Writing 2

29 Apr

My Take

DiVoran Lites

    When Mother was ninety years old she had to go to an assisted living facility. She wrote and told me she couldn’t write any more letters because she had slipped and hit her head on a dresser. I suppose she felt fogginess descending. I kept writing, and Bill and I went to California to be close to her when my brother and his wife needed a break. Eventually, Mother could no longer manage to talk on the phone. I felt bereft, but I still had God as a correspondent. I journaled daily during my morning devotions. I liked to paraphrase scripture exactly as if God was talking directly to me. Instead of writing: “For God so Loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son,” I could write “Beloved, I loved the world so much that I gave my dearly beloved son so that you could live a free and blessed life.” It’s what I do privately. I’m not trying to rewrite the Bible or anything like that. I kept two things in mind: 1. Write from the first-personpoint of view as though God is speaking.  2. Cut out the future tenses. For instance,if the Bible says something like, I will comfort you, I simply write I comfort you.That makes it more immediate and it shows me I don’t have to wait and wonder when he will do something because I am His, and He is already doing it. In the morning I take my coffee into my office and turn on soft Christian music. I remain still and meditative to see what I’m to do each morning. Sometimes I feel inspired to draw and paint, sometimes I write down problems, sometimes I free-write what I think God is most likely telling me, I try for everything to chime with the Bible. I choose scriptures that are plainly for a believer who wants to obey God. It can get pretty depressing to read the warnings that are meant for those who ignore him. In other words, it is important for me to stay positive. I run everything together with what He is saying and what is in my heart and brain. When I read it again I feel loved and comforted, and that is how I know God has been talking to me. When I first started I got Peter Lord’s first two books which had tips about knowing God and were made to write in. They asked only for a short amount of time from us. After that,I started buying my own inexpensive spiral notebooks. From there I began to splurge and buy hardcover blank books. Next came spiral sketchbooks with lots of lovely white paper. I have 134 full ones now. They live on my sturdy closet shelves in two bedrooms. Writing in a journal is a habit. I love to get Bible verses from various sources and read different translations. I like the Bible apps that have so many versions, but I like my printed Bibles too.  

Here’s a sample of how some of my journals look in the closet.

  At times I wonder if anyone else will ever read them, but I’m not concerned about it. I’m not saying this method is for everyone. I’m retired and I’ve always liked to write. People can spend time with God in many ways. Problems and questions are solved in these sessions and they make fears and worries flee. Instead of being a navel-gazer, trying to figure out what I did wrong and how to make up for it, I am learning to start singing God’s praises and thanking him for everything, good and bad. Praise comes and joy then appears. The Lord lifts my spirits and gently tells me what to do next. If it’s asking for forgiveness he will show me what to do and when. If I need encouragement to do something I feel He wants me to do, His guidance and power come gently. “The Joy of the Lord is my strength,” or to make it plain and easy I can hear in my heart that He is saying, “My joy is your strength.”    
Author, Poet and Artist
  DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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Some Random Thoughts-Part 4

28 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

 Each Monday evening, Fred and I have dinner with a couple of friends, Pam and Richard.  We had worked with Pam when we were both working at the church.

 

Then we retired from that, and she went on to another position.  I insisted that we should have dinner together one night each week, just to keep up our “social” times.  We have been doing that for many years now.  It’s one of the highlights of our week.

Recently as we were eating and talking, we all began to reminisce about our “early marriage” days.  They were usually filled with some hardship, but looking back on them, they weren’t all that bad.  And filled with lots of fun and love.

I remember telling them about our first apartment in Fort Worth, Texas.  It was part of a six-plex unit, built like a squared-off “U” shape.

 

 

 

The four units on each side were what we called “efficiency” units – essentially three rooms: a kitchen, a bathroom, and one room that was bedroom/living room combination.  Some had a fold-out/sleeper sofa.  Ours had a bed.  It was furnished, sort of.  It had the bed, a small chest-of-drawers, a love seat and one chair.  There was a small space heater in that room.  The kitchen had the stove, refrigerator, table and four chairs.  We had one window in the livingroom/bedroom and the “front” door.  There was a window in the bathroom, and a window and door in the kitchen.

