I  have a very dear friend who has battled a  muscle disease for quite a few years.  We met when I moved to Wellington in 1985, and she was a teen at the church I attended.  A friendship of sorts was formed at the at time and over the years we have become best of friends.  We have laughed together,  cried together, we know each others secrets, and we have shared deep sorrow, and much joy.  and thru it all we have been unconditional friends.  no matter what, we have always had each others back.  

last week she told me and another friend (we call us 3 the hip sisters) that she had a cold or respiratory issues again.  Because of her muscle disease, sometimes fighting this crud off is not easy for her.  Last Thursday, the 9th, she ended up going to the hospital because she was having trouble getting air.  Yesterday, the 13th, they intubated her, hoping this will help her breath easier and rest to heal.  They hope to start weaning her off it in a couple days. We wait in hope and faith, trusting that God will heal her.

Yesterday, Cathy and her husband and I went to the hospital to see Sissy.   Do you know how hard it is to see one of your besties, lying in that bed, not moving, not responding?,  we held her hands (I knocked the oxygen meter off her finger ).  we prayed with her, sang to her, and reminisced .  

We don't know  what God has in store for our dear friend.   We do know that he will heal her, either here on earth or at home in heaven.  We pray we get to keep her for longer. 

When storms like this arise,  we begin to remember things we had forgotten.    We pray harder, more earnestly, and sometimes we pray with tears, because words won't come.  We wrap the family in prayer and love also.   and thru the storm. we trust God, because we know that He is always there, always in control, and He knows what is best.  

we  have laughed so hard at stupid things, and then laughed more because laughing made us laugh til we couldn't catch our breath.  We have loved each other thru good and bad.

So, Sissy, I offer up this prayer for you, that God will give you peace in this storm, that he will calm your spirit, and you will know He is holding you in His arms.  I pray that God's will will be done.  I love you my friend.  I pray God lets us keep you longer here on this earth. 

 Mom's birthday was Jan 8th. i have been reflecting on her favorite Bible verse :Psalm 46:10
"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. "
Be still......doesn't mean sit still and do nothing. be still. be quiet. listen ..let go...wait patiently on the Lord....don't plow ahead on your own.....quit stressing... stop fighting God....leave yourself behind and come into His presence...
And know that am God........clear your mind of you and focus on God. be aware of His presence....He is our hope, our strength, our grace, our redeemer, our strong tower, our mighty fortress, our re-newer of life, our healer, our forgiver....
I will be exalted among the nations, i will be exalted in the earth..........We will left Him up...place God above all else in our lives....we will praise with our hearts and mouths..

Then we will find peace.............a peace that only comes from God........

are you searching for that peace?   reach out..I'd love to share more about my Jesus with you.

 

Welcome to 2025. I am determined to start blogging again, and keeping it going, rather than writing every few months.  I have so many thoughts that run thru my mind, ones I want to share, but some social media platforms  censor what you share, or lock you out or won't let you use certain word. 

I am a believer in Jesus, and I want to be able to share what I want, when I  want, using the words I want. 

As I'm writing this today, it is snowing outside.  Beautiful tiny flakes, falling straight to the ground.  And the best thing bout snow?  I'm retired and I do not have to go out in it.

The pristine white of the snow reminds me of how the blood of Jesus can cleanse our hearts.  I'm leading Bible study with my friend Annie, and we are doing the exposition of the old testaments books, showing how the old testament speaks of Jesus, and continuously points us the the Messiah of the New Testament. 

As time passes, I will share some  thoughts from each Bible study, and some personal stories that touch my heart .

2025 is a new year, and we can go forward,  We don't look back at our past or our past mistakes.  they are behind us.  we can look forward and go forward in the belief and faith that God is n control and He will go with us.

