We all go through hard times, but how we deal with it is what matters. A few days before Christmas, my father-in-love passed away. 11 days later, on New Year’s Eve, my mother-in-love passed away. They were 94 years old… dad was 3 weeks from turning 95. They had been married 76 years. That is not a typo. 76 years. Isn’t that amazing. Then about 3 weeks later, my oldest brother passed away, ending his fight with cancer. Even though this has been difficult, I am not the only one who is going through things that are difficult. In fact, everyone reading this is dealing with tough situations. It seems at times that the tough things come in waves. One thing after another hits, then it calms down before another wave hits.

Going through tough times is not unusual. How we go through them makes all the difference. If I could do something to remove the painful things in your life, I would try to do that. But many times, the things we go through have a huge influence on molding us. That molding can be positive or negative. We know a family who has a child that is severely disabled. It is a day to day struggle working with her to keep her going. On top of that, the dad had 2 jobs and lost them both inside of a week. One thing after another hit them. Now it seems that things are straightening out again. But things can change so quickly.

It seems like during the difficult times we learn the most. However, when things turn around, often lessons learned are quickly forgotten and old habits can be resumed. It doesn’t matter what our situation is, it can make us bitter or better. Perspective. How we let it affect us. Sometimes the load we carry is overwhelming. The only way I have found to navigate life is to follow the leading of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without His help, things I have gone through would have left me swimming in a sea of despair. You might find yourself in the same situation. Jesus will help you through it if you let Him. Sometimes He removes the problem, other times He walks with you through it. Either way, you are so much better off when you let Him help you!

Yesterday my husband and I were sitting in our woods.  It was quiet except for the sounds of nature.  The wind was rustling through the trees.  Leaves crinkled as they floated to the ground.  An occasional bird flew overhead.  The colors of fall were all around us.  It was a very peaceful setting.

Then we returned to our home and turned on the news.  Immediately it was evident that the peaceful environment we had just left was not worldwide.  I can’t even imagine what emotions the people in the Israel/Gaza area are feeling.  The same can be said for people in other parts of the world that have been going through wars and various sorts of incursions.  Dad’s and mom’s trying to raise their children in situations where even going outside is not safe.  My heart goes out to them.

In the US we have been watching all sorts of protests because of the middle east conflicts.  This causes a lot of turmoil.  Add to that, individual situations such as health issues, financial problems, work situations, relationships, and on top of all that having a loved one incarcerated.  For me, all of this can be overwhelming.  What we can be certain about is there is a LOT of uncertainty.

Even when everything seems to be going wrong and your whole world is falling apart, you can have peace.  The more out of control a person may feel can be the best place, as long as they give that control to the Lord.  When we quit trying to control all the situations of our life and leave it all in the hands of Jesus, we are in the best place possible.  We may think we know what is best, but we can’t see what the end result will be.  He can.  So, we need to stop trying to force our own way and rest in His care.  It won’t stop all the bad things from happening, but you will have peace and be in the best situation.  When we trust him, we can know all things will work out for good.  That is a promise He gave us, and He keeps His promises.

Recently I read that if you put bunch of black ants and an equal number of red ants in a jar, nothing will happen.  They will get along just fine.  But if you shake the jar, they will start to kill each other.  The red ants will consider the black ants as their enemy and the black ants will think the red ants are their enemy.  Neither group did anything wrong, the person who shook the jar is to blame, but they attack each other. 

If we are not careful, we can do the same thing.  We get upset about something and take it out on those around us, when they are not at fault for whatever happened.  Once the attacks start, they can escalate quickly.  Unfortunately, way too many get hurt in these circumstances.  Recently, I was in a situation where someone was taking everything out on the person they are the closest too.  I am not sure if they thought that was a safe person to vent on because the person would still love them, but it was not good to watch.  I think that is the reason for a lot of relationships fail… whether marriages, friendships, or even business dealings.

When we got married, someone we respected told us to always be kind to each other.  At the time I thought that was a bit strange since I expected something much more profound from them.  Someone else that meant a lot to us said, always leave the others dignity intact.  Those pieces of advice have saved us a lot of heartache.  When we remember that no matter how upset we are, we need to still be kind, and not say anything that would hurt their dignity, it saves a lot of heartache. 

