A New Resolution

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

-John F. Kennedy

 

As the new year approaches resolutions are being made. Whether it be to lose weight, be with the family more, or quit an obnoxious habit; we are all out for a change of life.

 

Recently I began to ponder upon the upcoming year; my resolutions and the exciting events to come. Between wedding planning, traveling, and a surprising new adventure (more on that later), I forgot to ask how to serve the Lord more.

 

If we were to change the words in the J.F.K. quote from country to God, this would be the result.

Ask not what God can do for you, ask what you can do for God.

 

Too many times people get involved with themselves only praying for their own well being.

We all come short of thanking and praising God.  

If one begins to serve the Lord, in extension people are blessed with one's services. Helping out at church working in the nursery is serving, but also aiding poor mothers who just want an hour to themselves to worship. Toiling in the café presenting food brings happiness to a fellow church goer's tummy while at the same time laboring for Jesus.

 

Our resolutions need to begin and end with the Lord.

Let our new year begin first with serving God and blessing others with our work.

Nancy Jane

The Virtuous Pre-Wife, Part 3

He proposed to me under this tree.



For those who do not know, I recently got engaged to my ruggedly handsome man. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with him!

Love my man!

As I excitedly wait for this new adventure in life, I find myself pondering about being a wife. Now moving forward to a new season; no longer waiting on the Lord to bring me a husband, but wondering how to be a Godly wife. How can I apply being a Proverbs 31 woman while engaged?

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

Proverbs 31:10-11

 

Singleness is spent on being single for the Lord. While it is still very important to live my life for the Lord, however, being engaged means it is no longer just about me. What I do with my life does not only affect me anymore. What can I do to be more precious than jewels for my future husband? What characteristics do I need to build upon?


 

To find out we need to look upon real life examples of Virtuous Wives.

Luckily, Mother Judith and my future Mother-in-Law are fantastic examples of the Proverbs 31 wife. Both were given different paths by the Lord, and both follow this path faithfully. They work, yet keep the house clean. They raised their children to follow the Lord, and to serve the Lord. Both create inviting homes for their husbands to come home to after a long day of working in hot Central Valley Summers.

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

They do not eat the bread of idleness.

As a single woman we can look at similar ladies as examples, however, it is even more important as an engaged woman. I want to create a cozy home, warm meals, and a loving space for my future husband.

Ask yourself during the time of engagement what traits you need to grow, and begin to work on them! Oh, I have so many flaws! I will be quite the work in progress, however, the Lord is on my side.

The next year shall be an adventure and I look forward to it. I cannot wait to marry my man!

Nancy Jane

Guarding the Rose

Why do you instantly feel like a fancy lady when you look at a rose?

They're not stuck up, heavens no! They are seamlessly elegant, as if they could glide on ice.

Their scent is sweet and delicate, and they look so beautiful on the bush or arranged in a vase.

But be careful of those harsh thorns! They will protect their lovely blossoms from enemies.

Be like a rose, protect your beautiful heart from evil thoughts. Guard yourself with thorns, only let positive and good thoughts into your heart.

 

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 4:23

 

Nancy Jane

Inspirations

Are there little things in your life that get you going? Sometimes for me it's knowing that tiny baby plants are starting their little lives in my garden. Their petite arms are stretching out of the ground, reaching up to the Heavens.

Other times it's knowing that no matter the situation, the Lord is watching over me.

Oh Lord, you have searched me and know me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, Oh Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.

Psalm 139:1-5 

 

What inspires you in the morning before you rise?

 

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus.

-Fernando Ortega

 

Nancy Jane

Rejoice in Everything

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Philippians 4:4

There might be moments in your life when this seems impossible. Since God has put you through this trial, why then should you rejoice in the Lord? 

Life is a vaccumm, oh how hard it is to pull away from its grasp. This is when you need to praise the Lord the most! This is the moment when you can transcend to a life of sin and bitterness or stand up to the trial. You have a choice to make, descend into the easy path of darkness or walk up the steep hill to the light.  The second evil thoughts enter your mind is when you should shout out a song, cry out a verse. Let the World know that nothing can snuff out your candle! 

This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, this little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
This little light of mine
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Oh, out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Hallelujah
Out in the dark
I'm going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

The more you worship Him, the less you focus on your trials. The less attention we pay to our trial, the more tranquility and ease we find in our lives. Making every day easier and easier as the trial delves on.

So when it seems the hardest to press on, praise the Lord.

