Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year blessings to each of you dear friends! This season has been a blur of activity for us - and I'm sure for you too. It seems the days slip by more and more quickly. Here we are with CHRISTmas come and gone for another season, and the New Year of 2024 upon us! It has been a busy but wonderful season of remembering our Lord, and the love He showed us by coming to save us 2000+ years ago!
December - that month of short days and longer nights
Dark clouds of gray
overshadow the sun's light
This time of year can be
full of drear
But at dawn and dusk God's paintbrush brings cheer!
I don't often share about my own personal writing journey, but many of you readers do know that I have written a book - Through Love's Eyes. Because it is that time of year when people are looking to buy gifts for those they love, I wanted to share a few new things with you that may be a blessing to you in your search for a special way to bless your loved one this Christmas season!
Yes, it's that time of year when all the nasty bugs that multiply and grow in confined warm spaces begin to make their rounds. Our family was visited this past week by one who decided to stay and visit us. Not welcome at all - we hit the bug hard with all the tools in our "Keep Healthy" toolbox.
I was the first one to succumb to the bug, but I was only sick for about one day. As soon as I started feeling a scratchy throat, I began to take extra vitamin C and drink lots of water. The next day, I began to run a fever, had aches, chills, and just general malaise, and my head was congested. My fever only lasted a few hours as I began drinking elderberry tea. I also took Quercetin, vitamin C, vitamin D, and some cold medicine.
My husband also got "bit by the bug" within a few days. I made him some of the elderberry tea as well, and his fever broke within a few minutes of drinking the tea! It really made a believer out of him! He only missed one day of work, and I was sick for one day as well.
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| Elderberry syrup |
How is it that joy and sorrow walk hand in hand? Seasons of grief and sorrow have weighed on us throughout the past year - and yet, when I look back on the blessings of the Lord throughout the most difficult times, I am thankful - once again - that walking with the Lord smoothes the difficult places, and brings joy in unexpected ways.
Thanks to each of you who were so kind to share your condolences to our family in the loss of our precious Mother, Mom Moseley. With the holidays approaching, this year will be hard for us without the presence of my Gram, my Dad, and Mom Moseley. But, as I've shared before, our hearts don't grieve as those who have no hope - we are thankful for their eternal presence with the Lord, that is such a comfort.
As we journeyed to Texas for the funeral of Mom Moseley, I wanted to share some of those pictures with you. I wanted my last post to be all about my precious Mom Moseley, but for this post - I will share some pictures of our trip there.
I continue to be amazed at the length of Fall's season this year! My harvest is almost over, as the cold weather (30s and 40s at night) has really slowed growth. Yet I still have zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes growing in the garden! We had a light frost about a week ago, where temps got down to about 29 degrees in my garden. However, I really think having the shower curtains hung where the frost breeze can't hit my plants has made a huge difference. I still have blooming flowers, zucchini growing, and green beans too! I am giving the Lord praise for this bountiful harvest!
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| I picked this bouquet the night before the expected freeze. Thankfully, with the help of my hanging shower curtains, the frost just nipped the leaves, and everything is still alive! I'm so grateful! |
I celebrated a birthday milestone in September... 50 years! It's been a wonderful month celebrating my birthday! We celebrated at a local state park with family and friends, and it was a very special day for me! I don't feel any different, but it was wonderful to visit with our family and friends!
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| Happy 50 years to me! |
Summer is drawing to a close here in our beautiful North Idaho. I had lows in my garden of 38 degrees in July! We've had many nights in the low 40s in the last couple of weeks. My plants are doing their best, as I support them and give them everything I can think of to help them - but we all know that Fall and the first frost are close at hand...
Most of you my faithful readers know that I am Canadian by birth, as I've shared much about my Canadian roots through the years. I have lived in the United States since 1994, and while having my green card - which grants me most of the benefits of being a US citizen - there were still things I could not do with my green card - namely voting, sitting on a jury, running for political office, or being able to get a concealed weapons permit.
Thanks to all of you who shared such encouraging words about the passing of my Dad. I have mourned his passing each and every day - and have appreciated all the prayers and encouraging words each of you have shared with me! There is an ache in my soul every moment with the loss of his presence here on earth, but then I look up into the heavens, into the skies and the Lord reminds me that Dad is at peace there, with Him. What a comfort it is to know that in the darkest moments of our loss, we can still rest in comfort in that knowledge!
