Why Lisa Gets My Third Star ⭐

On a straightforward scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high), how many stars would you give your One Word of the Year?

My One Word deserves 3 stars. It prompted self-reflection, yet concurrently, I grappled with the challenge of consistently contemplating it. 

😅 My chosen word was 'healthy.'

Lisa Burgess responded to my blog, and her comment was truly invaluable to me. She wrote, 'Maybe the fact that you survived this year proves that you are healthier than you realized!'

This insightful perspective is why my One Word earns 3 sterren (stars), and the third star goes to her. It's thanks to what she contributes, infusing meaning into our One Word, even during moments of disappointment. So, Lisa, thank you for your tireless efforts and love. 

🌟 Although I wasn't creative enough for my One Word, I am grateful for everything you did around my One Word and others, Lisa.

Read other ONE WORD Blog Posts Here.  

Unfiltered: When My One Word Let Me Down 🌟

So, this year, I thought "healthy" would be my thing, a simple fix. But let's be real – it's been more like a roller coaster with allergies and stress hormones thrown in.

January brought the loss of my father-in-law to cancer, and then February served up a surprise church plot twist (church division) 🙏 Perhaps 'healthy' wasn't the ideal word for a season where life had its own script!

Truth is: I tried to make better choices, but I'm no health guru. Some days, I mess up, choose not-so-healthy stuff, and just feel like I've goofed.

My grace is sufficient for you
Here's the deal – I'm learning that God is there for me. His grace covers me, especially on those not-so-great days. It's like a safety net for my imperfect self. Even when I'm a mess, He is there, whispering, "My grace is enough for you."

I asked God for health, but...
As the year wraps up, I'm letting go of the pressure to be a health superstar. Whether or not I pick another word, I'm just rolling with it and accepting that I'm me – flaws and all. Because, let's be real, God and His grace in Jesus are the real deal in this imperfect journey of mine. 

💔 I need Him every hour.

I asked God for strength,

but, He made me weak

so that to His will . . .

I would daily seek.

I asked God for health,

but, He made me queasy

so that I would see . . .

the faithful race wasn’t easy.

I asked God for riches,

but, He made me poor

so that I would hear . . .

Jesus’ knock on the door.

I asked God for happiness.

but, He made me sorrowful

so that for my sins . . .

I’d repent and be mournful.

I asked God why,

I didn’t get my heart’s desire

He told me it was because . . .

I AM so much wiser!

Deborah Ann Belka

😊 Have you ever chosen a One Word? If so, how was that experience for you? 

Linked to Sweet Tea & Friends

Who says gray heather isn't beautiful?

Sitting on the bench, my mind drifts to a previous stroll. I followed a narrow path through the expansive heathland, pondering: why does the heather bloom only once? Why not every month? It looks so dull now.

Look, gray heather 👇

The Heather Cycle
But after some research on heather plants, I realized it's unfair to always expect blossoms. Heather has a life cycle synchronized with the seasons. First, it prepares for bloom, then it flourishes, produces seeds, takes a nap, and gears up for a new bloom.

Who Says Gray Heather Isn't Beautiful?
As I sit by a small heath field, the sun surprisingly breaks through, casting a golden glow over the pine trees. The heather is a shimmering spectacle! Who says gray heather isn't beautiful?

From My Diary
November 22

Garlands and Thoughts

Garlands with white pearls dangle from branch to branch: spiderweb threads with droplets. The wind gently blows through. It's like a party on the heath.

Who cares for the heath in its resting season? Who inspired me to take a walk? Who orchestrated this exact moment? Who grants me the ability to enjoy the sun, wind, and the sparkle of spiderweb threads? I look up: my God and Father.

End of diary excerpt

Capturing Glimmers and an Encounter
'Capture the glimmers!' whispers my camera. I grab my camera, but it's not cooperating; it looks more like a cold winter scene. A man strolls by, and his dog barks as if I committed a crime.

"Back in the day," the man says, "there was a path through the heath leading down. I'm going to see if I can find it."

Where's the Old Path?
Off he goes. I watch him until he becomes a tiny dot. His dog stops barking, and I see the man bending down to pick up the pup in his arms. Thus, he wrestles through the tall heather bushes downward. The path is overgrown. There's simply no path anymore. Or is there?

Eyes Closed, Listening
I'm 'glued' to the bench. It's better for my knee to take a real 15-minute break, so I close my eyes. Behind me, a titmouse chirps in the woods, and a finch. I also hear a leaf falling, and another... soft taps; as if it's raining. Whisper-soft.

Lesson from the Heather
When I open my eyes, the gray heather is still sparkling. It teaches me a lesson. Listen to what it says:

I, the heather...

💜 ... need rest to rejuvenate. So do you.
💜 ... need a gray season to find myself again. So do you.
💜 ... will bloom again. So will you.

From Gray to Glitter
And that glimmer? That's where I see my God. He brightens up my gray heath with unexpected encounters, the beauty of nature, the love of my husband, or His own promises. Yes: from gray to glitter.

Moving On
Refreshed, I rise from the bench and make my way downhill. Where no path seemed to be, there is a path.

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape – the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show." - Andrew Wyeth

🍂✨ What small (autumn) moment in nature has taught you a lesson?

New Insights About My One Word: Healthy

It's been nine months since I embarked on my journey with my 2023 Word: "healthy." I must confess that I've been a bit disappointed in my progress. 🙁 "Healthy" has, at times, eluded my thoughts, and when it does cross my mind, it's often in a negative context. 

But guess what? I've decided to take proactive steps and turn things around. So, I delved into my Bible to explore my Word "healthy" in a fresh and positive light, aiming to infuse some renewed energy into the month of October.

