Remembering My Dearest Mom - Gardener of Souls

My Dearest Mom, 

God’s child in every sense of the word who 

created heaven on earth for her children. 

She unconditionally loved us.

My Mom was a gardener in every sense of the word. She taught me through her love of all plants living especially flowers that there was much joy to be found in God's Garden.

 I loved her peonies, her roses, her lilacs, her sweet peas. I can smell the sweet fragrance of lilacs drifting through this room if I relive one of those summer days

of my childhood. I would gather a bouquet of lilacs for each room in the house...it was my favorite time of year.

But Mom taught me much more than about flowers and plants, she was a gardener of souls. She taught me to love everyone...she showed God's love with her kind loving caring ways. She really lived the thought "only use words to spread the JOY of God and salvation through Jesus Christ if you have to."  Instead she showed that love with her kind words, her loving caring ways, her ability to listen, her encouragement, her hard work to care for people, and her yummy meals.

Everything she did embodied the love of God. I can only imagine that she is already one of God's chosen gardeners in his beautiful garden of everlasting life.

 

“THE LONELY LILAC” 

I am a lonely lilac… 

I miss my child who loved me so long ago. 

Her loving heart was my delight 

As she buried her golden curls into my sensual sight. 

Her gentle hands caressed my blooms 

As she chose my bounty to be 

Joyfully displayed in Her Mother’s rooms. 

The beautiful Mother who taught through her loving caring ways—how to tend the souls in God’s Garden all of her days. 

Carolyn March 1999

LIFE OF THE PARTY 

The peony is surely the “life of the party”. 

The lilies could only wish to be so brilliant. 

Ahh, look at those hot pink ruffles. 

Row upon row of God’s inspiration 

Stitched surely by loving hands. 

And that perfume…. 

Drifting sensually on a midsummer’s night 

To the passionate beat of the crickets’ delight. 

Surely Montana memories are made of this.

Carolyn    March 99

 

Morning has Broken like the First Morning!

“Morning has broken like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird

Praise for the singing

Praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dew fall on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight

Mine is the morning

Born of the One Light Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning...”

Cat Stevens. 

Dear God, 

I give you all praise and glory for each new day...sunny or cloudy...

IT is the DAY that you have made. 

I will REJOICE AND BE GLAD in it.  

In your Precious Son's Name I pray.

Amen

The Best use of Life is Love - Love of God and of Your Neighbor

And in the midst of these times, there’s this.. 

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 

Jesus replied: “

  ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 

This is the first and greatest commandment. 

And the second is like it:

  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-40 NIV

Oh Dear Hearts!

Oh Dear Hearts! 

I miss your sweetness, your giggles, your smiles. I miss your ballet dancing, skirt twirling, cape flying, break dancing, fierce posing feet. 

I miss your sweet and excitable voices with stories about your extra special ordinary moments.

I miss cuddling with you and feeling the softness of you in my arms. I miss tickling and laughing with you. I miss the essence of each of you Dear Hearts!

Liam, Evan, Oliviana, Kaydence and Violet! I hold you close to my  even when we are apart! Love, Gramma. 

Thank you God for My Dear Sweet Ones!

Kaydence - all dressed up and no where to go!

Kay and Livi - Stopping to SMELL the FLOWERS!

Beautiful Liam  - Kindergarten Graduation!

At home - Pandemic 2020!

Livi at the Park - Spring 2020

Sweet Evan

 

Violet - Birthday #1 

Pandemic Zoom Party!!!!

And the WORLD Came Together as the PEOPLE Stayed Apart

SO MANY HEROES IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES!

Coronovirus Pandemic 2020. As the world shut down, and we are inside the confined space of our homes; the heroes on the front lines are battling the virus in spite of their own worries about their personal situation, their fears, and their exhaustion, From the first responders to everyone in the hospitals to everyone at home praying to the final word about recovery or death, they are there! They are the hands, feet, voice and heart of Jesus for those stricken with this terrible virus. We give thanks to God for you and all that you are doing for the thousands of people who are suffering the impacts of this disease.

“You are to lead by a different model. If you want to be the greatest one, then live as one called to serve others.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:43‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Dear Lord, Father God... Bless and provide each front line worker with strong immune defenses, unending energy to keep on keeping on, and your love in their heart to buoy them up when they need your strength of spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Glory and Honor to You Lord Jesus for Your Gift of Salvation!

We give thanks Lord Jesus for the Cross and Your RESURRECTION!

We give thanks Lord Jesus for the Cross and Your Resurrection! “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”
Ephesians 2:8 NIV

I grew up as a Catholic, and I didn’t know that Jesus gave me the gift of salvation without any strings attached.  A gift that I didn’t earn and didn’t deserve.  All I had to do was say. “Lord God, I am so sorry for my sins, and I ask that you forgive me.  I want you to be Lord of My Life, and I want you to be with me all the days of my life and into Eternity in Heaven."

I now know that once I gave my life to God through believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection, my old life was dead, and I had a new life in Him.  The Holy Spirit lives within me and directs my thoughts and actions helping me to come closer to the life that God dreamed for me long before I was ever created in my Mother’s womb.  

Our salvation is the first step in a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.  The process of sanctification is ongoing, and I often fall short of what God expects of me.  I ask for forgiveness, pick up the pieces, accept His grace, and move on. It is a conscious journey of love and grace with Jesus always beside me as I struggle through life’s ups and downs.