O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore, Though all things around us be trying, Though floods of affliction like sea billows roar, It’s better to sing than be sighing. Refrain Then rejoice evermore, rejoice evermore, It is better to sing than be sighing: It is better to live than be dying; So let us rejoice evermore. O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore, When the darts of the tempter are flying, For Satan still dreads, as he oft did of yore, Our singing much more than our sighing. Refrain O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore, When sickness upon us is stealing, No cordial like gladness our strength can restore, For joy is the fountain of healing. Refrain O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore, For His love is love everlasting. When we dwell with Him in the heavenly places, There will be no more sighing and sorrow. Refrain

http://www.smallchurchmusic3.com/Lyrics/D00/S00496.php 

Nancy Jane

Finding Strength

Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep...Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his son and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

1 Samuel 30:4,6

Do you find yourself in such pain or sadness that it appears as if there is no more hope?

Find strength in God.

Is life suffocating you, are you struggling to even live to the next moment?

Find strength in God.

Are health problems or money problems destroying your soul and being?

Find strength in God.

"But how?" You might ask. How do you find God when it feels as if He has abandoned you? Pray to find resilience in God. Ask and you will obtain it.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found by you , says the Lord...

Jeremiah 29:11-14

Earnestly seek the Lord. Though you feel deserted and lost, He has never abandoned you. The Lord has been waiting for you to discover Him. Keep knocking on the door, do not give up! He loves us and wants to bless us with His power.

Seek fortitude in the Lord, for He is always good to us. 

Nancy Jane

Keeping Up with the Chickens

Sorry we have been MIA in the blog world. We keep having internet or computer problems!

Do you have chickens? Do you ever stop to watch the silly little creatures argue over things such as food and which box they can lay their eggs in? It's funny to observe their selfish natures kick in, they want what the other chicken has.

As I sat and laughed at their silliness, it dawned on me that humans naturally partake in these actions. It's a keeping up with the Joneses mentality. Not only earthly objects, we also want that person's figure, their skills, or their spiritual gifts. The Bible warns against such sinful thoughts!

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife...nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

Exodus 20:17

There is nothing wrong with making it a goal to have nice things, however, it should not be because we want to one up another. Live with what you have, and strive to better yourself. 

For this you know, that no fornicators, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Ephesians 5:5

Coveting another person's possessions, looks, or spiritual gifts distracts you from the true goal in life, pleasing our heavenly Father. If you spend your time on Earth keeping up with the Joneses, you lose the treasures of heaven. You begin to focus on that and forget to serve the Lord. Helping others falls to the wayside. Getting involved with the Church goes to the back of the mind. We only live to serve ourselves. 

Soon we become engulfed and drown in the selfish desires of the sinful heart. 

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of the mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Ephesians 4:17-19

As Christians, we are not to live the way of the World. We are to separate ourselves from it and live the life of God. Keeping up with the Joneses only plants us into the Earth more. It only makes us just another poor soul living an aimless life instead of being the example of light and joy that we experience as Christians.

Once again, we can have goals and aspirations for earthly things. However, do not turn it into an idol, live a life knowing these are only earthly treasures. Seeking the Kingdom of God should be our main goal in life. 

Nancy Jane

Raise Your Branches

Mornings are the best time to view the garden. The plants are lifting their delicate arms to the sky as if to thank God for another day. I wonder what hymns they sing and what their voices sound like as they praise our heavenly Savior. Would the trees sing bass and the roses soprano? Would their chants be slow, fast, or both? If only we could be a part of their glorious choir as they bask in the warmth of the sunlight. 

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing

O praise Him, Alleluia

 

Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam

O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

 

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along

O praise Him, Alleluia

 

Thou rising moon in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening find a voice

O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

 

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness

O praise Him, Alleluia

 

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, three in one

O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

 

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, three in one

O praise Him, O praise Him
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

-Ralph Vaughan Williams 

 

 

 

Nancy Jane

Water to Our Souls

For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.

Isaiah 44:3

 

We all are aware what happens to a flower when it is not watered. The once beautiful plant withers away to a remnant of its former glory. Dry, brown, and crisp.

Just as a flower weakens without water, so does the heart without regular readings of the Bible.

I am so guilty of not consistently being in the Scripture. I attend Church and multiple Bible studies. Nonetheless, personal daily time in the Word is essential. 

The Bible is water for our souls.

Yes, we may hear passages read from our Pastors or other leaders, however we must study it ourselves. It helps our hearts to grow and thrive. We will become scholars of the Word, able to defend and understand it. Every time you examine the Scriptures you learn something new, or relearn a subject, or find blessings and encouragement. We become more in tuned with our Heavenly Savior.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 
John 4:14

Water to our souls, bread of our lives, the Scripture nurtures us.

