This last weekend we took a day off and went ‘sight seeing’ on the Oregon Coast.
My favorite place to go.
Our journey included a drive to Gearheart which is a lovely little beach town full of quaint little beach homes nestled among the sand and grass. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of them.
After doing a bit of geocaching which the guys love to do we headed on to Astoria.
In Astoria we were amazed to find some wonderful ships on the water just moving so slow through the waves and current I could have watched them all day long.
They were large in size and amazing to look at then we walked down the trolley car track to see other ships. Here I am walking down the track watching my steps on the uneven wood.
As we headed to the other side of the tracks to see more we enjoyed the cool wind in our faces.
This is the trolley car when it’s picking up people along the route.
We were going to ride it then decided to just walk the track to our next viewpoint.
The trolley was very crowded.
We came around the corner and as we were looking over the waters view point I looked up and saw this mother seagull protecting her babies. She stood up and made all kind of noise to let us know we were close.
We had never seen a seagull and babies in a ‘nesting rest’ spot before it was very fun to see.
The babies had their soft feathers and it only looked like it was two of them. High on a perch over the waters edge on a large piece of wood. They were very cute and very quiet.
The ferry we were heading to see was this one, a Coast Guard ferry we were not allowed to enter.
It was very pretty sitting in all it’s glory against the blue water and landscaping.
Here is another large ship in the water. Amazing to see as it moved slowly into the channel.
At one point in time there were four of them waiting to enter the channel many miles away from where we were standing. So big this picture does not show how large it really was.
This is the top of the ferry boat. Amazing and very high.
If you look closely there are four ships out there far away from us.
The top of one of the ships we were standing next to not far from the very high Astoria bridge.
It was amazing to see the barge ships come through that very high passage way. We watched them move so slowly and yet so guided by a plan and a destination. Amazing to be a part of and watch and very refreshing out in the wind by the water.
It didn’t take me long to think of this song and this lady when I saw the word for the day.
We are blessed beyond all blessings because in our land and in our country.
We are free.
Free to walk down the road and shop in any store.
Free to write words on a blog on cyber space.
Free to worship in whatever church we choose.
Free to say and think whatever we decide.
Free to drive down any road on any road trip.
Free to ask for coffee or tea or pie or donuts.
We are free.
May we never ever forget how precious that is.
Now sit back and enjoy this wonderful song by Lynda Randall.
The word for the day is: Hope
I have a deep appreciation for this word.
Without it, we despair and we anguish over what is taking place without anything better changing for us.
Hope gives a refreshment.
The Bible says: Hope deferred makes a heart faint.
That means when we make it wait and wait with no idea of change we get sad.
Hope: the Spanish version is Esperansa.
We used to have a patient who came into the pharmacy where I worked and her name was Hope. I always loved it and when I asked her the Spanish version it was so pretty when she said it with her beautiful accent.
Dictionary.com says: it is expectation – the feeling that what is wanted can be had and or event’s will turn out for the best. I can certainly relate to that one after watching my husband go through a full knee replacement recently.
The expectation that he would be able to walk without pain and to exercise without deep distress.
It was a trust issue and also an expectancy on our part to see ‘how he would feel’ after the recovery process.
It has not disappointed us.
Sometimes the hope it takes for us to receive what we have been waiting and longing for is our ‘reward.’
We hope our children will turn out to be ‘good citizen’s and great parents’.
We hope our health will hold up till our retirement days so we can travel and do fun activities.
We hope our money will hold out so we can be free from anxiety and worry and do all that we ‘hope’ to do.
So much to hope for, may our heart’s not become faint as we wait to see what is a head of us.
Hope is also my ‘word’ for the year.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
The word chosen to write about this week turned out to be favorite.
Dictionary.com says: it is regarded as a special favor or preference.
When I think of favorite I tend to think of things that make us happy.
Feeling safe, comfortable and warm is a favorite of mine, although right now in the midst of a heat wave we don’t need to be warm.
It reminds me of the song in the Sound of music movie when Julie Andrews sings, these are a few of my ‘favorite’ things.
In the fall my choice of clothing is sweat pants or jeans with no elastic around the waist.
Then I add a v-neck 3/4 sleeved pull on shirt and warm socks.
If given the choice of desserts my favorite is warm marionberry pie.
If given the choice of what I would like to do, my favorite place is to go to the beach.
