Habakkak 2:3 says, “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens until the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
As I considered all the changes occurring, as we move into the fall season, it seems fitting to consider things spiritually, with a similar mindset. God is not idle, nor does he wish me to be, for there are things to be done before His return. My relationship with God is in a constant state of changing, growing, and moving forward in His purpose, just like the seasons.
In my walk there have been seasons of spring, with new fresh changes everywhere. I have experienced the heat of summer within my life, as well as the harsh cold of winter… somewhat like the strengthening of metal takes both fire and ice. Spiritually, the fall season brings times of deep study, snuggled under blankets while the winds and rain cleanse away the hot dust of summertime. It is somewhat a time to reflect on my growth to date; not for measuring my steps, but to be thankful in recognizing His faithfulness, going both before and behind as I walk.
I had an epiphany… I think when David said that God goes both behind and before us, maybe he meant that if we are following Him, even if we don’t do things the best, He covers our iniquity with grace… i.e. no more shame for this girl.
Ok, so I am not preacher material… for goodness sakes, I don’t know what I am doing most of the time, but I kind of think this is the way God wants me… moldable and movable; ready to change and fit into whatever situation or season He deems necessary.
With that said, in keeping with my fake it til you make it attitude towards the coming of fall, I give you a short video of my river path for your viewing pleasure. There is not much sound, but that’s why I walk this trail… blessedly quiet!
In the category of pasta, I can make a fantastical Fettuccini Alfredo with artichoke hearts, chicken, and mushroom. Throw in a loaf of french bread in there and it is sublime!
In the category of breakfast, I make the worlds most delectable Quiche biscuits… filled with cream cheese, sharp cheddar and either ham or even shrimp. I cannot give you all the ingredients or it won’t be my secret anymore.
Photo by u0130clal u00c7apou011flu Cinal on Pexels.com
In the category of appetizers, I am a sucker for Caprese Salad! Either that or Ceviche!
Last but not least is the dessert category, and there is one thing I make that is considered my pride and joy! My Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter cookies… my Secret Secret Recipe! I like to make them really big, so one cookie can fit your whole hand. I put oodles of chocolate chips in, and I won’t say any more about the ingredients… you know what spies say about when you learn too much of their secrets. If I told you my secret, you might just have to … disappear……….
Go ahead, have one… I made plenty! I wouldn’t ever think of telling you about those cookies without offering you one. And yes, I left you some milk. These things are so ooey gooey and thick that you will definitely need the drink to wash em down. Happy Sunday!
There are those days… you know… we all have them… those days where everything in our life seems to be so overwhelming and out of our control. I will not say that I live with anything worse than another soul. Let’s just say that sometimes I get bombarded with the totality of our circumstances, and it causes a bit of an emotional stagger to my step. I can sometimes feel so encumbered with the weight of life’s realities, I seem to have no strength to move, let alone breath through the pain.
Here is where today’s Note to Self #2 helps out:
“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13
Notice how it does not say anywhere in there about things being easy, nor does it say He will remove it from our cup… it simply reminds me, that if He thinks I am able to carry on, walking through the pain I am experiencing, then He will sustain me through it! For me, fully walking with God has cost me both friends and family… some by my own folly and others by my getting up and walking on without shame any longer.
If Jesus was willing to take what was handed him by the world, and still lay down his own life to fulfill the will of His Father… and to save US… then I can stand! Not just stand, but walk forward in faith!
Forgiveness will be my Banner, and His Grace will be the very breath I exhale, each and every moment… until He comes for us!
It just so happens to be early morning on my Saturday, so the last thing I got excited about, ended up being my morning cup of jo.
I am a coffee monster… I’ve had a cup of coffee in my hand for nearly 50 years. My uncle Leo got me hooked! The funny man intrigued me, as he dabbed drops of Tobasco sauce into the swirling black liquid. He put that sauce on absolutely everything. I remember very little of the man, but the coffee creation will be there forever.
From then until today I have been like a Dr. Seuss story when it comes to how I love coffee…
I love it in the morning and I love at night
I love it Black and I love it white
Give it to me hot or give it to me cold
You can’t say you have never been told
I will drink it with toast or maybe some cake
No matter the direction, my coffee I will take…
Lucky for you, I will stop rhyming… it is hurting my brain. No worries. Coffee can fix it! Here, try it for yourself…
I know it is still hot outside and we’re not there yet… but I do not care! As a walker of trails, and also a lover of nature, this heat has been preventing me from fully enjoying either.
This is the Northwest for crying out loud! One of the things I have always loved about this region, is the areas mild weather and wonderful breezes, blowing in off the Puget Sound.
It seems like over the last few years, the summers have gone rogue here… long stretches of sweltering heat, humidity that is much higher than I like, and next to no breezes to bring cooling air.
