A Beautiful Reading Spot

It feels like a little wet weather is headed our way. Before it gets here, I am enjoying reading a chapter or two in this serene spot. Just noticed today that this pond is home to a solitary black swan.

I’m finding this to be a fantastic read. Best read with your Bible open.

Staying Keto in Hawaii

Some of my readers know I have been following a ketogenic way of eating for the better part of a year. Our grandgirl Mia chose Hawaii as her graduation trip destination. Having been there once before, I knew eating keto might be tricky. Voices around me advised me to forget about the “keto thing” while I’m on vacation. But I knew it wasn’t just about gaining a few pounds, it was about setting myself up for a setback in how well I was feeling.

I decided I would just try my best to make good choices.

This appetizer of roasted Brussels sprouts and Polynesian sausage was my choice at Kalapaki Joe’s in Lihue. It was delicious. I’m pretty sure the marinade wasn’t totally on my plan, so I left as much saucinesses behind on my plate as I could. Very filling and an overall good choice, given my options.

The Beauty of Kauai

Tropical paradise is all around me on this lovely island of Kauai.

Sing it Anyway

As I grow older, I’m noticing that my hearing is not as great as it used to be. I’m not quite at hearing aid stage, but a recent hearing test revealed that I have the most difficulty with hearing the higher tones–which explains why I can hear my husband’s voice perfectly well, but have trouble hearing the voices of women and children. I have only a taste of what it’s like to not be able to hear. My blogging friend, Sheila, knows what it is to be profoundly deaf and yet praise God in music. You might appreciate her little devotional (below).

Devotions by Sheila

BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD. PHILIPPIANS 4:6 ASV

It doesn’t matter if you can read music or carry a tune. Sing it anyway. Let your heart sing old songs and new. Make a joyful noise.

29 – Fill my cup

Hymns and golden oldies music occupy a large room in my memory bank. The hymn I took the title from today is dear to my heart. Before I lost my hearing I sang it in the church choir. A hearing-impaired second soprano who didn’t want to quit singing.

After profound deafness came to stay, I learned to sign some favorite songs with my hands. Fill my cup, Lord. I lift it up, Lord. Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.

Scripture: My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. Psalm 71:23 ESV

Prayer: Father God, since you have redeemed my soul through your son Jesus Christ, I must sing. I cannot stop my heart and mind from praising you with music. Thank you for all music written by inspiration to speak to us about love and life. Amen.

Music speaks to my heart.

If you pull up next to me at a traffic light, you might find me singing a praise and worship song at the top of my lungs. I wear earbuds when I’m at work and try to listen to Christ-honoring music. At home, I listen to music while I’m cooking, cleaning, or gardening. Every now and again, I break out in singing or humming whatever I’m listening to at the moment. Wayne can’t always figure out what I’m singing because carrying a tune isn’t one of my strengths, and I’m notorious for not remembering all of the lyrics. I’m not the best singer in the world, but I sing anyway.

“It doesn’t matter if you can read music or carry a tune. Sing it anyway. Let your heart sing old songs and new. Make a joyful noise.”
Devotions by Sheila

Whenever the road in life seems hard or takes a turn I didn’t expect, music has a way of reminding me that I am not alone and that I have a Helper. Music comforts me when I’m sad and lifts my heart to praise the One who is my comfort. When my heart is overflowing with the beauty of nature, music lifts my heart in gratitude to the Creator of it all.

When I cannot sleep at night, sometimes just listening to a playlist of the sounds of nature will lull me to a place of quiet rest. I absolutely love the sound that water makes–whether a gentle rain or a rolling thunderstorm, the trickle of a stream or the lapping of an ocean wave. There is music in all of God’s creation.

December is a time when music reminds me of the gift I have in Jesus. I’ve been creating a Spotify playlist of some of my Christmas favorites–you can find it here. I pray that you will find time in this busy season to sing along with music which will point you toward the One who is the true and best gift of Christmas.

