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Point Well Made

Posted by eph21920 on June 17, 2016 in Answer, Faith, Stranger

It was a hot dry day today, so I decided to get the 4-wheel drive vehicle washed. It has been taking many trips on dirt roads and you couldn’t walk by it without some of the fine red soil brushing onto your clothing. I took it to the usual place. I always chat with interesting people there – it is kind of funny. When I left the vehicle in the very capable hands of the car washers, I went through the inside waiting area where everyone was and decided to go outside and enjoy the sunshine for a bit. It was pretty hot and I just stood up to go in when another woman came out and struck up a conversation. Within just a few sentences she gave me some advice that touched my heart. But it didn’t stop there – she made her point a couple of times to make sure it stuck, I guess. It was so ironic, as I had just met with my spiritual director yesterday and he told me the same thing. She seemed to be another messenger. I guess God wants me to take it seriously.

I Found God today in a point well made by a complete stranger.

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Constant Family Love

Posted by eph21920 on June 15, 2016 in Baby, Children, Friends, Fun, Life, Past

Today I visited a friend who I haven’t seen for about 15 years. We were neighbors a long time ago and had a great little community. When I moved back to the area a year and a half ago, we kept saying, “We need to get together!” Things seemed to get chaotic here and with her family as well, so we never set an actual date. I got in touch with her this week and said it was time to make it happen. She invited me over for “grandbaby day”. Her 5 grandchildren come over to her house for the afternoon along with their parents and other family members. I was excited to see the little ones in real life that I have seen only in pictures. My friend and her husband moved in with her parents about 10 years ago – just a short while before her father passed away. Her mother, who is now in her 90’s, remembered me and asked about my kids. She has good days and bad days, but is holding her own. My friend’s sisters and niece were there and 3 of her grandchildren. After a while, her daughter and husband, and the other 2 grandkids showed up. It was so much fun to see the antics and personalities of the 5 little ones all under 4 years old. A couple of them have had extensive medical issues and surgeries already, but you could see their determination. When I moved away, my friend’s children were in grade school. To see them all grown up with children of their own was pretty awesome. The whole family has always been very close. Catching up with them all revealed that is still the case. They have all had struggles like everyone, but they all support and love one another no matter what. We were lucky to have neighbors like them and I felt abundantly blessed to be able to spend the afternoon with them. It was just like we used to be, only one more generation was added.

I Found God today in the loving, constant family relationship and seeing my old friends.

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Live For the Moment

Posted by eph21920 on June 14, 2016 in Answer, Children, Life, Present

It was a beautiful day today, so I went for a long walk this evening. First of all, I was grateful that I could take a long walk. It has been months since I hurt my hips which set me back. I went by a park where there was a child’s baseball game in progress. There were parents and I’m sure grandparents watching – some on the bleachers, some in their folding chairs strategically placesd to get the best view of their child. There were also lots of little ones running around. Some were at the playground. Many were near the field. A few were barefoot happily playing with sticks and pine cones. A couple were rolling down the hill. When I got back into the housing area, there were a couple other children testing their skills on their big wheels. Just watching the joy of these kids brought a smile to my face. There is so much negativity in the media and such that it is too easy to get sucked into a pessimistic attitude. The children are just enjoying life and living in the moment. I think this is how we are to live. Yes, we need to plan for the future and work towards goals. But at the same time, we need to relish the moment – the people – who are right in front of us at the time. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring and have little control over that. But I can decide how I am going to live right now.

I Found God today in an example of living life for the moment.

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Showing Love

Posted by eph21920 on June 13, 2016 in Answer, Family, Love, Music

Last night my dad was so tired, he fell asleep on the sofa. My mom wanted him to go to bed, but instead she covered him up and played him a lullaby on the piano. My dad woke up momentarily and thanked her for being so thoughtful. Small things, perhaps, but this is how my parents show their love. I love the way my parents love each other.

I Found God today in the way my parents show their love to one another.

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I Am Forgiven

Posted by eph21920 on June 12, 2016 in Bible, Faith, Forgiveness, Healing, Jesus, Life, Love, Mercy

The scripture readings at church today were focused on God’s immense forgiveness. In Luke 7:36—8:3 , Jesus was having a meal with some of the church leaders of the time. A “sinful woman” came in, knowing who Jesus was, and started to wait on him. The owner of the home was appalled that Jesus allowed the woman to even touch him as he would then become “unclean”. Jesus explains that the woman has realized her many sins and has come to him for healing. He responds by telling her that she has been forgiven and to go in peace. The priest described how God’s forgiveness is always available to us. The question is, do we accept it? God has even gone so far as to send His Son Jesus in human form to take all the punishment that would be due to us because of our sins. He has done this because He loves each one of us individually. When we realize the things we have done wrong, God does not turn away in disgust. He has already forgiven us. We need to go to him, admit our wrongdoings, and accept God’s continued love and mercy. The priest had us look at the crucifix as a reminder of what God did for us and say to ourselves, “I am forgiven. I am forgiven. I am forgiven.” I found that to be very powerful.