While I have no aspirations or dreams of designing anything for the future, in the real world that is, I do have a good bit of experience in building imaginary cities, animal houses, and really good armor.
It is Friday everyone, and it’s sprinkling outside… tap tap tapping on the roof of our RV. I think my boycott of the summer heat is working! The rains have finally blessed me with a cool early morning walk.
Even though I have no idea for a city of the future, at least not one that any of you want to hear me go on about, I can still be useful to you guys and WordPress. If you are ever in need of a Gorilla Habitat, an upgraded Concession stand, or maybe a specialist in breeding Great Dragons, I got you covered!
Before I take off on my rainy walk along the river, here is Brekkers for everybody… please remember to eat the blueberries, as they are full of antioxidants …
I don’t often like to see into my own childhood memories, as they are precarious at best. But for you, my friends, I have courageously looked through the curtains of the past, that most often obscure my view. I have learned that we must take the good with the bad, as far as memories go. Haven’t we all had to make peace with our past, in order to walk forward towards a better future?
This particular memory arose out of the oddest sort of recollection. My husband brought home a watermelon the other day, and that sounds normal so far, as I am sure this behavior occurs within homes across the globe, nearly every day. Things played out typically for us, just like most, until the moment my eyes came to rest on the label stuck to the side of the watermelon. On the sticker were the words, “Grown in Hermiston Oregon”. I do not often come across the name of my childhood home, and the last place I would have expected it to be, was on a piece of fruit.
For several moments, a cacophony of strange emotions floated briefly across my heart. When I encounter these things, I usually set them aside to process on their own… I have learned not to rush into things willy nilly. In this way, I dismissed the strange feelings and carried on with my day. For several days I truly forgot about the sticker.
Yesterday, as I was working on a story about two squirrels, a memory popped into my head, and the squirrels were momentarily replaced with the memory of a cat. I had forgotten about this cat for many years… until yesterday! In the past I would have slammed the door on this part of my childhood immediately, as it has always brought an overwhelming fear. I have learned in time, that I can view my past without fear or shame, but rather, with clarity and grace; both of which are great navigators, along the pathways of our hearts.
I do not generally slam these doors anymore, as I walk a better path now… a healing path. While I will look at my memories, I have not ever written down a good one where my father was in the same story. This morning was different for the first time. In this memory will be the first written work I have ever done, where my dad is going to get his moment, but not like you are thinking. And another surprise I have for you, is that you’re going to laugh and walk away very happy. Let me show you…
His name was Leroy! We named him after that song, Bad Bad Leroy Brown! From birth, this cat was crazy about me, and at the same time he was mean as they come… he stole my 7-year-old heart. Another thing about this cat… he hated my dad!
This was not a passing fancy, a tiny dislike, or even a mild aversion to the man… Leroy was always planning the old man’s demise, I think. This cat would destroy my dads’ things, and only his. Leroy would intentionally pee on his clothes or in his boots, and every day from the moment my dad came home, the cat would stalk him and seek to bite him at every opportunity. Guess where Leroy slept at night… hehe… with me! At one time, my dad got so mad at the cat, he shot him! Leroy disappeared into the woods… but he lived! And he came home! My dad was so mad, but a little scared too, I think. He left the cat be, and pretended he didn’t care either way.
One day Leroy did something that set my dad off, and he loaded the cat up and drove him across the county, dumping him at a friend’s barn. We were devastated by the loss of our Leroy, and for some unknown reason, this was one of the few times my mom ever displayed her emotions. She went off!! By the time she got done yelling, my dad was sheepishly driving down the driveway with an empty cat box on the passenger seat. My mom made him go all the way back down the road and retrieve our cat from that barn! When that old station wagon pulled back into the yard, we all came running out of the house in excitement. The first thing we saw as the car door swung open, was our cat Leroy climbing slowly and leisurely from my dad’s lap. The next few moments are some of the most precious memories I hold of my dad with my cat…
The man looked like he had been attacked by a weed wacker! He was covered in cat scratches and bite marks, and Leroy peed and poo’ed all over his lap. My dad barely got the cat inside the box he had brought along, and Leroy broke free as soon as the car ride home began. Our station wagon never smelled the same after this escapade, by the way. That cat kicked my dad’s hind end for the full 20-minute ride from that barn. This twelve-pound feline lived up to his name that day. Let me tell you…
Loosely written from the Lyrics of the song,
He was…
Bad Bad Leroy Brown
Maddest cat on that whole darn farm
Badder than that ole shotgun
Meaner than that Junkyard hog (I would never insult a dog)
What I wouldn’t give to have been an observer in another car, or even walking on the side of the road, as the car drove by. There is for sure someone out there, who witnessed my small hero, scratching the life out of my dad all the way home! It is very true what they say, that many times great heroes come in small packages!
That Cat Ruled!!!!
