AUGUST 31 - THREE MIRACLES

MIRACLE #1

Made possible for you, by the blood of Jesus Christ,
and your humble acceptance of His work on your behalf...
John 3:16 and 17.

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MIRACLE #2

Photo taken by Frank Sade, Lake Superior, Marquette, Michigan

A sun that sets every evening,

and rises again, every morning.

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MIRACLE #3

AUGUST 30 - 3 GIFTS VERY SMALL

SMALL GIFT #1

No matter the name,

this one - rich or poor - will live for eternity.

Eternity, in something so small.

How it all happens... right  >here<.

Joseph and Danika

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SMALL GIFT #2

String a lot of these little things together and what do you get?

A glorious cooperation of sound that can form

an unforgettable experience.

>listen here<

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SMALL GIFT #3

One little mustard seed,

they say, is all it takes

to move a mountain.

Small... but powerful.

This man had some of that...

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AUGUST 29 - A GIFT ONE, TWO, THREE

GIFT ONE:  I was born in Montreal.

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GIFT TWO:  I was born again in So. California.

Church of Our Fathers, Cypress, CA

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GIFT THREE:   Soon, I'll be going home.

1,2,3... 

Just like that.

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AUGUST 28 - 3 GIFTS LONG AWAITED

It took a while, but finally seeing all three of my little girls

was certainly a gift worth waiting for!

Cutie pie number three...

AUGUST 27 - 3 GIFTS NEW

Proud papa holds firstborn,
both connecting in full wonder.

Exhausted mama holds middle son...

out like a light...

cutest newborn baby in the world.

And one more gift... also born at home;

little pumpkin is what we called him.

AUGUST 26 - A GIFT CUT, SEWN AND BUTTONED

This work of my Mother-in-Law's hands...

and on display in our bedroom,

has carried with it the sweet memory
of a very kind and loving Italian lady.

Here she is, with my husband's sister,

shortly before cancer took her Home.

AUGUST 25 - 3 GIFTS FRAGILE

Nothing more fragile than a God-given child.

Love them slowly...

linger the hugs, the kisses,

the eye- contact.

Equally fragile may be your spouse...

the other gift in your life.

Feed your relationship well...

And your beloved teenager...

remind them how fragile a heart is...

they need to know.

AUGUST 24 - 3 GIFTS MOVING

Sunday afternoon chatter; stories, wisdom and jokes,

all mixed up together; 

moving back and forth between two buddies. 

Water moving out from under the hull,

stunning wet art. So inviting.

Words, addressing our Father, 

moving mountains in Jesus' name.

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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