Musings and Marvelings on my Jesus Journey

 I am musing about.... Ready and Waiting Grandma (and Grandpa's) toy room is ready and waiting! It is stocked with fun toys; left over from when our kids were little or carefully chosen from a second hand store or garage sale. Possibly an Amazon purchase here and there:) I was amazed at how quickly we had us a toy room. It was no trouble to gather the toys as we lovingly selected the items that we thought a particular child would enjoy!  And now, on so many days, it sits empty. Waiting for the hustle and bustle of little hands and feet; the sound of laughter and excitement (and occasionally, frustration and tears :) ) I know that as the grandkids age, the way our toy room looks, the books and toys available, will likely change as well. I will want it (and our home) to always be a safe, happy place where they will find love, acceptance and joy! As the kiddos arrive at our door, there are hugs and kisses and smiles. There is jabbering and conversing. But, with the older ones, it...

 I am musing about.... Touching and Touching How many of you received that map from the Voice of the Martyrs ministry that depicts the nations where Christians are being persecuted? The light gray indicates the nations where things are hostile towards Christians and the dark gray means they are actually being persecuted. Hard stuff. Their stories are "touching:". Very. I hung the map up in the basement where I can see it as I walk around in my exercise circle. It is hung up to remind me to pray for them. As I walked by this morning, I brushed up against the picture. It touched me. I had hung it in such a way that it stuck out. I considered re-taping it; moving it over. But then I stopped. In my mind, I felt God was revealing a Truth to me. How easy is it to be "touched" by a story or a situation. But how often do I really get involved with a needy or hard situation in a "hand's on", physical, "I am here for you" way? In regards to the persecu...

  I am marveling over.... the warmth of a fire. What is it about hunkering down by a toasty, crackling, warm fire on a cold winter's eve? There is just something about it. It is cozy. It is comforting. It is assuring. It makes one reflective. It can calm, sooth and warm you to the core. It is like coming around the Word of God. No matter the weather outside, the weather of our soul always gravitates to the comfort God's Word can bring. It calms, sooths, assures, makes reflective and warms us to our innermost being.  Lets gather around God's Word and be warmed today! "Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord,..." Jeremiah 23:29                                                                  '

  I am musing...  So, a dear friend has passed away.  She was taken home. Quickly. Totally unexpectedly. She was young (well relatively speaking) and vivacious. She was a loving Child of God. A dear wife, mother, grandma and friend (to many). She had a servant heart. A huge one.  We used to "do life" together in many ways...  sharing conversations, Tuesday evening singings for shut-ins, working  on committees, attending potlucks, going on group Christmas shopping trips, appreciating the special friendship that our daughters share. Precious memories from back when we lived there, in her home town.  She came to have a special place in my heart. Miles, time and subsequent moves would not change that. Well, back in October, I saw her at the grocery store in a nearby town, (where it is not unusual to run into those we know from here and there). I happened to be in a big hurry. On a mission if you will. I had to quick grab the items on my list and get home f...