Contemplating Life

  I live in an old farmhouse. Some of you will understand what that means. It is breezy when the wind blows, and the world can feel down right frigid when you slip out of your comfy bed in the morning. Lately, if I get up before my hubby, I have been doing my exercise videos in the early morning hours just to warm up. So as not to disturb my guy, I always try to stand where the floor creaks the least, and I always leave the sound off on the video. I have, however, discovered that I do not enjoy exercising when the sound is off. I never realized before this week just how much the encouraging banter of the lady leading the videos meant to me. “I know your muscles are burning but keep going – you are almost there!” “I am so proud of your hard work – you are impacting your health!” “You’ve got this – I believe in you!” I don’t know – maybe her phrases sound pithy and trite to you, but when your muscles and joints are burning and you are struggling to breath while doing one more rep

 During a few months of this year, I became obsessed with studying history. (Actually, my history studies played a big part in my understanding of a Bible study I took part in on end times prophecies, but that is for another blog.) I delved into the 1890-1940 period with an emphasis on World War I and the changes it brought. I also explored the concept of “how and why Hitler came to power.” Overall it was eye-opening. There is a quote that I have heard, in many forms and attributed to different people. It goes something like this “Those who do not study history and heed its lessons are doomed to repeat it.” The more I delve into various periods of history, the more I see the accuracy in that quote. As King Solomon once said in Ecclesiastes 1:9 (New Living Translation), “ History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.” Man never seems to learn and keeps making the same dumb choices and the same mistakes, just wearing a different pair of

 I wrote this poem weeks ago, but it is just so relevant every day. Life is what it is, and many moments are good while some moments are a challenge. BUT ALWAYS the Love of Christ is there to carry us through the good, the bad, and the ugly. He is ever faithful. ***************************** Carry Me Through I wake up in the morning And stare at what I see As I look into the mirror Of how the world sees me. I know I’m so much more Than the circles round my eyes Or the trembling of my lips- This is just a guise. It is not who I am For the real it lives inside Of this broken tabernacle In which I reside. I know that I face giants In the valley of today; I know there will be words That I’ll never get to say; I know I will spend energy Reigning myself in, Trying to follow the Spirit Instead of submitting to sin. I know my heart will break From the love I want to give That will be sorely rejected By ones who can’t forgive. And I know there will be laughter F