And don’t worry if you can’t sing. Sing it anyway!

A Week of Flowers – Day #6

Cathy from Words and Herbs extended an invitation for bloggers to join her in one week of sharing our flower photos to brighten up these lackluster days of winter. Here’s my Day #6 contribution of mostly pinks and peaches.

Let’s start with my beautiful Stargazer lily. She blooms every summer near the fountain in our garden. Her scent is incredible, and she has such adorable freckles.

Rewind: The Love of a Grandchild

My granddaughter Violet is serving the Lord as a counselor at Camp Fairwood this summer, as she did last year. The three years prior to that, she served on the kitchen staff. She loves it, as did I when I was on the staff as a teenager many moons ago. It blesses my heart knowing she is walking by faith and serving her Savior each summer. But, I do miss her.

Violet is the grandkid who was very prolific in writing sweet notes to me throughout her growing up years. I kept some of them in the places she hid them, just so I can enjoy stumbling upon them from time to time. They always bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart. I’ve saved all of the other notes in a big glass brandy snifter, including the little notes from the story I am reposting below.

Go ahead. Write a note to someone you love. I promise you’ll make their day.

To: Mrs. Grandma Cynthia

A Drive with Just Charlie

Growing up living in Wisconsin, many of my summer vacation memories revolved around trips to West Virginia and Ohio to visit with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and a bevy of cousins. I loved listening to my cousins (who spoke with a bit of a Southern drawl compared to my distinctly Midwestern dialect). I loved to hear their back and forth banter and all the family stories that unfolded. As much as I loved it, I recognized that my cousins had something I didn’t really have: first-hand stories to tell of times they had spent together with our grandparents.

Now that I have six kiddos who call me Grandma, I’m happy they live close enough for them to each have at least a story or two to tell about time they’ve spent together with me. My grandson Charlie has a few fresh stories to add to his collection because he took a little road-trip with me last summer. But, let me tell you a story about him first. I told this one on Facebook about eight years ago:

Charlie – age 4 1/2 showing off the birdhouse he helped paint

Conversation with my 4-year-old grandson, Charlie:

Charlie: Grandma, you smell.

Me: Ummm…do I smell bad, or smell good?

Charlie: You smell like my grandma!

Seeing that one come up as a Facebook memory made me wax all nostalgic and drove me to look through some of my older Facebook photos. Such joy this kiddo has brought to his grandma’s heart.

Charlie is now 13 and more of a young man than a boy. After last summer’s trip to Ohio, he now knows that his grandma sometimes snores and that she has a way of making the on-board navigation system say, “Make a legal U-turn at the next intersection” quite a lot.

With a short window of time for our trip, it was a lot of driving, snacking in the car on the way here or there, staying overnight in hotels without the greatest breakfasts (due to a world still reeling from Covid), listening to audiobooks, trying to figure out how to get motel televisions to play the shows WE wanted to watch, and such. Once we made it to Wintersville, Ohio it was a lot of meeting relatives he didn’t know he had (and that I haven’t seen in years), eating, driving, eating, and hanging out with (mostly) older folks who spoke with an unfamiliar twang.

The purpose of my last minute trip to Ohio was to attend the memorial service for a beloved uncle who went Home to heaven back in 2020. With Covid restrictions for large gatherings lifting, we could finally gather as a family to both mourn our loss and celebrate his homegoing. There is just something special about knowing beyond a shadow of doubt that you will see your loved one again in heaven. ‘Til we meet on heaven’s shore, Uncle Bobby.

Our trip to Ohio was over a long holiday weekend sandwiched between days I had to work. So, other than hotel pools along the way there and back, this wasn’t a trip filled with fun stops and great amusement. But it was certainly filled with family – it was so good to be together.

