Never Forget, Never Again

It is strange to think about the passage of time. On this day 69 years ago, the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland was liberated. Survivors returned today to remember the estimated 1.1 million people who died behind the gates of Auschwitz. 69 years really wasn't all that long ago. The entire continent of Europe was in ruins and many, many millions of people had been slaughtered. Europe has since been rebuilt, and when I travel over there and wander along the streets, I cannot wrap my mind around the destruction. As I left work today and drove home in peace and freedom to my quiet, safe home, I thought about the indescribable relief mixed with sorrow those people must have felt when they were set free. The picture is of children who had just been liberated from Auschwitz on this day, almost 7 decades ago. For most of them, their parents were dead and they had nowhere to go--no home, no country. The fact that most of the survivors rose above the horror and total loss to lead good lives is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

A Reminder to Be Thankful

It began to sleet/snow just a teeny tiny bit as school was letting out this afternoon. A kindergarten student was practically jumping for joy as she enthusiastically exclaimed, " Look! God sent us snow! I love God! He is the best!" I don't think I've ever heard anyone say thank you to God with as much joy and excitement as that little girl. A good reminder for us all---God's gifts are everywhere. Throw your arms open wide, look to the heavens, and say thank you with a big smile on your face. :)

26 Years

Okay. When did I blink and turn into a 26-year-old? Seriously. I feel like I should still be a ten-year-old climbing trees in the pasture back home in Missouri. All in all, the past 26 years have been fabulous! I have been blessed to meet amazing people, travel and explore God's wondrous creation, and never, ever, not even for a minute, be without the love and support of family and friends.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving me the gift of life. Without y'all (and God, of course), I would never have known the wonder of looking up at the Milky Way on a clear Montana night, the fun of splashing in the ocean and hunting for shells along the shore, the laughter during our Trivial Pursuit tournaments, the joy and sorrow that comes from loving our animals, the adventures found within the pages of books, the scent of the roses and wisteria in the front yard, and a host of other experiences that make life beautiful. Oh, and the taste of Mom's homemade chocolate pie. That in and of itself is worth living for. :)

Thank you, Shelby, for being my big sister, companion, tea party friend, partner in adventures, fellow dreamer, listener, advice-giver, and road trip buddy! When I entered this world 26 years ago today, I had a friend from the second my lungs filled with air. God knew we would need each other.

It's a wonderful life.

In Memory

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." -Agnes Sligh Turnbull
Stanley: September 3rd, 2003-November 2nd, 2012
Audie: November 9th, 2005-January 18th, 2014

"We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment." -George Eliot

Audie Murphy
October 2005-January 18th, 2014

"Near this spot are deposited the remains of one who possessed beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man, without his vices. This praise, which would be unmeaning flattery if inscribed over human ashes, is but a just tribute to the memory of a dog."
-George Gordon

My eight-year-old German Shepherd mix passed away today from pneumonia. His health had been declining in recent months, and I knew when I said goodbye prior to moving to Florida a month ago, it would probably be the last time I would see him.

I adopted him from an animal shelter in November of 2005. He was a teeny tiny black and tan puppy who had been found in a bag in the middle of a cotton field. Someone had left him and his litter mates out there to die. He quickly grew into an eighty-pound dog who from day one decided it was his sole mission in life to protect me. He was loyal, dignified, brave, and serious, and he loved to wade in his little swimming pool during the summer. When I moved to Tennessee to be a social worker, I never worried about living alone because I knew Audie would protect me, or die trying.

His life was proof of the power of animal rescue. He was abandoned in a field and left to die, kind people found him and brought him to the animal shelter, and I was blessed to become his friend.

Rest in peace, old man. You completed your mission with dignity.

Unknown and a New Year

"What is life? It is a flash of a firefly in the night. It is a breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is as the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset." -Chief Isapwo Muksika Crowfoot

2013--the year that taught me life is unknown. All of it. The only constant is God. What worked in previous years can be turned upside down in the span of 24 hours. Even the best made plans fail sometimes, and you're left standing there wondering what happened. Friends die. People you had just spoken to suddenly leave this earth, never to be seen again this side of heaven. Decisions are made by others that leave behind anger and confusion. Sadness and disappointment cast shadows; reminders that satan is roaming about. God's promises provide the light that keeps the darkness from destroying.

2013 also taught me that just as sorrow often comes out of nowhere, so does joy. A phone call in December changed my situation. At the other end of the line was a voice offering a full-time job. After 14 months of searching, full-time employment became a reality. I had two weeks to figure everything out and move to Florida. So, one month later, here I am in the Sunshine State, only 35 minutes from the sea, one of my very favorite masterpieces in God's creation.