To begin, I know if some folks read this they will be very mad at my position. However, I ask that if you read this and comment, be respectful of me, as I have read so many "vote no and my body-my choice, and i have chosen not to comment and to respect your veiws. I have spent many moments and hours thinking aobut the overturn of Roe vs Wade, and the Value them both vote that will be on the August 2nd ballot here in Kansas. I will state right off i am pro-life, pro-baby and I will do what I can to help a mother who chooses life over abortion, I have seen an ad on TV that to me is contorversial in itself. The Dr. says, "I took an oath to do no harn when I became a dr. I will vote no on August 2nd." If abortion is not harm, then what is it? I've been doing some research and just in the 1950's and 1960's, then from 2010-2019 over 7.2 million abortions happened, legal and illegal. One doctor performed around 60,000 abortions and not a single one was to save the moms life. In New York, one out of every 4 pregnancys is aborted. WOW! One doctor became anti-abortion after much consideration, and after watching a sonogram of an abortion by suction that he did. he saw the baby open its mouth to cry out with a silent scream of pain and pull away from the suction. THis body, this baby, felt the pain, the suction, the crushing, the dismemberment of its tiny body, and the only "good thing" is that I beleive Jesus was holding that tiny hand thru it all. I was in a discussion with someone on a local news channels facebook page. A lady said to me that life begins at the first breath, and that it says so in the Bible. I asked her to please show me where. her reply: "I don't have a BIble lmao!". so i asked her again to explain herself. she couldnt. So I shared with her that in Genesis 1, it speaks about God breathing life into Adam,then Eve, BUT you can't use that as evidence of life begins at first breath, being that Adam nor Eve came from the womb......... It is also proven that by by 5 1/2 to 6 weeks the heartbeat can be heard........a heartbeat? is that not life in intself? For us to be alive do we not have to have a heartbeat? How many of you listen teo the music of Bethoven? did you know his mom almost aborted him? think of all that beautiful music we woudl have missed out on...... What if some of the babies who were ab orted were teh ones that GOd ahd predestined ot be the Dr. who cured cancer?, teh scientist who figured out how cars coudl run on water?, the dr who coudl cure MS, MS, Polio, and many other diseases. How many of you have watched an actual abortion ? there are videos..........or do you just want to scream my body, my choice? what aobut the dr who had taken an oath to do no harm, yet was lacking in treating an young lady with downs, and it cost her her life? that little thing, blob, fetus, PERSON growing inside a womans body is not a part of the ladies body, it is its own person, in its own little sack. But, I will give you that it is fed by the momma. statistics say that 40% of women have abortions becasue they don't think they can afford the child 36% becasue it is the wrong stage/time in their life 31% becasue of the man they are in a relationship with 29% becasue they already have children 20% becasue it would ruin thier career opportunities 19% because they are not emotionally ready 12% because of mental health 12% because of family influence or too young. there are 6 states and Washington DC, that have no limit on when an aboriton can be done during pregnancy those states are Colorado, Vermont, Alaska, New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon............... and I also was told in person by a lady who lives in California, that they want to make it legal to ABORT a baby up to 16 WEEKS AFTER BIRTH?????????// really?????? if it is legal to abort a baby, then why is it considerd a double homicide if a pregnant woman is murdered/ Public Law No: 108-212 (04/01/2004) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on February 26, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 or Laci and Conner's Law - Provides that persons who commit certain Federal violent crimes (conduct that violates specified provisions of the Federal criminal code, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, or specified articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) ) and thereby cause the death of, or bodily injury to, a child who is in utero (a fetus or embryo) shall be guilty of a separate offense. Requires the punishment for that separate offense to be the same as provided under Federal law for that conduct had that injury or death occurred to the unborn child's mother (or in the case of a UCMJ violation, to be such punishment as a court-martial may direct, which shall be consistent with the punishments prescribed by the President for such conduct had that injury or death occurred to the unborn child's mother). Declares that such a separate offense does not require proof that: (1) the person who committed the offense knew or should have known that the victim of the underlying offense was pregnant; or (2) the defendant (or accused) intended to harm the unborn child. Prohibits imposition of the death penalty for such an offense. So, if a life in embyo or fetus stage is considered a nmurder or homicide when the mom is pregnant and dies, why should abortion not be considered murder also, by the hands of the parent or doctor? I won't argue with anyone. This is what I believe and this is what God has led me to share. I have to make my choices and decesions based on the BIble and what I beleive God leads me to. I will one day stand before GOd, as will all of us, and I want to know that what I stood for was what he calloed me to stand for.

