Anna's newest little blessing in life has joined our family today, a miniature horse named Joanna. The new addition to our "family menagerie" is long-awaited and has proven herself a sweetheart, indeed. Everyone is so happy that she is now settled in; perhaps, life can settle down, too. :) Throughout the past three weeks, our entire family has been working, night and day, to ready our "homestead" for her arrival. There was a new stable to be built, a beautiful fence to be raised, and much more. I look back and smile as I recall all that was accomplished because God graciously allowed me to have a hand in every part of it. :)

Few things are as fulfilling as a good night's rest, after a wearying day of work well-done. I'm truly grateful for every blessing the Lord has placed in my life--love and fellowship of family, growth of mind, nourishment of spirit, even the strengthening value of hard labor. Now I turn, with fond recollections, to find the rest so needed, after a day so sweetly fulfilling. :)

I pray each of you have recognized the hand of our loving God, weaving His beauty through your lives, this day. Many blessings fall upon you all!

As my dearest brother informs me, I have yet to write anything about him. I don't know how that happened, but I'm not about to slight my sweet Bryan. So...this little entry is dedicated to him. :)

Bryan is 12 years old and a bundle of joy and energy. When he was much younger, we all called him our "bumble bee" because he was always "buzzing" everywhere. :) His other well-deserved nickname was "Sunshine" because he would never get up in the morning and greet us without a huge smile and lots of love to brighten our day. :)

Now he's all grown up and is still a sweetheart. When he's not building a hideout, he's training his white lab; when he's not climbing a tree, he's scraping a knee, in the process of trying one of his multiple bicycle stunts. :) Somewhere in the midst of all this boyhood, I try to give him an education--not always easy to keep him in a desk, but he's a clever boy when I can manage to keep him there.

He's given me the gift of striving for excellence in his musical endeavors. He knows how very much worship means to me and to God, and Bryan's tried very hard to do his best with violin, piano, guitar, and bass. In fact, he's playing bass, right now, for our church's music team. I'm so proud of him, and I can't wait to see how God will use the investment Bryan's made in His kingdom. :)

Bryan is our mercy spirit. If you ever need a friend to keep you company while you're up folding laundry alone at midnight, it is he whose hand you'll feel patting your shoulder and asking to help you. If a woman has far too many things she's carrying, he's the first to run across a parking lot and go help her. If I'm just needing a little encouragement in the day, he reaches over and squeezes my hand three times--our little code for "I love you," and I respond with four squeezes to say, "I love you, too." :)

All in all, he's a precious boy, and I'm blessed beyond measure that God has given me such a loving brother. So this day I'll dedicate to Bryan...I pray that God will continue to grow you in His grace and strength. I love you. (3 squeezes) :)

Hello, my friends! I know I've not been very faithful in tending my garden of words here, but I decided to sit for just a little while tonight and write, before I go find the haven of my bed. :)

I'll share one of my favorite passages with you. It's been on my heart all this evening, and perhaps, it may mean something to another's heart, as well. God be with you all! :)

"Oh God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise You with joyful lips, when I remember You upon my bed, and meditate upon You in the watches of the night; for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to You..." Psalm 63:1-8a

The "watches of the night" have been some of the most precious times of my entire existence, and I would not trade their quiet communion with my Father for anything this world could ever offer. I pray we will never cease to thirst for Him, that our desperation for His love will never find an end. It is that thirsting of our souls that drives us to seek His sanctuary,and in that holy place, we are satisfied with the living waters that are the outpouring of His mercy and grace. Oh, blessed is the yearning that drives me to You, my precious Savior!

I pray you will each continue to grow closer to Jesus, with every day and every moment that He gives you upon this earth. Blessings to you, my friends...

This is the day dedicated to fathers, and I couldn't let it pass without saying that I have the dearest one for whom I could ever have hoped. God has been so good to me...