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| The garden has been a place of solace and comfort for me. It was the place I last heard my Dad's voice. And, it is the place where the voice of our Heavenly Father speaks to me too! |
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| The garden has offered up glorious bounties already this year. Strawberries were produced in abundance! |
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| I have enjoyed hosting garden tea parties... |
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| In July we and our son purchased an older model fishing boat. We have since spent quite a few hours on the rivers and lakes with the boat. |
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| Watermelon is one of our favorite treats to enjoy while on the boat! |
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| A neighbor invited me over for a tea party on the deck of her gorgeous log home built by she and her husband. |
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| It was such a lovely treat to sit and visit each other! |
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| The garden has required much work - the weeds have been abundant! My husband helps in the evenings when he can. How I appreciate his help with these tasks that can overwhelm me quickly! |
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| We enjoyed quad rides together in the earlier part of the summer. Now that it is so hot and dusty, we will wait until we get some rain. |
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| Our little boat! It is small, but we are enjoying it immensely! |
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| I've had lots of chipmunk visitors to the garden this year. They have eaten their fair share of lettuce, dill, marigolds, and cilantro! They are cute but very destructive! |
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| Dan and I went camping on the northern end of Priest Lake with Miss Riley. What a beautiful relaxing time it was for us. The campsite was right on the beach with these glorious views! |
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| We went for a ride up some old logging trails - our favorite thing to do! |
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| We enjoyed cruising around the lake with our new-to-us boat. |
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| So quiet and peaceful, and the views are glorious! |
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| Riley enjoys riding in the front of the boat, keeping an eye out for the ducks! |
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| Spotted this sailboat one afternoon - against the beautiful backdrop of the mountains! |
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Beautiful wildflowers along the bank of the lake.
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Back home - Dan and I celebrated our anniversary together by getting huckleberry ice cream after a meal together. My Dad was almost always here every year for our anniversary as he would often come up to visit in July. So we enjoyed huckleberry ice cream in memory of him! Dan and I sat outside the little burger place in town where my Dad and I would often go and sit and enjoy ice cream together. We cried and reminisced our memories of Dad. |
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| The garden is doing splendidly this year - my clematis burst out in glorious purple blooms over the trellis! |
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| Berry picking has been abundant this year - I am thankful to have many gallons of huckleberries picked, frozen and in my freezer to enjoy! |
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| Raspberries were amazing this year! Really - every berry that grows here has given us a great bounty! |
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| Another view of my garden with the clematis on the trellis. |
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| I am sure you can understand why I've been a bit absent on the blog these past couple of months, as I've had much to do in the beautiful garden space I am blessed to care for. I anticipate a marvelous harvest this year! |
In the dark and troubled world we are living in - isn't it a wonderful thing to know that we can find peace, safety, and comfort in our Hiding Place, the arms of the Lord! I pray that the Lord's arms would wrap you in His love, and in spite of the troubled times we live in, there is a place we can dwell that is safe - and that is in His care! Blessings to all of you!
On Friday morning, June 9th my Dad passed away unexpectedly on his front porch at their home in Texas. I remember where I was standing in the house when Dan called me. Dan was working down in Texas at the time, and he had just backed our semi into their yard and brought in his luggage. Dad stood up to open the door for him, as he sat on the front porch during the early morning hours when it was cooler. Dan went inside, dropped his luggage, and came back outside to sit and visit Dad. But, Dad was slumped over in his chair, and despite EMS arriving within 2 minutes of Dan's call, they were not able to revive him. He passed quickly, peacefully into the arms of Jesus without any of us getting a chance to say goodbye. Our hearts were broken.
Dan called to tell me Dad was unresponsive, and they were working on him. I knew in my heart he was gone, but we all prayed desperately for the Lord to touch him one more time. It was not to be so. I quickly made airline reservations to fly out that afternoon and arrived in Texas late that night. My Dad was gone - gone from this earth to his heavenly home, and reunion with his loved ones in heaven, gone to rest in the arms of Jesus.
The loss of him in our lives though - this is what we mourn. This is why we grieve and cry. I'll never hear my Dad's voice again, this side of heaven. But he lives on in my heart, his words, his love, his presence, what he meant to all who knew him!
