Shilah Writes

  Sunday afternoon. I look up from my computer and see a small area of blue sky and sunshine. We are rapidly losing our snow. I don't mind at all. Winter lasts forever and takes away all hope of another spring.  And then suddenly, the forever of winter is over and hope comes alive with buds forming and muddy walking trails.  Bruce and I are leaving on our first trip to Europe this week. It's our anniversary month. 27 years, if you were wondering...In 2020 we started picking and doing an adventure of some sort in the dead of winter. This year we are finally able to go to Italy. One thing I am learning about life is that it brings lows with highs and sorrows with joys. It's often both at the same time. Also, I am thankful more than ever for the steadfast love of our God. His faithfulness unto all generations. I have a current situation where fear lingers on the edges of trust. If even for a moment, I take my eyes off God Almighty and His power and His victory, the fear and ...

  I dreamed last night my cell phone was stolen. In my dream I was surprised at my depth of grief over its loss. I had no idea how attached I had become to minute by minute reports of my children's whereabouts and their well-being. Shaunti is starting her second term of Bible school and has been sick for two weeks of the three weeks of first term. I hear her voice over the phone and watch her program over the internet and see her carry her familiar water bottle around on stage...the same tactical part of her that sits on my kitchen counter most evenings in preparation for the next day of work, when she's home. Funny how a lifeless item can mean something to a mom. A week goes by so quickly. So does a year. I went in for a cleaning to the dentist this week and found it was time to renew my yearly plan. And that I have need of a crown. This doesn't suit me at all. I am going to Italy the month of February with my man and that is expense enough. About crowns...I figure if I am...

  It has been wicked cold the last week. Cold makes people do weird things. Like browse seed catalogues, debate about hybrid or organic practices of horticulture, order seeds, and plan their gardens. They sit inside endless hours looking at the beautiful sunshine and resisting the urge to go out in it. Looks can be deceiving as we know, the frosted over windows and doors bely this. Better to stay inside and stay safe. However, after a few hours of snuggling in with YouTube, Instagram, and Netflix or Prime, you feel generally overwhelmed with the state of the world. Some people, will even succumb to its clutches and let it upset them and make proclamation about how people are getting dumb and dumber. And I agree. Except I think people have always been getting dumb and dumber but didn't always have social media platforms to expose themselves to the whole world. Which leads me to remember the lawsuit many years ago about the woman who spilled hot coffee on her lap from a known fast fo...

  The week between Christmas and the New Year is one of my favorite...maybe I like it even more than Christmas. I love the cleaning up, evaluating, and closure of one year's accumulation.  I don't feel bad if I don't reach all my goals. This year I wanted to read at least 23 books in honor of 2023. I felt that should be fairly attainable since I would call myself an avid reader. However, I did not read that many books. Camper living while building a house is a lot harder than it looks. And I had a very nice "wait and see" garden to keep up with as well. But I am happy to say I still read 13 or 14 books plus my Bible quite faithfully. So that is better than not having made a goal and tried at all. Right? I put away Christmas on the 26th. By that, I mean, the decor. The pine and ribbons and tree. All gone. Put away. And the feeling of light and air and freshness inspires me greatly. I see surfaces again. My house plants take back their place in the living room under...

  I learned that a month goes by very slowly when one is challenging herself to write everyday. Also, I learned that a month goes by very quickly when you are noticing moments and thinking about what you will write next. I found that I didn't always know what was going to come out of my pen. And I was surprised by what did somedays. The uncovering of ones soul is refreshing and embarrassing at the same time. I realized I have a very good life and that I like it very much. I am deeply grateful for ordinary and boring moments. God's grace is abundant in my weakness. That makes living so very good. My dog teaches me lessons about my relationship with God. I'm not a dog person naturally but am morphing into one. For sure. I promise you however, I am not one of those people that tolerates dogs better than babies on an airplane. I will never forget flying with babies and being given the dirty eyeball, whilst the dog owner was doted on. I digress. I saw more what I value and also ...

  Sunday morning stillness... I stagger through the coffee making and water drinking, throw on a few dim lights, round up the lighter, my Bible, journal, and pens. In the living room, I light the tapers that came in the mail yesterday. They are beautiful in the dark morning, dripless as advertised. The deer arrived a couple days ago. One arrived without antlers. I'm too lazy to send it back or re-glue it, so maybe I will paint over the nubs where the antlers broke off. The coffee is good, warm, satisfying as I go over the Sunday School lesson and write down a few thoughts. I face a few difficult thoughts and bring praise to it, whisper the Lord's prayer over it. Thy kingdom Lord, in this... I can't change anything but God can and does...and for this I give Him praise. Coffee is gone. I get up and wake up the house, put the casserole in the oven, ready for church. It's a relaxed morning, there is time for a little jaunt in the woods for a few more twigs of greenery I pla...

  The giving of thanks. Can you imagine if it was the taking of thanks instead? Although, after the turkey dinner and pumpkin pie some might feel they have taken more than they should have. Not to take away from your cozy traditional thanksgiving bloom. Not at all. But rather, an inspiration to be a thanks giver to God Almighty for all He brings and allows as your daily bread. Or turkey. Or pumpkin pie. You can be a thanks taker too, but the attitude is more like this: I deserve this good thing of which I am thankful...I had this coming to me...I worked hard for this so now I am thankful. Thankful to who? Yourself? Anyway, around your thanksgiving table today, be humble, be kind, and listen to others. Let that be your giving of thanks. Taking is the habits of interrupting, speaking loudest and longest. Also eating too much pie and mashed potatoes. There will be more next year. Whereas next year, you never know what loved one may or may not be with us.