Papa knows how to laugh "with the best of them", how to make the best brownies in the world (the Duncan Hines special), and how to correct me, when I'm in need of guidance. He, also, has enough sensitivity to simply be with me in quietness, when life has grown trying.

He never goes to bed or says goodbye on the phone without, first, telling me he loves me. After twenty-one years, however, it's not all the times he's told me that have made that sentiment a part of my heart; it's all the unspoken and seemingly unseen expressions of love that have filled my every moment since the day I was born to him and my precious mother.

I find I am at a loss of words with which to truly show my gratitude, so all I can say is, "I love you, my dearest Daddy. You've been the greatest father I could ever have desired, but the best thing you've ever done for me is showing me how to love our Father in heaven. He has created all, and I'm so blessed that He fashioned you and then placed me in your arms...and in your heart. Thank you for being forever an expression of His love to me. I'll cherish you always."

I pray you will all be blessed with a wonderful Fathers' Day. If no earthly Daddy is able to hear your voice, I pray you'll raise it to your Father in Heaven. He loves you more than life, and His heart longs to hear you call His name.

Many blessings, my dear ones. Happy Fathers' Day!

I know this note will fall under the heading of June 15th, but its heart filled my thoughts all day long...on the 14th, our nation's "Flag Day". Please forgive the tardiness with which it is being shared, my friends, but perhaps, the words may have some purpose yet... God bless you all! :)

Freedom's Flag

Breezes gentle, galestorms fierce…
There in sun and storm
Flies a banner of my land;
Of sacrifice ‘tis borne.

Crimson stripes, and blue and white,
With stars therein are lain;
I see the glory birthed of those
Who only saw the pain.

In that “simple” piece of cloth,
With lowly thread to bind,
Is every member of this nation
Bound in heart and mind.

We, therein, find memories of
Our freedom bought by blood.
Honor drives us each to give
In courage, faith, and love.

I see so much more, howe’er,
Behind this flag I laud.
There through ages, long-since passed,
Has stood the hand of God.

Long ago, another banner
Flew so high above—
A canopy ‘twixt earth and heaven,
Of Atonement’s blood.

In that banner was enthroned
The love that made us free.
In that grace I pray my land
Shall find its liberty.

Not until we’ve bowed our hearts
Unto our Sovereign Lord,
Will the flags we see today
Say peace has found this world.

Yet, today, I’ve raised my eyes
To find a flag still waves.
It ever shall remind me of
The mysteries of grace…

Our fathers formed this land at cost
Of life, and peace, and years.
Our Savior cleansed humanity
And beckoned them come near.

A flag of red, white, and blue
So bravely waves above,
But crimson flowed to save my soul.
That banner o’er me is Love.

So forevermore I’ll cherish
Grace that set me free.
America, I pray this Grace
Will be received by thee.

Look unto the flag that flies
And grateful you shall be;
But lift your face still higher,
And your Savior you shall see…

For far beyond the things of earth
And kingdoms built by men,
You’ll, one day, see that Providence
Our freedom’s flag has been.

06-14-06 Amy

This is the tale of a beloved pet named Glacey. :) I bought my sweet Pyrenees "on a whim", several years ago, and my days have been made far more interesting by her antics and their addition to my life. :)

She's the most amiable dog you'll likely ever meet, but she does have just a few character flaws...like the fact that she chewed several of the feet off my mother's brand new dining table, only days after coming home with me. Also, in spite of her sweetness, she is stricken with an incurable case of "wander-lust".