I don’t often like to see into my own childhood memories, as they are precarious at best. But for you, my friends, I have courageously looked through the curtains of the past, that most often obscure my view. I have learned that we must take the good with the bad, as far as memories go. Haven’t we all had to make peace with our past, in order to walk forward towards a better future?
This particular memory arose out of the oddest sort of recollection. My husband brought home a watermelon the other day, and that sounds normal so far, as I am sure this behavior occurs within homes across the globe, nearly every day. Things played out typically for us, just like most, until the moment my eyes came to rest on the label stuck to the side of the watermelon. On the sticker were the words, “Grown in Hermiston Oregon”. I do not often come across the name of my childhood home, and the last place I would have expected it to be, was on a piece of fruit.
For several moments, a cacophony of strange emotions floated briefly across my heart. When I encounter these things, I usually set them aside to process on their own… I have learned not to rush into things willy nilly. In this way, I dismissed the strange feelings and carried on with my day. For several days I truly forgot about the sticker.
Yesterday, as I was working on a story about two squirrels, a memory popped into my head, and the squirrels were momentarily replaced with the memory of a cat. I had forgotten about this cat for many years… until yesterday! In the past I would have slammed the door on this part of my childhood immediately, as it has always brought an overwhelming fear. I have learned in time, that I can view my past without fear or shame, but rather, with clarity and grace; both of which are great navigators, along the pathways of our hearts.
I do not generally slam these doors anymore, as I walk a better path now… a healing path. While I will look at my memories, I have not ever written down a good one where my father was in the same story. This morning was different for the first time. In this memory will be the first written work I have ever done, where my dad is going to get his moment, but not like you are thinking. And another surprise I have for you, is that you’re going to laugh and walk away very happy. Let me show you…
His name was Leroy! We named him after that song, Bad Bad Leroy Brown! From birth, this cat was crazy about me, and at the same time he was mean as they come… he stole my 7-year-old heart. Another thing about this cat… he hated my dad!
This was not a passing fancy, a tiny dislike, or even a mild aversion to the man… Leroy was always planning the old man’s demise, I think. This cat would destroy my dads’ things, and only his. Leroy would intentionally pee on his clothes or in his boots, and every day from the moment my dad came home, the cat would stalk him and seek to bite him at every opportunity. Guess where Leroy slept at night… hehe… with me! At one time, my dad got so mad at the cat, he shot him! Leroy disappeared into the woods… but he lived! And he came home! My dad was so mad, but a little scared too, I think. He left the cat be, and pretended he didn’t care either way.
One day Leroy did something that set my dad off, and he loaded the cat up and drove him across the county, dumping him at a friend’s barn. We were devastated by the loss of our Leroy, and for some unknown reason, this was one of the few times my mom ever displayed her emotions. She went off!! By the time she got done yelling, my dad was sheepishly driving down the driveway with an empty cat box on the passenger seat. My mom made him go all the way back down the road and retrieve our cat from that barn! When that old station wagon pulled back into the yard, we all came running out of the house in excitement. The first thing we saw as the car door swung open, was our cat Leroy climbing slowly and leisurely from my dad’s lap. The next few moments are some of the most precious memories I hold of my dad with my cat…
The man looked like he had been attacked by a weed wacker! He was covered in cat scratches and bite marks, and Leroy peed and poo’ed all over his lap. My dad barely got the cat inside the box he had brought along, and Leroy broke free as soon as the car ride home began. Our station wagon never smelled the same after this escapade, by the way. That cat kicked my dad’s hind end for the full 20-minute ride from that barn. This twelve-pound feline lived up to his name that day. Let me tell you…
Loosely written from the Lyrics of the song,
He was…
Bad Bad Leroy Brown
Maddest cat on that whole darn farm
Badder than that ole shotgun
Meaner than that Junkyard hog (I would never insult a dog)
What I wouldn’t give to have been an observer in another car, or even walking on the side of the road, as the car drove by. There is for sure someone out there, who witnessed my small hero, scratching the life out of my dad all the way home! It is very true what they say, that many times great heroes come in small packages!
I am not sure which name I should answer this prompt with, as I go by a few. Should I talk about the name I was born with, the one where my mother wanted me to be a boy. Oh well, boy… girl… according to my parents, the name was fine… Toni Rae is so ambiguous though.
Perhaps I could give a rehash of my nickname, Wiwohka, but you have already heard this story. I think it was a suitable description of my personality, the raging part was anyways, so I feel good about picking that name.
Here is where the origin of my name becomes very important! I have a name that only One uses, and this name is the most valuable title I have. You may already have guessed where it came from, but I will say it none the less…
I am His Beloved!
I will leave it to you, my friends, to know of where it originated.
