Category Archives: Life Lessons

August 8, 2013 · 3:56 pm

An Unexpected Answer to Prayer

I received this in an email from my friend Lyn Pelton.  I wanted to share this worth-reading beautiful story with you!

A Father, a Daughter – A true story by Catherine Moore

“Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!” My father yelled at me. “Can’t you do anything right?”

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn’t prepared for another battle.

“I saw the car, Dad . Please don’t yell at me when I’m driving..”

My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt. Continue reading →

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August 2, 2013 · 9:29 pm

He Never Promised Us A Rose Garden

I have been a prodigal.  Saved at the age of 19, but without further mentoring or Bible studies, I tried to be a follower of Christ on my own.

I continued recklessly living my life, making poor choices as I had before.  On a rebound from a hurtful breakup, I became pregnant at 22.  The responsibility of a baby, straightened my life, but I had a ways to go.

I did not want my daughter to grow up like me, never knowing what her father looked like, so I worked at keeping a relationship with her father. Apparently, I worked too hard, I became pregnant again when she was eight months old.

We got married, but deep in my heart I knew it was a mistake. I had the naïve notion everything would work out once he saw what a good wife I could be.  Immediately after our marriage, my gut feelings were confirmed.  I made a horrible mistake. Continue reading →

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July 20, 2013 · 2:48 pm

An Important Message

It was February of 2013, when I stepped out as a novice blogger.  I was nervous to put my “stuff” out there as much of it is delicate and painful.  I feared somehow it would come back to bite me in the rear.  I took a risk and became a blogger and to date have never been sorry.  I have “met,” laughed with, shed tears with, resonated with, and admired wonderful friends I continue to cherish.  Many of them share from vulnerable places of their hearts making them even more dear to me.

This was my original post back in February.  I don’t think it got much notice with it being my first.  I am sharing it again today as I believe it has an important message at the end. There are countless, desperately hurting people, deeply needing and desiring help who fall under our radars. Continue reading →

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July 13, 2013 · 3:14 pm

Is That A Megaphone I Hear?

In my post yesterday, Why, Oh Why So Much Suffering, I wrote about the pain of suffering in our imperfect world.

I don’t think I will have too many disagree with me when I say,

“Pain and suffering is the pits!”

But there are good things that come from our suffering.

We tend to be selfish and stubborn, wanting our way.  We think we need no one, we can do life on our own.  We are wired for relationships, especially with God.  God’s desire for a relationship with us often gets put off or ignored.

In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Continue reading →

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July 12, 2013 · 4:13 pm

Why, Oh Why All The Suffering?

I banged on the locked door screaming in horror, begging my mom to let me back in.  My grandmother pleaded with her to open it. The neighborhood kids laughed and shrieked,

”Look! She’s naked!”

I tried to hide behind my grandmother.  My mom opened the door, but blocked the entrance.

“Oh, no, you stand out where everyone could see you.”  I rarely disobeyed her, this time I didn’t move.

“Don’t you dare hide.  Stand out here or I will give you an even bigger beating!”

“She is just a child.  Don’t do this.  Let her back in the house,” my grandmother interceded.

“No!  She needs to feel the shame I felt today when that black b***h humiliated me!  How does it feel to be ashamed?  Maybe you won’t embarrass me anymore!” Continue reading →

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July 9, 2013 · 12:27 am

Weeds In The Greenhouse

I have a hoop greenhouse.  It was just set up this year so I am learning a thing or two about greenhouses.  One thing I didn’t know is that if one is not careful, the warmth intended to strengthen and nourish the plants can end up overwhelming and harming them.  There must be a balance between the light, the warmth and water and nourishment.

I figured having tomatoes, beets, squashes, zucchinis, bell peppers, onions and other assorted vegies in a protected environment like the greenhouse meant my plants would be protected from the elements like frost and cold.  I thought I would not have to worry about pesky bugs, well not as many anyway. However, if the bees cannot get in to the greenhouse, there will be no pollination and the plants will be fruitless.

I was sure weeds would be a thing of the past.  But not so!  There are weeds in the garden beds, and in the walking path between the beds.

Some of the weeds were blown in as seeds by the wind. Continue reading →

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July 6, 2013 · 12:10 am

I Can Make A Big Mess All By Myself

Since the beginning of mankind, people have had a tendency to blame others. In Genesis 3:11-13, God confronts Adam and Eve after they eat of the forbidden fruit.

God said, “Have you eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded you that you should not eat?”

Adam said, “The woman You gave me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”

The LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?”

Eve said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat…”

Adam blames Eve, indirectly blaming God, “the woman You gave me.” Eve blames the serpent. There you have it. When it comes to humanity, as Solomon said in Ecclesiastics 1:9: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

Continue reading →

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July 1, 2013 · 8:46 pm

A Matter Of Integrity

imageI walked into a room full of people at the department of motor vehicles last Thursday.  My first instinct was to turn around and walk out, but alas, it was imperative I renewed my driver’s license.  I pulled out a #2 ticket from the Take-A-Number dispenser on the wall, and looked for the “now-serving” display, but couldn’t find it.  I asked a person sitting next to the ticket dispenser what number we were on.

“Eighty-six,” she said, pointing to the display on the wall behind us, “but it’s moving very, very slow!” Several others shook their heads in mournful agreement.

“A few people have already left!” One man said disgustedly.  It was going to be a long, long wait.  I ran to the car, got a book to read, and came back.  I chose one of the three empty chairs on one side of the room, near the customer service counter. Continue reading →

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June 28, 2013 · 1:24 pm

Providence For A Hardened Heart

It was in the mid to late 1990s that I had the worst financial struggles as a single mom raising three teenagers alone.  I had no family support, and an ex who refused to pay child support.  I worked multiple jobs, yet still could not fully provide for my family.  One winter, the temperature dropped to the single digits.  My teenage son, who normally, proudly walked around in shorts and a T-shirt in the winter, begged me for a winter jacket to replace the one he had long outgrown.

I was far behind on paying my utility bills. The credit cards I relied on to buy groceries, gas, or sometimes pay utilities were full.  One evening, overwhelmed with the desperate situation, I tearfully sought out God’s help in spite of the anger I felt towards Him over our drastic situation. After several years of extreme poverty, I saw no relief in sight.  I was physically exhausted, mentally spent, and spiritually tired of God’s silence. Continue reading →

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June 28, 2013 · 1:27 am

Shhhh, Listen, Can You Hear Him Now?

We have a fancy-schmancy coffee maker that comes with all the typical pre-programing bells and whistles. This one also alerts you when the coffee is finished brewing, and one hour after to remind you it will be turning itself off.  Originally, it must have been pretty pricy.  I bought it for $10, lightly used from a friend.

We are super spoiled nowadays with all the alerts and signals our gadgets, appliances and cars are programed with.  Our phones signal us of voice and text message alerts.  Mine sounds like the ding-dong of a doorbell, my husband’s whistles.

Even our body comes with basic pre-programed signals that remind us to eat, to sleep, to take better care of ourselves, etc.  We even have a pain alert most of us don’t appreciate.  I sprained my ankle Memorial Day weekend, and I still get you-over-did-it alerts when I get physically overzealous. Headaches alert us of stress or misalignment or that something else is going on.  If we accidently lean up against a very hot surface, we get an immediate pain, signaling us to move quickly or we will get burned. Continue reading →

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