A phone call changed my state of residency and employment status. Life is still unknown. I don't know where I will be living in three months. I don't know how long I will be living out of a suitcase. I don't even know if the job will last six months.  I simply don't know.

I had a moment of panic last week when I thought about the fact that I had no clue where I would be living in three months, how I would afford rent, and a host of other worries that I let get the best of me. Then I read God's words about being content in all circumstances, taking one day at a time, and not being anxious; I realized none of what I was panicking about mattered in light of eternity. I'm not promised the next breath, let alone three months from now, so I just need to chill out. I can't let fear and uncertainty destroy the good; the scent of pine trees along the dirt road, friendly and helpful co-workers who have welcomed me wholeheartedly, the funny antics of the ducks and geese at the local park, the sense of freedom that comes from splashing in the waves along the edge of the ocean---all good gifts from our Father above. 

Life is hard. That is a truth which cannot be denied. But it is also joyful. The two are intertwined. Defining life solely based on one or the other is impossible.

Many of my friends did not get to greet the new year, so my resolution for 2014 is to live in such a way as to honor their memory and continue on the journey with a cheerful spirit, determining to be more faithful about seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness.

I resolve to:

splash along the seashore looking for shells
eat dark chocolate
plant flowers
practice random, anonymous acts of kindness
lay outside on a blanket on a clear night and watch the stars
play the piano at the nursing home
visit the local library and read just for fun
fly a kite at the beach
be gentle
volunteer at the animal refuge
take long walks
plan a return trip to Romania to work with abandoned infants at the hospital
be encouraging and helpful
go on picnics
learn to play chess
seek peace
sing and dance in the rain
be grateful
"They do not fear bad news; their hearts are firm, trusting in the LORD." -Psalm 112:7

So much has been given to me; I have no time to ponder over that which has been denied. -Helen Keller

December--Gifts 345-437

"Thankfulness is the soil in which joy thrives."


December 1st: Three Gifts White

345. Sheep, fluffy white, gentle
346. Marshmallows
347. Sink full of dish soap bubbles, foaming white

December 2nd: Three Gifts Bright

348. Flashlights, casting away the darkness
349. Sunshine after several days of rain, a smile from above
350. Candlelight, shadows flickering

December 3rd: Three Gifts Shining


351. Happy, uncontainable smiles of people when they are kind to each other
352. Water at night, moon reflecting
353. The Milky Way, shining bright when viewed from the mountains in Montana, no man-made light

December 4th: A Gift Circling, Crowning, Crafted

354. Group hug with friends, arms circling in love and support
355. Playing dress-up as a child, a crowned princess, or anything my imagination created
356. Handcrafted furniture, withstanding the test of time

December 5th: Three Gifts Silver

357. Gray hair of grandparents, a sign of years lived and wisdom acquired
358. Dolphins, silver gliding through the ocean
359. Ice skate blades, gliding happy

December 6th: Three Gifts Sweet

360. Honey-cinnamon roasted pecans
361. Kind words
362. Reuniting with friends and family after time apart

December 7th: Three Gifts from Your Savior

363. Being raised in a home where God was sought, studied, and loved
364. Discipline, proof of God's love, Hebrews 12:5-11
365. A home in heaven someday

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” -Revelation 21:3-5

December 8th: A Gift Hung, Held, Heard

366. Chimes swaying in the wind, hung from tree branches
367. Sitting on the floor at the orphanage, holding four kids at once, heart overflowing
368. Sound of geese calling overhead, seeking refuge from winter's chill

December 9th: Three Gifts Ugly-Beautiful

369. Sudden change for the good, bittersweet, thankful to be moving on, yet sad to be leaving others behind
370. Christ's death on the cross--mankind's ugly sin on full display, resulting in beautiful, life-giving salvation through sacrifice
371. New life and deeper compassion coming from tragedy

December 10th: Three Gifts Unframed Art

372. The view from the top of a mountain
373. People, differences, similarities, created in God's image
374. Earth view from the sky

December 11th: Three Gifts Ice Cold

375. Ice skating rinks
376. Jumping into the ocean on a sweltering day
377. Rocky Road ice cream in a waffle cone

December 12th: Three Gifts Berry Red

378. Cranberry bogs
379. Glass Christmas balls, sparkly red
380. Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer :)

December 13th: Three Gifts Striped

381. Candy canes
382. Zebras
383. Tigers

December 14th: Three Gifts Stamped

384. Christmas cards from family and friends
385. Letters to the troops overseas, making sure they know they are remembered and appreciated
386. Passport stamps, reminders of faraway places

