Tornado Alley - Thanks, Jan!

>> Friday, April 22, 2011

Wow…we really are between storms, aren’t we?  The last two weeks have brought a series of severe storms through Central Illinois, otherwise known as 'Tornado Alley.'   My first experience in the 'alley' was at the ripe age of ten.…May 15, 1968. Mother and Sister made a quick grocery run to the Clinton IGA while I was engrossed in my favorite episode of “I Love Lucy“. The grocery run was anything but quick….in fact it seemed like an eternity. While I was glued to Lucy and Ethel, the TV shut off with a snap. I could hear the wind beginning to howl and I ran to the living room to investigate. As I peered out the front window, a sea of green and black rolling clouds boiled in the distance. The thick, heavy atmosphere was saturated with pea green pigment, and pouring rain quickly turned to pounding hail. The roaring wind bent the trees sideways and hard as tried, I couldn’t get the back door open to run to the neighbors for protection. Terrified and alone, I ran back to the front window crying hysterically as twin tornadoes blew by to ravage Wapella, and floodwaters were unleashed by a broken levy.

Life is filled with roaring winds, hail, and rising floodwaters. What storm is brewing on your horizon? Or are you so engrossed in real life drama that you don’t even notice….until it’s raging out of control?? Are you terrified at times and feeling all alone?

 Matthew 8:26 “….why are you so afraid? Then He got up 
and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm”. 

The Lord rescued me in 1968 and I was literally carried to higher ground. God is still rescuing me today and He continues to carry me to higher ground.

Is it any wonder that I abhor the “Wizard of Oz?

*******


Jan Dial most graciously accepted my call to write for my most neglected blog.
Thanks, Jan:)


  Jan hails from her little school house in the country north of Decatur, IL.  She is in love with her husband Roger to whom she has been married for nearly thirty years.  Roger and Jan are the parents of thirty-one year old Mindy, who is studying nursing, twenty-four-year-old old Alex, an explosive specialist in Afghanistan, and fifteen-year-old Ben, a freshmen at Decatur Christian School.  (Note 3 children born in 3 different decades...was she nuts or what???)    Jan works as a Grief Counselor for the Decatur Memorial Hospital Hospice Program in Decatur.   She is passionate about Jesus, Roger, family, singing with her ‘Soul Sisters’ and coffee!!!!  She also loves photography, floral design, flower/vegetable gardening, and water sports.  Jan loves to swim with her seven year old twins Isaiah and Tierney and three year old Keagan.  She is excited to take the plunge into blogging.   Anyone care to take a dip?? 

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Post at JOE on Colossians 3:12-14

>> Wednesday, April 20, 2011



Click on the button to the left to follow me 
to our group Jewels of Encouragement blog 
where I ponder Colossians 3:12-14. 

I'll be there quick! Just as soon as I check out my closet
to find something to wear!!  Hope to see you there!

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The Miracle of Mercy Land

>> Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Miracle of Mercy Land a novel, written by River Jordan, and published by Waterbrook Press, is a spectacular read and very much out-of-the-box for me; an extraordinary ride down the unfamiliar.  A tale woven around very believable characters that I grew to love in a very short amount of time.


The book is written in the eyes of three of the main characters:  Mercy Land, the Doc, and John Quincy.  A book of sorts landed in Doc's office.  This book had the power to change the past.  In the wrong hands, it would change the course of history.  In the right hands, who knows what good could be done?  

The present and past of these three people get mixed up and collide and intercept until sometimes it's hard to know what's up.  This book is hard to explain.  It's a book made to be read and enjoyed and maybe even read again.  

I highly recommend The Miracle of Mercy Land, if nothing else, because it's so very original.  A must-read for sure!


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Spring Training

>> Monday, April 11, 2011


I still can't get over feeling so incredibly good!  I never want to get used to this feeling because I don't want to take it for granted - not ever!  Yesterday in church we sang a song, Forever Reign.  When we got to the chorus I realized it's a perfect song to put on my Ipod for the times I run/jog:



Oh, I'll run into Your arms
I'll run into Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
And nothing compares
To Your embrace
Light of the world
Forever Reign

Perfect, yes? This morning as I was praying on the way to work, I thought about this song again. Our time on earth is like spring training. I feel like I've been given my health back so that I'll be ready to run into Jesus' arms when He comes back to take us to Heaven with Him.

Thinking about that made tears flow. I clearly saw myself run into Jesus' arms and He caught me and twirled me around like a Daddy does and then He hugged me tight and he said, "Well done, Daughter!"

Can you imagine?  I can't wait!  I know many non-Christians are talking about the end of the world coming in 2012.  My son and I were talking about that yesterday on our alone time together.  He understands that we don't know when it will be that Jesus will come.  It says that in the Bible.  Anyway, we have nothing to fear.  Our home is in Heaven.  We're just visitors on earth.  I can't wait to see what Jesus has prepared for us! 

Meanwhile, let's all get into spring training mode so we'll be prepared to run into Jesus' arms. 


Ephesians 4:1-3 "In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands." (The Message) 








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Start/Stay/Finish!

>> Tuesday, April 5, 2011

My poor blog.  How I've missed it.  I've been busy.  Up to spring break I was going strong on B90X and then came the most awesome spring break ever:)  


My friend, Mari, came from the West Coast.  We had the most glorious, awesome spring break EVER!  God blessed us monetarily which helped us to be able to enjoy things we never would have been able to do.  


He also blessed us by allowing me to feel so very good!  This is the best I've been since Mari has known me.  It's an incredible thing for me to experience and I'm living life to the fullest, let me tell you!
And now I'm back to school.  I was ready.  There's only seven Mondays left until summer vacation.  Amazing.  


With spring break behind me, it's time to get back into gear.  B90x'ers at my church are finished and I'm tagging along behind.  It's all good.  I started strong and I will finish strong.  It's been an amazing, incredible experience.  If you've never read the Bible in 90 days, give or take a few;) I would highly recommend it.  It is life-changing.  It's revved me up to WANT to read my Bible again.  I was getting stagnate about the whole Bible reading thing.  Being forced to read through so fast made me want to slow down to study and ponder certain things.  I can't wait to finish so I can do just that.  


I'm finding that as I'm growing older and entering middle age that I'm becoming very unfocused so...I need to gain my focus to finish my goal.  



  • I need to start again where I ended, 2 Corinthians...
  • I will stay focused...
  • and I will finish strong...


"You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.  I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping..." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (The Message)

Will you pray for me that I will finish strong?  I'm so very close!  Below I've left you with a YouTube video of a man who finished the race.  Truly an awe-inspiring story.  I hope it inspires you to finish your own race.  




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