The heart shaped twig wreath

This heart twig wreath has hung in our bedroom for many years. I am sure I do not dust it as often as I should. But nevertheless, it hangs in our room year after year.

Because we are fixing up our bedroom, Ken recently took it outside and gave it a good spray down. ( I told him I usually put it in the shower - but he knows it is not often enough.)

Today I asked him if he remembered the story of how we got that wreath. Perhaps his mind was on what he was doing on computer, but he stopped and said he didn't have a clue. I was slightly disappointed, for I was sure he would be able to fill in the blanks of my own faulty memory. You know how love has a way of finishing each other's sentences? Well this becomes a hoot as time goes by.

All I remember is we lived in Escanaba, MI and had gone into a flower shop to pick out an arrangement for someone. While waiting for our arrangement to be made I looked around the shop and I spotted this lovely twig heart wreath on the wall. I commented to Ken how much I liked it (I love hearts), but the price was HIGH, so I kept looking around.

Soon we left the shop with our arrangment.

It was later that day Ken went back to the shop and bought the heart wreath to surprise me.Although I do not remember all the details, I remember the LOVE I felt the moment he surprsed me with the wreath. To think that he had LISTENED to me, and made a SPECIAL EFFORT to go back and get it....meant ALOT. I felt loved.....and I am LOVED!

The wreath hangs in our bedroom, not getting dusted as often as it needs, and the story fades in our memory....but our LOVE is not fading. Thank you LORD!

Outside our Church

I stand amazed at God. He is so faithful.

Alot of things have been coming against me lately and I have been fighting discouragement. The irritant is outside our Church, but coming from "friendly fire". I have not given in to it more than seconds at a time, yet STILL it knocks repeatedly on my mind's door.

Just when my seconds are tempted to turn into minutes, God has a way of showing up in some pretty neat and creative ways!

The enemy has a way of catching me by surprise too, and that is why it often hurts so. Surprised at who the enemy is using to bring torment. There ususally seems to be an element of surprise in friendly fire, catching me off guard.

MY LORD tends to do this also. In ways that I least expect it, HE shows up....in very creative ways....HE shows up.

Amid my mental battle, I received an email from a lady I barely know. I may have seen her twice for a few moments of time. Her email said that she and her 7 year old daughter would like to contribute to our puppet ministry! They would like to make or purchase a puppet and donate it to our ministry! I cannot tell you how much that SHOCKED me. She has enjoyed reading my posts about the Puppet ministry on our Church Facebook page!

Today she emailed to say they decided to purchase THREE puppets for us and they put in the order today! I am left speechless (well almost) but certainly humbled at GOD.

The enemy is using people outside our Church to bring discouragement into my life.

MY LORD is using people OUTSIDE OUR CHURCH to bring JOY into my life!

So who am I going to give attention to?

I choose to give attention to the one who LOVES me, laid down his life for me, rose again for me,and lives within me! I plan to serve HIM with all my heart and MIND until I see HIM face to face.

Thank You, Lord

God wanted my Ugliness!

I know that God has a sense of Humor....and I know that God can work thru anything that is surrendered to Him.

I am so thankful for the Word of God, and my strong inner desire to believe and obey as much as I know and can. There is a verse in the Bible that all Christians seem to know. I think it is because we ALL understand it, and we ALL need to believe it!

Here is the Verse:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13.

God taught me sign language when I was in 8th grade. I was floundering in who I was and where I wanted to go in life, or even why I was on earth. God gave me purpose and guidance, when HE, (in HIS great wisdom), introduced me to Deaf people.

AND YET....why would a good God give me a talent that openly, publicly displays perhaps the ugliest part of my body! I have short stubby fingers and two thumbs that look like lollipops!

When I was younger, I struggled occasionally with this. I remember asking God if I could wear gloves and be known as the "gloved Interpreter" - ha ha. I think HE laughed with me, as my next thought was how silly it looks for my stubby fingers to wear a glove - they RARELY ever fit! I have extra glove at the end of each fingertip!


When you know that GOD HIMSELF has given you something, it really is not too difficult to surrender to HIM. So thru the years, every opportunity I have, I put my two ugly short stubby fingered hands into the air and sign!

Isn't that true about all of us? Do not we all wonder how God can use US? Who are WE to be of any Kingdom use to an Almighty God? And yet, He loves us, adores us and LONGS for us to yield our body parts to Him.

He takes our offerings and creates something that brings great JOY to others, to the inside of me, and flows sweetly to my Lord and Savior.

Thank you Lord for my life, for Saving me, and for creating me exactly as you have. Forgive me for the times I have complained about my body and mind. I thank YOU for all you have done in my life......and Thank You for my stubby fingered hands. I raise them in YOUR name!

So little, So painful!

Ken and I had planned to take a rather short motorcycle ride this last week to visit with Charlie and Patsy at Anna Maria Island where they were having a family gathering. We were eager to meet Charlie’s 95 year old mom, and also his sister Kathy whom we have prayed so much for in recent times. Patsy’s brother was there too. [Charlie’s sister and Patsy’s brother are married- kinda neat, hey?] So in anticipation of riding only a couple of hours, I thought about my hair issue and made a decision. I put my hair up near the top of my head so when I took it down, it would have ‘body’ instead of flat.

For the first hour, all was fine...but shortly after that my head began to ache. I found myself moving the helmet around in hopes that it would soothe the pain quickly intensifying at the top of my head. I have never wanted Ken to speed before….but I was tempted to tell him to go alittle faster. I was MIGHTY happy when we arrived. Without hesitation, I took off my helmet and took my hair down immediately. There, in my hand, I held the irritant: A small black stretchy hair bob.

