Not about perfection but connection

Let Love Grow

“Frosty and Friends Sweater Amaryllis Flower Bulb with Stand, No Water Needed, Gift Ready”

“And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds. Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.
—Hebrews 10:24-25 (CEB)

The words “meeting together” and “encourage one another” has great significance for me.

A few years ago about Christmas gift giving time I discovered this little, Amaryllis Flower Bulb, and each year it wears a message sock! I saw the best part for friends that travel and ones with very busy schedules, needs no water! We were still struggling with churches not meeting together partially because of Covid 19. Also, often our friends in the Believer category has moved to various locations and many in Heaven. Yet, our thoughts and love for one another remain. My 🩷 asked how to meet together and encourage one another. And, I discovered the sharing of a Bulb.

As I sit in my home today with snow and ice here and in various other locales where my little bulb gifts have travelled I am having a cup of tea, watching my Amaryllis bloom and connect with a spot light from my view I’m thinking of many of you! I’m drinking from a snowman cup with a message given to me by a friend, MG, now in heaven. I’m offering prayers of praise for those that received my humble bulb gift and cared enough to meet with me around our window sill. One is in Charlotte, NC waiting for snow to clear to get home to Raleigh to enjoy their bloom. No worry, no watering needed. Others with their stories connecting to us by encouraging us. We are meeting together and encouraging one another.

My Cup of Tea and 🙏 for you

What is your “cup of tea” to help others shine! Maybe you have a local church to gather and offer your gift to help others shine. There are so many ways to connect. It’s not about “perfection but connection.”

As BELIEVERS, Mark 16:15: “Go into all the world, and give the good news to everyone.”

Imagine the brightness of “The Light” when we connect to one another in love and deed not looking for perfection!

Quietness has a voice

My pink phone stand has a voice of its own 🌈

“Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.” (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Christmas Holiday is over and down comes the many festive decorations. Things seem so plain and bland. Troubles seem to be looming throughout our nation and many parts of the world. Where are you Lord?

My pink phone holder before it found its voice?

As I sat quietly after my litany of prayers for many I wondered if my prayers were a ritual of my voice with hopelessness for these mind boggling issues.

  • Isaiah 30:15: “In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” 
  • Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” 
  • 1 Peter 3:4: “Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” 
  • Proverbs 17:28: “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.”

I tried to follow a few Bibical guidelines for quietness as noted in these scriptures. When I opened my eyes and glanced down I saw my above photo of my pink talking phone holder. God’s promises were on display in Rainbow colors.

It’s been a few days and I’m back in my prayer space about many of the same world concerns. I added the concerns of this very highly predictable snow and ice storm that is giving warning of the biggest etc etc for years so be prepared.

I began to get a bit anxious with my added concern of snow and ice storms heaped on the list of growing concern in our nation of great divisions and dangers in our cities where immigration policies are screaming for calm,

I, opened my eyes and in almost disbelief my phone holder was talking again and had enlighten my pens to speak with glee and delight.

I see a picture of God’s beauty and holiness. Ezekiel 1:28: “Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.”

God with us. (Matthew 1:23)

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing in 2026

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
(Psalm 34:17 (NRSV)

Christ invites us to be Christ’s hands and feet, are we not also Christ’s eyes?

When they ask us to come and see, many respond. And then we go and do. Come and see. Go and do likewise.

  • St. Teresa of Avila: Her famous prayer begins, “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours,” emphasizing our role.
  • Biblical Call: Based on verses like Matthew 25:34-40 (serving the least of these) and 1 Corinthians 12 (the body of Christ). 

I would like to say thank you to all that shared a prayer, a cookie, a flower, peanuts, pair of gloves, a kind word, a card among many other acts of kindness throughout 2025 with me and my family. Please know you are recorded in my book of gratitude. My prayers of Blessings for each of you.

Be greatly Blessed in 2026!

Paul Prayed;

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength.
—Ephesians 1:18-19 (CEB)

As we are in the last three days of 2025 I pray with Paul. And, add his greeting for you,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.1.2.NKJV

I give thanks for the glorious privilege of sharing God’s word and sharing prayers for one another throughout 2025! And, we have seen His greatness working among us.

As we are at the gate of 2026, “I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers.” May this Light be our guiding light for all we do and hope to do in 2026!

Happy New Year!

Cause your Face to Shine

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us! Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! O Lord God of hosts, How long will You be angry Against the prayer of Your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears, And given them tears to drink in great measure. You have made us a strife to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it. You prepared room for it, And caused it to take deep root, And it filled the land. The hills were covered with its shadow, And the mighty cedars with its boughs. She sent out her boughs to the Sea, And her branches to the River. Why have You broken down her hedges, So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit? The boar out of the woods uproots it, And the wild beast of the field devours it. Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, And visit this vine And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, And the branch that You made strong for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭80‬:‭1‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.80.1-19.NKJV

