Foolishness on Friday, November 21st, 2025

Good morning, et cetera -greetings and salutations, dear Reader, and welcome to yet another day of drawing breath in and out. I pray that you are warm, well-fed, and at peace as you read these words and, if not, that those things come to you soon. So often the things we take for granted are the very things that many across the globe are praying for right now, so it's important to always be aware, and once aware, grateful. 

Please click here if you'd like to read today's Proverb, and click here if you'd like to read 1 Corinthians 1. I recognize myself in the following verse from that last chapter mentioned:

I always come to share the ponderings of my heart and mind, dear Reader, not because I feel that anyone can be 'convinced' or otherwise compelled to believe, because that's not how faith works- it's an inside job, 100%, full-stop, wholly between an individual and the Lord God and cannot be manufactured, faked, demanded or anything other than what it is. Yes, I refer to the Lord and His Word often, but that's because "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" and, Lord knows (quite literally, as do many of you) that *not* everything that comes out of this mouth is good or Godly.

That said, I'd like to talk about the first verse-image there and point out some observations. 

There are many things that happen in life that cause us to often question God and demand to know the "why" behind it all and I'll give you some examples:
*God, why do babies die of cancer?
*God, why is there evil in the world?
*God, why is it a struggle to eat and pay my bills every month?
and on and on and on, the questions that arise from the baffling situations in life, many of which seem unfair if not downright evil, will continue to plague us, or at least make themselves apparent to us, until we breathe our very last.

So, I'll ask another "why" and that is this:
Why does God allow all of these things to happen? 

I don't know why, that's His business. But, please allow me to frame it for you based on what I now understand of these things. The verse above tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..." and that right there is the first little treasure/clue in that trust is a matter of the heart. We must dig deeper within ourselves to reach beyond the confines of mere intellect and choose to trust Him on a much deeper level than that of thought, logic, and reason. It IS a choice. It's like Job said of his own unwavering trust in God:

There is a level of trust that runs so deep that, to the normal mind of man, to the intelligent, educated, to the wise and well-learned, makes literally no sense at all. Seriously, WHO trusts one who would slay him? But there you have it, straight from the Book itself.

Further, I feel that the laying down of our human intellect is an example of what it means to cast our crowns at His feet in worship; it's that taking of the cherished, prized things in life (be they material or otherwise) and throwing them down as worthless in comparison of Who He is and all that He's done (to wit, paying the ultimate price to redeem our sorry asses, knowing that we do not and never can or will actually deserve it OR even begin to pay Him back for it). 

So, I take this to mean: do I prize my thoughts over Him and His sacrifice? Are my material things more important to me than His love? Is my intellect my God or am I willing to accept that there are simply things in this Life that I cannot and will not ever understand, but love Him still?

I am the one holding the hammer and nail - He is the One holding me! 

His love for us is so rich, so extravagant, so complete and whole that no mind of flesh can ever grasp the true gist of what He's actually done. We can receive it, yes, but trying to understand it in our minds is a fool's errand. His Holy Spirit can give us a heart-level understanding, yes, but there is no reaching God through the intellect of man. 

Today, dear Reader, I pray that the eyes of your understanding will be opened; I plead the Blood of Jesus over every human being who sees or reads these words, in Jesus' Name. May His will and His foolish love reign over all that man normally worships instead.

💜

Love Always Wins on November 20th, 2025

Good morning, et cetera, dear Reader, and welcome! I pray that we're all able to truly realize how miraculous just waking up every morning is, including today. 

I've been waking up hours before Dawn almost every day now for years. Sure, it has much to do with a hard-wired Circadian rhythm; maybe it's also God saying "get off your duff and pray, you're going to need it today" and He's not wrong in that case (obviously, He's literally perfect and therefore, cannot ever be wrong, about anything, but I digress). 