 

Boy! was I skinny! Shows the front door and window

 

It was a good thing we had two windows, as the place was NOT air conditioned! You must understand – we had come from dry humidity New Mexico to VERY humid Texas!  And so, one of the first purchases we made was a 20″ window fan. We could screw it into the window frame in the kitchen, so that we could close the window behind it.  But it was so hot and humid, even at night, in Fort Worth, that we would turn the fan on “exhaust”, open the front window, and let the exhaust fan draw the breeze through the bedroom to the back window. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.

Credit Google Search and Sears

 

I worked in air conditioned buildings, and Fred went to school in air conditioned buildings.  So it was pretty difficult to come home to no air conditioning and have any kind of comfort. Consequently, when Fred needed to study, we would usually go over to the Seminary library and he would study there. I would take a book and read.

 

Scarborough Hall, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

 

We managed to exist in that environment for the four years we were there.  It certainly made us appreciate any housing we were able to live in that was air conditioned!

I’ve read that the invention of air conditioned houses has been the downfall of people not knowing their neighbors.  I can see how that would happen.  In days-gone-by, in the heat of the evening, people would sit on their front porch and watch the world go by – and their neighbors.  They would wave, and start a conversation.  That just isn’t done much anymore.

But I surely do enjoy my air conditioned house!!

 

 

 

 

 

JUDYJudy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.
Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.
She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins.
She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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True confidence is only possible if you take this step

27 Apr

Reblogged April 27, 2019

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles


A while back when I was writing novels, I was stuck, really stuck. In writing a story, I ran into a wall of nothing. My creative flair had reached a dead end. I tried to add spice to a scene I was crafting, but…had nothing but blank thoughts!

The only thing to do was to push myself away from my desk. I hopped in the shower to get ready for my weekly prayer meeting at church.

Hmm, maybe…

A friend picked me up, and on the way, I thought, “Maybe this time away from writing, maybe God will give me the wisdom and creativity to finish the scene.

Maybe? Like a summer thunder in Orlando, the thought clapped in my head and the notion struck me. I realized my error, my huge mistake and bizarre blunder. I leaned on the maybe God would help me.

Why would I think that? Is the God of the universe, a God of maybe? And is a faithful Lord with power, compassion and mercy a God of maybe?

I pressed the delete key in my mind and promptly erased the maybe notion.

I’m not a maybe believer, but a for sure child of God. A daughter of the King who counts on certainty, assurance, confidence and security in Him.

Well, you guessed it.

I came home and the scene I needed to write flooded my mind with ease.

You may not be writing a novel, but jotting down your sadness with tears instead. Perhaps you’re facing a blank page with no solutions. A health diagnosis with no promises of healing. Or a relationship that ended in sorrow.

Whatever the burden, uncertainty or emptiness, God is not a maybe God. From now on, when shaken by life’s ugliness, the beauty of God’s mighty abilities triumphs. His supernatural ability conquers all. His timing is never less than perfect. His love chases you night and day. His restoration complete and rich that is yours as you sit still in the waiting room of patience.

And His Word that dispels lies and whispers truth to your spirit.

All aren’t traits of a maybe God, but a nothing-is-impossible-for-me God.

That’s why, as you read this, He’s speaking to you, “Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10 ).

Let’s Pray

Father, thank You for removing my “maybe” mentality and embracing Your emphatic “yes” promises instead. In Jesus’ name, amen.

How deep is your confidence in God’s ability to resolve your burden?

Janet

______________________________________

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

Morning High Jinks

26 Apr

I mentioned our rascally squirrels in a previous post this week. They are devilishly clever. They seem to know exactly how many steps one can take out the back door before they need to run.

Last night, I put batteries in my camera (husband wisely insists that batteries not be left in the camera) and decided to try to capture a few shots.

Sure enough, as I sipped my morning coffee, I saw not one but three squirrels. One was on the feeder, one on the bird bath and one on the ground. I didn’t capture the one on the ground as he scampered when he saw me.

I wish the pictures were more clear but it is hard to hold the camera steady and focus. The one on the bird bath was getting ready to dash into the trees and was followed by the feeder thief who made like a fire fighter and slid down the pole!

