Today

Today I celebrate cycle 4 of my chemo treatment done. In case you are keeping track that's half way done. To you it's gone fast-to me not so much. I decided to look in my journal that I take notes in Sunday mornings, I looked back two years. What were the sermon topics-do they relate to me today?

Dec.2013, What makes a life extraordinary? 

A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13.

Dec. 2014

Deep joy-because within the pain of our heart-leads to joy.

Joy rooted in present.

Joy is a gift we are given no matter what we are faced with in life.

Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

All this pain

I wonder if my life could really change at all?

All this earth

Could all that is lost ever be found?

Could a garden come up from this ground?

You make beautiful things 

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

All around 

hope is springing up from this old ground

Out of chaos life is being found in you

Dec 2015

God's covenant with us -His people

God's unfailing unconditional commitment to completely fulfil His purpose on those He loves.

Trust, joy, love ,hope is being offered to all of us this season of our lives.

I celebrate life everyday-today just a little bit more. 

Beauty In The Desert

We all have a happy place. Maybe we can visit it ,maybe not.

Might be on a couch cuddling with your pet, In a pew in a Church service, eating your favorite meal. A place unique to you yet shared by many.

Maybe its a spouse, the sunshine or the snow.

A place that sometimes gives us enough warm feelings that help us through our hour of need, that put a skip in our step, that keeps us from being overwhelmed.

For me I love this place. It reminds me of how my life at times is dry and barren and scorched . And then I look some more and I see the blooms around me. And I see Hope.

Hope is what keeps me going when I have every reason to stop.

And I stop, meditate and pray. And I drink in this Hope.

Hope the first candle of Advent season

Hope that's what the desert reminds me of. I hot barren place. A place I can lay bare my soul and be filled with Hope.

And like the fruit trees that grow here I look for the fruit that God wants to bear of me in this season of life.

And am so thankful to be here and enjoy this

And this

Before the ice is in the pools,

Before the skaters go,

Or any cheek at nightfall

Is tarnished by the snow,

Before the fields have finished,

Before the Christmas tree,

Wonder upon wonder

Will arrive to me!

Emily Dickinson.