There are some benefits to rising this early, for me, and I'm happy to share those with you here. To me, the peace and quiet of a world still asleep creates the perfect environment for quiet time: prayer, meditation, reading and trying to grasp the treasures of the mysteries hidden in God's Word. For a person who's natural state is often agitation and tumult, the quiet start to every day is a priceless gift, affording me the opportunity to quiet myself before the Lord and hopefully get centered in preparation of whatever's to come my way that day. But it's like the manna that fell from Heaven to feed the Israelites during their forty years of wandering in the desert in that the grace is only for that day; I cannot 'store up extra' and hope for it to work for me tomorrow; that's not how this works, at least not for me (though things may be very different for you, and that's okay, too).

One of my new friends, who is already near and dear to me, you might be surprised to learn, dear Reader, is very (politically and otherwise) liberal, in contrast to my apparent conservatism. But here's the beauty of it, that she and I are able to dovetail our beliefs by finding commonalities, rather than demanding of each other to change. It's a beautiful thing and we're talking about maybe starting a podcast to show the power of unity within - not in spite of - diversity of thought. This world needs unity now more than ever before and seeking common ground by hearing each other's hearts is where that's at. We all have so much more in common than the worldly 'powers that be' want us to realize; division is what keeps them easily in power as they use us to destroy each other and ourselves while 'they' merely have to sit back and watch the show. IF we allow it, that is. 

The good news is that we don't have to just allow it to happen; after all, their manufactured division is not organic and requires our cooperation - the power IS in our own hands, but 'they' do not want us to know it.

Therefore, may I please encourage you today, dear Reader, to please try and hear the other's heart and search for the places where goals and ideals meet, rather than reasons to hate? When we do the latter, we play right into 'their' hands as puppets; when we strive for the former, God has room to work, even in and for those who do not yet believe in Him.

Love is the answer, that is all. Bless all eyes who read these words and let Love win! 💜

Strength in Silence on November 19th, 2025

Good morning, et cetera, dear Reader! We find ourselves on this side of the grave yet again today - hallelujah! Thank You, Lord. 💖 Please click here if you'd like to read today's Proverb. 

Today, I'm impressed with Jesus' strength to always be gentle towards others (other than when He was flipping tables in the temple, that is). Often, when others would accuse Him and otherwise verbally abuse Him, He chose to not dignify their harmful words with any sort of response - save silence, and there were some people (according to Scripture) who He never responded to no matter what that person said to Him (like King Herod Antipas, for example). 

Though some could argue that His silence was indicative of fear and/or weakness, I submit to you that His silence is exemplary of His divine strength and discernment instead. In my own life, I often find it difficult to not try and defend myself when under attack, which, to me speaks of pride and weakness as well as any genuine desire to communicate with the other person towards any middle-ground resolution. May I increase in discernment to know when silence is the best response! And, further, silence is a fabulous choice over any words that could cause another harm; I must always remember this.

This is also very important for me to keep in mind, just like John the Baptist said: I must decrease that He may increase (John 3:30)

Which means to me that if harm comes to me, but Christ is glorified in that, then it is all worth it, full stop - and the Scripture further encourages that death to Self (ego) here:

So many of the martyred saints support these truths as well; consider the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was unalived for his faith by the Nazi regime during WWII, who said:

The cost of true discipleship is never less than everything, even up to and including our very lives, and that normally starts with dying to ourselves (starving ego no matter the pain). May I be more and more like Him YES, even if it literally kills me. He paid the ultimate price for my redemption, may I be ready to accept His entire will for me, no matter what that looks like. 
I pray for the salvation of every soul whose eyes have seen these words, in Jesus' Name, amen. 💜

Morning Thoughts on November 18th, 2025

 

Good morning (et cetera, as applicable) dear Reader, and welcome. Every time we take a breath, it is a miracle - the miracle of Life itself, and waking up above ground is both a gift and a blessing. 

