” When I met Christ, I felt I had swallowed sunshine ! ” E. Stanley Jones
Monthly Archives: April 2015
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 23 of 24
Louis L’ Amour is one of the world’s most prolific and beloved writers of the twentieth century. Before his death in 1988, he wrote over 100 books and 400 short stories. He is best known for his westerns, but he also explored other genres, including poetry. His first book, Hondo, made him an instant success. The quote below is from a book entitled, The Walking Drum, and is unexpected given the magnitude of words he has penned. 
” Reading without thinking is as nothing, for a book is less important for what it says than for what it makes you think. ” Louis L’ Amour
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 22 of 24
” There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue these. ” Author Unknown
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 21 of 24
” He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose. ” Jim Elliot
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 20 of 24
” In the great orchestra we call life, you have an instrument and a song, and you owe it to God to play them both sublimely. ” Max Lucado
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 19 of 24
This is Elliot Michael, our grandson. He is eighteen months young, and is a very special boy. Elliot will share his family with a sibling come September ! 
” When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life. ” Jean Shinoda Bolen
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 18 of 24
Today is Arbor Day in America. Arbor Day first started in Nebraska on April 22, 1885 due to the efforts of a prominent pioneer, J. Sterling Morton, and his wife. The focus on tree planting caught on and Arbor Day became an official national observance on the last Friday of every April. Trees, trees and more trees make me happy…that is, until I have to trim them, rake their leaves, clean up after storms, etc. Otherwise, trees are a diverse wonderment. They provide shade, fruit, shelter from the elements, wood for building thousands of things, plus sheer beauty throughout every season. 
” The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now ” Chinese Proverb
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 17 of 24
Carson is a seven-year old West Highland Terrier. Nothing unusual about that. He is a rescue dog from a puppy mill where he was used as a breeder. Not all that uncommon, unfortunately. However, we don’t know how miserable his little life was while caged. He does have several chipped teeth from gnawing on the fencing, and for the first six months we had him, all he could do was pace back and forth in a straight line over an area of twenty feet long even though he had a half acre to roam in. Fast forward to now. He is definitely at ease with us, is king of the entire yard, has taken over most of our pillows and is very comfortable in his own furry skin. In other words, he has adapted well. Carson has been attacked by other dogs on two different occasions-both requiring hospital visits. He blew out his left ACL and had surgery, and later blew out his other ACL, but did not have surgery. He stares outside a lot…mostly looking for squirrels. But who really knows what goes on in that perky head of his ? One thing is certain, he is a tough alpha male with a lot of moxie.The quote should clarify why I talked about him.
” What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ” Ralph Waldo Emerson 
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 16 of 24
There are paradoxes in life which can’t be explained easily, if ever. I have two quotes from the movie, Chariots of Fire, which focus on two runners on the British Olympic Team of 1924. Eric is a Scottish Christian preparing for the missionary field and Harold is an English Jew who is befriended by Eric. Eric runs for the glory of God while Harold runs to overcome prejudice. As you read the quotes, you can imagine the depth of each individual’s inner voice. Together, their statements constitute the paradox: one of knowing and one of confusion. Can you relate to either one? Maybe both?
” I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure. ” Eric Liddell
” I’m forever in pursuit and I don’t even know what I’m chasing. ” Harold Abrahams
Quote & Pic of the Day, No. 15 of 24
” If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon our hearts. ” President James Garfield 
This post is inspired by a rather unusual person by the name of Edna. I don’t have a photograph of her so I substituted a rose which fits her well. Edna lives in the same assisted living facility where Cheryl’s father resides. She just celebrated her eighty-fourth birthday with her family. They went out to eat at a local restaurant-all but Edna, that is. She developed a swallowing disorder several years ago which caused her to aspirate. She almost died of pneumonia a year ago. As a result of her condition she now has a feeding tube. She mixes her pureed food together at mealtime and pours it into her feeding tube without ever tasting what she just mixed up. She doesn’t complain, but simply accepts this is how she has to live. Edna uses a wheelchair quite often because she is unstable while standing, but this doesn’t prevent her from leading exercise class for some of the residents! She is a joy to talk with as she is always positive. She is a simple person without pretense. She takes pride in working most of her life as a maid…and she loved it. She is intelligent and vibrant and a pleasure to be around. She may have wrinkles on her brow, but her soul is young.
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