AUGUST 23 - 3 GIFTS OLD

An old gift that is yet to be re-purposed.
Not a bad thing to do with something old...

Some things get old, and you wish they didn't...

And though the body is old and shriveling up...

there is a more complete redemption yet to take place.

First it was the soul... then it will be the body.

I long for that glorious day!

AUGUST 22 - 3 GIFTS IN LIGHT

Rising sunlight through neighbor trees,
bringing early morning mercies
every single day.

Moon positioned by the hand of God,
a shining nightlight for us...
 the lonely travelers we were that night.

And then, the one Light given
to make all the difference
in our world...

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, 
but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

AUGUST 21 - A GIFT STRAIGHT, CURVE AND TURN

A Testimony of God's Keeping Power!


In November, 1984, Thankgiving afternoon...
heading North on California's Hwy 1
in my little B210 Datsun,
with leaded foot and going fast...

 I'm going straight 
home to Monterey 
before the sun sets. 
No stops. 
No dilly-dallying.

Curve signs came in very very handy.

I would slow down, make the curve, and speed on to the next sign.

This sign should have been there... 
and because it wasn't....

that right turn 
came too quick,
too tight...
I stepped on the brakes.
and spun out of control...

sliding into the left lane
and on my way over the bank,
when...

A very lovely, and heavy, white Cadillac 
(just like this one)
intercepted Satan's throw,
and stopped me in my tracks.


I call it my white angel...
wings and all...
it was a miracle.


Darkness had set in after all, 
and I would have been in the ocean,
in the dark,
by myself,
and... alive?
Who really knows....

AUGUST 20 - 3 GIFTS OF SERVING

God...

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Country...

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... and Family. 

There's more than one way to serve.

And God sees it all.

And smiles.

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AUGUST 19 - 3 GIFTS IN CHURCH

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Traveling ministers of music,
 Amy Shreve and Gary Wixom,

spoil and challenge us with
their impeccable, Spirit-filled music,

sprinkled with entreaties to trust and love God more.

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Our Annual Ladies Teas,

back in the remodeled gym,

are such a blessed time of sharing
God's love with friends and family.

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Oh, let's not leave out

the monthly Pot Lucks;

goodies salted, sugared or spiced...

and laid on the table for all to enjoy.

AUGUST 18 - A GIFT RED, READ AND WRITTEN

We all know the red.... 

the crazy, cross bloodshed.
No one has ever given me more than He has.

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This book, 
daily double-doses from a devoted Spurgeon, 

has been an incredible influence 

on my understanding
of what I have been given by my Savior.

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But the bread dished out as manna from heaven.

~ that reap-for-today-only manna ~

there's no storing it.

No, this is given fresh, daily.

Come, eat of His flesh,

and you. will. be. fed.

 Oswald Chambers Devotional Bible, daily readings of 2 Chapters of the Old Testament,
1 of the New Testament, 1 Psalm, and 1 verse or more of the Proverbs.
You'll be done in one year.  Excellent, well-balanced meal!

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And as you eat, living water comes forth from within, 

splashing out expressions from the heart.

You can't help it.

Change was spoken into you

and you write it down for keeps.

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AUGUST 17 - 3 GIFTS IN THE MORNING

Even before the sun comes up,

the Son comes to me.

(What a gift!)

And I try to meet Him there,

in the raw hours of the morning.

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Then comes the warm glow of early sunshine
 sneaking up on me at the crack of dawn.

How beautiful is that?

(I believe any time before 6 a.m. is holy ground...)

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And then breakfast-with-a-view.
What a wonderful way to start the day,
and I realize how spoiled rotten I am.

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AUGUST 16 - 3 GIFTS UGLY/BEAUTIFUL

Into the crude and ugly environment of a dirty cave,
the Son of God -  Mary's beautiful baby -

was born to change the world

from the inside out.

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He taught that though men could be ugly,

His compassion - born into men - could turn that ugly

into something beautiful.

If we want it to.

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Think of how ugly the cost of His compassion was
toward all who believe,
that we might be declared guilt-free,

and to be made beautiful in His sight
as children of God.

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AUGUST 15 - GIFTS OF FAMILY

My mom's family... she, the oldest of twelve,
top left. At 75, she jumped out of a plane.
She's now 91, and just took a ride on my
brother's motorcycle. Way to go, mom...

Mom had her family... I'm standing next to her.

She became an interior decorator in So. Calif.

This is late 1960's... 

And then I grew up, and had my family.

I've had plenty of motorcycle rides... 

home-birthed and home-schooled my babies,

and now I'm ready for the next adventure.

Just so long as we keep in touch,

this wonderful family of ours.

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Mom! 

Wait for me!!!

AUGUST 14 - A GIFT IN A RING, CURVE AND SPHERE

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A floral ring crowns a delicate child...

what a gift she is.

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Another more serious growth, a ring of thorns,
crowned another Head.
What a gift this was... this thing that should have been mine.

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When life throws me a curve,
I remember it will never be more than I can handle.
God gifted me with a celestial reminder...
He keeps His promises.

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The gift of God at the center of my world
will be revealed in all the spheres of my life.
Am I revealing this Truth in my world?

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AUGUST 13 - GIFTS IN GREEN

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Straight from our local organic farmer...

Fried green tomatoes, anyone?

Thank you, Pellegrini Farms, Vulcan, Michigan

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Ever tried a green pepper sandwich?
Oh my, oh my, where have you been!
My Italian mother-in-law introduced this to me...

Just put mayonnaise on two toasts, add green peppers cooked al-dente, and dig in.

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Tell me, just how much more green do we need???
What incredible beauty.

Our back yard, Vulcan, Michigan.


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AUGUST 12 - GIFTS HALF-HIDDEN

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This Gift is within,
but wants to be displayed.
I must learn how...

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From a French heritage,
my Papa gives me his accordion.
We see its beauty....
but a hidden "La Vie en Rose"
must first be learned,
then shared.

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Hide his Word in your heart,

and I promise, it will show up in your life.

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AUGUST 11 - GIFTS OF METAL

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Metal strings bring glory to God 

and joy to hearts young and old...

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These three metals add up to a lovely trinity of sons.
Who wouldn't be thankful for these!

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He graduated and he comes and goes, 

and I miss his kind of heavy metal.

I am very thankful to have this:

Click > here < to enjoy...

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AUGUST 10 - GIFTS OF HARD EUCHARISTEO (Giving Thanks for the Hard Times)

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One still-young son left home, 

pursuing promising success.

Though that was not achieved, 
the best is yet to come.

One graduate left home,

we blinked,

and he was married.

God is in this too....

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One canine left home...

way too soon.

Yes, God knows all about the hard times.

And we learn to give thanks through it all.

Eucharisteo.

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AUGUST 9 - GIFTS HOLE, WHOLE AND HALF

Holes large enough for pinkies

make for happy little girls...

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Whether whole-hearted or half-hearted, 
it's a gift to be in the presence of children.
Oh to take full advantage of this...

Church bells telling time...
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