Hearts in Service Blog

“You mean you're comparing our lives to a sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it? Yes. Mrs. Whatsit said. You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you.”       ~  Madeleine L'Engle,  A Wrinkle in Time No one has a choice as to the family they are born into or the circumstances they are dealt. Some have wonderful families and good circumstances and others not so much. Some have affluent lives and others are born into poverty. Others have wonderful health their entire life and others end up with life-threatening illnesses. But, we all have the God-given ability to see beauty in the middle of ugliness. We all are able to wake up and ask God to give us an attitude of grace and thankfulness and joy. All have the ability to write a sonnet even in the middle of bad circumstances. I'm thankful that God is helping me write a sonnet even in the waiting times, the barren times and the hard times. The form ...

I was driving home the other day and rounded a corner and as I saw the muted browns and gold of the landscape tears sprang into my eyes. The beauty in the colors at the end of autumn caused the words, "Thank you." roll of my lips. It was a scene that years ago I would have driven right by without a thought. And yet, as I've practiced thanksgiving these little things give pause to my day. There are many of these small moments in life that bring a smile to my face and cause me to be thankful. They happen unexpectedly and can cause a bad day to turn into a really good one. They are reminders that God is present in each moment of my life. I am grateful. Th is week I'm thankful for blessings #3,961 - 3,976. 3961. Multiple Etsy orders. 3962. The smell of fresh baked bread. 3963. Beautiful colors on vines. 3964. Beautiful colors in jars. 3965. A reminder of why I love to get out and hike. 3966. Unexpected beauty found in weeds. 3967. Seeing my children find their purpose. 39...

Today is Multitude Monday and it's another week to look back and thank the Lord for the many ways He has blessed me throughout the week. My desire is to live a life of gratitude. Sometimes I fail at that, but this exercise has been a wonderful way to create an atmosphere of Thanksgiving. It's been a good way to remember that no matter how bleak things can seem that there is always something for which to be thankful. Th is week I'm thankful for blessings #3,949 - 3,960. 3949.  Apple pie, fresh from the oven. 3950. Learning new skills. Dock seed which will be turned into dock seed flour. 3951. The most gorgeous fall colors. 3952. My son, Stephen, who has a plan to move forward in his life. I'm so proud of how determined he has become to reach his goals. 3953. Houseplants that change the whole feel of the room. I haven't had houseplants in years and I'm trying to get better at having some to brighten up the place. This is my dipladenia plant which was outside all s...

I have weird and vivid dreams. I always have and probably always will. I often can remember every detail of my dreams and it's kind of like a movie playing in my sleep every night.  However last night was different. I woke up in the wee hours of the morning from a dream about a friend. It's someone I hardly ever see, but we went to college together. He is in a leadership role in our denomination so the only time I really see him is when we are at the same conference together. But in my dream he was trying to speak at a graduation ceremony and suddenly seemed to be having some sort of attack or stroke where he was unable to do so. I abruptly awoke with the overwhelming sense that I should pray for him. And I did. I prayed for his ministry, his leadership, wisdom for him, his health (physical, spiritual, emotional and mental). I prayed for his marriage. Then I fell back asleep.  This morning I sent him a message and though I was somewhat embarrassed by it, I told him about the d...

Jeremiah 29:4-11 ~ This is what the  Lord  of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon:  “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce.  Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.  Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the  Lord  on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.” For this is what the  Lord  of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them,  for they are prophesying falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them.” This is the  Lord ’s declaration. For this is what the  Lord  says: “When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will at...

I went for a walk yesterday and as I walked and prayed, I took photographs. I'm rarely without my camera on these walks and I often wonder why I do that. I'm never going to sell them and my nature photos aren't taken for a scrapbook or anything like that. I sometimes use them in my writing, but that's about it. But then a friend who saw them on Facebook commented that they are my act of worship. And she so eloquently put into words what I was feeling, but couldn't figure out how to express. I often feel like I'm a strange sort of woman. I am introspective and have strong emotions that need an outlet. Many activities in my life are a way to express my faith and my worship.  I know for some people it seems silly to post pictures of baking, sewing, canning and walks and write about them.  But my writing and activities often communicate my thoughts better than my mouth can do.  As I walk, I often find tears springing to my eyes at the beauty around me that was creat...

I've always been an odd mix of extravert and introvert. I enjoy people and am outgoing and friendly, but I also need to have time to myself. If I don't have times of solitude and silence I feel drained. It seems to be such a contradictory mix, but there it is.  Lately, I've felt the need for some time to reflect, think about life, and write. I haven't written a book in 6 years and would to love to start on a new one. But writing takes time. It takes some quiet and peace. It requires down time from the distractions. I've been building some margin into my life so that I can focus on those artsy and creative things that used to bring me joy. It seems as if the last few years I've been about productivity and work and less about slowing down and enjoying each moment. I do want to be productive but also want to make sure that I'm enjoying the process.  I have tried to make this blog a creative mix of my life and I think I've done that successfully. My desire i...

I woke up this morning the same way I went to bed - anxious. Someone miscommunicated something to me to which another person took great offense. I wasn't at fault nor was the original person because they had no ill-intent in the communication. It was really such a minor thing in the grand scheme of life so I couldn't figure out what was causing the third party such turmoil. I could only assume that there was something going on behind the scenes that I didn't know about. However, given my propensity to not like it when people are upset with me it was hard not to want to justify myself and to fix it. I found myself wanting to keep emailing a defense and somehow the more I tried to fix the situation the worse I kept making it. I finally did what I should have done to begin with. I told the person that I was sorry I didn't come to them directly for the information I needed for a report. I tried my best to affirm them in the role they are in. And then I tried to let it go an...