If given a dish of ice cream my favorite is pure chocolate by haggen dazz made with few ingredients and deep rich chocolate.
If someone knows me they know and realize I am a one who likes to stay at home.
My favorite place to relax in.
I love the fall and the cool autumn days mixed with the beauty of turning leaves.
I love Christmas and the festivities and traditions.
We can have favorite songs, cars or animals.
It is just a simple choice for us.
To say, these are a few of my favorite things.
The word for the day was Dream.
Dictionary.com says to dream is an aspiration or goal, a wild or vain fancy, most desirable; ideal.
It also means in a dream state as in sleep; a succession of visions or images or memories while in a sleeping state.
Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real when you woke up you had to look around and get your self re-oriented as to where you are and who you are with?
The first definition is a real one for me as we are making plans for retirement.
We dream of a vacation at the beach without a time limit to come home, where we are able to relax and explore unseen areas of the coast range in a newly purchased motor home.
We dream of a cruise to Alaska or a trip to England where we can wander the hillsides and explore the castles, enjoy the gardens and delicate foods.
Dream is such a big word.
It can also be a hurtful one carrying intense power, in the past I have had terrible bad dreams on the level of nightmare. They were very disturbing and very upsetting.
Sometimes with an intense theme.
I didn’t want to sleep the next few nights after those horrible scenes.
I would go to bed with quiet music playing by my bed so I could sleep with ‘gentle’ thoughts.
When thinking about this word, I also think of Martin Luther King, saying, “I have a dream”.
In this time and age of ‘uncertainty’ and intense drama, maybe his dream for peace and quiet is a very much needed one right now for all of us.
The word for the day is dream.
What does that word stir within your heart and spirit?
A question to think about on this ‘challenging word prompt’.
Fear: dictionary.com says it is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger.
To feel apprehensive or uneasy.
We have all had those moments of fear.
Where your heart pounds, and your emotions go all crazy and you are on high alert, I had that intense feeling one time when someone came to my front door.
As a rule I do not open the front door when my husband is not home.
On this day, it was clear to me there was a man outside the door and he was knocking and I was beginning to feel the anxiety and the fear of his hard pounding on the door.
He rang the door bell and then I could tell he was trying to talk to me as I stood right close on the the other side of the front door.
I waited and watched for the knob to turn telling me he might be trying to come in, I could feel my heart pounding and the ‘fear’ rising within me.
As he kept talking outside the door, I ignored the words garbled through a metal thickness.
Feeling somewhat safe but also feeling very anxious as I wished for him to leave.
Earlier in the day I had gone shopping and apparently shut the door before taking my keys out of the key holes. He apparently was trying to tell me the keys were still in the door.
After I figured that out, I realized my false ‘feeling of safety’ and my real fear of him walking in.
When we are really fearful we must trust in the process and stay calm, because sometimes the problem is bigger or different than we can even imagine.
It is distressing, yes, it is a feeling of uneasy emotions.
Fear, just the mention of the word brings feelings and emotions.
This week I heard of my oldest grand daughter going to the river and swimming without anyone knowing about it, not a wise thing to do for a teenager.
Immediately I felt fear for her, for us and for the potential dangerous situation.
We had no idea she was even near a river and we didn’t even know who she was with.
I called her mom and told her I was fearful of this situation and upset that we didn’t know.
I have to trust in the process of letting go and yet I also have to know my fears are real for her.
The word for the day is Fear: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” ~ Psalm 56:3 ~
Sometimes that is the only thing we can do in this very dangerous world we live in.
Today is the one year anniversary of my mother’s passing.
It seems very strange to not have parents.
It is not that I was very close to either one of them, but they were still ‘my parents’.
The last time I left my dad’s hospital room it felt to me, like I would never see him again this side of heaven.
I was in peace with that thought.
I didn’t say good bye as he was resting, but I do know he knew I was there and I also know he cared for me in the best way he knew how.
A few days later I got the call that he was gone and his spirit moved to a more simpler and wonderful place.
The same thing happened with my mom, the last day I saw her.
I left knowing she was on the way to another place that would bring healing to her.
As I looked around the room and allowed the visual of her tiny frame of body, wrapped up in a blanket of love, I knew she would be gone soon.
In the early morning hour when the phone rang, it was the call telling me she had passed away.
My grandparents have been gone a long time now, but even that is a great loss.
To have generations missing and gone is sad.
