An Indescribable Gift!

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift" (II Corinthians 9:15). What IS this gift that's such that we cannot describe it? You mean, it's beyond beautiful and precious and wonderful? Can it be that it is beyond even...PERFECT?? More wonderful yet, is that it is a gift! A gift is something that is freely given. No payment, no strings attached, you don't even have to deserve it. You just accept it and it's yours. This gift is Jesus Christ. And all wrapped up in Him is His love and salvation for us-the most beautiful and perfect gift ever. Oh wait, that doesn't fully describe it...it's unspeakable and indescribable! What a beautiful gift for us to receive this Christmas! So, how do I receive it? By faith. By believing on Him. By trusting Him, that what He says is true, that what He promises will come to pass. He said believe in Him and He will save us (Acts 16:31). Forever. It's as simple as that. What a...gift!

Love Measures Grief

This title and photo really need no explanation. Someone else has aptly described it as "Love much, grieve much. Love little, grieve little." One's amount and intensity of grief is measured by one's amount and intensity of love. And vice versa. Those who have experienced this know what I am talking about. As the perfect rose with raindrops, love with grief and tears is also beautiful. Love and pain, sunshine and rain, loss and gain...they are all inseparable twins of life. Each one is measured by the other, each one is nourished by the other, each one is necessary in our human lives. Without them we would not grow, without them we would not know...the pure joys of life that God, in His perfect plan for us, gives on a daily basis. Thank the Lord, there is life after grief, no matter the amount or intensity. There is love after grief for true love never leaves us. Love can be resurrected for love has life. Love IS life! God is love and God is life. God, life, love...they all go hand in hand. For this I am very grateful.

A 16-yr-old Rose

This year marks 16 years since a special pink rose bloomed into my life-that of my closest friend. It is an unusual friendship, unlike any I've had before or since. Words cannot describe how amazed and grateful I am over having received this gift...and that I still have it! Some friends are "of the road" and are only in our lives for a limited time. Some are surface ones or fun ones or helpful ones. But this one goes above and beyond all of these.Thank you, my lasting always, 2-4 friend!

My Sunshine Roses!

In 2002 we were blessed with the arrival of our first grandchild-a boy! Thus began a most interesting and enjoyable phase of life. Currently-as in, as I write this :)-we have 6 (oops, now it's 7...AND now it's 8!) of these precious perfect gifts...and 1 more on the way, to boot! Oh, my heart will burst with all this joy someday!

When I was going through chemo a couple years ago, some of our grandkids would stop by with their moms (our daughters) to visit for a few minutes. Even though I was feeling rather raunchy on many of those occasions, to me it was like a lovely, comforting ray of sunshine to see their smiling faces-maybe because I knew they were pretty much oblivious to what was really going on. Their innocence of my situation just made them seem more precious. Oh, how I love each one of them. They are perfect gifts...to us as well as to their parents. May the Lord protect each one of them from the evil influences of the world around them, maintaining their innocence,beauty and purity as the roses that they represent!