A couple weeks ago we sang "I know who holds tomorrow" in church. Every time we sing that my mind floods back to the time i sang with Terry and Link in church. Young and carefree we were then. and no idea of what would happen in the next few weeks. Link was called home to Jesus. 42 years later and I still miss that smile, that friendship, the laughs. I miss him. So, today in my memories on facebook, something I wrote about Link a few years ago popped up. and because of this same song. I love how God brings memories to us just when we need them. Here is what I wrote in 2017 Today, in church, we sang, "I know who holds tomorrow" 39 years ago, a few weeks before October, two male friends and I sang that song as special music in church. Little did I know then, that my friend Link, would be meeting Jesus face to face in October 1978. He was 18 years old, had a promising career as an auctioneer......... when his life was cut short in a wreck. I hadn't thought about Link in quite some time. he was kind, funny, ornery, and a true friend. He was like the "link" that held our youth group together growing up. He had a way with people. He was my friend, and I was devastated when I heard the news. I was a month away from being 19. I had only tasted death thru losing a grandparent, so losing a friend was just as hard, or harder. I sat, listening to the words of that song this morning, (I couldn't sing cause my voice is scratchy form allergies), my eyes became moist as I remembered my friend. I will see him again one day, I have that hope, that we have in Jesus Christ. I miss you Link, Can't wait til the day we can talk again. I don't know about tomorrow I just live from day to day I don't borrow from the sunshine For it's skies may turn to gray I don't worry o'er the future For I know what Jesus said And today I'll walk beside Him For He knows what lies ahead Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand Ev'ry step is getting brighter As the golden stairs I climb Ev'ry burden's getting lighter Ev'ry cloud is silver lined There the sun is always shining There no tear will dim the eye At the ending of the rainbow Where the mountains touch the sky Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand

Have you ever wanted to find a never ending supply of something? Like chocolate, or money, or friends, or good health? Or for some, a never ending supply of coffee or tea or pop? For me, my never ending supply would be chocolate and ice tea. But, more than those two things, I want a never ending supply of Jesus. I ran across something I wrote down a few years ago and it still holds true today. "You replenish my strength daily as I draw from your unlimited supply." WOW. an unlimited suppy of Jesus. When I am weary, He will refresh me; when i am lonely, He will be my friend. when i am sad, He will wipe away my tears; when i am angry, He will soothe my soul; when I am weak, He will be my strength; when I am afraid, He is my shelter; When I am sick, He is my healer; when I need quiet time, He sits quietly with me, letting me rest in Him. He restores my soul.............His mercies are new every morning.......Great is His faithfulness. If you need strength, if you need healing, if you need a friend, if you need comfort, go to Jesus, and draw from His never ending supply.

 I  changed  the name of the blog to  "A rose in the midst of thorns".  That would be my Jesus.  The shining light in the darkness:  the intruder of my soul.  the calm in my storm; the patience to my  hurry; the sense to my insensibility;  the strong to my weak;  the shelter in the crisis;  the hope in my hopelessness;  my comforter in all the uncertainties of life.

I have thought for quite some time to start blogging again.  Here I can be uncensored, not stopped by facebook or others for what I want to say!  I can share Jesus however I choose............ the drawing of the rose in the crown of thorns was done for me by my dear sweet friend Carrie. She is so talented and uses those talents for Jesus.

I want to become just like that rose.  I want to be able to prune away the thorns from my life, and let the beauty of the rose shine thru.  and that rose is Jesus.  I never want the thorns of life to stop me from trusting and believing that my Jesus is all I need.  I never want my thorns to be a stumbling block for someone else who is need of Jesus' grace and mercy and love.  

Keep checking back. I love writing, I love putting pen to paper, and I love sharing my Jesus and all he has done for me.