Oh Lord, I so love you and am so grateful that you give me GRACE whenever I need it.  That your love is unfailing.  That you are always with me.  Please guide me to be just a little bit more like you each day. In Jesus’ name I pray."  Amen

Lord Jesus, We give thanks for Your Sacrifice for OUR Sins

Good Friday 2020

Lord Jesus, We give thanks with REPENTANT Hearts for your suffering and sacrifice…

Lord Jesus, We give thanks with repentant hearts for your suffering and sacrifice so that us sinners might live for eternity with You in heaven. In your precious name I pray. Amen. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
1 Peter 2:22-25 NIV

Spring Girl Came to the Earth

“Shout for JOY to God, all the earth!Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭66:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Your Love Lord Reaches to the Heavens

And the Pink Moon woke me  on 4/7/2020 at 5:18 am as it was streaming on me through a window porthole high on the wall. 

Reminds me that God is with us when we sleep and when we are awake. 

Thank you Lord... You are the Light of the World.

We trust in You alone

I Want to Dance in the Garden Again

“Oh Lord, 

I want to dance in the garden again and celebrate that the world is back to being normal; but better. That we are kinder and more loving. That we have slowed down our pace and recognize the blessings all around us at this very moment. 

That You, God, are the beginning and the end. That you loved us so much that you sent Your Son to be Our Savior. 

In Jesus’ precious name I pray."

 Amen

Nurture A Greater Appreciation for the Good in Your Life...Start a Gratitude Journal

Give Thanks with a GRATEFUL HEART!

Gratitude Journal

It’s easy to take the blessings of the good things and people in our lives for granted, but research suggests that consciously giving thanks for them can have profound effects on our well-being and relationships. 

Keeping a simple Gratitude Journal helps you develop a greater appreciation for what you are experiencing in your life. In fact, people who routinely express gratitude enjoy better health and greater happiness.

Consider taking 15 minutes for two to three days each week and thoughtfully consider God's blessings.  Make a habit of completing it either morning or evening. Modify to fit your needs..but make it a physical record...don't just do this exercise in your head.

Write down up to five things for which you feel grateful. The things you list can be relatively small in importance (“The breeze I felt as I took my walk today.”) or relatively large (“I just received a promotion!”). The goal of the exercise is to remember a good event, experience, person, or thing in your life—then enjoy the uplifting emotions that come with it.

1. As you write in your Gratitude journal...here are some tips:

1. Specificity is key to fostering gratitude. “I’m grateful that my co-workers brought me soup when I was sick on Tuesday” will be more effective than “I’m grateful for my co-workers.”

1. Go for depth or breadth.  Elaborating in detail about a particular person or thing for which you’re grateful carries more benefits than a superficial list of many things.

1.  Mix a balance of focus on people who have made a difference and on mindfully thinking about your daily experiences for which you are grateful.

1. Try subtraction, not just addition. Consider what your life would be like without certain people or things, rather than just tallying up all the good stuff. Be grateful for the negative outcomes you avoided, escaped, prevented, or turned into something positive—try not to take your good fortune and God's blessings in your life for granted.

1. Try to relish and savor the gifts you’ve received. Thinking of your blessings as gifts guards against taking them for granted. 

1. Savor surprises. Try to record events that were unexpected or surprising, as these tend to elicit stronger levels of gratitude.

1. Journal regularly. Whether you write every other day or once a week, commit to a regular time to journal, then honor that commitment. But…

1. Don’t overdo it. Evidence suggests writing occasionally (1-3 times per week) is more beneficial than daily journaling. That might be because we adapt to positive events and can soon become numb to them—that’s why it helps to savor surprises.

1. Here are some gratitude quotes that might be inspiring:  

“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer


“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” – Henry Ward Beecher

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Anonymous

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” – Henri Frederic Amiel

" Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” – Karl Barth

“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” – Lionel Hampton

1. Most of ALL...Be Thankful to God for All of Your Blessings!  

1. And not surprisingly, you may find as I did, My Gratitude Journal became Prayers of Thanksgiving to God.

Land of the Free

Our Father God... 

I give you praise and glory for all of our blessings. We desperately need your loving care now. I come to you and lift up all of the caregivers and helpers on the front line of the COVID-19 battle whether they are the doctors, nurses, EMTs, first responders, cleaners, drivers, and whomever else is doing their important part in the care of the sick and dying.

These dear servants are your hearts and hands and voices who are giving every part of themselves to their patients. They are brave and strong and talented Father. You know their names, and you know their needs. Lift them up with your hope and help them walk in the light of your love. Give them supernatural strength to endure and care for your people. Put your protection around them and keep them free of the virus. However, if they get it, please lessen their symptoms and help them to a speedy full recovery. Also, provide needed safety equipment for each of them and each patient’s needs. We put our hope in you Father God because you are the Great Healer.

I ask all these things in your Precious Son’s Name.


Amen

Importance of Gratitude During the Pandemic

During the challenges of this time as we are in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, it is a perfect time to listen to the urgings of the Holy Spirit as He whispers someone's name.  It helps you remember that you should take the time to reach out; send a note or pick up the phone.  And now, as we are homebound, we really have no excuse...we have PLENTY of TIME!  Consider all of the people who normally only get out once in a while anyway, but now they are alone, sequestered within their four walls.  A bright cheery note or chatty call could really brighten their day.  

And it is a blessing to you as well.  There has been some research conducted on “author benefits” by Steve Toepfer at Kent State University that suggests expressing gratitude or fond sentiments to a friend or colleague can draw your attention to more things for which to be grateful.  By doing so, you raise your happiness quotient; and consequently your health over time. It also makes you pause before writing to think of how you’d like to frame things, since you can’t easily delete. Pausing in today’s world is a rare and delicious treat.

Be a blessing today!