Two of my friends have started blogs. If you think back to the time when you first started your blog, you may remember a time of excitement and wonder and expectation. And then as your followers and comments grew, you felt yet again another level of excitement. People stopped doing what they do to read a word from you. Humbling. 


So, with this in mind, I want you to take a moment from reading this blog entry and check out these new blogs and encourage their respective authors. Will you do that? Will you give a "virtual hug" and "welcome to the neighborhood" to my friends Kristie and Gretchyn?


Kristie's blog is "I am Convinced." She is a warm, giggly and friendly servant of the Lord Jesus and she is also hands down, the best chocolate-chip cookie maker in the world - and she used to make them especially for me. Notice the "used to." Don't slight her for that. I'm fat now so I don't need any batches of cookies floating my way. But to show you her true dedication, she has mailed homebaked cookies to me before. Now, isn't that amazing? You should go see her blog just because she's good to me like that! She's a faithful friend, wonderful mother and wife and also a fantastic kitchen scholar. Trust me. Everything she makes is beautiful. Hopefully, one day, she'll post some articles about the way she cooks and how she makes everything look like it came out of the pages of a magazine. 


I haven't know Gretchyn as long - maybe a little under a year, but we are sisters in Christ. So, time does not matter. We'll be singing and praising the Lord together when we get to Heaven. Gretchyn's blog is "GQ Too."  She is a faithful and compassionate servant of the Lord Jesus. When I last looked, she was on her second post and she wrote about her children and the little ways they can encourage you when you least expect it. I personally can't wait to see what she'll post about as time goes on. I know she visits with the elderly and they have all types of stories. Maybe she'll share a few.


So, please stop by these blogs and show these wonderful ladies some bloggy love! You won't regret the time you'll invest.   

Inspiration struck. In the span of 15 minutes, I had a poem that convicted, chastised and spoke truth to the heart of man.

I got my second special delivery letter from my sponsored child. This letter came much quicker than I expected but I think it was due to the Christmas holiday. I'm trying to calibrate my expectations to that 2-3 month cycle. Yet, every time I think of her, I smile. 


I'm happy to hear that she is doing so well. She takes the time to tell me all about her family - that's pretty neat huh? Hopefully, as our relationship develops, we will learn many things about each other. For such a small amount per month (in the grand scheme of things) this child will now have an enhanced future - one where she will know the Word of God and where her basic needs will be provided for. 


Sometimes it seems to me that we don't care enough for each other. We spout off at the mouth at each other so easily. And if we are not running off at the mouth, being verbally ugly - like some radio talk show hosts sitting in cushy atmospheres drinking too expensive coffee - casting their rhetoric to their dubious listening audience - then we are finding other ways to harm each other. The thing about words is that they show what's really in your heart. And if that's ugly...well... I'm sure that's not the way God envisioned for the family of God to behave. Pile onto that, the way we abuse each other. Look at all the fake charities that have popped up in the midst of the Crisis in Haiti. We steal from each other; we hurt each other and with each blow, we move further away from God's design for us. 


My world and my sponsored child's world have different realities. Some days I think she may just have it better. Her world is far different. Yes, they are, by our standards, less fortunate; but because they have the right focus and the right level of respect and courtesy for other human beings - well, they may just be richer -in the right way. 


It is my prayer that we will all learn how to treat one another and that we become more careful with our  words towards one another. That we go back to the teachings of old to treat your neighbor as yourself and to esteem others higher than yourselves. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get back there - some day. 

1. Though many seek to destroy it, and may even temporarily succeed in limiting its availability, the Word of God lives forever. 
2. If you hide the Word in your heart, no one can take it from you. 
3. Good in the hands of evil profits no one. 

I've had one of those weeks where on Monday, you're asking "is it Friday?" It is only Wednesday, and if I did not know better, I would think someone, somewhere, added days to my week. 


It's been long and stressful and I'm three days in. But, I really do not have anything to complain about. Yes, it's been tough this week, but when I think about the fact that I'm still alive, I'm still healthy, I still have a roof over my head - what's a few tough days? 


If I flip on the television, and watch the incessant coverage on the earthquake in Haiti or if I jot over to Twitter and read all the chatter on #Haiti, then no, my week simply cannot compare. 


Someone once said that somebody always has it worse than you do. I don't know the origin or any details, but I understand the intent to take the focus off of ourselves long enough to realize how blessed we are. 


I'm blessed tonight. And so are you. Because at the very minimum, you have eyes to see this post, and knowledge to read and comprehend. You have a computer or access to an electronic device with internet capability and you have the time to peruse the internet at your leisure. You are blessed tonight.


So, as I prepare to go and thank the Lord for all that He has done for us, I just want to remind you that no matter how bad your week or day has been, God has blessed you and He has kept you. What a wonderful thing! 

