Memorable experience...

Though it has been so very long since I stopped by.. life has been busy but very good! Travels, projects, and time spent with those loved have kept me busy! I recently read on a blog venue the question of "what is one of the most memorable experiences of your life". .... It didn't take long to answer as though I have had so many wild, wonderful, romantic, loving, powerful experiences.. this is my answer...

Though I have been around less often lately as I have been amidst travel and too enjoying the summer, this question was met with incredible thought and feeling... I would say the most significant event was an incredible dream that I considered a miracle. ... I was only 14 but struggling with my mother's mental illness and though I was highly academic and highly successful in sports and other areas, inside I was hurting deeply. .. One night I had a dream that I died of cancer, went to heaven and the good Lord asked me if I had lived life as I wanted to. ... It was a powerful question and I woke up crying as it was though God was speaking to me. ... I bowed in prayer and tears and promised the good Lord I'd read the Bible end to end. .... Soon after I randomly opened the Bible and miraculously the page I turned to said if you make a vow to God you need to keep it. ... So I embarked on an 18 month journey and read the Bible from end to end. It changed my life forever. ... Though my life is not perfect by any means, and I have often been blatently reminded of my humanity, I have come to know that through faith joy is eternal and stages of happiness and sadness are temporal. .... Sometimes it is not always easy to discern the good Lord's word and voice, other times it is as apparent as can be. ... Yet I've learned that there is true joy through my Christian faith and that all spectrums of life can be so deeply beautiful.

a "Good Friday" to all...

As I come to the blog on this most significant day in my Christian faith, I engage on my 28th year of fasting and prayer on this Good Friday. As I think of the significance of this day, I am mindful that perhaps we all have places of hurt, heartache, and question that we need to heal. We too all have places we need to forgive, yet sometimes forgiveness is not always easy if behaviors continue, and/or if it comes in places we hold most dear or if someone has volitionally tried to hurt us. ... We too have places we perhaps all need to be forgiven and sometimes asking for such forgiveness is so very difficult. ... Today I bow in prayer amidst my joy in life, asking for healing in the precious places that need healing, and too offer a humbled thanks to the good Lord amidst the awesome sacrifice of Christ. .. Does not the love and grace of the good Lord bring pause, gratitude and awe?

there are days...

As it is nearing 11pm (yes, the post time is always wrong below)... I stop to reflect and pray before bed. .. I was grateful for the day, a shared early Palm Sunday service, and for times that touch the soul...

There are days when we share with a deeply valued friend and spend time with those loved that we are reminded of the precious walk of life and the beautiful moments that throughout the years hold forever in the heart, minds, and time...

A revisit from the poetic song in my soul.. cat talk

In Memory of Midnight: 4/15/1997- 3/3/2010

Here's our adorable Polydactyl "Mittens" with our new cat- Casper Jack (his name was Casper but my daughter wanted it to be Jack after "Jack Johnson" :)

Our new cat- Casper Jack... the most affectionate cat you can imagine!

Here's Midnight with Oreo- Oreo died in 2007- also 13 at time of death

You can see why we call here "Mittens"

It has been some time since I stopped by in the powerful e-space. ... I humbly realize the past 6 months has brought me so much delight, and so much pain, joys, and tears, and perhaps in a small span of time has represented the hills and valleys we all go through in life. In addition to 2 hospitalizations a semi-unemployed husband, a car accident, difficulty with a hurtful act towards me (and a dear friend) from someone in a supervisory position and the stress that has culminated, the diagnosis of a tumor, and the death of my dearly loved cat... I too have to admit that there have been joys in times spent with those loved, in a couple delightful trips, and in the everlasting joy that comes in faith in the good Lord. ... I continue to pray for the outcome of the surgery, and too for a dear friendship so deeply important to me.. the recent hurts amidst the emergence of another sometimes leave me at such a loss, but do not our best of friendships remain steadfast through all? The past couple of weeks have brought much sadness amidst the moments of joy and daily I strive to hold to faith amidst the tears that sometimes visit my optimistic spirit and strength of faith. Daily I pray about the joys, and the heartaches the visit my journey... and too I am reminded amidst my strength and faith of the precious vulnerability sometimes visited in humanity.

Today though, I pay tribute to the joy our pets can bring. Midnight was a delightful cat that we got from an animal sanctuary when she was 6 months of age. She followed me everywhere, cuddled with me, and gave me the undivided attention and love that so many pets do. Sadly, she died just a week and a half ago... her buddy Mittens (our adorable polydactyl cat) had been looking all over the house for her friend. But a week later we found Mittens a delightful cuddly, affectionate cat (Jack). ... I share some pics above...

Do not animals/ pets become our family too?