Still Waters

This last year I discovered a gadget that has been one of the best purchases I’ve ever made…and you might want one, too, when you hear how terrific it is! It’s called a Neo by Alphasmart. It’s a portable word-processor that was originally designed for use in schools, and still are used that way. Because they were made for kid-use, they offer some outstanding features: Extremely durable. You can throw them in a backpack, take them with you anywhere. Instant-on. Constantly saves your work so there’s never any need to save or backup. Resumes right where you left off when you last turned it off (you can set it to have a key lock so you won’t inadvertently bump it and turn it on). Has eight files that can hold up to 25 pages of writing each. Has a built-in thesaurus, word count, find/replace function, font-size adjustment, and spell-check. There’s a handy reference list on the back with commands and shortcuts you need for writing and editing. You can search the internet and d

Our pastor was speaking today about the faith battle we have as believers when we’ve prayed about something—and then it seems like God just doesn’t answer. We may respond with discouragement and impatience, or being tempted to think “this is just not working.” What should a right response be? ~ Know that God set the thing in motion when you prayed. He will work out all the details—and what is for your best good—as you wait.  (Patience is not our strong suit!) ~ Stay in faith, whether it’s long or short.  Don’t give up.  Don’t give up. ~ Deal with any blockages in your own heart—disobedience to God, failure in loving others, doubt and unbelief, trying to control things, etc. ~ Recognize that the devil is a liar all the time.  Choose to believe God’s Word about your situation.  Choose to speak His Word about the situation instead of your own doubts. ~ Rejoice and praise God in the meantime!  Your answer is on the way. He also spoke about how to keep our minds renewed with t

January, with all it’s anticlimactic, post-holiday space , has been wonderful.  Having decided to cut back on some of our outside activities, I’ve been slowly plugging away at getting our home and life back to a more normal pace after such a hectic fall.  I’d sort of forgotten how lovely it is to have ‘margin’ throughout the day and week.  I’d highly recommend it! One of January’s delightful gifts has been enjoying my honey’s retirement status.  Not only do I have more help around the house, but he’s stepped up to help with some of SweetPea’s homeschooling.  She now takes her math woes to him, and I’ll often overhear lively conversations going on in the next room about economics, world affairs and current events, or spiritual issues.  He’s a wonderful teacher. His first big project has been to redo my kitchen.  (A restful retirement activity, huh?)  Amazing what he’s gotten done when he’s had days on end to devote to it, not just Saturdays.  All the cabinets and drawers are in and

Ah…a new year. I love the word new – it’s loaded with such freshness and promise. I, like many others, love the chance to craft a new list of resolutions and goals. I write up overviews, think through the to-do’s of a busy life, journal my prayers and commit my life in the year to come to God for His leadership and strength. I consider the areas I failed in the past year and try to come up with something more effective that might work this year (you know, like ‘you don’t get dinner unless you’ve exercised’). As an inveterate box-checker, the new year provides a candy store of stuff I can happily make lists over. I’ve even done a bit of this for 2013, will probably do more. But 2012, being the year of upheaval, uncertainty, and demand that it was for me, has drawn me into a different thought process for this year. Usually I get a ‘theme’ from the Lord of what we’ll be working on for the year, He and I. But the season before me holds the possibility of great change, and I’m not sure I

I’ve had an unintended break from blogging the past few weeks, brought about by that thing called Life.  You’ve had those times too, I’m sure--you just have to walk it out and wait until things settle back to normal.  To be honest, I just haven’t felt very social, haven’t felt like blogging.  But now with the holidays accomplished, I’m wanting to have a fresh start with the new year. I was back and forth to Arizona several times this fall, helping out as I could with my family.  My mom had a stroke in August, was in rehab for several weeks, then the day before she was to go home, had another stroke.  She passed away in mid-November from the effects of that second one.  It was a gift of God that we could all be with her during her last days.  Can I share a miracle with you?  Normally, our drive to their town takes 15 1/2 hours.  The day we drove, we were slowed down by icy roads through the mountains and it should have taken us fully that amount of time.  In the middle of the day, we