December 15th: A Gift Gold, Scented, Bent Low

387. Wedding rings, gold, a sign of commitment, promise to God, promise to another person
388. Tea roses, fragrant scent, refreshing
389. Ice-covered tree branches, bent low, glistening

December 16th: Three Gifts Bethlehem-Unlikely

390. Walking into an unknown situation, doubting it will turn out, but eventually realizing, to quote a song, "Isn't it remarkable that things just turn out after all? It's just another ordinary miracle today."
391. Living on an income that seems impossible to survive; God providing in countless ways, evident and unseen
392. A situation when I was a social worker that had no good ending in sight; God redeeming, repairing, and healing, bringing beauty from ashes

December 17th: Three Gifts Frosted

393. Homemade sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles
394. The ground after a light dusting of snow
395. Birthday cakes made by Mom

December 18th: Three Gifts Miraculous

396. The accounts within God's Word of Jesus' work, walking on water, healing the blind, feeding thousands, making plenty out of not enough
397. The time everything went wrong on a road trip--flat tire, wrong roads, frustrating--yet sparing my family and me from being in the direct path of a tornado
398. God sparing me of bad situations of which I would have walked right into the middle had He not intervened; situations where the outcomes are so improbable, there is no other explanation than God at work

December 19th: Three Gifts Manger-Small

399. My yellow dufflebag from L.L. Bean, just the right size for adventures around the world
400. Laundry hamper, providing order amid the chaos of dirty clothes, towels, and mismatched socks
401. Wheelbarrows, the workhorses of country life, hauling, easing the burden

December 20th: Three Gifts Angelic Song


402. Singing and signing, hearing with hands
Five-year-old Claire Koch was born to two deaf parents, and American Sign Language was her first language. So while 60 of her peers used generic hand motions, Claire chose to use ASL, much to her parents’ surprise.
403. Christmas carols, joyful voices
404. The voices of children raised in song

December 21st: Three Gifts Lit

405. Multicolored Christmas lights on houses and trees
406. Candles providing soft light when the electricity goes out during a storm
407. Front porch light left on, welcoming, a sign of family waiting on the other side of the door for my return

December 22nd: A Gift with Rejoicing, Wonder, Praising

408. A soul restored, rejoicing, a gift for eternity
409. Standing at the edge of the ocean, waves crashing, in wonder at the power of God who created the seas and calmed them
410. Taking a carriage ride with friends on New Year's Eve, singing Christmas carols and hymns, praising God for His goodness and the beauty of life

December 23rd: Three Gifts Starry

411. Sleeping outside on a clear night, lulled to sleep by counting the stars
412. Making a wish on a shooting star
413. Looking up at night to regain perspective

December 24th: Three Gifts Humble

414. Potatoes, an unassuming vegetable, feeding the world
415. Giving generously out of poverty, not holding back, trusting in the Lord to restore, provide, and make whole
416. The offer of a listening ear and a gentle hug when life crumbles and darkness settles

December 25th: Three Gifts in Luke 2

417. The story of our Savior's birth and the faith of His earthly parents
418. Recognition by certain people in the temple that the Messiah had arrived
419. A reminder that Jesus entered the world as a tiny baby, innocent, dependent on His mother for nourishment

December 26th: Three Gifts in Christ

420. Always having a traveling companion when I explore the world He created
421. Working for Him, not mankind, knowing He will never disappoint, abandon, or deceive
422. Not feeling the need to prove myself to anyone, resting in Christ alone

December 27th: A Gift Found, Shared, Saved

423. A tiny puppy abandoned in a snowy field, found one day on my way home from work , receiving love, warmth, and a new home
424. Courage, shared, strengthening, providing hope
425. A bracelet that belonged to my great-grandmother, saved, a reminder of her fun sense of style

December 28th: Three Gifts Lingering

426. The scent of Christmas--pine needles, apples & cinnamon, hot chocolate, wood smoke, lingering on into the new year
427. Walking along the shoreline, nowhere in particular to be, no schedule, just me and the sea
428. Good, peaceful memories

December 29th: Three Gifts of Hope

429. Advice, kind words, and encouragement from a stranger
430. Reading God's promises over and over; a battle cry against satan's lies and deception
431. Coming through a bad storm, sunlight streaming down, evidence that even the worst storms have an ending

December 30th: Three Gifts Remembered

432. The love and support of family and friends who have left this life, asleep, awaiting God's appearing
433. Hard times, remembered to recount God's goodness and faithful provision
434. Kindness shown and laughter heard

December 31st: Three Gifts Anticipated

435. Beginning of the new year, fresh, excited, eager to see what is around the corner
436. Meeting Jesus face-to-face in heaven
437. New adventures in far away places



As we enter the new year, let us embrace gratitude.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -I Thessalonians 5:16-18