They come in a package of about 50 and cost very little. They have a purpose indeed, but to be under a helmet is not one of them. Who would have ever dreamed that little thing could cause such pain.

We are all aware of how much pain sin can cause in our lives and in our families. It doesn’t’ have to be a big one. A wrong look, or an unwise word...can cause alot of pain in a relationship in a marriage, in a family.....or in a church. We all need to be careful with what we THINK, say and do.

A Love Gift from HIS Heart

The first question that most people ask when they learn I am a Deaf Interpreter is: “When and why did you learn sign language?” Most of you know my story, but let me remind you of God’s great mercy.

I am the middle child of two very strong Christian parents. My older brother was overflowing with musical talent that got him lots of attention. My younger sister was just cute-cute…and then there was plain me. I was a Christian, but still had no reason to get up in the morning. There was nothing special or meaningful about my life…not a good place for a Junior High girl. I started to dabble in things that could have led me down a very destructive path. God looked down at this unhappy girl, who was very vulnerable, and gave her a Love Gift from His Heart!

When I was In 8th Grade, we had 8 deaf students come to our School. They sat in class with us, and had no interpreter. Some could lip read, but others struggled. As you know, teachers talk while writing on the board. No deaf person can lip read someone’s back. Something deep inside me stirred when I saw their eyes, their expressions, and knew they were missing information. I started writing down what the teacher was saying ‘to the board’. I also made sure they knew their homework assignments. That gesture of kindness started a friendship between us. I went to their homes and they came to mine. I WANTED to be able to talk to them, REALLY talk to them. AMAZINGLY, I learned sign quickly from them…outside of class of course. I loved them, and they loved me.

Years later, I realized the placement of those deaf students was a LOVE GIFT from God to ME!

That is the ONLY year we went to school together! I really believe God saved my life when HE brought those lovely deaf students to my school that year. He looked down at this vulnerable youth and caused me to fall in love with a beautiful group of people, and equipped me to talk to them!

Later, as I grew more in love with Jesus, HE helped me to understand that Deaf people need Jesus too. Who was going to tell them? I needed to do more than just bring them to Church. God had equipped my hands, and my heart, to share the GOOD NEWS with my deaf friends. There is no greater gift I can offer them, than to offer them JESUS!

Thank YOU Lord!

Where I was on 911

Most of us remember where we were on that fateful day ten years ago that resulted in 2,996 deaths, and changed life in America.

I had taken a friend to her doctor appointment. I was the only one in the waiting room watching the TV. It was Dr Kulas's office in Escanaba, MI.

At 8:46: Flight 11 crashed into the north face of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Seconds afterwards they were showing this on TV, not knowing what had happened. I remember being totally stunned, speechless, numb as I watched this nightmare play out on TV.

At 9:02: Flight 175 crashed into the south face of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, making it clear that we were being attacked! It wasn’t long before the medical staff had joined me in the waiting room – everyone’s eyes glued to the TV in disbelief.

At 9:37: Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon. I cannot remember anyone crying or even talking……..it was SILENT. Absolute silence as together we watched the events that day that changed our lives. At that moment in time all classes of people were torn down. There was no difference emotionally between the doctors, the patients, or just a person, like me, sitting in the waiting room. At that moment in time, we were all AMERICANS. TVs were turned on all over the world to watch the horrific snowballing of events.

At 9:59: The South Tower of the World Trade Center began to collapse. All of America gasped! I remember the chill that went thru my body as the smoke and debris filled the air and the streets. I was not physically there, but I could FEEL what all of America was feeling. The expressions on faces cemented into my memory.

At 10:03: United Airlines Flight 93 crashed, due to fighting in the cockpit, 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, PA. All minds were trying to figure this out, when our hearts sank once again.

at 10:28: the North Tower of the World Trade Center began to collapse, burying dads, moms, grandpas, grandmas, sons and daughters in debris.

11:30: Before sleeping, President Bush enters into his journal: "The Pearl Harbor of the 21st century took place today...We think it's Osama bin Laden."

Osama Bin Laden, one man, using the bodies of his followers, gave America a huge dose of Fear, Grief and Death.

JESUS, one man, using the bodies of His Followers, can give people Hope, Peace, Love, JOY, Forgiveness and a HOME forever.

Vanity, Vanity, ALL is Vanity

Motorcycle Story from our 2011 vacation of 4,092 miles to Upper MI and back to Florida.

I LOVE to ride our Motorcycle. Ken can suggest a ride almost anytime, anywhere and I will gladly agree to go on the motorcycle versus the car. I love everything about the motorcycle: the fresh air, the togetherness with my hubby, the time it gives me to think, reflect, pray, sing or just SIT. Ken puts on wonderful Christian music and it is like one big praise concert as we ride along.

Did I say I love “everything” about our cycle? That is not exactly honest. Like ministry, marriage, family or life in general, there are things that remind me that I am “short of the glory of God.”

I have always had an issue with my hair, when I take off my helmet! We can have a great ride, but when we stop somewhere, I dread taking the helmet off. I am self- conscious of my new wild hairdo. I have tried using different kinds of soft curlers (makes for a very SORE head), and hair nets but nothing seems to help.

SO why do I fret about such matters? Ken thinks I am beautiful and isn’t his opinion the only opinion on earth that should matter to me? Why should I allow something so frivolous to keep me from enjoying our ride?

“Lord, forgive me for my pride. I know YOU love me no matter what my hair looks like, what color it is, what length it is, or what style it is! Help me to be content with myself, knowing YOU love me, and that truly is more than enough!”