I Found God today in a reminder of His never ending forgiveness.

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Joyful Relationships

Posted by eph21920 on June 11, 2016 in Food, Friends, Joy

My parents and I made it back to the cabin this weekend. It has been over a year since they have been able to spend so much time here. They got in touch with 2 friends who live in the area who came over for dinner. I like to entertain and plan events, so I had a good time making dinner for others. I especially had fun making chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting, homemade chocolate garnishes, and raspberries. We had great conversation as my parents caught up on all the local happenings. It was also very helpful to find out about some common issues and resolutions. My parents really appreciate these relationships and were so happy to be able to get together with them again.

I Found God today in joyful relationships.

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Oh! Canada! — Rover Travels

Posted by eph21920 on June 10, 2016 in Dog, Family, Humor, Travel

Tom and I finally made it into Canada! We hooked up our den-on-wheels early in the morning and reached the border around lunchtime. There was another one of those little roadside dens on the other side. We’ve been seeing these tiny dens right along the road all the time since we reached the Atlantic Ocean […]

via Oh! Canada! — Rover Travels

My brother finally started writing a blog about his travels with his dog. He writes it from the dog’s perspective. There have only been a couple of posts, but they are getting more and more entertaining. I thought this recent one was hysterical.

I Found God today in the creative and humor of my brother.

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A Fascinating Ministry

Posted by eph21920 on June 9, 2016 in Connected, Faith, Stranger

Today I took the car over to the local car wash to get a good cleaning. It was a beautiful day, so I waited outside as the workers washed it inside and out. As I sat on the bench, I gave my sister a call. We talked about times we might be able to get together in the upcoming weeks. As I was talking, an older gentleman sat down on the other end of the bench. My sister and I were discussing a particular weekend, and I said that I needed to be at the church to help with a spaghetti supper. After we hung up, the man asked what church I went to. I told him and we started talking. He worked for an organization that went into remote places of the world, taught the people how to read, told them about Jesus Christ, and then provided them with Bibles. He said they would first learn how to communicate with the natives and help them to create an alphabet if necessary. Then the linguists would work at translating the Bible into a language that the people would understand. It was fascinating. We also talked about family, struggles, and faith. It was really interesting to talk so comfortably with a total stranger. I am sure it was because we shared a common faith and understanding of life in general.

I Found God today in the conversation and work of a complete stranger.

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Can Still Teach

Posted by eph21920 on June 8, 2016 in Answer, Family, Job, Weather

My dad spent 25 years in the Air Force working as a meteorologist. After he retired, he spent 20 years teaching physics at a local college. He also wanted to teach about space, but did not find a suitable college text book. So he wrote one. He has taken groups of people to observatories and space symposiums. I remember how excited he was when the Weather Channel first started broadcasting on TV. He and my brothers installed a weather station at their cabin so you can see what is happening there at any given time. He has also collected many items pertaining to early weather stations and how weather was predicted. The other day, a man who is working with a team planning on creating displays for a visitor’s center on top of one of the mountains, called my dad. The gentleman lives out of state and received my dad’s name from another person who my dad didn’t recognize. The man heard that my dad held a collection of information and stories regarding the mountain top. My dad spent several days going through his books and pictures and doing more research. Today the man and my dad spoke on the phone. My dad gave him a brief summary of his resources. The man connected my dad with another person who will be contacting him. I loved watching my dad in his element. With all of his year’s of experience, he has a vast knowledge and enjoys sharing it with others. He perks up when he is in teaching mode and I am amazed at the information he has stored in his mind.

I Found God today appreciating my dad’s knowledge and ability to retrieve it.

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The Hand Made Sign

Posted by eph21920 on June 7, 2016 in Answer, Faith, Stranger

Every time I drive by a certain street corner, there is a man there who holds a hand made sign and waves it as he walks around. Typically, there are too many words on the sign to read while you are driving by. Today I went to lunch with my mom and her friend. We stopped at a red light at that intersection and the man was there, across the 6 lanes of traffic on the other corner. He was holding and waving his hand made sign. I could see there were lots of words, but I couldn’t make them out. My mom’s friend drove by slowly enough that I was able to read the whole thing just as we passed by. It said, “Do you give lip service to God, but your heart is far from Him?” This man obviously is very committed to his mission and I am sure getting a lot of attention from people other than myself. The words were thought provoking to me, and I can imagine they must touch the hearts of others as well.

I Found God today in profound words from a man on a mission.

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