step-father left this world. Took his last breath and went wherever he was destined to go. I know people like to think when a loved one dies they automatically go to heaven or in some cases, if you’re Catholic, you might go to purgatory. It is not automatic and I’m sorry folks, purgatory is non-existent.

Back in 2012 Dad asked me if I would help him write his memoirs. I said I’d love to. He would email me almost every day from his apartment in Sanford, Maine and I would put the emails together in reading format, mostly correcting the spelling and punctuation. (He only went to school as far as the 8th grade). I remember at one point he wrote that he only had another 11 years or so. I thought he was just saying that. How did he know that?

Wouldn’t it be nice to know for sure that you are going to heaven when you die? Wouldn’t it be nice if your loved ones knew how to find you? Wouldn’t it be cool to say, “YES, I’ll see you in heaven”?

My stepfather died and I do not know for sure if I will see him in heaven. I talked with him hours before he passed and prayed with/for him. Whether he surrendered or not, God only knows.

What about you? Have you surrendered? Today is the day of salvation. We do not know what tomorrow or even the next 60 seconds will bring. Don’t wait any longer. Repeat after me.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. ~AMEN

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Recognize: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 20, 2024 | 2 comments

Recognize the beauty in all things

**Side note ↑ I took that picture yesterday from my flower garden.  First one this year. ♥

Yesterday I was talking with Tall Cool ☺ne about the challenge and how I never know what the next day is going to bring. I said I thought I was going to have this buttoned up and all my posts were going to be ready so that I could breeze through the challenge.

”Maybe this is not what God wants you to do,” he suggested.

I pondered that for a moment and my perception to what he said was that God didn’t want me to write anymore. NO! I don’t think he would have given me all of these great blogging years to just hang it all up now because I’ve had a little writer’s block. I recognize that sometimes we have to accept what it is. Some days are better than others and the words will flow out like no body’s business. Other days a little more effort will need to be put forth.

I recognize that. There is beauty in everything and if we accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference, we got it made.

What things are you recognizing through the challenge this year? Tell me about it.

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to check your spam folders for comments (I actually found quite a few) and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Question (Do you hear what I hear?): Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 19, 2024 | 5 comments

All I am hearing outside my window is the song of the Cicadas.  They are everywhere!  Fernando was watching this one from the window.  I think he wants to eat it!


Are you ready for today’s pop quiz?
Have I quacked about my cousin, Liz?
Has anyone ever made a quiche?
Quickly come, I’ll teach you, capishe?
Do you think it’s quiet outside my window?
Can you hear quibbling doves, in sun aglow?
Have you played a game of Quaker’s meeting?
Do you answer your phone with a quality greeting?
Did I mention Nena, who loves to quilt?
Or the quaint little shed, Tall Cool ☺ne built?
If I call you queer will it hurt your feelings?
Do you think quail eat vegetable peelings?
Have you ever used a quarterback sneak?
Quested the hoochie-coochie and snuck a peak?
Do you have quirky followers you don’t know?
Do you like blogging quid-pro-quo?
Have I qualified the challenge with the letter Q?
Or do not pass go, go back to the queue?

I guess my question is: How is everyone doing? I’m struggling as you can see, my theme is thrown out the window. Right now I’m just going with the flow and whatever I can get out there is what it is going to be. I saw this quote and thought…. Wow, how true.

If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan, not the goal.
Be encouraged
Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen! 

5 Comments

Posted in #A2ZChallenge, Blogging, Fabulous Fiction Fridays, Feed the Spirit • Starve the Flesh, Humor, Inspiration, Poetry, Spirit Feeding • Flesh Starving, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Prayer: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 18, 2024 | 3 comments

Ironic that today I had many priorities ahead of writing this post and for a short moment I was just going to post a picture (the one I used) and call it good. I didn’t want to take the time to write and I have too many other things that I have to get done before work. But then I realized that I had the perfect word for P today. Prayer.

Prayer changes things. It changes things for the people who are praying and it changes things for the people who are being prayed for. If you don’t believe me, ask some of the people who have been through U-Turn for Christ.  Ask anyone who has surrendered to Christ.  

My past is sordid to say the least. Some people who knew me before I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior won’t associate with me now. Funny how things change. Change is good even though we don’t like it. I am not perfect and never will be on this side of eternity. But I will preach it: prayer changes things. I am so thankful for the people who prayed for me when I was lost. Thank you and praise God! I will continue to pray for those who have not yet surrendered their souls to Jesus Christ.

How about you? Can I pray for you today?

Cheers,

 

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

 

3 Comments

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Oy Vey: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 17, 2024 | 3 comments

My French teacher used to use this term a lot back in high school. She was forever saying, “Oy Vey” or “Mon Dieu”! I never really thought too much about it until later in life I found myself mimicking her “oy vey” or “oi, yoi yoi”. Interestingly enough, it means woe is me.

It’s first found in Psalm 120:5 ~Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, the intensity of the psalmist’s distress — woe is me. If you continue to read you will see that the writer is for peace, but he lived amongst pagan people.

I found myself uttering “Oy Vey” when I realized I had nothing for O. I even made up a recipe for the kitchen today. Then in the midst of thinking I had nothing I realized I had everything. “…woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” 1 Corinthians 9:16.