Pray to the Lord for help becoming a disciplined reader of His Word. Pray for attentiveness, dedication, and understanding.

 

Reading the Bible—
I love the Word of God!
Reading the Bible—
I love the Word of God!

It’s my food, my drink, and my life supply;
I love to eat it every day and night.
I just turn and open up to Him,
And the rivers flow right in.

Reading the Bible
Source: http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/ns/213#ixzz36Bj8ZaIy

Nancy Jane

To Pick a Zucchini

As any zucchini grower knows the plant is sneaky. You harvest the squash everyday with care and dedication. However, there is always one that gets away! It'll grow as thick as a man's arm with the potential of being bitter and dry.

A sinful vice in a Christian's heart can share the same experience as a zucchini. An iniquity can enter our heart unbeknownst to us. Eventually it'll grow out of control, ruining a perfectly good heart.

A simple case of disliking a person can grow to bitterness and hatefulness.

It is so easy to not notice a sin entering our lives and taking over. Pick the zucchini as soon as you can!

Nancy Jane

Tomato Thoughts

Every time I pick tomatoes there is always one out of reach! All my efforts are put towards this tomato. When the long sought after fruit is finally plucked, I look up to find that there were just as many beautiful tomatoes all around me. Alas, my thoughts were only honed in toward that particular item.

How often do we do this in our daily lives? Our focus is toward a singular emotion or entity, never noticing what is around us. It could be distress causing one to only look at the miserable part of life. It could be a job we are after, forgetting all the family we love. Or, it could be someone thinking about what they are missing out on in life rather than seeing what they already have.

As human beings we are quick to forget what we are blessed with. We have this magical capability to only zone in on the bad aspects of life. We put all our focus on what God hasn't given us, while in reality we are given far more than what we deserve.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count Your Blessings, Johnson Oatman, Jr.    

So what is the tomato in your life? How can you look past it?

A way to start is to always remember the Lord is faithful and consistently good to us.

Nancy Jane

The Virtuous Pre-Wife, Part 2

Take time to learn to serve others before yourself.

I always had dreams of being a successful business woman while raising a family. These visions blossomed as I began my Bachelor's and continued to grow as I started my Master's degree. The world was an exciting open book where I could turn the page and start a new adventure as a professional musician. I practiced hard honing my skills; all I wanted to do was perform.

However, as I reached the end of my second semester at graduate school I began to really think about my future. How would I be able to work as much as I am now without sacrificing something. A decision had to be made; be a career woman or family woman.

At that moment of time I saw it as me accepting success or failure. Choosing not to go on with my profession was nothing less than me giving up.

I see now this thought process was wrong. You can work and be a homemaker, but you do indeed need to chose what to sacrifice. Family is the most important aspect in life.

She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants...She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants.

 Proverbs 31:15, 24

 

The Proverbs 31 woman had no idle time on her hands! She cared for her own, and also provided a small income. However, her husband and children were number one in her life.

 

Society tells women of this generation careers first, family second. But sacrificing your profession for family doesn't make you a failure!

It is an act of love.

As a single woman waiting on marriage, now is the best time to learn to serve others before yourself. Even as a Christian we are to learn humility just as Christ humbled Himself for us.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.

Philippians 2:5-6 

What service is your church needing right now where you can help others? Is there a local homeless shelter that needs volunteers? Find ways to put others before yourself. Learning these qualities is not only good for your future as a wife and mother, but a skill to better yourself as a person!

And when you do this, you will be praised by the ones you love and by God!

 

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and praises her: ''Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.''

Proverbs 31:28-29

 

My dear fellow Pre-Wives, what better reward is there than achieving our Heavenly Father's praise? Let us begin now serving Him and assisting others so we are better prepared to humbly attend to our own.

*Disclaimer: There are women who have no choice but to work. That is still a work of servant hood and most importantly love.*

Nancy Jane

Thinning...The Laborers are Few

 

Easy place for pest to hide

Fruit thinning time...no volunteers for this job. My family's little heart drops when they see the thinned fruit under the tree. But it is an essential orchard practice, your fruit (most fruit...not citrus) should be thinned about a fist distance apart...as a rough guideline.  Your fruit will be larger, plumper, and more flavorful.  Also the branches won't break with an over abundance set fruit.