Listening to the feedback of others + the verse above from today's Proverb, the Lord reminds me that He's given us each two ears and one mouth, a clear indication that we are each supposed to listen twice as much as we speak. It's alarming that I can do so and be unaware of it (speaking over others, interrupting, not allowing others to finish when they speak) but, in community, we (are supposed to) rely on the honest feedback of others due to inherent blind-spots and the mysterious fact of there being no objectivity with regard to what we're able to perceive in ourselves; consider the following:

So, although I'm aware that I do have multiple weaknesses and flaws, many of them will remain a hidden mystery to me until and/or unless the mirror of another human being makes it possible for me to know and see by way of their feedback; we are invaluable one to another for this (among many other) reasons. 

Even today, no matter how hard I try to be honest with myself, that desire and intent still does not and simply cannot remove the inherent, hard-wired blindness that I have to many of my own weaknesses and/or failings. Therefore, I welcome legitimate feedback toward that end with the understanding that those who love me will care enough to tell me truth, even when that truth may be difficult to accept or otherwise unpalatable. 
I'd like to give an example of the opposite of that as well, with regard to the enemy's multiplication of kisses. It's my understanding that this refers to those who choose to surround themselves with 'yes' men (or women), as in the example of the late pop icon, Michael Jackson's, (then) personal physician. Many of you will remember: Michael Jackson hired a doctor who agreed to administer strong, dangerous general anesthesia that eventually took Jackson's life. The former doctor was stripped of his license to practice medicine and given some prison time, but those things will not bring Michael Jackson back. In short, he hired someone who literally 'yes'-ed him to death. 

Is it difficult to hear and receive the honest feedback of others? Often times, in fact (in my experience, at least) yes, it most certainly is, but I implore you, dear Reader, to please try and accept what you're hearing and consider if it does apply to you when others care enough to try and tell you (a thing).

Now, I'm not talking about allowing others to abuse you with childish, ad hominem attacks ("you should unalive yourself", "you should never be around babies",  "you are stupid", et cetera) but I'm talking about legitimate feedback, such as (in my case) "Hey, you interrupt when others are speaking and don't allow them to finish before you answer them" - that's not satanic, deliberate verbal cruelty designed to destroy my very soul, but quite the opposite - IF I choose to have the humility to hear and receive it.

Therefore, today, dear Reader, I pray that the eyes of your understanding be opened; that you have ears to hear and a heart humble enough to receive 'wounds from a friend' and be made better and stronger for it. 

💜

Sunday Rest on November 16th, 2025

Good morning, et cetera, dear Reader, and welcome to yet another day on this side of the grave. How very blessed and fortunate we are to just start out with that much, another day of the gift of Life! Please click HERE if you'd like to read today's Proverb. 

Well, unfortunately, it appears that someone stole one of my boxes (which, on my end, I'd foolishly left in the car, unlocked, over night, so I have no right to be angry or shocked). At any rate, the box had approximately a third of my perfume collection in it as well as ten years' worth of jewelry that I'd collected.

At first, yeah, I was angry and offended. But I soon had to own and accept my part in it (leaving it in an unlocked car overnight). So there's that. And now I'm at the place of "Thank You, Lord, for the time that I got to enjoy those things" and I'm grateful that I'm not so married to those material things that it's had more of a negative effect on me than that, and I attribute it to God's grace and nothing more. I'm no 'spiritual giant' or anything close, but have done my best to respond to the loss in the godliest way that I can. Let Him deal with the thief, that's between them (the thief and God) and is therefore not my problem or concern. And as I pondered the situation yesterday, He brought Job to my inner attention and I recall that although Job lost everything (all at once even!) that God replaced all that he'd lost two-fold and more, so I feel like that was the Lord telling me, "Don't worry, honey, I got you" which is more than enough for me. May He give you the grace that you need in any and all of your difficult situations, too, dear Reader (even those which, like this case of theft, you're actually responsible for - to a point - yourself). 

Sure, I could berate myself for being foolish/ unwise, but to do so would be unproductive, and I don't care to waste time and/or energy on such endeavors. Remember, no matter what you've done, there's healing for that, whatever it is. All we have to do is first be honest with ourselves about (a thing) so we can then be honest with God about it and just let Him take it from there. 

