Mary's Heartbeats

The crowds wouldn't stop, they continually were drawn to the teaching and healing of this man. They pressed around him and seemed to find him wherever he went. Since Jesus was by a lake and saw the boats of the fisherman, it seemed a good idea to teach from the boat and maintain the audience on the shore. After he was done teaching, he said to Simon (one of the owners of the boat), "Let's push out to deep water to fish." Simon's response to Jesus was reluctant at best, "We've worked real hard all night and caught nothing, but because you ask, I'll try again." Off they went into the deep and there they put those same old nets down just like they had done so many times before. All at once, it was as if all the fish in the sea were captured because the nets began to break! They had to signal other boats to come and help! They filled two boats of fish, almost to the point of sinking! Who knew that such a thing could happen? It's the last...

No matter how much you plan for Christmas, it always arrives too quickly and leaves too fast. Before you know it, all your talk is just of the memories. Perhaps that is the silver lining in the process, because you do take time to pause, reflect, and focus on those moments. It's those moments that thread your conversations for you to share. I was reminded of that this year, as I sat around with family. Although, some were missing from our circle, it was as if their presence still was there. We remembered all they did to make our Christmases just right, we could hear their laughs, feel their love, even hear their long distance phone calls, and savor their delicious holiday treats. I hope that now I make those memories for my family to recall. I hope I'm mindful of each moment I have to give. I want to be the one who laughed out loud, and loved each one to death. I hope I'll be the one that listened to their hearts, and encouraged them in a righteous path to go. "S...

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) Dear Family and Friends, Ever wonder and ponder the Christmas story of old? It really seems to make no sense . . . It starts out with young Mary, a Jewish unmarried maiden, raised in a God fearing home. Joseph, her fiancé is older and known to be quite a virtuous man. His family too provided a godly heritage and lineage for him. With their credentials, all seemed to be going quite well, But into their wedding plans comes this surprise baby, A Supernatural Miracle. Confirmation comes by way of angelic messengers, And an older relative of Mary’s. Yet for nine months there must have been thoughts of: What next? Why us? What does this really mean? How will this ever work out for the best? Can we honestly raise a King? The final straw must have been that trip to Bethlehem. Now they would be away from family and friends, Who would help them with the birth? Any plans they may have had for help were nixed . . ...

Merry Christmas world! I love quiet Christmas mornings when no one else is awake. It's just me and the dog, quietly enjoying the morning sky awakening. There's a chill in the air until the heat kicks in. I savor my coffee as I reflect upon this day. . . Actually, I have had my best Christmas celebration yesterday on the eve of this very special day. For several years now, I have had a group of older ladies that I have coined "My Faithful Women." I think I started this especially in honor of my Mom who was so faithful to her husband and family, but especially to her Lord. Mom was one who in spite of all odds believed and hoped in One greater than any other. She remained faithful despite her own physical handicaps of hearing loss and chronic pain from osteoporosis fractures. She never questioned or at least didn't seem to ever ask, "why me?" But instead, she loved you always, and you knew it beyond any doubt; and she prayed for you const...

Many days have passed since I have written. Some of those were days of fatigue and darkness, but little by little, meaning and purpose has been returning to my life. I am not always sure why we have to travel such roads. I had stayed late again at work to finish up the endless call backs and numerous forms to write. I like to leave my desk empty at night instead of facing the inevitable the next morning. But now I was ready to leave, even though the puffy gray clouds threatened from my office windows. It has been a week of strange weather---raging heat at 100 degrees plus---and now intermittent afternoon thunderstorms. I breathed deeply the fresh smell of rain as I went to my car. The days are getting shorter, as I realized even at 6 pm the sun was beginning to set. Pulling into our driveway, I knew I had a one more chore to do; put out the trash cans for the collectors tomorrow. Getting out of my car and looking east, I saw it . . . Right there before my eyes was...

It had to have been the most rundown house in the neighborhood. Neglect had left it faded, without windows and screens in the upstairs. A rusty garage door hung unevenly and the wooden fence that circled the house hardly stood by itself as it feebly attempted to conceal the backyard junkyard. It seemed to have been a host for various people, for there were always several cars parked out in front, although individuals were not often seen. But something now has changed. They started by tearing down the old fence and filling dumpsters with endless stuff. A crew of people worked all day, digging, trimming, throwing out, from the inside of the house all the way to the outside yard. They scrubbed and painted quite quickly, and even within one week, change was evident. It now looks livable with borders trimly etched. The rose bushes in the front have shown off their blossoms that were hidden so long by debris. New windows and frames, fresh paint for the stucco, a real back ya...

It's not going well. The golf drive is lost, it seems to find trees instead of the narrow fairways. The putting is definitely off; if it is there, it is there only inconsistently. Bogeys and double bogeys are his friends that surface on the lonely courses. The focus and Tiger vision that once was so invincible now is blurred and blinded. What was to be one of the greatest years in golf history for him, now seems to be a distant and far away dream. I wonder what Tiger thinks these days, I wonder if he thinks all that he got away with in his former life was worth losing his game, his wife, his kids, and now his no. 1 spot. Was it worth it? In some ways, I give him credit that he is at least out there trying to make a comeback. However, there's another part of me that would just like to see him give it a break. It's like witnessing a lame horse trying to still run in the race. Sometimes the most respectable thing to do is to withdraw and reconsider. Maybe, just...