Sometimes it can be hard to deal with our feelings in a manner that deals with the issues without making a greater problem with the person.  That is where it has always helped me to be able to pray about it and for the person(s) involved.  I can’t see things from everyone else’s perspective, but my Father in heaven can.  And He helps me deal with tough situations.  He can do the same for you.  When we all treat each other with kindness and dignity, things will be a lot better.

God bless you,

Love, mary

We lived in Michigan for many years and there were a few lighthouses within driving distance.  All along the coast of the Great Lakes and oceans are lighthouses.  Many are very old and have guided ships and boats of all sizes to safety for a very long time.   As storms hit or even on a very dark night, having that beacon shine to point the way to safety was/is a lifeline.

Many times, in life we all find ourselves in situations where we don’t know what to do or what will be happening next.  Solutions to problems seem few while we seem to be sinking in the storms that life is throwing at us.  It can mean one financial set back after another, or maybe illness and diseases plaguing our loved ones and/or us.  Maybe it is caused by job problems, marriage relationships, problems with children, incarceration of a loved one, or many other things. 

If one thing happened it would be bad enough, but when they compile and one thing after another hits, it becomes unbearable. One can find it difficult to navigate through life and accomplish the simplest activities because it is too overwhelming. 

Sometimes we can see no possible way out of what is happening. It can be so overwhelming, and we may not have anyone to turn to for help. Or maybe the people who think they are helping are really just adding to the problem. It can be hard to know where to turn.

That is when we need to turn to the One who loves us most. His name is Jesus. We need to watch for the light from the Lighthouse.  Jesus is the lighthouse, and He has guided me through many storms, storms that I thought there was no way I could survive until I looked to the light that was shining from the lighthouse.  That same light is shining to guide you through the storms that are battering you as well. You can find peace in the storm! May His light guide you through all you are going through.

Sometimes we need to look deeper to see the value in people and things.

I ate a grapefruit.  That in itself is nothing special.  People eat grapefruits every day.  This particular grapefruit was not eye appealing.  In fact, most would probably have thrown it out.  In all honesty, I was about to throw it out, but on a whim, decided to peal it and taste it.  That grapefruit that would have been rejected and not given a second thought by most… and was almost considered chicken food by me, was well worth the effort of pealing.  The rind was tough, but the fruit on the inside was juicy and delicious. 

As I was eating the grapefruit, I was thinking how sad it would have been to throw something that was so delicious away.  If I had  thrown it away, I would never even had known that I was throwing one of the best flavored grapefruits away.  That got me to thinking how often we do that to people.  We think they are of no value, so don’t spend time with them, or listen to their advice.  They don’t come from the right financial and social class.  Maybe they don’t have the right education, or anything that we deem as beneficial.  We don’t literally throw them away, we just ignore them.  Ignoring them may not even be a conscious thing, we just don’t see them because they don’t fit in a category that we think will promote whatever we are trying to do or achieve. 

Because of our oversite, I wonder how often we are losing out on some of the best friendships we could ever have, and maybe even someone who would be more help to us than anyone one we think of as being worthy of our attention.  This sounds like a bunch of snobs, and maybe we really are not snobs, but have bought into the whole “surround yourself with people who can get you where you want to go philosophy”.  We become so goal driven that we forget that some of the people and things right near us may be just what we need…. And not just to reach our goal.  They may have advice, help us relax, laugh and enjoy life, and even just be a friend. 

Maybe it is time we quit throwing out the grapefruits and other things we think may not be good until we prove that to be true or false.  And maybe on a greater scale, we should start noticing those who we would normally walk by.  Just because they don’t seem like they are on our class of existence, doesn’t mean they are not valuable.  It could be they are there to test our character, or maybe they are just having a hard time right now.  Life is to short to ignore the jewels around us. 