For those who have God on their side, He always comes through. I love my God. He is amazing and I will preach until the day is long. I have nothing without Him but with Him, everything is possible.

Be encouraged!

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen! 

3 Comments

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Noise: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 16, 2024 | 3 comments

Before I got my hearing aids, I didn’t realize how much noise there was in a day. Having 50% hearing loss in one ear and more than that in the other caused me to miss a lot. Some of the noise is pleasant, some not so much.

I never noticed in the morning when I fed the cats the one who thinks he’s a puppy always would rub my hand when I dumped the food in his dish. He also offers a meow of thanks which I had never heard before. (I know this sounds gross, but I didn’t know how loud toilet paper could be). It makes me smile when I hear Robyn tell Ella “It’s Granny,” and Ella says, “Leo, Leo, Leo”. The morning walks with Tall Cool ☺ne past the ponds fill my ears with croaking frogs and chirping crickets. The morning song of birds singing. I am amazed to hear the noise that I missed for so many years.

There are also noises I’d rather continue to miss, but with good there is also bad. Angry customers who swear under their breath because their bill went up and they think I can’t hear them cussing me out. More angry customers because apparently they couldn’t prioritize so their insurance lapsed and now they have to pay more of a fee to get it reinstated. A screaming child (in the grocery store, in church, anywhere). The noise of a siren just means something awful has happened or is about to. The gunshot of our neighbor shooting snakes will give me goosebumps every time I hear it.

I think we have a lot of noise in our lives. Some of it is good and some of it not so good.

Zephaniah 1:14 ~ The great day of the Lord is near, It is near and hastens quickly, The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter, There the mighty men shall cry out.

Just something to think about.  

Cheers,

             

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

3 Comments

Posted in #A2ZChallenge, A-Z Blogging, Blogging, Christianity, Pondering, Quotes and Thoughts, Random, Spirit Feeding • Flesh Starving, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Milestone: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 15, 2024 | 4 comments

A milestone is a significant point in development. I have mixed emotions as I write this post because it seems a bit lame and not really part of the theme. But a lot of my posts have gone astray as far as my theme is concerned. I suppose that’s the way of the pen. Sometimes we have plans set in motion and what our plans are, are not what happens.

Making it to M is a milestone for all who have made it this far. Don’t meander now! We are at the middle of the road…the half-way mark. Give yourself a big pat on the back. Good job! Keep the motivation going, you can do this (this is what I’m telling myself as I write this post at 3:30 AM on a Monday morning) before I put my sneakers on to take that 4 mile hike with Tall Cool ☺ne.  I love it when we get to the half-way mark.

God says, “be still and know…”

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

4 Comments

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Love: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 13, 2024 | 2 comments


Love is the greatest gift. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love suffers long and is kind
Love does not envy
Love does not parade itself and is not puffed up
Love does not behave rudely
Love does not seek his own
Love is not provoked
Love thinks no evil
Love does not rejoice in iniquity
Love rejoices in truth
Love bears all things
Love hopes all things
Love endures all things
Love never fails

Our greatest gift is LOVE. Now repeat those lines above and replace “love” with your name. I know when I put my name in there, Barbie needs to work on a few things. How about you? Is there any place in LOVE that you need to work on?

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other 218 bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen! 

 

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Keeping the Faith: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 12, 2024 | 4 comments


Keep on plugging away. I had hoped to have my posts all done before the challenge started because I wanted to spend time visiting other blogs. I failed and I’m bummed that I have visitors and I’ve not taken the time to visit them. I’ve all I can do to get these posts done and some have been re-runs.

Sometimes we rely on our own strength to get us through instead of putting our faith in the ONE who created us for HIS glory. I know I do it all the time and then I am reminded that I am not in control, HE is. “…if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. He reminds me all the time that if I put my trust and faith in Him, all things are possible.

Not to go into a lot of detail, but recently both Tall Cool ☺ne and I were trying to get different positions within the companies we work for. Both of us came up against brick walls where it didn’t look like it was possible. Sometimes we want to throw in the towel and give up. We both accepted that it wasn’t going to happen and continued to do our jobs to the best of our abilities. For His glory not ours.

Then God worked. Tall Cool ☺ne started his new position April 2nd. I start orientation for mine April 22nd. How cool is that? God is good, so good. Keep on trying, keep on trucking, keep on keeping on, and keep the faith.

*Side note: the daffodils in the picture are growing where we were almost hit by that truck a year ago.  Almost as a reminder that He has always got our backs.  Amazes me every  day!

Cheers,

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge.  Don’t forget to visit some of the other 218 bloggers in the challenge and also check out Crackerberries Kitchen!

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Jury Duty: Spirit Feeding † Flesh Starving

Posted on April 11, 2024 | 4 comments

Be back tomorrow.

(I really don’t have Jury Duty, I’m just using it as an excuse) I did once about 25 years ago. It was an interesting experience. Not sure if it still works the same but back then if you were picked for Jury Duty, your employer still had to pay you for not working. So I’m using it as an excuse today because for the love I could not come up with anything to write today.

I even went to my “Journal with Crackerberries” for an idea but muse did not want to cooperate. So I’ll be back tomorrow. Not sure what’s going on over in Crackerberries Kitchen.

This is part of the A-Z blogging challenge. Visit some of the other 218 bloggers who signed up for the challenge!

Cheers,

4 Comments

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