Both are my girls. I am rooting for them in so many ways. They have both have chosen the difficult path, not a smooth-salted highway, but a wandering, unpaved, not knowing- where- you’re- going adventure. One is the daughter by birth and the other daughter of my second heart birth.
“Wha…. what does she mean by that, you inquire”
“Well, I did have to be reborn to loving this girl who came to live with us at age eighteen.”
The guy in the middle, he loved me through it all; the mess, the stress of me being me.
Both of my daughters are also of the King and they thankfully depend on him for EVERYTHING. They choose to love and follow him and admittedly reach out for him in the midnight hour, sorting their lives fraught with challenges and decisions. They’ve learned their lessons well and quite often taking a hard path.
The girls open his word, they abide in the message he gives— journaling in their writing spaces they start their days of family, work, loving, and becoming a disciple of Christ.
My father, Bob, has lived that intentional life for 95 years now. I know he silently and prayerfully roots us on in his night-time space before drifting off. Sadly, my dad, a man of many lists of things to do, who annotated the Tribune daily now spends his days silently orienting to only the weather in the paper and blankly stares at CNN. Most days he still recognizes me and holds my hand.
And I cherish the love he still gives so freely.
I wonder, will this happen to me? Will my very deliberate morning journaling sessions as I write my thoughts to God be gone in thirty years? Oh, help me Lord to view this space as holy ground and be thankful for every day that I am able to communicate my thoughts and new learnings to my God, my friends, and family.
As we open our laptops, our journals and books daily help us to remember and appreciate the MAGIC that occurs in the struggle to pen our hearts.
PS Thank you Ruth for giving us this space.
PSS Today’s verse gave comfort, rest, and hope.
John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Two years and finishing strong... 
That is a verse to hold onto when there is so much fear in the world today. What a beautiful photo! Your daughter looks just like you. We don’t know what the future holds, but your beliefs will help you navigate when the road becomes rocky.
LC… Em does look like me and KB looks like Dave, Lol. They are both amazing adult women who I respect… neither live close and that has been very hard this year. XO
It is hard to watch the aging parent lose what is so important to them. I am grateful my father is still able to write. He used to write books, but now he will write quick Facebook posts, Bible study presentations, and I signed him up with Storyworth to get him to write his life story. I realize this time is slipping away. He’s 86. Prayers for your family as they take time to love your dad for as long as you can.
praying Margaret for your dad… book writer and Bible Study goer… my dad was so good for so long, it has just been since breaking his leg in middle of Covid and not being able to orient of explain anything to him…kind of a nightmare and physically is his doing great, but communication is so difficult… thanks for responding
I needed to read this, to reorient my heart…and I loved this line so much. “As we open our laptops, our journals and books daily help us to remember and appreciate the MAGIC that occurs in the struggle to pen our hearts.” Yes, yes, yes.
Thanks for responding Julie…I can’t tell you how much your writing moves me each week. XO
Your daughters are beautiful.
Thank you for sharing all of this.
So inspiring.
And the verse was a perfect one to read this morning.
Missing our girls so much lately, the shot can’t come soon enough. XO