Featured Writer

Nothing in the world can compare with this best news ever. And what an honor and a joy it is to be able to share it with you. My prayer is that everyone who reads this will embrace it for themselves. 

With gratefulness for the opportunity to be a featured writer on "Love Lines from God," here is the link to God Remembers Me 

Moving is a Process

For those of you following me on my journey, this may be a bit of a long read. But it's probably the best way to bring you up to speed on this moving process.

Monday, October 27th

We finished loading up the U-Haul truck, hooking up the car-dolly for our Hyundai on the back, and getting said vehicle properly aligned and attached.

Off we lumbered just around noon. The route we chose was south on I-5 to Portland where we transitioned to Highway 84 eastward. 

The first couple of hours I will admit tears overflowed down my cheeks. My husband, Ed, asked what he could do to help. "Just be tender and kind, and allow me to process and express these feelings," I said. To suppress them would have hurt too much. As I cried, my heart also reached out to the Lord for strength and comfort, knowing He understood my heartache. That verse in Isaiah that He gave me weeks ago still holds true: "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11 NIV)

We felt His presence as we drove, enjoying good weather and decent traffic conditions. Since we didn't want to be driving in the dark through mountains, we opted to book a room at a Comfort Inn along the way. So The Dalles, Oregon, was our resting place for the night. 

Tuesday, October 28th

Our journey continued eastward, arriving at our new place of residence in Kuna, Idaho, around 4:30 p.m. (Mountain DST). Diana, my sister-in-law (my husband's sister) and brother-in-law, Ed, who own this rental property, were here to greet us with smiles and hugs. Shortly thereafter, our dear friend, Kristia, arrived to help us with unloading the moving truck. How grateful we are that she and her husband, Toby, who we knew well when we lived in SoCal, now live just a few blocks away from us. What a blessing from the Lord. And yes, big hugs all around ensued. More hugs when Toby showed up a little later to lend a hand.

In addition, my friend, Melody, whom I knew when we lived in Lynden, Washington, and who now lives in this area, had put me in touch with a friend of hers from her church who organized a crew of great helpers. Janine and her husband, Craig, and several others became the hands and feet of Jesus as they carted every box and container off of the truck and into the house. Amazing to experience the camaraderie and swiftness with which the task was completed. To cap it off at the end, Craig offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord, and a blessing for our home. 

That first night in Kuna found us spending it at Diana and Ed's house in Eagle because we had neglected to have the gas company switch the account to our name prior to our move so the house had no heat. But it ended up being providential. 

Wednesday, October 29th

What a treat to observe a beautiful sunrise in the morning as we drove back to our place in Kuna.

We needed to be onsite between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for the gas company technician. To our dismay he informed us he could not complete the hook-up due to the deterioration of the flue. There were already cracks and little holes in it and it disintegrated at every touch. Imagine if the gas had been left on in the interim between the prior tenant's leaving and our arriving. A real safety issue. In record time Diana and Ed's HVAC guy arrived, assessed the situation, and replaced the damaged parts of the flue. And by evening we were warm and cozy.

Thursday, October 30th

This year is my 5th year to be involved with Bible Study Fellowship. I hadn't been able to do this week's lesson homework, but I still wanted to plug in to the class that meets in Kuna. I'd already been in contact with the discussion leader of the group I was assigned to, so with great anticipation I attended that morning. Although I dearly miss my group back in Washington, what a joy to find another group of like-minded ladies. And within a five-minute drive from my house, no less. 

In the evening our friends, Toby and Kristia, invited us over to their home where we enjoyed a delicious dinner of home-made Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, and reminiscing of our times together in SoCal, wiping our tears away one minute and laughing the next. 

An additional blessing came when Toby offered to take my husband to the airport the following Saturday, removing that burden from my shoulders.

Friday, October 31st

We prepared for trick-or-treaters with a big bag of tootsie blow-pops and a smaller bag of Hershey's kisses. With only about a dozen or so costumed kiddos coming to our door, a lot of blow-pops remain in the big bowl. I'm not a fan of said candy; however the kisses have all disappeared! 

Saturday, November 1st  

For work purposes, Ed needed to return to Washington state for a couple of weeks, so Toby was here by 4:30 a.m. as promised to transport him to the Boise airport. The plan is for Ed to be back here in another week or so.

Sunday, November 2nd 

A highlight of my day was a walk with Kristia on a trail nearby along Indian Creek. With sunny but breezy weather, it was a treat to walk and talk while enjoying the colors of fall all around.

Renewing this sweet relationship is a confirmation that God has led us to this particular place at this particular time.

