Careful how you walk

Being a lover of history, I'm fascinated by glimpses into the past, whether they're in written form (diaries and journals) or through the venue of a camera lens. A friend recently shared this footage captured on the front of a trolley car in San Francisco (1906) just days before the earthquake.

I'm a people watcher so I especially enjoy watching the people in this video footage. I've read that the photographer reportedly hired his friends to drive/walk in front of the trolley to liven the scene, etc... I have no clue whether that's true or not, but I love seeing the fashions, the mixture of wagons and carts and cars, the blend of technology of the day, as it were. And then to think that only days from when this footage was shot--only four days, if the account is correct--an earthquake would basically level this area. These people had no clue what was coming in their lives. Just as we don't. 

But our Heavenly Father did, and still does. 

He knows the most minute details of your life, and mine. Nothing is hidden from Him, and I'm so grateful for that because I can't see beyond this second. Oh I can plan with the best of em. I'm a list maker from way back. I know my way around an Excel Spreadsheet and very much enjoy the illusion of being in control. But knowing and understanding the intricacies of the mind of the Creator? Well, I'll need an eternity to begin to gain even the slightest understanding of the mind of God.

I used to believe that once we crossed over to Heaven, we would know everything. That...bam!...suddenly all of our questions would be answered. We wouldn't have to wonder about anything. I don't believe that anymore. I believe we'll spend a never-ending-constantly-having-your-mind-blown eternity uncovering the depths of God's creativity and love, in learning more about His "mind."

I appreciate these verses from Romans 8, and their reference to God knowing our hearts and to His working in and through the choices we make, or don't make...

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Are you at some crossroads in your life right now and have no clue which way to go? Take heart...the Spirit is pleading, even now, on your behalf in harmony with God's will. So pray and watch and listen for His guidance, then take that crucial first step. Whatever path you chose, whether it be the "right one" or not, God's going to use that experience to work for good in your life, and for eternity. So really, when you're following His lead, there's no getting lost. Even if you make a wrong turn.

Blessings on your week, and take care as you walk your walk. Just as we're still watching those who have gone on before us, someone is surely watching us too.


(Cross posted on Writes of Passage)

A nice surprise

I'm honored to be listed alongside the ladies below––Robin Lee Hatcher and Deborah Raney––as a finalist for the Gayle Wilson award (for The Inheritance and Beyond This Moment). Robin and Deb are both dear friends and fabulous writers and have been encouragements to me in countless ways. Thanks, ladies, and congrats on your nominations!

The picture above is a fun ad we put together for a conference program in 2007.

I posted today over at Writes of Passage. I hope you'll join me over there for a glimpse at a fabulous on-line magazine.

Feasting on comfort food

I love cookbooks. As I've started packing my kitchen, I've run across some wonderful cookbooks I hadn't visited in a while. Several were gifts from Mom. She always wrote notes inside them and those notes are extra special to me now. Through the years, we often bought the same cookbook when shopping or traveling together, and when she was here visiting, she'd go through my copy and draw little smiley faces by the recipes she'd tried and liked, and sad faces by the losers. I treasure those precious scribbles.

I could read about cooking all day long. I love the idea of fabulous home cooked meals with scrumptious ingredients and having the dishes turn out just like the ones in the high gloss pictures and then serving them on a perfectly decorated Martha Stewart table. Then there's reality... 

I've cooked once in the past week. Okay, twice if you include the french toast with bacon last night (I love having breakfast at night, there's just something so comforting about it), and three times if you count the pineapple and strawberries I cut up to go with the pizza I ordered on Saturday.

Not long ago, my sweet across-the-street neighbor, Dana, introduced me to The Pioneer Woman, and after perusing the website, I ordered The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook. 

I appreciate a "down to earth" cookbook and this is just that. It's such fun and really captures life on a working ranch, the love of family, and the joy of cooking for those you love. Be sure and check out the Buttered Rosemary Rolls. Dana brought over a pan of those hot from the oven recently and oh...my...goodness. Delicious! You wouldn't want to eat them every day, for sure, but for a special occasion? Perfect! They're comfort food to the max.

Two nights ago, I received some real "comfort food" from the Bread of Life. It was one of those occasions when God's reminder of His watchful care fed my soul in ways so very undeserved. I've been feeling a "groaning" inside recently. Not a dissatisfaction with life, but rather a keener sense that this life is only the beginning. And somedays, quite frankly, I feel an urge to want to get on with it already. As I readied for bed on Saturday, I glimpsed my Bible on the nightstand and realized I hadn't read my daily reading that day. Nor a handful of days before. I hesitated, not wanting to be reminded of yet another something I'm behind on, but I felt a prompting to submit to His Word. And I'm so glad I did. 

The reading was from 2 Corinthians 5...

"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life..."

That was exactly what I'd been feeling. And swallowed up by life! Don't you just love that promise? The Bread of Life is waiting to sustain us, to fill us. So why do we oftentimes just nibble on His Word when we could feast!

Praying you enjoy comfort food this week...especially the eternal kind.

Gotta Keep Reading

A friend just shared this cool mob dance...




If it's cut off, click here for the Youtube version.


I'm busy working on rewrites for Within My Heart but posted over at Writes of Passage earlier this week... Hot Wi-Fi and Fruit Parfaits. Check it out if you have a minute.


Have a great weekend!