Hearts in Service

 As the days have grown shorter I've been struggling with an underlying sadness. The one year anniversary of my mother's passing is coming up and there are reminders of that time everywhere. Memories keep popping up and when they do I'm transported back to that terrible time last year. But there have also been some sweet spots. My sister and her husband called the other day and on their way out west were driving right by our city. I was able to have lunch with them. This afternoon I was able to have a video chat with my stepfather and his daughter. It was nice to see his face again! But again, sadness settled over me as everything is different. Despite those feelings, it's been a good month. I've been so incredibly busy. I've written papers and worked on my small group lessons. Today I finished a 6 page paper and then spent the afternoon sewing. Tomorrow I'm working on a message I'm giving on Sunday and will probably do more sewing. I also have 3 pumpkin...

I had a class this weekend and a friend graciously allowed me to stay with her and her husband. Her home is feet away from Lake Ontario and her backyard overlooks the lake.  The weekend was a wonderful time of catching up with some dear friends who came to dinner on Friday night. I spent all day in class on Saturday. I headed back to my friend's on Saturday night and was so exhausted that I fell asleep at 9 p.m. Normally, I would have headed back home right after the class on Saturday. I'm thankful I had made the decision to stay because there was a torrential downpour when I left to go back to her house. My friend had a race to go to in the morning, her husband was meeting someone for breakfast and I sat in her backyard with my Bible and journal and had a talk with the Lord. It was rich and it was deep and it was needed. And it happened because I stayed in the moment.  I had breakfast with my son who lives in the area and I'm thankful I did. We spent time chatting about di...

It was a busy and productive week which consisted of canning tomatoes, peaches and sauerkraut. It was made up of cooking some delicious meals so my son, Stephen, who was visiting, could eat some homecooked food. It involved gardening, writing a theology paper, children's ministry, teaching two Bible study classes, doing some district work, sewing, and physical therapy appointments.  I'm trying to restock my Etsy shop which was depleted after taking much of my inventory to a friend's shop. And I've done so well there that my sewing machine is humming away trying to restock items I took to her store. It's a good problem to have! Next week I have pumpkins to process as well as apples. This is absolutely my favorite time of the year and I love everything about fall. Last year I missed most of it in caring for my mom so I have a new appreciation for the season. I'm so thankful for the women in my life - my grandmothers and my mom, as well as other wise women who taug...

I will be going merrily along my way in life when out of the blue something will come along that feels like a punch in the gut. I taught a lesson yesterday morning on being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry from the epistle of James and then turned around and blew it big time yesterday afternoon. One minute I'm sitting and reading, and the next let my temper fly at a family member. A bit later, apologies took place and forgiveness was extended, but I couldn't shake the sadness that came from letting my temper get the best of me. In the aftermath, I was left dazed as to how quickly the situation escalated. If I had remained calmed, the situation would have diffused. My emotions are so quick to flare up and I'm reminded again of how weak we all are as humans.  And yet, God also is quick to forgive and show mercy. He is able to heal wounds and reach deep down into our damaged souls and cleanse away the dirt that we wallow in at times. He lovingly places ...

It's dark when I get up and as I stumble into the kitchen to make the coffee, there is a chill in the air. Autumn is here and while the days have been fairly warm, the nights are cool. Candles are lit, it's soup and stew weather and this fall is a beautiful one. And of course, that will soon be over and we will move into winter. Just like the seasons come and go, my life is also a series of ebbs and flows. One week will be a very busy ministry week. Another week will be focused more on home pursuits. And other weeks are a hodge-podge of things. That was how this week has been. It's been a busy mixture of helping a friend, canning and preserving, cleaning and sewing and finishing assignments for a class. This morning I'm taking a young lady from church out for coffee and this afternoon I have a physical therapy appointment. The thread that runs through all my days though is the constant desire to be available to be used as God sees fit. Sometimes that lines up with what ...

This blog has morphed so much over the years and I realized it's been ages since I've actually shared a recipe here. Scalloped potatoes have always been a great side dish, but every now and then I like to turn them into a main one-pot dish. I decided to share what I did here. Just a note that I used kielbasa because that's what I had, but you could substitute ham. Main Dish Scalloped Potatoes 5-6 potatoes, thinly sliced 1/2 onion, thinly sliced 1 1/2 cups of peas 1 package of kielbasa sausage, sliced 1 1/2 cups shredded baby swiss cheese 3 Tbsp. flour with 1 tsp. salt & 1 tsp. pepper mixed in 3 Tbsp. butter 2 cups milk 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2. Grease a 9 x 13" pan or Dutch oven.  3. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom, add 1/2 of the onions, 1/2 of the peas, 1/2 of the kielbasa in the pan. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of the flour mixture on top. Top with 1/3 of the cheese and dot with 1 Tbsp. butter. 4. Repeat step 3 above. 5. Top with remaining potatoes and sprin...

“He who every morning plans the transactions of that day and follows that plan carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life.”   ~  Victor Hugo I was up early this morning and after spending some time reading and praying, I'm trying to prioritize what needs to happen first this week as there is a lot going on. I spent the weekend helping a friend get her new shop ready for her opening day on Tuesday. It really was enjoyable. I loved helping clean and arrange things. She will also be carrying some of my items there and I think she will do well. She is taking over a successful business that has been there for 30 years. She kept the same name and many of the same items, but is also adding and tweaking some things. I'm excited to be part of it and will be working there on her opening day in the morning. I momentarily lost my mind at the local farm stand on Saturday, and came home with a 1/2 bushel of tomatoes, a 1/2 bushel of peaches and 4 large ...

It's October 1st and I feel like my head is spinning from the previous month. September hit and my schedule went out of control.  The month included designing a website for someone and spending hours on that. I planned a district retreat and spent hours in event preparation. I started taking a class for women in leadership that will also earn me 6 seminary credits and that involves reading multiple books and writing papers. The church programs started back up for the fall and I've been super busy on that front. Whew! Some days seem to whiz right by. My website design gig is completed except for maintaining it, and my district retreat is over, so things have started to get back to a more manageable pace.  Autumn is my favorite season and I'm loving the cooler temperatures and bright colors. Normally, I'd include the tastes and smells in that, but well...you know my woes in that area. I've also had some time to reflect on some of my ministry activity. I truly have dif...