Same thinning is needed in our lives, if we thin our activities that interfere with our service to Christ....our ministry will bare  more fruit for the kingdom. 

"The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few."


Broken branch in the making...fruit overload!



Same cluster, ready to grow some delicious plums.

Thinned plums, soon to be jam...if Nancy Jane doesn't get her fruit cravings first.

Mother Judith

Spiritual Scraps

Scraps from meals belong in the compost pile, spiritual scraps should never be stretched out to your husband.

 

 

Don't give your spiritual scraps to your husband.

 

We wives are pulled in so many directions; children, aging parents, medical community, schools, friends, jobs, volunteering. (Gosh,  I am getting a little tense just listing them all—I can imagine how the reader's nerves are fairing.) 

This list sadly excludes our husbands. On top of that, where on the list is prayer, worship, communing with our heavenly Father?  Even sadder.

While God may be short changed in the busy life of a wife and mom; husbands also feels the lack of spiritual fruits, even if it is the culls. I can humbly admit that there have been days when he did not get the scraps of the fruit of the spirit, but a mega-portion of the flesh.

No spiritual Scraps here, only beauty.

  

That is when it is time to ask for forgiveness, (even more humbling). So humbling that I have learned it is easier to use my last ounce of self control being kind and gentle than apologizing for an outburst later. Then regroup my lifestyle, and remember God did not put me on the Earth to be a workhorse (an angel would work much better than me). However, we are to serve Christ. We are to live a spiritual life being blessed with a partner and nurturing our children towards Lord. That cannot be accomplished being frazzled and exhausted.

Lord, help me be your servant, and give my husband the first fruits each day—not giving him my unfulfilling scraps.

 

Mother Judith

The Virtuous Pre-Wife, Part 1

Often women of my generation are looked down upon by society for our decision to become stay at home wives. Society wonders why we do this and how could we bring down years of social improvement, years of women’s rights, all for the sake of taking care of our family. They consider us out of date and dunce because we’d rather take care of others than take care of ourselves.

My purpose is to show that the Bible does not promote a helpless and powerless women, rather strong women who can nurture and take care of a family. Homemakers choose to sacrifice their own life to take care of others. However, this does not make us dolls who are controlled by men, rather supporters of our men. Not only spiritual but with our work.

I am writing this to the girls who are patiently waiting on the Lord, those who are not married and using this time to grow individually. I myself am waiting on the Lord, and boy has he taught me patience! I want to encourage women like me to start preparing to be a wife and homemaker.

Though I am not married yet, I do know I want to be like the Proverbs 31 woman. This section always stuck with me “She considers a field and buys it: from her profits she plants a vineyard.” Proverbs 31:16

This may seem like a strange verse to pick out of the chapter, however, it shows her financial smarts. Too often the stereotype for the homemaker is a women who helplessly has no control of the assets. However, this Proverbs 31 women uses her money to invest, to help increase her family’s funds. Now we might all not want to go out and buy a field and grow grapes, but this could mean our talents. What are your skills? Mine happens to be teaching and playing music. While we wait upon the Lord to bring us a husband, we need to learn to work hard, make money. I am currently learning now to build a business, how to take care of finances, how to promote my own business. Too often girls who choose to be homemakers do not work because they are waiting for a man. But this is not what our future husband is looking for, he wants a woman who can take care of herself. If we can’t take care of ourselves, how do you expect to take care of others? Along with our future husband, God does not want us to sit around either. The Lord does not say wait idly by, but to do something! If you cannot work, then volunteer in the Church, grow a garden, take classes at your local college. Don’t sit idly by and watch the World leave you behind.

We are not doing this to impress a man, but to make our God happy. Our heavenly Father lovingly gave each of us a skill, and He does not want us to waste it. Invest in your own life. Invest in your skills. Use this time of singleness wisely and do not feel sorry for yourself because someone else got married and you didn’t. Each of us have our own path to follow, and rather than feeling sorry for ourselves we need to start being productive!

Don't sit in your dark room, watch hours of Netflix, and dwell on all your problems, but start learning how to be the Proverbs 31 woman.

Nancy Jane

Two Shall be Made One

Rick and I at our wedding reception.

 

Mark 10:8

"And they two shall be made one flesh, so then they no longer two but one."
 

 Completeness, Not a Weakness

Serious gardening began the first year of our marriage, not only because we both enjoyed it, but, we had bought an old wreck of a house we were remodeling and gardening was the only recreation that we could afford.

