Month: February 2023

If Interested…

Our Real Home is now available at Amazon in Kindle format and paperback.

This is fictional story of real life characters as they explain how they see Heaven. I made these book marks for a few of my friends.

The main purpose of this book is encouragement. Encouragement with how the Bible explains to us what Heaven is like and encouragement of just how much we are all loved by God. While the story may make you smile as these characters learn of the beauty that they were made for, it is a testament, according to scripture, of just how much God loves each of us and that he created each of us for a purpose, man and beast alike…so that he could spend eternity with those who love Him. My opening comments of the book…

Encouragement in God’s Love

The sole purpose of this book is showing the encouragement we all need by giving a visual perspective of God’s love for everything He creates. God has a special love and purpose for man, who is made in His image, and for animals who possess a special connection with God’s love. This story is written from the perspective of how I believe a dog is created and how a dog thinks. At the base of any dog’s heart, there is an inherent form of love and devotion, given as a gift from God. This gift is then given freely from the dog to his owner, even when that love or devotion is not deserved. The dog knows no different way to be. Hopefully, to anyone who is an animal lover, the love and devotion you have received from your past pet(s) can now be shared with people. Then in time, you may acquire another pet companion – not to replace one you have lost, but to strengthen you further still, and to expand that love you have been shown with others – animals and people. Life on this earth is hard on a good day and can be worse on hard days. It is my sincere hope that this book will be an encouragement for anyone reading it to realize the love, beauty, and patience of God for everything He creates. God’s identity never changes, but how we see Him changes as we follow His Word and grow closer to Him.

Do you believe in angels…real angels. I do. Scripture speaks of angels as messengers of God. I believe God uses all of creation to speak to our hearts non-verbally….and occasionally verbally of needed. This book takes on the light side of the “what ifs”. There have been many stories about angels…and we have all heard them. What if…

Regardless of your interest in this book, may you always be encouraged knowing God loves you more than you could ever imagine. Have a blessed day and don’t forget about the beauty of all of creation.

And remember to always be kind.

It’s February, It’s Winter!

Winter in the midwest usually means snow…and if not snowing, its freaking cold. The front that came through today was scheduled to dump a good 5-7 inches of snow. Fortunately for me, the front stayed more to the north, so we only got 2ish inches, however it is still snowing but it is winding down.

And the temps are tolerable at 28-31 degrees. Last week it was 5 degrees with wind chills below zero – too cold, just too cold. But my baby Christmas trees look cute covered in snow. Both trees are the same age, however the smaller tree was decapitated by the dog chasing that dangerous mailman as he came down the sidewalk. I will be curious to see how it shapes itself as it grows.

And Saturday it is going to be in the low 40s – not typical February temperatures. It makes me concerned for March. I just want it to stay decent weather through next week as we are flying out to San Francisco. Spending a week with my daughter as we sample the fabulous food, sour dough bread…and chocolate. The weather there is not supposed to be great but I don’t need sunshine to eat.

I leave you with one last shot that I just took that I call “Snow by Streetlight”, lol. But it does depict the quiet peace we can so often miss in the beauty of any moment.

Be watchful for those moments, they may amaze you. And as always, remember the value of kindness and the beauty it creates.

Always be kind!

A Day of Love?

Some parts of the world share their kindness and gentleness for one another as a symbol of their love on this day we call Valentines Day. But why only one day…and what does that love mean anyway?

Each year at this time I buy a small tea rose to remind me that spring is not far away. Hopefully this year I will be able to keep this one alive. Sometimes my thumb is a bit on the brown side. But roses have always been a sign of love, so I give you pictures of the beauty I bought with reminders of what true love is really like.

The most profound definition of Love comes from the strongest love story ever written for all of mankind. That love story is God’s love story written for man that we call the Bible. In 1st Corinthians, a true definition of love was written.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

The last sentence – “Love never gives up” is a message for all of us from God. His love for us is so profound that we could never really understand its depth. And nothing can separate it from us.

No power in the sky above or in the earth below — indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

Even the Old Testament with all of its amazing stories through its history, the trials, and sorrow, the theme was always the same…love.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

And of course His ultimate sacrifice of giving His life for each of ours so we could spend eternity with Him surrounded forever in that abundant love…

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

So always believe in that love. Let its power reach deep into your heart where it grows strong roots to help you survive this time on Earth.

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

Always be filled with the fullness of that love and share it with others by being kind. Kindness is a strong component of God’s love because it also comes from the heart.

Minus 1 Degree

This morning we woke to a dreary sky and bitter-cold minus 1 temperature. I am fully aware it is February but man it was cold. It stayed dreary most of the day with off-and-on clouds but late in the day the sky cleared and warmed all the up to 15 degrees. A proverbial heat wave.

But the evening sky is amazing. I do not have the best photography equipment, so you can’t really appreciate its full beauty but I promise it was an amazing hot pink purple – if that is such a color. Nature has a way of creating color that, as hard as we try to replicate, we usually fall a little short.

But I wanted to share what I saw so that you could at least smile at the possibility of its beauty.

Always remember the beauty we see in nature as gifts from God. They are given to us to remind us how much He loves nature and wants you to enjoy it as much as He does…for He loves you that much.

Have a safe and blessed weekend and remember always – Be kind, for someone is probably hurting more than you are.

Always Be kind