Remembering

We visited our family graves to place flowers on Friday. It is a tradition John and I have done since our parents died. We put flowers on our parents', my brother's, and our grandparents' graves. We noticed that there were many of our age folks out decorating graves but no younger folks. I wonder if younger families will continue this tradition when we are gone. 

We don't have service members to remember in our family but we honor those who have served and those who have died serving for our freedoms. I'm thankful for those who serve and those who have served and died fighting for our country. I have the greatest sense of pride in those individuals and I have deep respect for all who serve. 

Today is a day to remember all those who fought and were injured and those who fought and died and those who fought and came home. I think of those who served during peace times and were there and ready. I think of all those who served and returned with nightmares and live with the horrors of war that they saw. I pray for them.

Today we remember our loved ones that we miss so much. We remember special times with them; we remember who they were and how much we loved them and they loved us. May you be blessed for remembering today those you loved and those who served.

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Romans 8:38 NIV). 

Need Wisdom?

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind," (James 1:5-6 NIV).

 I often find myself needing wisdom but to be honest, I forget to ask God. When I'm needing wisdom I most often turn to my husband for help. I'm so thankful I have him. 

I recently received an email telling me they had charged my account $799 for a purchase at Radio Shack. They wanted approval and were thanking me for my purchase (which I didn't make). I wasn't sure what to do so I asked my husband. I knew it was a scam but I wasn't sure what to do next. He read the email and noticed the date of purchase was May 24, 2021, first. Then we realized Radio Shacks went out of business several years ago. We tried calling the phone number listed but it disconnected right away. Ultimately, we decided not to do anything, that they were trying to get our account number.

Wisdom, comes from experiences, knowledge and level-headedness. And from God. I forget to ask God for wisdom when I need it. I will remember that it is God who provides wisdom when I ask for help but I must believe and not doubt. 

Thank you, God, for being our source of wisdom. Help me remember to turn to You when I have a problem or question that needs wisdom. I will not doubt Your answer or doubt that You will provide an answer to me. Amen.

Fresh Bread

One of my favorite childhood memories was coming home from school and walking up our long lane with my sister, opening the porch door and smelling fresh made bread as we entered the house. It smelled like home. Every where we looked was something delightful. There were crescent rolls hot from the oven and that's where we began, lathered with butter. Then gooey caramel cinnamon rolls were dumped from the pan onto wax paper. The fragrance was just heavenly. We inhaled the fragrance and were taken away from rural Iowa into a bakery filled with love. It was the best.

There is something about homemade bread that just makes me think of my mother and her kitchen. She had spent hours mixing, kneading, and shaping, then baking. My mother was an expert in the kitchen. She made homestyle meals, good enough for thrashers, she might say. But she could also master a pan full of her own style of goulash, tuna and noodles, and leftovers with a twist. It was always good.

"After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to be come bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,'"" (Matthew 4:2-4 NIV). 

Help Others - Give Blood

There is one thing I can do regularly that makes a difference in other's lives. That is giving blood. It is desperately needed at all times. I make appointments to give blood as often as they allow. You can give whole blood, platelets or plasma which are all needed and are helpful to hospital patients. Locally it is LifeServe Blood Centers that provides 100% of the blood for local hospitals.

Their website shows the urgent needs for blood that is critically low. Today they critically need O+, O-,A-, B+, and B-. But, they will take all blood types. There are numerous locations where you can give blood making it convenient. They recently opened a LifeServe Blood Center in Ankeny on Delaware Avenue.They need 200,000 donors each year to meet the need of the local hospitals. They also sponsor blood drives that may be in your own neighborhood.

The process is simple. You take a questionnaire in your own home and take the code with you to give blood. Check in at the desk then go to a room where they check your blood count, blood pressure and temperature. If all is okay they take you to a chair where the blood is drawn. Yes, one needle is involved but the attendants are expert at inserting it so it is barely felt. 

If you meet the requirements of the questionnaire and health wise, you can give blood in about a half an hour or platelets or plasma take an hour or so. It's really simple and rewarding. l encourage you to choose LifeServe Blood Center to give blood if you are able.

"Lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth," (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV).

You can provide help by giving blood. Give it a try. It's easy. It's one way to help our community.

Up From the Roots

Last summer we planted a peony root. It never looked very healthy and it never grew. This spring it has burst forth with life! It is a long way from potential blooms but it holds hope. I planted the peony because I remember my mother's beautiful row of peonies that she raised. She had iris and peonies gracing her gardens so in memory of her I wanted the same flowers in my garden. 

