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Light for My Path
Do you ever stumble around your house in the dark? I do this when my husband is asleep and I need to adjust the thermostat. Not really the greatest idea, because sometimes I press the A/C when I intend to turn on the heat. Makes for a chilly start the next morning. Outside, though, I always have light for my path, especially since I attended a class on wildlife in our community. Deer, snakes, and possums occasionally trek through our yard. Sightings of a bear or fox have also circulated through the neighborhood. But I was surprised to learn bobcats and coyotes live in our area. If I’m late taking…
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Steps
Do you count your steps? Back when I counted mine, 10,000 seemed to be the sweet spot. Tools to measure the number of our steps flood the market. But could someone invent an app measuring the how? Are our steps hesitant or confident? Ambling or running? Faltering or steady? Weary or energetic? Measuring the how would enable us to evaluate those times we need help getting where we’re going. Most importantly, what about tracking the direction of our steps? I don’t mean geographical direction. Plenty of devices exist for that. Instead, I’m thinking of the destination to which our steps ultimately lead. Who or what are we moving toward? A…
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A Curtain of Fog
My husband and I unloaded our two small suitcases and the snacks we’d brought. Three relaxing days at the beach stretched before us. So what if it was winter and the weather was overcast? We love the beach anytime. While Barry returned the luggage cart, I stepped onto the balcony of our oceanfront room, eager to check the size of the waves. Instead of waves, a curtain of fog greeted me. Dense, thick fog. The ocean was nowhere in sight. I zipped my jacket and settled onto a balcony chair. We’d stayed at this hotel before. I knew the ocean ebbed and flowed on the other side of the heavy…
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Work of Art
My wonderful mother-in-law, Helen Teague, loved antique shops. When she visited, we’d spend hours combing the shops for a unique work of art at a bargain price. On one of these expeditions, she introduced me to Blue Ridge pottery. Southern Potteries, a plant in Erwin, Tennessee, manufactured the pottery between the 1930’s and 1950’s. Each piece is stamped with ‘Blue Ridge,’ named for the mountains surrounding the town. My sisters-in-law and I have collected pieces of the bright, cheerful dishes over the years. The hand-painted designs make each dish unique, its own work of art. Have you ever considered that you are a work of art, with a value far…
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The Heart of Joy
Who is the most joyful person you know? What makes that person so joyful? Do they enjoy their job? Have a craft they love? Does their joy come from a relationship with God? What is the heart of joy for them? And what is the heart of joy for you? In the book of Matthew, tucked into the Christmas story, we find a beautiful description of the heart of joy. “And he (Herod) sent them (the magi) to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’ After hearing the king,…
Faith for the Adventure