3 Bible verses about health (or healthy)

What I discovered was both inspiring and transformative. I embarked on a Bible search, focusing on "healthy," and stumbled upon these three remarkable verses:

1. Psalm 147:3: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
2. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit... Glorify God in your body and in your spirit."
3. Matthew 9:1: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."

Renewed insight
These verses unveiled a fresh understanding of "healthy." It's not confined to diet and exercise alone but encompasses the mending of emotional wounds and nurturing my spiritual connection. This renewed insight has transformed my perception of "healthy" a little bit. 

What does this mean for my "healthy" journey? 

It involves tuning in to my body's signals, recognizing its limits, and prioritizing rest in our fast-paced world. But there's another side to this journey that deeply resonates with me. It's the daily confrontation with the brokenness in the world, my family, and my own life. While I focus on my physical well-being and tackle immunity and histamine issues, I'm reminded of the imperfections in our world by the brokenness I encounter daily.

Psalm 147
That's why... in my "healthy" journey, Psalm 147:3 holds deep spiritual significance. It reminds me that amidst life's brokenness, there's a Divine Healer who can mend my heart and bind my wounds. It's about discovering spiritual healing and solace in a chaotic and imperfect world. 🌟❤️

Back on my knees

As Matthew 9:1 reminds me, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." It's not just my loved ones who may have turned away or followed different paths. I too need Him, every hour, as my Healer. This truth beautifully aligns with my One Word: "healthy." So... back on my knees, no, no not in the physical sense for my knees would surely protest, but in the tender disposition of my heart."

How long has it been since you talked with the Lord

And told him your heart’s hidden secrets?

How long since you prayed?

How long since you stayed

On your knees till the [dawn broke] through? [1]

One of you?

I'm not done reflecting and exploring these Bible verses in their context and what they may hold for me on my journey through 2023, but I wanted to share this moment with you. Perhaps one of you has written a blog post about these 3 Bible verses? If so, could you please share a link?

🌟🕊️ #Healthy2023 

[1] Jim Reeves

Linked to One Word 2023 September Linkup

Embracing the Beauty of the Mundane

About this forest stroll, I write nothing. I carefully spread my mat over the fallen tree trunk and take a seat. I write nothing because nothing out of the ordinary crosses my path.

Yet, should I write?
But today, I defy that notion. I write nonetheless. What was so special that compelled me to pick up my pen now?

From My Diary:
September 15

Just ten minutes ago, I was lying flat on the ground, taking photos (of a mushroom). Imagine if someone had seen me! They might have dialed 112 for help, like, "There's a woman in the forest!" Haha, but now it's break time. I have to 'wait for two trees' before continuing, which means the sun has to pass behind two spruces before I resume. I do this to give my knees a little more rest because they still ache. I sip coffee from my thermos and read a devotion. Today, it's about Haman and Mordechai from the book of Esther: Humble Faithfulness.

Can it be this simple? "Be faithful in the small things; He sees it!" I read it again and again. It feels like I've made a wonderful discovery. The sun slowly rises behind the trees. My break is over, and I feel content with what I read.

End of Diary Page

🌲 ... the pine trees in front of me (with the sun behind my finger)

Twinkle, Twinkle...
Have you ever walked on wet grass in the early morning? As the sun rises, dewdrops turn into - twinkle, twinkle - little stars. Each blade of grass becomes a work of art! When I read the devotion, something similar happened inside me. The ordinary became extraordinary in the light of God shining upon it.

What I Read 📖📱

The simplicity and plainness of Mordechai's life in just one sentence: "So Mordechai went back to the king's gate" (Esther 6:12). Mordechai didn't trumpet his own achievements, as Haman did when he returned from Queen Esther's first banquet (5:11-12). Although he was paraded through the city unexpectedly, he simply returned to his usual place.

There's something appealing about humble faithfulness: just doing what we do day in and day out, not seeking praise but because it's the right thing to do. It may not seem like much at the time, but when children and grandchildren look back on the lives of their faithful parents and grandparents, they often say things like, "She always did this," "He always sat there," "She always prayed there," or "His Bible was always here."

Mordechai did what was right because it was right, not for recognition. Today, let it be enough that you do what is right in the eyes of God, whether you are honored by those around you, like Mordechai, or quickly forgotten like many faithful believers throughout history. One day, all things will fall into place, and honor will be given where it's due. In the meantime, set aside any desire for personal recognition and continue with your daily routine with faithfulness and humility.

~~<><><><>~~

The Sun Rises Over the Ordinary
Do you see the sun rising over the simplicity and plainness of your life? I saw it, and that's why I decided to write about that ordinary walk today, even though it's been over a week. Because it's not about the big things.

God Sees It
I can be who I am in the simplicity and plainness of my life. Being faithful in the small things, knowing my God notices. He sees it.

Contentment in all circumstances is a great art, a spiritual secret. It must be learned, and learned as a secret. You don't attain it through a mathematical formula or the alignment of ideal circumstances. And if our journey to contentment is a work of art, God Himself is the Artist. Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Rainy Day Today
Today, I'm wrapping up this little blog post. I wrote it in three stages. Right now, I don't see twinkle-twinkle stars; instead, rain is streaking down my writing room window. But I still picked up my pen to share who God is to me and for all my brothers and sisters worldwide in our ordinary everyday lives.

☀️🌙🌸 Spurgeon puts it beautifully:

As the sun is to the day,

As the moon is to the night,

As the dew is to the flower,

— so is Jesus Christ to us!

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. I have prayed for you so that your faith may not waver. Do not be afraid. I am here, do not be dismayed. I am your Shield and your exceedingly great Reward." C.H. Spurgeon from: A Cure for Care

🌞💎 The simplicity of life shines like a diamond when awakened by God's smile

Do you feel the same way?
That some ordinary moments, once taken for granted, now hold more value in your memories?