Author Archives: oct17

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About oct17

The little girl in me loves bird watching, butterflies, sunrises, sunsets, walks in the rain; the adult I am enjoys the same. I sense God's awesomeness in all of life--what wonder there is in slicing a leek or cutting open a pomegranate. I have many favorite things--a formation of Canadian geese flying overhead, the giggles of my grand daughters, the first ripe watermelon in summer, snowflakes on my face--these gifts from my heavenly Father delight me continually.

… is it Christmas?

Posted on December 19, 2024 by oct17

… in me? How long to Christmas?… our small children began to ask the day after Thanksgiving. When will Santa be here?  Yours most likely are asking the same question these days. Every two or three days, they ask. No … Continue reading →

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… words matter…

Posted on November 22, 2024 by oct17

So, this past Sunday, November 17, was the anniversary of our first date.  We make a big deal of this very personal day. The details are etched forever in my mind.  It rained… we walked under an umbrella… me trying … Continue reading →

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… in the loss, we find…

Posted on October 17, 2024 by oct17

Can you imagine that we spend six and a half months of our life looking for things we have misplaced or lost? That translates individually to two and a half days per year. I can’t beleive we lose that much … Continue reading →

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… in the slow, in the quiet…

Posted on August 28, 2024 by oct17

I slipped into a parentheses ( )** three months ago today, May 29, completely changing the course of summer. I had not planned on this; I did not want this. What was/am I to do Now? Now, a ( ) … Continue reading →

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… i’m not fine, but it’s ok…

Posted on June 24, 2024 by oct17

“We’re going through a bad patch right now.” I smile as I remember hearing our friend from Bristol, England, express these words over the miles of airwaves that separated us from them in Tennessee. He spoke softly, unashamedly… knowing there … Continue reading →

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… giving up… or focused…

Posted on April 25, 2024 by oct17

Have you ever wanted to give up… you know… to throw in the towel, and say, I quit? Many of us, at one time or another,  most likely can answer that question with a clear YES. I’m not talking about … Continue reading →

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… protected by kindness…

Posted on March 12, 2024 by oct17

“I believe you could talk to the wall,” someone laughingly said to me recently. Well, I thought she was laughing; maybe she was being unkind. I shared with her that I just had had a delightful chat with the new … Continue reading →

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LOVE… living it… leaving it…

Posted on February 13, 2024 by oct17

“I want that when you’re gone,” our daughter laughed as she entered our home in  Vienna, Austria, on her first visit to see us. She was putting her name on a piece of antique furniture, a schrank (wardrobe) we say … Continue reading →

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… loved… and liked…

Posted on January 18, 2024 by oct17

I love the times when Tom cups my face in his hands, his eyes shining, “I sure like you,” he says softly. Now, I know he loves me… there is no doubt; he has been loving me 60 plus years … Continue reading →

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… in wonder…

Posted on December 16, 2023 by oct17

It’s such a rough, almost crude, dwelling in front of me… I stood on the soaked ground in awe. I can’t intelligently explain what happened, but for brief moments, all the Christmases past, present and future melded in praise. Not … Continue reading →

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