Monday, November 3rd

Birthday number 72 for me! I had wondered how it would be celebrated in my new environment. To begin the day, Michelle, a new friend who was part of the unloading crew, came over to help me unpack a few boxes. Well, we ended up visiting more than unpacking but at least a few books found their way onto some shelves. And then we were off to Aubergine Kitchen near the "The Village" in Meridian for lunch,

where my longtime friend, Melody (Michelle's sister), and my sister-in-law, Diana, and her friend, Jamie, joined us. Melody and I hadn't seen each other in a number of years and it was a joyful reunion. 

In the evening, Toby and Kristia, welcomed me into their home for a simple but delicious meal complete with fresh-baked brownies and ice cream. My brownie came topped with a birthday candle and the "Happy Birthday" song. Yes, I feel blessed and well-celebrated!

Wednesday, November 5th

No move to a new place is complete without a trip to the local library. Thus it was my goal that day. I love that it's less than a 10-minute drive away. A happy vibe filled the facility as the children's storytime was in session. At the counter a pleasant young lady greeted me. Hannah helped me with procuring a library card, and then with printing out my Bible Study Fellowship homework. When she came out of the back room with it, a smile on her face, she asked, "Are you a Christian?" I replied, "Yes, I am. Are you?" Her response was an emphatic, "Yes!" We talked about local churches I'm researching for Ed and me to plug into, and I mentioned that I might be visiting Rock Harbor Church in the near future. Her face lit up as she stated, "That's MY church!" She went on to say that it is a big church, but there are plenty of small groups to plug into, and she loves it. 

This was another confirmation to me that in spite of my reluctance to move here, this is where the Lord wants us to be right now. He is indeed guiding us and satisfying our needs, making me into that well-watered garden.

Boxed In

 The living room looks like a storeroom. Who knew our life could be contained in that many boxes?! And there are more boxes to fill as we get ready to move. This is after loading up the back of the Subaru with "stuff" and donating it to Value Village, and depositing a work van load at the local dump. No photos to share of these events, which I'm sure you'll appreciate. 

Not everything in life can be fit into boxes. I'm glad we have spiritual freedom to live outside the box the world sometimes tries to cram us into. As I've mentioned previously, it's been an honor to have some of the devotions I've written published on various websites. Today I'd like to invite you to check this one out where my musings entitled "Spiritually Anorexic" was posted today.

Love Lines from God

Enjoy!

Announcement: Eastward Bound

 
For the past three years some of my devotional pieces have shown up about once a month on the website, ChristianDevotions.us. Then more recently on a blog called Love Lines from God. Please be encouraged to check these publications out. I'm sure you'll be blessed by what is shared there. Also keep an eye out for another blog that I'll be participating in called "VineWords" after the first of the new year. 

This year our women's ministry deacon at church invited me to share some devotional thoughts in a newsletter going out occasionally to the women, and I was delighted to do so. 

I'd like to put the last one I wrote here on my blog as a way to announce the change we are approaching as of the end of October. So here goes:

How Does Your Garden Grow?

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11 NIV)

How I admire people with gardening skills. Although both my parents were garden-minded, that gene did not get handed down to me. Every summer Dad set up his garden in well-fertilized soil by the barn. Corn, potatoes, and maybe some pole beans grew in abundance. On the east side of the house Mom's efforts produced gladiolas, chrysanthemums, and irises balanced with rows of carrots, peas, leaf lettuce, and a patch of squash. Sadly when asked to pull weeds, I couldn't even distinguish weeds from carrots.

Isn't it wonderful that God compares His people to a well-watered garden? Similar to the lushness of those summer gardens of my childhood, what the Lord plants in us and nurtures brings results that cannot be mistaken. 

When I encountered Isaiah's prophetic statement in my prayer journal recently as the verse for the week's reflection, it settled in my heart just when I needed it.

You see, after much consideration, prayer, and discussion over the past couple of years, my husband and I have made the decision to move to Idaho. My emotions are like a rollercoaster. I love being in Washington state. It's my home, where my roots are. But in all practicality we need to be in a place where the cost of living is lower. Fortunately we have family already living in the Boise area that own rental properties; we have been offered access to one of them. While dragging my heels through the dirt a bit, I'm recognizing this is God's way of meeting our needs. 

Still my tears have spurted like a water hose with holes at the thought of being at a distance from my children and grandchildren that live here in Washington. What reassurance to know that God is fully capable of tending each one of us in whatever soil He plants us, and bringing about amazing results. I'm starting to look forward to what He'll grow in me in Idaho.

Think about the beauty God is growing in your garden.