Well...today, I was just about to leave home for a long-awaited walk when I walked down the hall and found our rear entry door standing wide open. A wave of dread came over me, as I had a premonition of what was to follow. I quickly searched through the home, and sure enough, Glacey was already long gone. She can't help but indulge herself in a fling, when the door is beckoning her toward the radiant sunlight outside. :)

I "ran for the hills", literally, and found myself on a hour-long sprint to chase her down. I have to be honest, after tearing through thickets and brambles galore, I was about ready to just let her run as far as she pleased. (step...step... oh! dried thistle... step...step... a cedar limb slapping back on me... step...step... spear grass... step... step... "Think happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts.") :)

As soon as I rounded her back up and took her home, she was immediately inducted into "bootcamp" with my mother as drill sergeant. Two hours later, we were still trying to get the "oh, so stubborn" pooch to sit on command. When she finally did make up her mind to lower her haunches, it took her a full six seconds for each sitting attempt. :) Meanwhile the brilliant, white lab in the yard next to Glacey sat the entire time, watching Glacey and not moving a muscle. I know she had to have been thinking, "You dolt, just sit down!" :)

Well, I've decided that since I am to dwell on what is good and lovely, I'll put aside her shortcomings for the night and reminisce on the qualities I love about her...her mild nature, her faithfulness, her sensitivity to come lay her head in my lap and just "check on me" when a day has been trying. You see, even the most tedious companion can offer manifold blessings, if we'll just look beyond the "growth opportunities" to see the hidden qualities of beauty...

Surely, if this is true with a lowly (yet truly treasured) pet, it is all the more true when applied to the human relationships we find all around us. Tonight, I am preaching to myself, for today has brought me many opportunities to look past the smudges in the hearts of those I love. I know I should be appreciative of the glorious blessings that are beyond the slight shortcomings. So often, however, I don't try as hard as I should, and today, unfortunately I could've tried a bit harder. That's why I'm so grateful that God allows us to ask forgiveness and "try again" tomorrow.

For tonight, I will simply stand humbled by the fact that a Great Pyrenees has helped teach me a lesson about life. Tomorrow, I'll give all my heart to find the very best in those I love. I owe more to them and to the Lord Who bestowed them on me than I can ever repay, and I'm so grateful for the grace that has been made mine...

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment."

I Timothy 6:6

Find something you've never recognized before for which to be grateful in the life of one close to you. It will brighten your spirits as nothing else and make you so much more able to love them in the way Christ first loved you...

Goodnight!

My walk this evening was graced by a beautiful moon, and the hour spent in its company has made me long to read some poetry tonight before bed. (Does that make as little sense to you as it does to me?) I'll have to pull down my favorite compilation and revel in some of the lovely words. :)

I was much encouraged by a wonderful worship service, this morning. Our pastor spoke from John 4, and I was thrilled when he began because this particular passage is one of my favorites. It's always emboldened me to "go the extra mile" to find people "where they are" and share with them the matchless grace of my beloved Savior.

My mother and I lead the worship team at our church, and very late last night, I realized that I had never secured someone to sing an offertory for this week. (Yes, such things do slip my mind, at times.) :) Since I knew I would be responsible for doing it in about nine or ten hours, I asked the Lord to impress on my heart what He would like me to sing, and He sent a beautiful song. I was up "into the wee hours" writing it, but it was really used to touch the people's heart, this morning, and I'm so humbled and blessed that the Lord saw fit to honor such a request, yet again.

This afternoon held a "should've been 3o-minute, turned 2 hour" nap, and I was grateful that Sunday is set aside as a day of rest. Otherwise, I would have felt quite guilty for such an indulgence. :) When I rose, however, I was much more equipped to help out with all the little things that make a home function best...like clean dishes, vacuumed floors, etc. :) I even got an opportunity to go outside and work, for a little while. Papa and I are still digging post holes for my little sister's miniature horse stable, and our bedrock-ridden ground certainly requires quite an investment of time. :)

I'd best say goodnight now and go to my devotions and journaling. I might even get a chance to read a bit of poetry, too. I'm so grateful to God for all his wondrous blessings that we, oft times, don't even notice...full moons, night breezes, fellowship with His Body, loving family, even hard labor that strengthens our bodies and minds. :) I hope that you, too, have had a good Lord's day and will be much blessed in the days to come, as you seek to follow Christ and love Him above all else...

"Now to Him Who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen"
Ephesians 3:20

Farewell, my friends!