Sometimes one comes to a crossroad in their journey… a place on the path that splits, where a choice must be made. Typically, one choice is right and one is wrong. Once in a while, though, the person is given a choice between two right ways. What I mean is, rather than right or wrong, both choices are right and either option can be chosen without any penalties; the end result will not change. The important thing to note here is, only one of the ways will offer the extra blessings. One is quicker and easier, while the other will most likely be more difficult and time consuming. This is where I believe that I owe each of you an apology!
In my haste to accomplish the goal we were brought here for, I missed some signs left for us, and we missed the intended path. When the way began to steepen and become more treacherous, we should have stopped and rechecked the map. Instead, I pushed ahead for fear of being late to our destination. I was so certain that I had everything under control, it was not until people started getting hurt that I stopped long enough to see my own folly. Thankfully, the Commander interceded on my behalf, providing us an escape through the mountain itself. I would never have seen this cave entrance on my own, as it seemed to materialize out of the rock right before us. Your guess would be as good as mine, regarding how the boulder rolled perfectly in place behind us, blocking out the vermin.
The important thing is, we are all here and safely drying off by this fire. If not for James and his hockey stick, we would have taken some terrible injuries. How Bubbles had the foresight to use her bubble wand as an impromptu tennis racket, I cannot say… but WOW lady! Watching a spider bounce off three different trees and disappear into the forest… what a sight! Also, I could not be more grateful for what appears to be several members with first aid skills. While the last of the bandages get applied, I want to go over the instructions with everyone before traveling further. By working with each other as a team, I believe we can arrive quicker, and more safely.
According to this map, there is a path that will lead up through the mountain, carrying us to a hidden doorway. This is an old and seemingly forgotten back entrance into the lair of a Nasty dragon. There is little that I know of him, other than the cryptic information I gathered from some archives. The dragon’s name is Porphyrios, and according to my readings, he is referred to as a Brass Dragon. Legend has it that these dragons were both outgoing and selfish, with a tendency for causing strife. Porphyrios lives his family’s likeness, to an extreme and then some, and has been terrorizing the lowlands for some time now.
Looking back on our travels, I am almost certain that he was most likely behind the attack on the otter village. It makes a great deal of sense as to why they destroyed the village and did not take any spoils away when they left. I think the poor otter folk were a diversion, set to slow us down in our arrival time… though I cannot be sure. What I can be assured of is this… we were given this route, from my Commander, bringing us directly to where our pick up is located. While all of you were being treated for injuries, as well as resting from the battle, I have been considering this very fact. If He made a way, then the package must still be intact and retrieval is still needed.
With renewed confidence and commitment to the cause, we must press on to the dragon’s lair. Whatever we must collect will most likely have to be retrieved with great stealth and care. Planning for a silent passage got me to thinking about our bags bouncing along at our sides, filled with whatever we will be needing. Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed something different about our bags? I had not realized it at the time, but looking back I now see where things changed. Once we entered the forest our bags transformed! They began to resemble a shoulder bag, firmly held in place by a thick strap crossing our chests. None of us realized that we were able to carry an item at the same time as carrying our bags. We were too caught up with the dangers to even notice the change.
Remember when we started our adventure and I told you about the rules of the bags? We are not supposed to be able to have more than one thing in hand… either the bag or an item from within it, but not both. I spent a few moments looking over some ancient writings, and saw many references about our Commanders’ ability to equip us for anything He calls us to accomplish. I think this means that He can change the bags as He desires, and for His purposes.
With that information in hand, I looked further. There I was reading and suddenly, I had an epiphany! Written all over in my history ledger (the bible), are writings that speak about battles, and in all these battles I noticed that the warriors carried two items… one for offense, and one for defense. I specifically found writings about armor and noted here as well, two items in the warriors’ hands… one for offense, and one for defense. Look, I will even show you the passage…
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:14-17
Now do you understand why it is so important to slow down, look up and watch for things, instead of running full tilt ahead like I did today? Had I noticed the change in our bags, perhaps it could have allowed me a different view of our path. Such a difference might have prevented our detour. Or if nothing else, we might have been more prepared for the battles we encountered. I have learned a valuable lesson, and am very grateful that my learning did not cause any permanent damage to one of our team. I learned that just because I believe in the purpose, I cannot choose my own path to get there, running ahead on my own understanding. It is best to just follow the one with the full plan, watching for any signal from Him as to where He is headed.
Speaking of plans, quite frankly, I am in a state of utter surprise that everybody is even ready to listen to the plan, after this whole mess I got us into. I am left humbled by the speed at which you readily forgave me, gathering around the map with an eager readiness to push on. It also fills me with a great amount of courage for what lies ahead, as I see such commitment from all of you, to get this done! I know not what lies in the darkness, but I do know that I travel with friends… and together we can overcome whatever we must face.
**I am attempting to start offering an audio version of my stuff. Have fun and enjoy, but keep in mind that I am a novice at this.**
Journey With Me! 