Category: Reflections
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Working Together – Joy or Drudgery?
Last night Mim and I went to a fundraising concert for the jail ministry of Dane County. Chance Allies, a Madison group of three musicians – a female vocalist, a pianist, and a bass player, performed lots of jazz classics, mostly from the era of Cole Porter and George Gershwin. It was a wonderful evening.…
Marian
accomplishments, assisted living, blogging, Chance Allies, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, David Allen, fundraising concert, goals, God-given gifts, jail ministry, jail ministry fundraiser, jazz classics, jazz combo, jazz musicians, life calling, life challenges, listening for God, Lucas Koehler, Madison jazz musicians, reflections, spirituality, Tisha Brown, UCC pastor, working together -
Fluffy Clouds, Still Goldfinches, and Dirty Windows
Up in heaven, a new angel must have been assigned to weather control for southern Wisconsin last week. As a newbie, he’s not quite sure how to maneuver all the clouds and keep the seasons in line. We’ve been covered by some of the biggest, fluffiest clouds I’ve ever seen in my life for the…
Marian
1 Corinthians 13, angels, complete truth, dirty windows, fluffy clouds, God’s love, goldfinches, kindness, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, Marcus Aurelius, nature, October weather, perception, perspective, reflections, see things clearly, spirituality, talking with God, weather -
I should have known better …
Last Tuesday I did something really dumb. As a 65-year-old, I should have known better. The day started out fine. I spent the morning working on my computer in my home office. I was working on a mailing to promote my new book, Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest. I knew I just had the…
Marian
65-year-old, Abbey, caffeine, coffee, Come Lord Jesus Be Our Guest, Costco, cup of coffee, daily devotions, devotional book, dumb thing, eye doctor, God’s love, I should have known better, iced coffee, insomnia, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, mailing, mocha freeze, mochas, new book, praying, praying for others, reflections, sarah young, sleeplessness, spirituality, talking with God -
My Brother Danny
I have a brother who is two years older than me. He’ll be 67 on September 11. (His birthday is the event I prefer to associate with that date.) To me, and to most of his friends and relatives that have known him since childhood, his name is Danny. To his wife, and to friends…
Marian
commitment to prayer, courage, daily devotions, Dan Korth, Daniel Korth, Danny, Danny Boy, Danny Korth, Designed for Devotion, devotional book, Dianne Neal Matthews, God’s love, God-given gifts, inspiration, integrity, life calling, life challenges, lion’s den, listening for God, name, naming, Nebuchadnezzar, reflections, spirituality, talking with God, writing on the wall -
An Endless Supply of Grandmas
Seven years ago, Mim and I were interviewed by a 12-year-old boy. We wanted to adopt his 3-year-old dog Abbey. He wasn’t able to keep her any more, and he put her up for adoption through the Humane Society. We saw Abbey’s picture on the Internet, and called the number listed to schedule a time…
Marian
Abbey, adopting a dog, adopting Abbey, Adventures in Hospitality, assisted living, bonus moms and dads, book about hospitality, Come Lord Jesus, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, end-of-life care, endless supply of grandmas, God’s love, grandma, grandmas, hospice, hospice care, hospitality, Humane Society, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, middle generation, reflections, talking with God -
Maria’s Story – Part 2
When I came home from playing the piano for the Women’s Worship Service at the county jail last Thursday, Abbey met me at the door. “Did you see Maria?” she asked. “Did Maria come to worship?” “No, Abbey,” I replied. “Maria has already been transferred to the women’s prison in northeastern Wisconsin. That’s where she’ll…
Marian
10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without, Abbey, ABC News anchor, Bob Woodruff, book on prayer, God’s love, Guideposts, How to Talk to God about Anything, jail, jail ministry, kindness, Lee Woodruff, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, prayer, praying for others, prison, reflections, Rick Hamlin, spirituality, talking with God, women’s prison -
Maria’s Story
“Hey, Abbey. Can you come here a minute? I need to talk, and I need someone to just listen.” “OK, Mom. You know I’m always ready to just sit beside you and listen. What’s up?” “I’m really sad today. I heard on the news that a woman in Madison was sentenced to 13 years in…
Marian
Abbey, being Jesus, conversation with Abbey, example of kindness, fairness, funeral in jail, God’s love, jail, jail ministry, killing a child, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, prison, prison sentence, reflections, showing God’s love, spirituality, talking with God, worship in jail, you are the only Jesus some people every see -
Remembering My Dad
I haven’t bought my dad a Father’s Day present in more than twenty years. He died 22 years ago. But with all the advertising on TV over the past few weeks, I’ve been prompted to think more about my dad, about the kind of dad he was, and about the kind of presents he liked…
Marian
birthday, blessing in disguise, Father’s Day, Father’s Day present, favorite presents, gardening, God’s love, God-given gifts, hired hand, kindness, Korth farm, Korth Park, lake mills wisconsin, last present, life calling, life changes, listening for God, mom and dad, nature, reflections, remembering dad, school drop-out, spirituality, vegetable garden -
Angels Among Us
The past three weeks have been quite strenuous for all of us at Country Comforts Assisted Living. One of our residents was living through his last days in this life. Abbey is always a really big comfort to our residents as well as to their friends and family during this time of life transition, but…
Marian
Abbey, angels, assisted living, bear you up, cloud of love, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, end-of-life care, family portrait, friends, God’s love, God-given gifts, guardian angel, heavenly guests, hospitality, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, Psalm 91, reflections, spirituality, talking with God -
The Magic of Books
Three years and three and a half months ago I started writing a book on hospitality. Last Wednesday, 1200 days after starting the project, I signed off on the book with the publisher. In a week or two I should hold the first copy of the published book in my hands. Why did I…
Marian
Whispering Winds Blog 