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| The last picture of Dad and I together, on Easter Sunday morning of this year when we went to church together. |
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Dad loved classic cars and cowboy hats and enjoyed a good visit at Buc-ees. If you are from Texas, you know what Buc-ees is - if not - if you ever get to Texas, you need to visit this iconic convenience store. Dad loved Buc-ees!
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| Dad remained a citizen of Canada all the years after moving to Texas, but he loved the United States of America and the blessing of the freedoms it meant for all of us! |
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| On my last visit at Easter, Dad, Mom, and I enjoyed the day together - I took them out to eat at a quaint diner, The Twisted Fork, and we got this fun picture together. How thankful I am for these memories! |
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| Dad came up every summer to spend several weeks with us. We always ate lots and lots of huckleberry sundaes and ice cream! |
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| When we went for a visit at Easter, we went for a drive in Dad's old pickup. Sweet and precious memories they are to me now! |
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| Ryan and Dad with Ryan's dog, Gus, went for a ride in Dad's pickup, this was back in the early spring of this year.
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| Dad spent several days in the hospital before being released to travel back home to Texas. This was the last picture I took with him and Mom as they left Idaho last June. |
TIMESTAMP
What's in a moment of time? Why does
time pass so quickly in moments of bliss and joy, yet the moment of deep sorrow
and pain feels endless and relentless?
How can the same quantity and entity of time be so different in each life? As we traverse Earth's journey one step at a time, each step can be marked with a timestamp - for one a lifetime in a moment, for others a breath too short. How do we comprehend the vast reality of time in human bodies that bear the mark of life's time journey? Some look aged and worn at 40, others at 60 still young and vibrant. Some bodies are healthy, and others struggle with health for their entire timestamp on earth. How does a blink of an eye, a moment of time transpire so quickly for one, and yet drag on with prolonged agony for another?
In one day, in a moment, a child is born, a new life brought into this world, a cry announcing its arrival, celebrated with rejoicing - yet on that same day, in the blink of an eye, a precious loved one - gone, with sad cries of hearts broken by its loss. Gone from this earthly world - no time for goodbyes, no last words shared, no love you's to speak into hearts. Time stops in one moment, and in another, time begins.
Wrapping my mind around this reality is quite frankly, impossible. It's often called the circle of life. The writer of Ecclesiastes pondered this truth too. A time to live and a time to die... a time for all things, good and bad.
Hurts, shattered dreams, broken promises, failures - so much of what is broken in our humanity lies within a timestamp. Yet, marked also are the joys of hearing a baby's first cry, smelling the rich fragrance of garden peonies, hearing loved ones say I love you, being wrapped in the embrace of the one you love, and the delight of watching the rain drip from the skies, watering the earth, and for the joyous love of Jesus that can rinse your soul of its dirt and grime, refresh and renew under the waterspout of His grace and mercy.
What does the timestamp of life hold? What marks the measure of time in life?
Each of us has a different file, our own number, and our own reality. What can we fill ours with that really matters, that will be the hallmark when the timestamp seals, and is written: "Done". Will it be well done, thou good and faithful servant? Will surrendering your life to Jesus mark each moment of your life with a covering of His grace and love? Or will you endeavor and strive to make life your own, alone?
Remember - each life has a timestamp and its length unknown. Live each day without regrets- aware that life is not guaranteed beyond our next breath. Live with love, joy, and peace. Gather each moment of your life like a bouquet of flowers, knowing that its season can and will end, but is to be enjoyed fully in the moment.
Don't wait another day - or for that perfect moment - instead live each and every breath of your life aware of your timestamp, it is being marked.
Make it count.
The day my Dad died, coincided with several big events in our family. A great-niece was born early on the morning on June 9, 2023 hours before Dad passed. And 73 years before, on June 9, 1950, his sister Helen Elayne was stillborn due to a doctor's error giving too much ether to my grandmother. Dad died on the day his sister would have been born, 73 years previously. When I wrote the "Timestamp" piece on the airplane, I was not aware of the date of his death coinciding with the death of his younger sister.
I shared this verse at Dad's going away service. It sums up the beauty of his life lived.
One of my brothers wanted this song played for my father's slideshow. I think it shares the essence of his life, well lived, and his loss is bittersweet - I am so happy to think of him in the presence of Jesus - but I miss his presence here on earth, so very much!
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