Category: Reflections

• Remembering the Saints – the most significant people in my life who are now dead

    Thursday of this week is Halloween, the eve of All Saints Day. On Sunday, some churches will read a list of members of the congregation who have died over the past year. This is a time of year to remember the people who are no longer with us who have been significant to us…

  Marian

  October 29, 2013

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Music, Reflections, Reunions

  All Saints Day, Aunt Edith, Auntie Emma, Bill Leslie, change in my life, christmas, church organist, daily devotions, Edith Kenseth, Eileen Scott, Emma Prescott, family reunion, friends, God’s love, God-given gifts, Gospel pianist, Halloween, Helen Knoblauch, kindness, Marion Gilberts, Mark Hjermstad, Mary Borgerud, Mom’s love, Mother’s love, Nancy Kornelsen, reflections, Royal Bailie, saints, Selma Jacobson, significant people in my life, thankful, thankfulness, Thanksgiving

• Grace and a Failing Grade

  Pastor Jeff told a quick story at the end of the church service last week. An old friend of his, a priest, had died earlier in the week. This story was told at his funeral. The priest had been an English teacher in a Catholic high school. Many years ago, one of his students came…

  Marian

  October 22, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  athletic policy, Catholic high school, change in my life, Charles Stanley, English teacher, failing grade, fairness, friends, God’s gifts, God’s love, God-given gifts, grace, grace of God, high school, high school football, homework, homework assignments, kindness, life challenges, listening for God, love your neighbor, Pastor Jeff, reflections, report card, school policies, spirituality, Tony Campolo, undeserved gifts

• Stumbling along in Life

  Abbey was lying on the floor beside my desk as I was going through emails. After about ten minutes, she looked up at me and asked, “Hey, Mom. Have a few minutes to talk?” “Sure, Abbey. What’s up?” “When we were out for our walk this morning, did you notice me stumble? I was prancing…

  Marian

  October 15, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Abbey, change in my life, embarrassed, embarrassment, God tripped me, God’s love, God-given gifts, humility, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, patience, reflections, stumble, stumbling, talking with Abbey, talking with God, walking with Abbey

• “O Lord, I want you to help me”

  If you were confined to jail for several months, and you were allowed to get together in the jail chapel with the chaplain and a few other inmates for an hour once every two weeks to have a time to read the Bible, share your thoughts, pray for each other, and sing a couple songs,…

  Marian

  October 8, 2013

  God’s Love, Jail Ministry, Music, Reflections

  Amazing Grace, friends, God’s love, help me, help me on my journey, help me on this journey, How Great Thou Art, inmates singing, jail chapel, jail ministry, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, O God help me, O Lord I want you to help me, Precious Lord Take My Hand, reflections, singing, spirituality, Surely the presence of the Lord, talking with God

• Thoughts on Gratitude

  Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life. (Jack Canfield, creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books) Anna, the 92-year-old woman who lives with Mim and me, knows that very well. She is so appreciative of everything anyone does for her. “Thank you” is probably…

  Marian

  October 1, 2013

  Assisted Living, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  assisted living, Aztec Prayer, Aztec Prayer to God, blessings, congratulations, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, Edward Hays, farmhouse, friends, fulfilled life, gratitude, hospitality, Jack Canfield, kind wishes, kindness, life calling, life challenges, listening for God, love your neighbor, Old World Wisconsin, onion farm, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim, reflections, root vegetables, spirituality, thankfulness, warm wishes

• Sharing Some Thoughts

  Marilyn Huebel, a very good friend of mine in Chicago, writes a weekly blog, much like I do. A couple Mondays ago she posted “Vinegar on Spinach.” I really liked the post, and asked her if I could share it on my blog sometime. She agreed, and today’s the day you get to read it.…

  Marian

  September 17, 2013

  Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  doing things differently, friends, life challenges, Marilyn Huebel, musings, nostalgic reflection, people do it differently, reflections, right vs. wrong, tribal preferences, vinegar on spinach, vinegar vs. butter

• Make My Day!

  A few weeks ago I received a phone call from Gladys, one of my ninety-plus-year-old friends in Chicago. I had sent her a letter to tell her about the two books I’ve written, and she was calling to talk about them, as well as to bring Mim and me up to date with some changes…

  Marian

  September 10, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Adventures in Hospitality, Aunt Edith, Barbara Robinson, blind, blindness, book stub, books on tape, devotional book, e-book format, free copy of book, friends, Friendship Club, Gladys Johnson, goals, God’s love, God-given gifts, hospitality, Kindle, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, Lighthouse for the Blind, listening for God, love your neighbor, macular degeneration, make my day, old friends, reading to the blind, reflections, Resurrection Lutheran Church, seniors club, Text-to-Speech, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

• My Mom’s Wedding Ring

  I wore my mom’s wedding ring to church on Sunday. I sometimes wear the ring when I want to feel that Mom is especially close to me. Often that’s when I’m planning to play some extra special music on the piano or organ at church, and I know Mom would really enjoy listening to it.…

  Marian

  September 3, 2013

  God’s Love, Music, Reflections

  Be Still My Soul, Bill Gaither, church family, church music, coffee hour, East Koshkonong Lutheran Church, extended family, family of God, Finlandia, friends, God’s love, God-given gifts, His Eye Is on the Sparrow, In the Garden, life calling, Messiah Lutheran Church, mom, organist, pianist, reflections, Sibelius, the Family of God, wedding ring

• Reclaiming Sunday

  Do not let Sunday be taken from you. If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan. Albert Schweitzer When I was a little kid, Sundays had a very different rhythm from every other day of the week. The day started with a different breakfast. We had cold cereal with milk and bananas. Every…

  Marian

  August 19, 2013

  Blogs, Goals, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  Albert Schweitzer, blogging, day of rest, goals, life challenges, Maya Angelou, reflections, Sabbath, spirituality, Sunday, Sunday afternoon, Sunday dinner, working on Sunday

• Another Talk with Abbey

  Late Sunday morning, after I got home from church, I was sitting in the La-Z-Boy in my office reading the newspaper. Abbey came up to me and sat down. I could tell by the look on her face that she wanted to talk. She started by asking me about church. “Mom, how did the music…

  Marian

  August 12, 2013

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Music, Reflections

  Abbey, chemo, church music, Dan Korth, Danny, favorite hymn, God hug, God will take care of you, God’s love, Holly, leukemia, life challenges, life changes, reflections