Jesus will protect you. That’s what I told her. And that’s what I meant. At times, our minds can go a little crazy imagining the what-if scenarios of life. And, before we know it, something small has escalated into something way bigger than it need be. That’s why I thank God for the calming agents of the Scriptures. To borrow from a famous story, the enemy can huff and puff, but for those who are rooted and grounded in their faith, he’ll never be able to “blow their house down.”

Fear can be paralyzing. We often times fear the very things we have no control over. So, why waste the time? I try to remind myself of that when circumstances come that are beyond my limited resources. I remind myself that although I’m not in control, the Sovereign Lord of the Universe has never lost control. All things are in His hands. And His hands are big enough and strong enough to subdue whatever frightens His children.

Jesus will protect you. There is no need for fear.

So, whether it is the case that you are going through a frightening situation or just one where you are feeling a little vulnerable, know that as His child, the Lord will protect you.

Check out Psalm 71.

Cold weather reminds me of hot chocolate, thick blankets, fuzzy socks and travel.


When visiting certain climates at certain times of the year, say winter, you learn to pack accordingly.


-When I visit Boston in the winter, I make sure to pack several layers, my fuzzy socks, sensibly warm shoes, and my big winter coat. 


- When I visit New York, the same attire applies, but I usually leave the fuzzy socks at home because in New York, I'm going to be out and about and not cooped up in my hotel room keeping cozy with my laptop. Can you imagine fuzzy socks peeking out of my shoes while pounding the pavement of New York. Ummm, no. Not cute. 


- When I visit Germany in the winter, I will often check my bag so that I can make sure that I've packed enough thick socks and thermals to keep me warm for the duration of my stay. 


For the past week, I have not traveled. I've been right here - fuzzy socks and all, dealing with the cold weather that has hunkered down on my state. This weather is abnormal - it normally does not stay this cold, for this long. They say it's due to some winter storm affecting most of the nation. The midwestern states are getting whipped with snow storms and the like and we are even looking down the face of a snow storm too. Okay, snow dusting...but you never know.


All of this has me thinking about good ole Germany. Afterall, I was just there three weeks ago. I thought I might share some pictures with you. So, slip on your fuzzy socks, and cozy up to your computer with your hot chocolate.


If I'm recalling right, I think I took this picture in Munich when I got off the plane. I was changing terminals and to do that - I had to take a stroll outside. Yay for me! Nothing like getting a cold burst of air to wake you up after twisting and turning "all night" in an airplane seat, "sleeping" in a cabin full of strangers. But, it's all good. I've never had any problems and I pray that I never will. I pray that you won't either when you travel! Oh - side note, isn't McDonald's EVERYWHERE?!! Geez. Oh - the white tent you see is a vendor station but since it was 8am there, the vendors weren't quite ready for primetime yet. My body wasn't either. It was thinking - why are we running around Germany at 2am? Whose plan was that? Oh yeah - mine.


Okay, next picture.  I was in the next terminal, strolling around. Afterall, I did have a three-hour layover. This advertisement is for rental cars. It's so neat to see so many cars that are "luxury" in the US, performing as "working" cars in Germany. All the taxis that I took on my trip were Mercedes. Of course, they weren't all outfitted in leather, but hey, they were Mercedes. Oh la la.


This is a shot while I was in Nuremberg. This entire side of the hotel was in lights. Kinda neat. I took this coming back from the Christkindlesmart (Christmas Market).


Amazing enough, every time I go to the Christkindlesmart, I never buy ornaments. Instead, I go for the cookies and the gluwein mugs. And no, I do not drink the gluwein - though several upon several people do.

This year is off to a good start. I have taken a moment to browse a few blogs and thought I would share some of those with you. I hope that you will take a minute to go around the blog in ... you know the minutes! - not me!! Stay as long as you want on these blogs. I am quite sure that the blog owners will appreciate your visit.

I have been following Renee's adoption story with Baby Aster and then the blog began to really pull on my heart strings as I read about everything that seemed to be hitting her all at once from her mother's illness to the potential for her own illness in addition to raising a baby along with two boys and a husband. Well, I guess you don't really raise a husband - although some women may say otherwise. Well, you know what I mean. Check out Aster's Christmas and Renee's awesome response to God in the midst of her perfect storm.

Life can hand us some dooseys - I typed that out just like I wanted to say it!! You know what I mean. Life and its circumstances can whoop us upside the head and steal our joy if we are not careful. That's why we have to be on the lookout - be vigilant. And, that's also why I found my friend Doris' post on Joy quite interesting. I hope that you will too.

After reading about sweet Aster, God's hand in Renee's life and the joy that is available to all of us through Doris' post, I want to make sure that you check out Wendy's post on New Year's Resolutions - ah...I mean New Year's prayers. You will NOT be disappointed. Wendy is an excellent Bible teacher - in fact, she has taught me. So, don't skip out on Wendy's post for New Year's prayers! 

And with that last reading from Wendy, I will leave you to write (see, if you read Wendy's post, you'd know what I mean!).

See you 'round the blog-o-sphere...aka....I'll be back on Friday, God-willing.