I have often thought about those days of our childhood when our mom was raising three little girls alone.
Our dad left when we were little and when he did it was hard for us.
I have very little good memories of growing up, as it was a crazy and sometimes confusing time of life.
The constant things were a clean house, rules and hidden emotions.
The non constant were hugs and emotional talking.
Not one time do I remember being asked, “how are you?”
Not one time do I remember being told,
“you are valuable in this family.”
She didn’t know how to do that.
I am not bashing her or blaming her.
I am just saying she didn’t know how to give what she didn’t ever learn herself, and you can’t give what you don’t know.
As my maturity has come and through therapy, I have learned the ways we are raised and taught, becomes critical in our thinking and processing as adults.
In our home of origin life was not easy.
When our dad left we were all struggling with big emotional holes and no one was there to fill them.
It was like we all knew things were different but we were not allowed to talk about it.
What an unfair thing to do to a child.
The emotional damage of non verbal expression is hard to explain.
I am positive we never processed our dad’s leaving.
I am also positive we were instructed to ‘let it go’ and be good.
Today is the one year anniversary of my mother’s passing.
Our parents are gone now. It is a quiet and strange feeling to be an adult orphan
Mothers day and Fathers day are just Hallmark card moments for others to share in.
I no longer stand long at the card aisle wondering what to pick out and send.
Our parents are gone now.
The word for the day is world.
At first I couldn’t think of what I would write about, then I had two thoughts come forward.
The song, “He’s got the whole world, in his hands…”
Then I thought of the blog world.
When I first started to write I was pretty clueless how it all worked together me writing and others reading or me reading others writing.
One day I started a search and ended up visiting a few ‘blog sights’.
Then I read more and then I added a few comments and soon the blog authors and I were friends.
Even though we had never met, we were knitted together by a blog world of people.
Yes safe, wonderful caring people.
I know it sounds strange to be a friend to someone you have never met in person.
Again it pulls itself back to the authentic real me.
I had to ask the question, could I really be a friend to someone I might not ever meet?
Some are living in spaces I will most likely never travel to.
But God can make us friends and we are drawn together by other friends who know each other in mutual friendships.
It is a circle of wonderful people who fit together with a common goal, he’s got the whole world in his hands because he is almighty.
We can have authentic real relationships, because we are on common ground with each other.
Some may ask, ‘is it risky or dangerous’ to be friends with someone you never met?
I say, no, because I trust in the process and do believe if we ever met we would be best of friends.
He has the whole world in his hands, that means everyone.
In my little den which is a very small world, I open the screen to miles of friendships.
Two are in England, One is in New Zealand, many are all around the United States.
The word for the day is world.
I opened my life and took a risk to open up to the world.
In doing that, I found abundance of wise and wonderful people.
To go along with our ‘authentic grace’ topic.
I just read this wonderful blog by someone whom I respect, admire and hope to meet some day.
It ministered to my heart, soul and spirit and left me with a few tears.
If we all could be real and honest and authentic.
We can go so much further and so deeper in relationships.
It starts with taking a risk.
http://jenniferdukeslee.com/tellhisstory-the-first-step-to-authentic-friendship/
I pray you take a risk today. click onto the link above.
One Word 2018 Simplify/2019 Simplify/2020 Rest, 2021/Comfort
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Philipians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. ==================== Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." Courage is not the absence of fear but it's taking action in the midst of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure.
It's your heart, not the dictionary that gives meaning to your words. Matthew 12:34 (msg) version.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below you will find a few of my favorite websites or blogs. They have given me encouragement and challenged me on this journey.
Ann Voskamp's blog A holy Experience This image of a bleeding heart represents a journey of healing from brokenness to wholeness. Some of my favorite books: One thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Married over 46 years and entered into my 65th year of life.
I am a mother of two and grandmother of six and mom to two very spoiled kitties. I love to worship and encourage and of course write whenever I can find a topic or subject to share about.
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Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you find it encouraging and that it gives you
'Something to think about'. The vision for this is to challenge the reader into a new and different way of thinking. I appreciate and always value your comments. Having others walk alongside and join in the sharing is part of the process.
Thank you for joining me... on this journey. As we get encouraged ~ Lord help us to encourage others. "And the day came when the risk to remain a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin my blog button The crosses are found on a beach at Winema Christian Camp on the Oregon coast.. a place to relax and find God in the process. My favorite place ....to rest and restore my spirit.
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