“Be happy and shout to God who makes us strong! Shout praises to the God of Jacob. Sing as you play tambourines and the lovely sounding stringed instruments. Sound the trumpets and start the New Moon Festival. We must also celebrate when the moon is full. This is the law in Israel, and it was given to us by the God of Jacob. The descendants of Joseph were told to obey it, when God led them out from the land of Egypt. In a language unknown to me, I heard someone say: “I lifted the burden from your shoulder and took the heavy basket from your hands. When you were in trouble, I rescued you, and from the thunderclouds, I answered your prayers. Later I tested you at Meribah Spring. “Listen, my people, while I, the Lord, correct you! Israel, if you would only pay attention to me! Don’t worship foreign gods or bow down to gods you know nothing about. I am the LORD your God. I rescued you from Egypt. Just ask, and I will give you whatever you need. “But, my people, Israel, you refused to listen, and you would have nothing to do with me! So I let you be stubborn and keep on following your own advice. “My people, Israel, if only you would listen and do as I say! I, the LORD, would quickly defeat your enemies with my mighty power. Everyone who hates me would come crawling, and that would be the end of them. But I would feed you with the finest bread and with the best honey until you were full.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭81‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭CEVUK‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/294/psa.81.1-16.CEVUK

The Light came into the world; 🎄🛐🕯️

🎶Run, Run, Run
Aim for your goal
And, into the many Nations
You will go;
Be prepared to overcome
And, take control
By the Light of the Son! 🎵🕯️🛐🎄

I wrote this little song years ago when I needed encouragement for myself and others. We would sing it in church, home, car and plane! Maybe even a train! I continue to sing day by day!🕯️

Find the Light and Follow it ✨

This was my today’s devotion;

“We all carry a light within us, a light God has placed in us when we were made in God’s image. This light illuminates and warms our path like a fire through our days. It is our task to keep this light shining.”

Cláudio Carvalhaes, Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
(‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Search, seek, look for the light and you will find THE LIGHT! (from Matthew 7:7) and then be WISE and follow it!

Immanuel, God with us

Merry Christmas

Unto us a Child is born;

“The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”(Isaiah 9:2 (NRSVUE)

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
(‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Imagine, yes, try and just imagine hearing these words spoken for the first time? Or, maybe this is your first time as you read this! Or, maybe you walked through a store and saw it printed on a greeting card? A banner hanging in a neighbor’s yard? You turned on the radio and heard? Just imagine! What would you think? The best, what are you thinking?

Sure rings loud and clear. Hope! How do we find this Son? Is he in the earth today? What can you tell us about him?

If we find him will we find light shining on all this darkness we, the people, are daily seeing?

Is this a new movie just released in the theatre? A new broadway show? Could this be for one nation? All nations? Will it help nations at war? Children starving? Help? Hope?

I read this Headline early this morning, 12/7/25;

“Young adults are waiting in line to worship at this fast-growing Atlanta church”

Where is this child? Let us find Him?

Dark and Light

Green Figs no leaves

Not the Season for figs
  • As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, and feeling hungry, he saw a fig tree with many leaves and went to it, expecting to find fruit.
  • He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
  • Jesus cursed the tree, saying, “May you never bear fruit again!” and it immediately withered. (Found in Mark 11)

I have been thinking about my fig tree having these very small green figs with no leaves as the cold and wind together destroyed the leaves leaving a spiritual mystery in my mind. My tree has been bearing edible fruit for years but this year in season no figs at all. Lots of beautiful leaves. As season was winding down there appeared an abundance of tiny green figs.

Now I goggled and researched and understood why I most likely didn’t have edible figs this year.

I began to think about Jesus wanting figs and saw a tree with beautiful leaves and no figs. In support of the fig tree the story said it was not the season there for figs. Yet, Jesus got a little testy it seems and curse the tree!

I read different opinions as why Jesus did this? One commentary wrote;

“The story is a lesson that true faith is not just about appearances but about bearing “fruit,” or doing good works and living a righteous life.”

I get it! Now, what about my tree and its spiritual meaning? My tree did look elegant and regal with big beautiful leaves. Then appeared tiny green figs late in the season and we had warning frost was near. The wind seemed a bit vicious about the same time. I pondered, I’m always competing with the birds and squirrels when the joy of a ripen figs appears. No competitive sport was happened now.

In our last blog we covered a little about a parable and a simile meaning. what would Jesus see in our fig tree?

Then Sings my Soul;

“As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬ ‭CEVUK‬‬

As we have shared often flowers and greenery come in many forms and from various places and occasions. Recently we received flowers from Jen and The Barn at Willow Brook, of Leesburg, from a ‘celebration of life.’ They were lovely and, Mr J Hamilton Lambert’s life story connected to the school, ACL, of which at times receive our flower gifts. We repurpose them for more beauty, class lessons including arts and crafts of which we at times share here. We love how connections are made to benefit our youth of today as well as each of us as we share and learn together.

Our focus verse from Psalms 42 is a metaphor for a deep and intense spiritual longing for God. A deer thirsty and longing for water.

Our story telling table arrangement here is a metaphor hopefully serving as a tool to represent complex issues, emotions, or experiences beyond what is literally seen but our souls may be feeling.

Some of our Artists are using visual metaphors from flora designs and other forms of flower art and words to communicate love, loss, or identity, creating layers of meaning for us to interpret.

Our Hope is Love, Joy and Peace will be the reality that springs forth from deep within each of us as we share one with another.

Jeremiah 17:7

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Psalm 33:18

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

Psalm 29:11

May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!

“Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.”Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ ‭CEVUK‬‬

Let us Love one another!