Fun, fun years---started with a shovel . Then his Uncle gave us a used rototiller (we still use), so of course the garden expanded.   We got used grape stakes from one of my dad’s old vineyards, horse manure from his dad’s pasture,  old sinks we had pulled out of the house for seed starting, purchased cheap seeds at drug stores,  economy was a must.

But, oh did we have fun planting, always over planting…harvest, even the clean-up was fun, I remember how mad he got at me when I pushed him out of the old tomato patch to escape a wasp nest. Well, it was for his own good.

Through the years we would get extremely busy working, I would pick up the slack in the garden.   When we bought our farm, I took over the garden completely—he had to work his business & get the orchards started.

When our daughter got in a car accident he took over gardening while I cared for our precious girl.

So some years I was head gardener, others he was in charge.   But, our best gardens were when we worked together.   They are the best, the most productive and most enjoyable.

This concept applies to the rest of our marriage.   Individually we both can perform competently, but life is so much more satisfying, and far more productive working together…be it child rearing, business planning, worshipping Christ, problem solving, recreation.  When we work together by being together or dividing and conquering to get a job done, working in harmony  brings such a peace. 

Society is swinging towards young girls pursuing careers instead of marriage and mothering.  Needing another person is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of completeness.  Our creator made this plan, our young persons should lend an ear to what God has planned, not man (or woman).

What a shame, caring and nurturing is one ingredient that will keep our values, and families strong.

Two become one, a concept sadly being diminished in society.   The trend for years is to encourage our girl’s to be independent, not needing anyone, particularly a husband.
God’s plan is that we be joined, and united as one.

Mother Judith

Love Endures

1 Corintihans 13:7

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things… love never fails.

God’s greatest commandment is to love, love never, ever fails-----there is no measure, gauge, or bar that allows us to discontinue love for one another.

Yet, in this society so many of the helpless are being put away and not cared for by their families due to a debilitating health issue—that leaves them helpless and alone.

As Christians, we all need to go against the societal evolution to shut people with health problems away in facilities where yes, in most places they are cleaned, fed, medicated, and somewhat cared for, but what is lacking in their lives is love, family bond, family connection---which having seen first hand is in so many cases these gifts from God react, they feel the presence of family members.

As followers of Jesus we cannot believe these people do not feel our love, compassion and care---in most cases if there is a warm hand there is a spirit that still feels our love resonate through their souls.  What are we if we cannot show complete unreserved love to those in need?

Having seen first hand evidence of this bond through our recovery journey with our daughter Katherine and recently while he did not recover, with my beloved Dad, the story of a girl we will call Rose is on my heart to share.

When Katherine was reluctantly placed in a pediatric sub-acute facility, due to a heartbreaking vehicle accident, the nearest one available was just less than 200 miles away from our home. Never-the-less, the Holy Spirit placed in our hearts that one member of the family would be with her daily.  My husband and I took turns, being there daily.  We could not in our hearts let her alone, which thankfully for an abundant reasons our presence was imperative.

One of Katherine’s roommates was Rose, a girl of 17, Katherine’s age at the time.   I have no information on what happened, that is of no importance.  But she had a pink princess television, toys, make-up and lots of material items surrounding her.  Like so many in this facility she just laid in her bed, never acknowledging anyone, her face stared straight ahead never moving just laying there alive but not showing any life.

Shockingly one morning upon entering the room, Rose was sitting up in bed with a huge smile on her face, and grunting (her special language) she had a visitor, her aunt.  Rose was like a new girl, she showed spirit, I wanted to say something to the aunt but thought it wiser to just observe.  The aunt left, Rose went stone faced again, back to just existing of having any spirit.

The second time Rose showed a little sass, my family will tell you I can bring out the sass in anyone.  Rose had a princess pink television blasting constantly in the room.  One day it was out of hand so I turned it down, my back was turned talking to Katherine and I heard a groan and the bed rails shake.  Little immovable Rose had flailed her legs and body at me.  I turned the television volume up and apologized.  But there was that spirit again.

Showing and expressing love we cannot see how it is affecting others, but they do receive and feel.  Love is such a strong force; strangers no matter how good they are at their job cannot love like family.  There is a bond God has made.  In some cases as in ours for Katherine, for a long time all we could was show her love, all we could do is love her.  We were so blessed to at least have that.

If there is a warm hand---that means life---if there is life there is hope---as Christians never give up the hope that a loved one can feel your love---it is a mighty force to be reckoned with----remember God does not set a standard when he will discontinue loving us, and God never, ever stops providing and caring for us.  Secular society will say otherwise, but we are not of the world we are of Christ.

Mother Judith