He didn’t go far though. There were still seeds to eat! He parked in one of the aloe plants we are are rooting and continued eating. Pretty clever to rake some seeds into the pot! Even with his thieving ways, he is cute.

I usually post a Seeking Peace blog on Fridays but the one I am working on still has work to be done…in me. I will give you a hint. It involves fried chicken. Yum.

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Cute and Cunning

24 Apr

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I have mixed feelings about squirrels. Their impish personalities are charming and I am certain they enjoy showing off. Often I wish for a camera handy to catch one as it drinks from the bird bath. On the other hand, they are greedy creatures and can clean out a bird feeder in record time. Sometimes they pair up. One climbs the feeder pole and rakes out the seeds to its partner in crime on the ground.

Photo credit Pixabay

Today was the second and final laser treatment of my eye. At the surgical center, the people “up next” sit in a small alcove where the tech administers eye drops. The wait to be treated can take an hour or more and the patients tend to chat. Today’s group was quite chatty. The man sitting next to me wore woven deer hide boots. After he left, conversation turned to shoes, specifically, sneakers. Five out of five preferred Sketchers. We could have done a television ad!

I have a check up next week to see how my pressure responded to the treatment and then we can head to Western North Carolina or as we call it, “God’s Country.”

Brother-in- law, Ron at Cullasaja Falls

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Bacon on the Hoof

23 Apr

On the Porch
Onisha Ellis

Following a low carb high fat way of eating makes me see pictures in a whole different light. I snickered when I saw this photo. It shouted bacon and chicken thighs!

Writing

22 Apr

My Take
DiVoran Lites

As I was growing up, I didn’t realize that my mother, Dora, was a journal keeper. Now that I am older I appreciate her stories and cherish her handwriting more than ever. She wrote about her ordinary life if there is such a thing. Lately, I’ve been posting some of Mother’s stories on Old Things R New. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share something so close to my heart.


Dora didn’t write much growing up, but she paid attention to everything. When I was born she filled a baby-book hand-made by an inmate at the penitentiary where my grandfather worked. Though the book is primitive, you can see that the convict who made it took time to do a good job. I have wondered if perhaps he had a little girl, too.

Dora wrote more after she retired. She also assembled a family history for my brother and me and sent along a few ancestor stories to go with the names and dates. I’m not really into genealogy, but I have enjoyed referring to the wheel now and then over the years. I see now that it needs refurbishing.

When we were small Mother told us stories. She could ask us to give her three words and then make up a tale from them. Some of them were probably about our beloved dog, Brownie.

Mother was a good role model. When I was twelve, she started a Girl Scout troupe. She also bought me a Girl Scout diary and I filled it with youthful chatter. When I was in high-school I got a red one and wrote about my boyfriends and girlfriends.. After I married Bill, I received a white one and filled it with a young wife and mother’s observances.
When Bill and I moved to Titusville with our children, we began to understand the Bible better and to form a deeper relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Both our pastor, Peter Lord and his wife Johnny Lord taught us ways to know God for ourselves and brought in wonderful guest speakers to enhance their teaching.

One of the things Peter Lord suggested was that we write letters to God. I could handle that. After all, Mother and I had been writing to each other since I left home eight years earlier. For over forty years, letters flew between California and Florida with real visits in between. That’s about 4,000 letters crossing in the mail. I enjoyed that, and because I did, I started writing to God too.

To be Continued

Author, Poet and Artist

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

 

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Happy Easter 2019

21 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!  The LORD has risen…. He has risen indeed!!

Glorious morning – the morning our Lord rose from the dead – defeating Satan and death, and providing a way for us all of us to spend eternity with Him! 


The stone is rolled away – from a Lutheran Church in Panama City, Florida, 1975

But He also provided us a way to live successfully in THIS life!  Having troubles?  Look to Jesus:

In this world, you will have trouble,

but TAKE HEART!  I have overcome the world!!

John 16:33

I really love that verse!  Take Heart…I have overcome the world!  No matter what you are going through, if you are God’s child, you can overcome the trouble – and have heaven to look forward to, with Jesus, and all those who have gone before you.  They are keeping an eye out for you, you know.  Oh wow, I can’t wait!