My family loved Charlie, as I knew they would — he’s an easy kid to love. And I love that Charlie had the privilege of meeting both my Aunt Linda and my Uncle Jim, my dad’s youngest sister and oldest brother. I am grateful that Charlie had the opportunity to hear what a godly influence and man of Christian character his great-great Uncle Bobby was as his children and grandchildren shared their stories about his life and legacy. Charlie got amply loved on by my cousins and second-cousins and even got to taste my Aunt Linda’s cooking.

One of my favorite candid photos from this trip is of my Uncle Jim chatting with Charlie (below). This warmed my heart more than you can possibly imagine. Uncle Jim reminds me so much of my dad–right down to the well appointed pocket protector. I loved hearing Uncle Jim tell Charlie some of the same stories of yesteryear that I had heard, and I my heart warmed as I watched him share a life lesson or two with Charlie and anyone else willing to listen.

My heart is a little sad today knowing my Uncle Jim joined the heavenly throng this morning and that I will not get to see him again on this side of Glory. Though my heart is heavy knowing the sorrow that his children and grandchildren are feeling right now, the sting of death is mingled with the confident joy of knowing my Uncle Jim is with his Lord and Savior. If there is a receiving line in heaven, I’m sure my Aunt Robbie was at the front of the line to see her beloved Jimmy again. Uncle Jim just celebrated his 97th birthday here on earth, so I’m sure there were a lot of loved ones who got there before him and were lined up to greet him, but I can well imagine that my dad was elbowing his way to the front of the line to be among the first to greet his brother when he showed up this morning. Jim was not only my dad’s older brother, but he was also someone who faithfully prayed that his little brother Jerry would come to know the Lord. I will forever be grateful for Uncle Jim’s faithful witness and God’s answer to his prayers.

Happy Birthday to George!

Not too many Saturdays ago, we were blessed to gather and celebrate this boy’s 9th trip around the sun. George is our youngest grandchild and I’m still trying to take in the fact that he’s nine.

The birthday boy sat at one end of the table with Wayne and I seated to either side. As he chatted with us over our lunch of his mom’s homemade chicken pot pie, we both looked at one another in astonishment as to how much this boy knew and how well he communicated. When did the little boy disappear, and how did this more mature and articulate boy sneak up on us?

Most years the grandkids in my daughter’s family ask me to bake their birthday cake. This year George wanted cupcakes. More specifically, he wanted Pokémon cupcakes. I don’t know much about this gaming trend, so Beth sent me some Pinterest photos of what he had in mind. I had fun with it and came up with these.

I always look forward to seeing each grandchild’s reaction when they first see their birthday cake. Our all-smiles birthday boy wrapped me in an excited hug and told me his birthday cupcakes were perfect. (Grandma was all smiles too.)

I know that there may come a day when my grandkids no longer ask me to bake them a cake. Perhaps there may even come a day when this grandma can no longer bake them a cake. For now, we will just keep on celebrating each birthday milestone God grants us, and I’ll keep on doing my best to make their birthday cake wishes come true.

Henry in the Middle

A little heartwarming story about a boy I love named Henry.

God filled my grandma cup with three incredibly sweet granddaughters – Violet, Mia, and Noelle. Life was filled with tea parties, princesses and fairies, Barbie dolls, and glitter adorned fairy wings and princess dresses. Then God took my decidedly glittery pink and purple cup of joy and filled it to overflowing by adding three grandsons – Charlie, Henry, and George. My grand-girl fun was by no means over, but my toy arsenal now included marble-eating plastic dinosaurs, toy cars and trucks, and lots of dirt and bugs.

Hand a (Grand)Kid a Camera

Having grown up a few states away from my own grandparents, I vividly recall those long “summer vacation” trips from Wisconsin to Ohio and West Virginia…and back. Three sweaty siblings elbowing each other in the backseat of our sedan in the years before our family car had air-conditioning. I loved seeing my grandparents, but the trip, not so much. Memories of that once a year trip make me feel particularly blessed to have our daughter Beth and her family living about ten minutes away from us and able to stop by often.