I am so thankful God didn’t ignore me.  I could have been one of those not worthy of attention, but He loved me all the same, and He loves you too.  God considered you worthy of sending His son to die for you. You can trust Him with your life.  God bless you!

I can look back at the past few years since I wrote the last blog and would never have dreamed of all that would change for me.  Even though those changes are not bad, it did mean a totally different direction for me.  It has required rethinking some areas of my life, including things like desires, goals, and dreams. 

Some things that happen are not in our control, and we can either accept it, or fight it.  Usually, the fight means we are left bitter and angry.  We may need to see how we can live with the outcome of someone else’s actions or decisions that changed everything in our lives. We will need to decide which things we can change, and which ones we need to find the best working solution. 

Life happens to us all.  When it happens, it is often unexpected and may not be something we are prepared for.  We may not be able to stop it from happening, but we can control our reaction.  Sometimes that means going through a grieving process and then moving forward.  Often, we have to reevaluate everything, our finances, time, relationships, etc. to see which things need to be changed or improved on.

Whenever I am in a “life happening” situation, the thing I can count on is, no matter how much everything and everyone around me changes, God never changes.  He has never stopped loving me or left me alone.  Friends and family can turn their back, but Jesus is always there.  He is my constant.  Knowing that keeps me grounded and helps me be able to move forward again.  He can do the same for you!  Life will happen, it always does.  Things, people, situations change.  But the Word of God never changes, and He keeps His promises.

You can count on Him too. No matter what life has thrown at you, He can and will help if you let Him. Life does happen, but it doesn’t have to be the final chapter. We can move forward. We can overcome the challenges.

Recently, my husband and I went fishing.  We sat for 2-3 hours without even a nibble.  When we were about to leave I got a bite.  I was on an ultra-light pole with 8-pound test on it, so I really didn’t think the way the pole was bending meant much.  When I was able to get it close enough to briefly get a look at it, we were both shocked with how large it was.  After considerably more play time, I brought in a 53-pound carp that was 45 ½ inches long.  We got some attention as we took that to our vehicle.  If you saw me, you would laugh at how this 4 ft 11 inch person could bring in a fish that big.  I was surprised too.

We took it home and cleaned it and I fried a little of it.  My husband has had a fish allergy in the past but has been able to eat it again.  He could feel the allergy reaction from just a couple of bites so we knew eating it would be a problem.

The next day we went by the bait shop to tell the owner and show him pictures.  He got excited.  He said we should have brought it in.  It was 8-pounds over the State record for that type of fish.  If we had brought it in the day before, it would have been recorded.  All the same, we know I caught a fish bigger than the record fish.

Maybe you are wondering why I am telling you my fish story.  There are a few reasons.  Sometimes we can’t see anything happening.  My hook was below the water, so we couldn’t see it or the fish.  We were close to quitting when the biggest fish I have ever caught was about to take my line.  I wonder how many times we give up right before the blessing comes.  God is working, even when we can’t see what He is doing. 

Many people consider carp as a garbage fish and don’t want anything to do with them.  We have since found there are a number of ways people do eat and preserve carp.  Sometimes people or situations that come into our life that we may be quick to discard, but if we look a little closer, we might find they are of more value than we would expect, and even an answer to prayer.  We may not see right away what His plan is, but never doubt He has a plan.  Never take lightly what God gives you.  If it is from Him, He will show you the value and how to use it.   

Passion. That is a word that has been on my mind lately. What do you feel passionate about? Some people are passionate about sports. They can name the players, and all the statistics. Others may be passionate about cars or jobs, or making money, or food, or some cause, or many other things. I sometimes hear people tell others to find their passion, but what does that mean?

I googled the word “passion”. It came up as a strong, barely controllable emotion. A man with impetuous passion. The second listing was, the passion of Christ. I don’t think it is possible to come up with a better example of passion than what Christ did for us. When we compare all the passions people have in life, how many would go to the extent Christ did for His passion. His passion was us. Today I am in humbled wonder of how He could suffer so greatly for a people who still reject Him.

So many things in our world today are out of control. One can’t help but wonder what the future holds. Yet for the people who place their faith in Christ Jesus, we know that even though things will get tough, we will not walk through it alone, and we know what the back of the book says. We know who will win. We know our Hope is secure.