With the situation in the world today, I sometimes despair for our country.  It has changed so much from when I was a child – 


Bill and Judy Lites, in our front yard, 1946



Bill and Judy Lites, with our Daddy, by our back door, 1948


Bill and Judy Lites, clowning around, 1949



The Lites family  – 1952 – in our living room


The Lites family, 1956 – in Aunt Jessie’s house

and from when my children were growing up. It was so innocent in my time. But then there are a couple of verses that I have memorized and praise God with that comfort me:


Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power,

and the glory, and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is Yours!

1 Chronicles 29:11

That was King David’s prayer to God, and I claim it regularly.  In addition to all that, I am nearly 78 years old now, and don’t anticipate living a whole lot longer, so perhaps won’t see my beloved country come to ruin.  But I fear for my children, grandchildren, and my new great-grandson.  They will have to bear the brunt of all the world’s woes.  Fortunately, they all know the Lord, and if worse comes to worse, I will see them forever in heaven.

God has made the way for all that to happen. 

I gave a testimony some years ago, in which I said that I firmly believe that if I were the only person in the world, Jesus would have died just for me, so I could be with Him in eternity.  The really wonderful thing is that everyonecan say that same thing!  God loves us that much – He created us to love Him and spend eternity with Him.

Glorious Day – when Jesus rose from the dead! Praise God!  Hallelujah!  

 
 
JUDYJudy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years
 
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.
Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
 
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.
 
She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins.
She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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When God Takes Charge

20 Apr

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight Janet Perez Eckles

    Reblogged April 20, 2019 Self-pity haunted me at night when I first faced the anguish of my 19-year-old son Joe’s death. My world turned upside down with heartache. I sunk in desperation, wondering how I could ever face my tomorrows dragging the heavy chain of sorrow. Would I ever be able to laugh again? Would peace come back? Would God have mercy and fill the void of his absence?

Questions and more questions filled my shattered heart.

But one day, that same broken heart received a glimpse of hope, a ray of comfort and a breakthrough of truth in Christ. He also dragged the cross. He bled his pain. Without complaint, sorrow scraped his heart too. And then nailed on the wood, he tasted the bitterness of betrayal mixed with the hardship of injustice. Why did He not fight? Beg for freedom from the cross? Or curse His fate? The answer echoes through humanity. Because He knew glory awaited Him. He was certain eternity was His. And He counted on heaven.

Jesus knew God’s plan.

God had taken charge. He had a plan. His plan was to make the way for our deepest pain to be nailed on the cross. Each drop of blood He shed washed our sins clean. And through Jesus, God took control by defeating the enemy so we wouldn’t have to. As I faced the other side of sorrow, I embraced that truth. With the celebration of the resurrection of hope, and the rebirth of my joy, came a new beginning—my own Easter Sunday. And while wearing the new outfit of healing, of joy and renewed gusto, I got busy creating a new joy-filled life. That was my life that also was resurrected. Not for my own satisfaction. Not for my comfort. But to be the banner telling the world what God had done, for others to see what happens when we nail our sorrow to the cross and allow God to take charge.

How about you?

Have you reached your own Easter of triumph for others to see? Whether sorrow or serenity, we’re subtly creating a legacy, weaving memories, and painting strokes on our own portrait. And for the Easters to come, the portrait will display the life we lived, the values we held and the conviction that danced in our heart when we answered: No matter what the answer, there is no cross of pain that can hold us down; no suffering that can hold us back because Jesus is alive. And with passionate Love He declares, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Let’s Pray

Father, I thank you for the triumph. And I pray your everlasting love nourishes my desires, goals and dreams. I ask for wisdom to let you take charge so I may leave a legacy that honors you and resonates with my children’s children. In Jesus’ name, amen. Do you have the courage to let God take charge? Janet ______________________________________ Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE. CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video. Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE. Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.   Source https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/when-god-takes-charge.html  
Janet Eckles Perez
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life. www.janetperezeckles.com

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No One Else

18 Apr

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

I have a follow up visit with my eye doctor today. I’m feeling a little anxious and a little hopeful. My eye feels much better. While I am thankful the procedure is available, I am praying I won’t need to repeat it.

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