Wasting Away in Blackberries

 

The old farm where I grew up has been in the process of being destroyed organically. My dad sold it back in the 1970s and since then, blackberry briars have taken over. Wherever an opening was found in any structure still standing, they snaked inside, digging in their thorns, pulling down roofs and decimating walls. Little of the barn buildings can be seen and if left as is, blackberry vines would fully encase the house. It's not known why the destruction was allowed but my heart hurt to see this once beautiful property looking like Sleeping Beauty's castle before the prince came to rescue her. Renovating was no longer an option at this point. If ever I were able to buy back this land, the only thing to do would be to bring in a bulldozer and completely level it before restoration could begin.

A writing exercise sent me to this Bible verse: "The LORD determined to tear down the wall around the Daughter of Zion. He stretched out a measuring line and did not withhold his hand from destroying. He made ramparts and walls lament; together they wasted away." (Lamentations 2:8 NLT) As sad as it looks and for various reasons I found with further study, God made the choice to let Israel, the Daughter of Zion, be destroyed. Whether it was with blackberries or some other vegetation, or at the hands of sword-wielding warriors, the end came. He still has a plan for full restoration that He is working on. He has measured it all out and knows exactly how far things must go. Clearly grieving over loss is an expected part of the process. 

I grieve over losing things, from certain places I enjoyed living in, to loved ones making less than best choices, to friendships that soured and died, to my own youthfulness passing by. I look around to see where God put His measuring line in hopes the mark He placed for the boundary is in sight.

In Bible Study Fellowship this year we're looking at how God did bring Israel back out of Babylon to their homeland. Knowing that God uses a measuring tape reassures me that there will come a time of restoration. When I understand that tearing down a city allows a new one to be built, hope surges up and the pain in my heart ebbs. 

And where the old farm is concerned, a new owner has purchased it. Changes are slowly happening there. Yes, hope rises. 

So when I look at upcoming changes in my life, changes that mean closing the door on the familiar and dear and moving through a door that leads to new surroundings, I'm grieving at the loss, but also beginning to feel flickers of hopeful expectation at where God's measuring line is drawn. 

Change Happens

 August 25, 2025

Life is full of change. I remember when Mt. St. Helens erupted. Almost 300 miles north of the volcano, we heard the blasts, one right after the other on that May 18th morning in 1980. Recently we visited the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center in Castle Rock. The change in topography from prior to 1980 to now is significant, as well as in plant life and animal species. Apparently the variety of vegetation and animals exceed what was there pre-eruption. 

My Bible states in Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." And He is the One I'm following as we encounter changes of our own. 

More to come on that subject in the near future. You're welcome to come along on this new adventure by following this blog.

To Mark Where God Has Spoken

“…I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” (Genesis 35:3b NLT)

Jacob set up a stone pillar to mark the place where God had spoken to him. Then he poured wine over it as an offering to God and anointed the pillar with olive oil. And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means “house of God”), because God had spoken to him there. (Genesis 35:14-15 NLT)

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT)

Other words for distress are anxiety, disappointment, perplexity, vexation, and heartbreak. There are more in the thesaurus but these concepts stand out for me as we navigate through the COVID-19 storm. Early in January my daily Bible reading took me to Genesis 35. Knowing the story of Jacob and the challenges he went through, this was my prayer, “So many times, God, we’ve been in distress and we’ve prayed to You and You stayed with us all through our journey, every move, every place we’ve lived. I’m struck by the fact that You ‘went up’ from the place where You spoke to Jacob. Did he see You go, keeping his eyes on You? I want to keep my eyes on You. May my LIFE be like a stone pillar to mark that You have spoken into me.” 

As the weeks go by during quarantine, what kind of stone pillar am I putting in place to honor God? I picture Jacob searching for just the perfect rocks to pile up on top of each other to form his pillar. Maybe some have a sheen and sparkle to them while others have a dull finish but are solid and firm. Will my pillar have rocks that shine out and chunks that give stability? Like the piece of sparkly quartz as I’m standing patiently in line at the grocery store and there’s no toilet paper in stock, or the marble slabs of gratitude for the medical professionals putting their lives on the line. A plain and solid rock goes into place when I act in kindness and with a smile. And how about a big ol’ conglomerate boulder of respect for our government leaders trying to do what’s right to keep us as safe as possible. And let me not forget the foundational granite stone of faith as I trust God when our income source is denied because our business is non-essential. Or will my pillar crumble to gravel under the pick axes of anger, bitterness, blaming and doubt? 

When I remember that it is God Who is my strength and it pleases Him to make me strong (Psalm 89:17 NLT), I’m confident His inscriptions will cover the structure as each stone settles into position. This attitude is free for the embracing; I encourage you to start gathering your stones as you shelter in place. What beautiful monuments we’ll have to mark where God has spoken.