Today’s Musing is from Margaret Fowler. Freely ye have received, freely give. —Matthew 10:8b KJV We all experience giving and receiving over and over in our lives. It is a joy to give—and a different kind of joy to receive. Both need to be done in the right spirit, giving freely and generously and receiving graciously. I remember an incident in a nursing home. One of the ladies suddenly said to me, “I want to give you this flower.” “Oh, no,” I said, “I don’t want to take it from you.” She had so little, and I had so much. She insisted that she wanted me to take it, and I finally got it through my thick head, that I should just accept it. And […] Read more »

 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. —1 Corinthians 12:12 NLT It’s a Wednesday night in June, and I’m busily preparing for surgery on Friday. Meatballs and sausages are baking so I can make spaghetti sauce tomorrow and have it ready for easy meals. It will be poured into containers and frozen next to the beef stew and the chicken soup already residing in the freezer. Bella, our pup, still wet from her bath, leaves in the morning to stay at a friend’s home while I recover. I’ve emailed various groups of friends to keep them updated on what’s happening, and several have volunteered to be the ones to […] Read more »

Today’s Musing is from Donna Perkins. Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.                  —Psalm 119:18 (NKJV) Even though I’m color blind, I still have a good eye when it comes to spotting wild animals … or finding lost objects. I’ve lost count of the times I just happened to glance out my window in time to see a big old fox whizzing by or a deer ambling across the upper field, a moose stepping out of the forest or a coyote making her rounds. At other times, sitting on the patio or walking in the woods, I’ve missed them altogether because they blend right in with the landscape. But they are there, […] Read more »

Today's Musing is from Marlene McKenna. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. —2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV Anyone who knows me (by this I mean anyone who has seen my closet) would tell you that I am not tidy. Okay, they would tell you I’m pretty messy. For some reason I’m unable to work on a project unless all the inner workings of the project are exposed. When I’m writing I have handwritten notes and several books surrounding my computer; when I cook, I have everything out on the counter; when I get ready in the morning, my bathroom counter is cluttered with makeup, lotion, hair product, jewelry; and my bedroom is usually littered with […] Read more »

They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the LORD of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them. —Zechariah 7:12 NLT I came across this Bible verse recently—and winced as I read. Is it possible, Lord? Could I make my heart so hard that I could no longer hear You speak? It surely sounds like the people in Zechariah’s day willfully chose to harden their hearts to the point they could no longer hear God’s instructions or messages to them. I can’t imagine anything more terrible! When the One who made us and loves us and […] Read more »