by Sharon O | Mar 30, 2026 | Uncategorized
I remember this season with little children, Palm Sunday was the time of making palm leaves and acting out the ‘waving of the leaves’, for Jesus.
The children would get so excited in Sunday school singing and prepping their dances down the aisles.
I miss those innocent little ones sometimes.
Not knowing the fullness of what Easter would mean in the days to come.
Oh, it was fun. And the candy baskets for us to look forward to giving
In our house, we didn’t do a great deal of candy, we tried to do books and socks and oh so boring gifts for little people.
We would look for pretty dresses or nice shirts and pants for their Easter day. On Sunday morning.
I have a picture of my childhood, with my sisters and I outside dressed in Easter kind of clothes, three little girls about ages 6, 8 and 10.
Our dresses were alike maybe our grandma made them, white ankle socks with patten shoes, little purses that matched and smiles that said, ‘we are happy.’
Well, we know the real story of that one, but the picture is sweet and very much childhood in its ‘cuteness.’
Easter has a lot of heaviness to it, the story of Jesus and his coming here to die for us. You cannot have Christmas without Easter. They go together. Both had pain and moments of sorrow. The purpose of HIM coming was to save us. We often forget the baby in the manger was grown up and now is the man on the cross. It’s hard to grasp.
As a mom I often wonder how on earth did Mary hold it all together.
It is a serious, sad time for everyone.
I will try to write more as the days move closer.
Easter is not just cute dresses and patten shoes, it is trauma with love stamped all over it.
I remember this season with the little children, and we tried so hard to protect them from the intensity of the story.
by Sharon O | Mar 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
I have to share a funny story.
In our church we have what we call ‘the classic’ group.
Which is basically anyone over the age of 55.
Last Saturday was our gathering time to get together for games and snacks. It started at 4:00 and ended at 6:00.
Then we clean up the room and go home.
Our table decided to play the dice game called Farkle.
It is a low-key game of dice and there are specific rules on how to play it, the table was a good mix of men and women.
It should have been an easy night.
One lady was in her 80’s and she had her self-assigned position of knowing the game (even though we were not sure if she did).
We played according to the rules and then she would say, “Oh you know sometimes the rules can change, if you need them to do that.”
Surprising most of us who had played the game before.
She would role her dice and then… oh a rule change, we all were quiet some kicking each other under the table as if to say, “shush just let her play.”
She was a strong force to contend with and one of the ladies asked if she was a schoolteacher, “Oh yes for many years.”
We could tell.
You know how you instantly feel small.
She was not mean or hard to deal with just funny because the rules of the game changed many times during the short time we played.
I had to think of what it might be like to be in your 80’s and possibly in a room of people you don’t know for the first time in a long time.
It took courage for her to speak up.
To show her control, to allow others to listen to her.
We were like her students one more time.
When we left to go home, I realized she was just trying to fit in, and she was doing a pretty good job of it.
I will always think of her whenever I see her from now on.
A courageous widow lady just trying to help us along on game night.
I just had to share this funny story.
by Sharon O | Feb 19, 2026 | Uncategorized
Our pastor has been teaching a series on the word abide, as well as other concepts.
He is a fabulous teacher, encourager and challenges us always in our walk with the Lord.
To abide: to bear patiently; to endure without yielding; Withstand; to await; to remain stable; to continue in a place
and another form of the word is to dwell or remain.
I choose to abide in the comfort of the Lord.
There has been many other words he has chosen to teach on, each have power and consequence in our lives.
Each day we are given the choice to do what is right, what is true and good.
If we choose to abide in Him, we choose to be stable and strong and even if we are not feeling like that,
there is hope in the direction we are going.
He gives us strength to withstand many things that perhaps could have knocked us down.
There is a song we sing that says, “he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall abide under the shadow of the almighty.”
It is a promise.
I hold onto it and choose to abide in his presence. Always.
These are just a few thoughts as I continue into my evening, for His glory always.
by Sharon O | Feb 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
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Birthday weekend for our twins who are turning 22 .
And yesterday was my sister Mary’s birthday, she passed away in 2019;
The twins were a great surprise for us, Our daughter had a bay five years earlier who was a preemie and in NICU. She was 2 pds 11 ounces and 17 inches long.
We didn’t have twins in our family and the anticipation of two little girls was almost more than this grandma could deal with, they arrived weighing 4 pounds each,
Tiny babies always dressed in little red hearts. Valentines babies.
Now they are grown up and one is a mommy herself to an almost two year old little girl and the other one is in a serious relationship too.
Both are beautiful and we are so proud of them,. They wanted to go to red robin and have cake and ice cream.
One wanted vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and one wanted carrot cake and cream cheese frosting.
Just because they are twins they don’t always have to have the same thing. And YES they are considered identical.
So we are celebrating them this weekend,
I said my ‘thoughts’ on my sister Mary, telling her I miss her. as we move on.
Recovery is still taking place I am half way through PT and it is brutal. I pray I survive this season.
by Sharon O | Feb 9, 2026 | Uncategorized
Today is the thirty-day mark with this knee. I never realized how painful bone surgery was and to think my husband had two knee replacements and shoulder surgery.
My next one will be a replacement surgery but not until next year. You know the insurance issues that have to take place.
I have rested and rested more. Recently I started Physical therapy and that kicks my behind for an hour. I am ready for my chair and ice when I get home.
My brain has not been in a writing mode, but I will get there soon, I hope.
I have to find a rheumatologist for some answers on this knee my bones were very angry, and I was walking on a lot of red angry nerves.
So much has happened in the last few months I am just taking one day at a time.
Spring will be here. The sun will come out, and the dark rainy Oregon days will change.
That is about all I am doing tonight will come back tomorrow.