My mother had a huge garden. It was bordered by a row of iris and a row of peonies, a row of rhubarb and a row of red raspberries in an attempt to make her growing space smaller. After many years with the huge garden, she was tired of all the work and wanted something more manageable. I don't blame her at all. She worked the garden until she was on oxygen and was confined mostly to the house.

"For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations," (Isaiah 61:11 NIV).

Just like the peony plant begins to grow from its roots, my story started with the roots of family. The act of planting is deep in my soul; the need to grow plants will be with me as long as my days. Though I no longer am able to care for my garden, John saves the day and tenderly cares for my plants now.

May your day be filled with plants bursting forth with life! 

Hope-filled Seed

I tried something new this year. I've always wanted zinnias because they are such bright flowers. But, I never had a place to plant them. So this year I filled my pots with soil and planted zinnia seed in them. With all the rain and heat we've had they sprouted right away. I am hopeful that by summer they will be ready to bloom.

It takes faith to plant a seed. Just like the farmers who plant fields of corn and beans, they must have faith that the seeds will come up and the plants will fill their fields.

I used to love watching the corn and beans come up in the fields near us in the country. The sudden appearance of rows in a field was such a happy sign.

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy carrying sheaves with him," (Psalm 126:5-6 NIV).

Plant your seeds with the hope of God's tender care. That the tiny seed you plant will sprout forth in life and become a plant.

Thunder and Lightning

Yesterday we awoke to thunder and lightning. I love the sound of a thunderstorm rumbling overhead. I don't remember ever being afraid of thunder but I do remember hearing various versions of what the noise was. A bin of potatoes got dumped over in heaven is the only one I remember. I'm sure I've heard other versions but I can't think of them now.

By now I've lived through many storms, some severe like the Derecho of 2020. Others were near tornados when I was growing up. One storm woke us up and blew the rain right through the windows. Mom was trying to stuff towels in the upstairs windows while Dad and I were downstairs debating whether to go to the basement. Suddenly the wind came through the house and Dad and I were on linoleum that was like a flying carpet when the downstairs coal room window blew out. We lost a barn and many, many trees in that storm.

When God spoke the Ten Commandments there was thunder and lightning. "When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear," (Exodus 20:18 NIV).

In any case, God is in control.  "He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses," (Psalm 135:7 NIV).

May your day be without thunder and lightning and may God keep you safe.

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

I am always cold. We went to a track meet last night. It was 60 degrees, cloudy, and windy. I wore my long winter coat two layers of a sweatshirt and a long sleeved T-shirt, and one glove over my left hand. Plus a triple layer of quilt over my legs. Still I was cold.

Even in our warm house, if I am sitting I need a blanket over me. John even bought me an electric heated blanket with a heated place for my hands, but it is such a light blanket the rest of me gets cold. The way this spring is going I'll be wearing winter clothes and gloves until June.

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease," (Genesis 8:22 NIV).

I am thankful for the seasons and all their changes. And I even like snow, but I just can't take the cold. Watching the runners last night in their shorts and tank tops made me even colder. Maybe it is old age, or maybe it is my thyroid issue, or something else but I just can't get warm. I can't wait for warm weather, even if it is so warm I complain about the heat. I'll take it over the cold any day.

May you always be warm and comfortable in the hands of God.

Sleep

Ah, sleep! It is great when you can get it. Frustrating when you can't get to sleep. Infuriating when you can't get back to sleep.Wonderful when you can take a nap. Sleep can be demanding if you need it badly. It seems best right before the alarm goes off. Restless sleep can be exhausting.

John and I sleep very differently. He sleeps restlessly, an hour or two at a time. He still has "nightmares" of his work days while he sleeps and wakes up just in time to avoid a work disaster. He gets up and wanders the house looking for a good place to fall asleep when he can't sleep in bed. The basement sofa is good for sleeping, ask any of our kids or grandkids. John uses it often through the night.

I sleep soundly, according to John I'd sleep through anything. Which may be true for sometime during our marriage but lately I've been waking up every hour or two checking the clock then going back to sleep once I see if John is in bed or up. I have trouble getting comfortable and must reposition myself each time I wake up because something hurts. I sleep so soundly because I am highly medicated at night. Usually I can get right to sleep when I go to bed.

I know many people struggle with sleep. Some wake early, too early, in the morning and can't get back to sleep.The scripture in Psalm 4 is all about how we can have confidence that God will answer our pleas for help. And when He does, it gives us peace to rest in God's protection.

"I will lie down and sleep in peace for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety," (Psalm 4:8 NIV).

Try reading Psalm 4 before going to sleep and accept God's promise of providing protection and peace. May it help you go to sleep and stay asleep. Sweet dreams.