Because the One who displayed the greatest passion ever has already taken care of it all. His resurrection sets Him apart from all other religious leaders. He is alive, and He is coming to claim His bride.

Many write their own vows for their weddings, however there is a standard vow that was said for many years.  Part of those vows included:  for better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part.  Those vows have been repeated countless times, and most couples repeating them hope for and believe they will have the better, richer and health.  No couple stands in front of anyone thinking, I hope in our marriage we see the worse, poorer, and sickness.

We all know of couples who seem to have the ideal of situations… the better, richer and health.  We also know of couples who have had the other side of each of those.  The interesting thing about that is that both sides can have strong relationships and both sides can have rocky relationships.   I personally know people in the more difficult column whose relationship with each other is one that most would envy.  They don’t have enough extra in the budget to split a candy bar, but they are happy.  They have learned that things and possessions don’t mean for a happy thereafter.  In fact, working together to make it has brought them closer than ever.  I also know of couples who have everything they need and so much more but can hardly stand looking at each other. 

Honestly, I would much rather have what most consider a harder life and yet be happy in my relationship with my husband that have everything I can imagine and be miserable in that relationship.  Which would you choose?  We can’t choose health, even when we make all the right healthy choices, we can hear the doctor pronounce some diagnosis that we would never desire.  We can work hard and not spend on extras, but accidents, and a host of other things can keep you from coming ahead.  There are things we can’t avoid. 

Even when life situations in the natural are harder than we can imagine, we can still be happy.  That is a choice we can make.  It is all in our attitude.  Many have said marriage is 50/50.  I don’t agree.  It is 100/100… a total commitment from both parties.   There are some things we can do to improve even bad marriages.  I would never recommend staying in an abusive situation.  However, there are a lot of relationships which are not abusive but are not happy either.  For those, I would suggest communication.  Most of the time the break down can be traced to a lack of communication and forgetting to do the things that made you fall in love in the first place.  Praying for your spouse and for how you can be the best spouse for them helps so much.  Many times, it is not the big things which cause the problems, rather it is the little things.  So, if little things can cause turmoil, then maybe little things can turn things around as well.  Write kind notes, do unexpected things for them, verbalize appreciation, and build them up to others. 

I don’t know what condition your marriage is in, but I pray that it gets stronger and better than ever.  Letting the Lord be at the center of it is always a positive thing in improving your relationship.  May you find joy in the simple things together!

Last night we stayed up to watch the super blood wolf moon lunar eclipse.  We had a clear view of it and watched from the warmth of our home.  Along with watching the moon and how spectacular that was, we could see the stars shining so brightly.  As I watched it, I couldn’t help but think how they were able to predict not only the month and day of the eclipse, but down to the hour and minutes.  Being able to know when things like that will happen, putting a man on the moon, space probes on Mars, satellites in space, etc., none of it compares to the power of the One who created it all.  Watching something happen can’t come close to hanging each star, sun, moon, and planet in place. 

We think we have come so far, and made advancements in many areas, yet in light of what God has done, we haven’t accomplished anything.  Awhile back, I watched a little clip that started with a young lady lying on the ground.  The camera zoomed out until you could see the tables around her, as it kept backing out, you could see the buildings around her, the block, the city, the surrounding area, that part of the State, the world, the galaxy, other galaxies until the Milky Way became very small.  When it was out to where you couldn’t see the Milky Way anymore, let alone Earth, it paused then began to zero back in the same way it went out.  It eventually came way back to the girl on the ground, only this time it zeroed into her eye until you could see all the little details we never think about, but God created it to all function correctly. 

If God could create the whole universe so that it all functions so beautifully and yet be concerned about all the fine details of our bodies, as well as each plant and animal, then I think the situations we face are not such a big issue for Him.  We can get so caught up in our daily lives and all that is happening, that we forget He sees it from a much grander scale and knows exactly what He is doing.  Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing is beyond His ability.  Rest assured today that He is fully capable of taking care of you.