Treasures & Reminders From The Past

Where Are Treasures?
They're all around us--
But sometimes like
Seeking precious metals,
We must dig deeply and search--
To find treasures past and present.


Recently we trekked through bumpy mountain roads amidst gold mining towns of the 1800's.

Off the beaten path,

Bumping through narrow, potholed roads,

Some required 4-wheel drive but

We persevered and found them--

Remains of another day.

A time when life was much more difficult

And it took courage and tenacity just to survive.

Some toted water for miles, battled wild animals, severe storms

And lived in what we would term shacks.

Times were hazardous and hard.

Death rates were high, especially infant mortality.

And there amidst the hazards and hardships were symbols of hope--

Churches where they sought help, comfort and

Friendship with Him

Who loved and wanted to help them.

And like our ancestors of old--

We too can find hope, help and courage to face hard times. 

This is one of my favorite
Treasures from The Bible:

"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth

seeking to prove Himself strong

to those whose hearts are committed to Him."

Let's seek and find treasures this week--
Especially the greatest Treasure of all...

Let's Wake-Up and Write

In recent days
A phrase from the Bible has gripped me--
"Awake, awake" sleeping ones.

Amidst the daily news--
Blogs and Facebook posts--
Authors on C-Span Book TV--
Documentaries about America
and the global community--
All contain facts that have 
Awakened me.

Long ago in the Bible

Nehemiah lived amidst dangerous, difficult and scary times--
He wrote: "Don't be afraid...
remember the Lord who is great and awesome."

Times are hard all around us.
Friends, family and neighbors are hurting.
Some have lost jobs,
Others are very ill
Or in grief.

They need encouragement,
Hope--
Truth.

Let's awaken and write--
Maybe an article,
A book
"A paper rose" (a note).

"A small drop of ink makes thousands,
Perhaps millions...think" wrote Byron.

Let's encourage--
"Don't be afraid...
Remember the Lord
Who is great and awesome."

Happy Love & Truth Filled Valentine's Day!

Valentines everywhere.

I awakened to find them-- 

Beside the coffee pot

The bed

In the bathroom,

Living room.

Valentines, valentines--

Love sprinkles were everywhere.

Then Hubby said, "May I read something?"

Touched deeply by his caring and the truth shared--

I wanted to share this magnificent truth

With you.

An Excerpt from:

"Is There Life After Truth

by

Richard John Neuhaus

The Veritas Forum Yale University, 1996

The Search for Truth

...To be human is to seek the truth,

and the quest for truth is an open-ended adventure.

It really is an excitement, and yes, a kind of delight,

into an exploration that is never ended in this life.

It'll be ended at the time in which,

as St. Paul says in I Corinthians,

'then will I know fully even as I have been fully known'

and we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face.'

Until then, this truth is something that more possesses us

than we possess it.

It is much more a matter of being possessed by the truth

than possessing the truth.

It is a matter of walking along a certain way,

the way of the One who said,

'I am the way,

and the truth

and the life.'

(John 14:6)

'Follow Me.'

The Christian understanding is that truth is found only in following,

in a faithful, trusting following.

It's a following in which we can't see where the next step is,

where we really do say with Cardinal Newman,

'O, lead, kindly light.'

We do not need to see the distant destination,

we need to know only the company.

We need to know only the One who travels with us and says,

'I am the way, the truth and the life.

And whereever the honest quest for truth is going to take you,

it's going to take you to where I am'. "

(A Place For Truth - Edited by Dallas Willard, pg. 24, IVP Books)

HAPPY LOVE and TRUTH FILLED VALENTINE'S DAY TO YOU!