Shilah Writes

I started a little side thing over on Substack.  I don't think I'm up and coming enough to know how to use it tho. The last couple weeks have been filled to the brim with cleaning jobs and rethinking what "Home" means. We are Downsizing and minimalizing and reconfiguring what is usual to homing in most people's minds. So anyway, Many Looming Questions: When the kids are grown and move away and have their own lives... How do I let go of the life we made and nurtured for them? Did I really believe the things I taught them as super important? Then why am I not here to finish properly? Or did I? Am I? Why do I feel guilty in leaving? Is it human thoughts, 'normal' goals, and expectations that keep me from completely relaxing and being on board. Pardon the pun... Will I go bonkers, tiny living on a boat? And in a container home in Arizona? Why do we make many ideas of what is normal and culturally acceptable? And let them be our great measuring stick? Anyway. M...

You have heard me preach about my noontime devils, besetting sins, or trials and temptations...You call them what works for you.  For many years now, I have realized them to be the things that took my eyes off Jesus and kept me focused on me-ism; floundering around gasping for air spiritually. The things I've named and asked Jesus to keep healing is self-pity, self-righteousness, and emotions and words of despair. He is healing me. But I am a work in progress. Praise God! Recently though, He brought one more to my attention...abandonment... I never before acknowledged this as one of the things that took my eyes off Jesus. But as I was standing in front of the mirror on Sunday morning combing my hair Jesus whispered this word to me. Saturday had been a big, beautiful day outside. Spring was in the air. I was able to get actual stuff done with the help of my husband, a few of the children, and a grand baby to boot. But I felt extremely abandoned in it. We burned old branches, cut dow...