Simple? Yes. Easy? well... sometimes, but not always. 

So, dear Reader, I pray that you can glean something of value from this recent negative experience of mine and further pray that He will give you the grace to handle it in a way that pleases Him and brings you peace. 

💜

It's Friday! November 14th, 2025

Hello, dear Reader! Greetings and salutations on this beautiful day above ground which is meritorious of gratitude in and of itself. The weather is just stunning and is supposed to reach nearly 80F again today and here we are in mid-November. Desert life is awesome.

Please click HERE for today's Proverb if you like and here's a stand-out verse from it:

And this Tom MacDonald song is for you:

Well, I've finally listened both to my adult son, Trevor, who's had his Autism diagnosis since he was seven years old, as well as the other adults in my life and have set an appointment later this month for evaluation of possible ASD and will see professionals in Tucson toward that end. 😎

But it's all finally starting to make sense to me now and it's such a relief! I've always wondered "What is wrong with me?!" and, hopefully soon, I'll have some answers for that. Even having that ruled out is still definitive and will be helpful, if it happens to go that way instead of how I suspect (which would be confirmation of ASD in my case). According to AI, women diagnosed with Autism are pretty uncommon, like 0.51 % it said. 

Today I went ahead and bought a Pat McGrath lipstick that I've been considering for about three months now; the seller already gave me a tracking number for it, too! It's supposed to be here by November 20th and I'm pretty excited to receive it; it's the matte formula in the color called "Flesh 03" which is supposedly universally-flattering, but we'll see. 

Nothing else big going on today: we continue to move things from our old address to the new one; today I'd also like to see the bedding options available at our local Ross Dress for Less, and I have a couple of hours to get those three grants submitted and with that, goodbye, dear Reader and have a wonderful, blessed day! 

💜

Veterans Day and More on Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Greetings and salutations on this day above ground, dear Reader, and welcome to my obscure, free little sliver of cyberspace today. In the United States today, we celebrate Veteran's Day; thank you all, every one, for laying down your lives to serve and protect the rest of us, from a grateful, free and safe American whose heart is touched by your sacrifice. We honor you today and always. 💜

Now that we're settling in to our new home as the move continues, a recent topic has returned to my heart with regard to the homeless shelter that God is creating down here in this small border town. Note the scripture above; this is why I feel that, at some point, I need to appear homeless and go experience what it feels like to have to beg for money on the street, with a sign and the whole nine yards, because I need to be able to identify with what our clients will have experienced by the time they reach the safe haven of our walls (once we have them, that is). 

I mean, I have been homeless a few times (mental illness is pretty good for that) but haven't yet experienced what it's like to ask random passing strangers to help. My husband and other friends and family have all tried to keep me away from this, fearing the emotional and psychological pain that it will likely cause, but I'm not afraid at all. I mean, I don't want to be arrested (haha! but seriously) and yet, at the same time, how can I possibly identify with 'the least of these' until I've truly walked in their shoes?

So, at some point, I've simply got to do it, there's just no way around it as far as I can tell. May He create the perfect time and place and, may I also experience both the kind and loving as well as those who will ignore me, AND those who will speak to me cruelly; all of it counts, all of that has got to be what the homeless go through so, to be of the best possible service to them, it's got to be done, it just has to. 

In other news, I've got my desk and computer (office area) set up in our new home and can finally get back to work on grant writing, for our own 501(c)(3) organizations as well as those of our friends here locally. There are three specific grants that will benefit a local museum that I have until November 14th to submit and I will work on those today. 

Other than that, we were able to finally capture our cat and get him moved to the new home yesterday and it's already very clear that he's loving the new living space, too. 

That's about all I've got for now; please, thank a Veteran today and do anything and everything you can to bless that person and make their lives better. Be blessed now and always, in Jesus' Name, amen.