Hours ago, I bid my beloved brothers farewell. Brent (16) and Bryan (12) are to be ministering in missions to Mexico for the next several days, and I know God will greatly use them for His Kingdom, as long as their hearts remain submitted to His perfect will. My, I miss them already, but I'll be praying for them and looking forward to having them back again with me, 'ere long. :)

"Miss you, miss you, miss you;

Everything I do

Echoes with the laughter

And the joy of you.

You're on every corner,

Every turn and twist,

Every old familiar spot

Whispers how you're missed..."

Well, my dear ones will still be held in my thoughts and prayers, even when they are beyond the embraces of my arms. In the meantime, Daddy, Mother, Anna (8), Peter (6), and I will be "holding down the fort" and anxiously awaiting their safe return, by the grace of God. :)

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in everyway. The Lord be with you all." II Thessalonians 3:16

Late last night, I was out on my evening walk with my mother. The hour, I'm sorry to say, was very late, indeed. :) That's why I was more than a little concerned when it seemed "something" was crawling beside me on the roadway. You know how the human eye can detect motion even when it can't sense color? Well, this was a perfect example...a blurring of the grey asphalt beside me, barely made discernible by the faint moonbeams. Had the little, grey spot seemed larger, my first instinct would have been to forget walking or jogging and take to sprinting. :) Somehow, however, it didn't seem to be larger than the size of a hare or something of that sort.

Resourceful woman that I am, I opened my cell phone for some source of light. :) There, illumined by the blue glow, was a tiny fawn, crawling very slowly towards me. Actually, I can't quite say it was "crawling"; it was down on its front knees and was pushing itself just barely with its hind legs. It stopped from time to time and just lay panting on the asphalt. Within another moment, it had closed the remaining few inches between itself and my feet and then, simply stopped and lay there in a pile of brown fur with a multitude of white spots.

By now, I was definitely wondering where the tiny fellow's mother had gone. I left Mother with the little one and ran to search the street in both directions, finding no doe--either alive or dead. I returned to my mom and the fawn. It was tremendously weak and couldn't even lift its head. I'd love to take a vote right now and see how many of you think I continued with my jog and left the helpless fellow lying there alone in the middle of the street. :) ...not on your life...

Mom gathered our new ward up in her arms, and we slowly walked back home. Soon, we were in our kitchen, and I was rummaging through the lowest shelves of our pantry. Finding that for which I was searching, I finally emerged with a can of "replacement milk" and a tiny bottle. Yes, that's right...we actually keep such "necessities" in our pantry. :) You never know when you may be entertaining "angels unaware" or at least, "antlers unaware", in this case. :)

It took us about an hour to get the little one to sip down a decent portion of the milk (with some nourishing Nutri-Cal added). When I finally turned off the kitchen lights and started toward bed, he was, at last, getting enough strength to pick up his head just a little. I left him in a little cushioned bed on the kitchen floor, and my last sight of him was a glimpse of the tiny fawn nestled in the corner with our two Malteses settled in close on each side.

Right now, my little "antler unaware" is on his way to the wildlife refuge and rehabilitation facility about a half hour from our home. I know he'll be given good care there, but I was grateful to spend one night in nourishing the fawn in our own home. For it having been such a dark night, he added quite a ray of unexpected sunshine.

I hope all of you have a wonderful day. I pray you are blessed of God in all to which you set your hands for His glory. Bye for now. :)

June has come, and I've not yet welcomed it with its sunny, summer days. Shame on me...I try never to slight an old friend. :) Some may feel that Texas exists in a continual state of summer, but I may assure you ( at least in the San Antonio area), there is a definite temperature change--the average daily high is no longer confined to a mediocre 95 degrees but is emboldened to reach 100, 104, etc. :) (This is the one case in which I would advocate a lack of courage.) :)

Anyway, all light-heartedness put aside, I'm grateful for the coming of summer days. May God bring, with them, a season in which many souls may be enlivened with the warmth of His presence.