Beauty in Unexpected Places

We have been having some beautiful spring weather here in Missouri lately. But our motto is, "If you don't like the weather in Missouri, stick around--it will change!" I should know better than to get excited about good weather so early in the season.

Sure enough, I awoke Saturday morning to rainy, damp, cold weather. I went out into the sunroom and was pleasantly surprised with this sight! I bought this plant last summer. It has survived all winter despite my neglect (I think I've only watered it three times all winter!) The pot had even turned over on its side.

This was a gentle reminder to me that life can take us by surprise. We can't always go by what we see on the outside. Outside it was rainy and cold, but inside, new life was blooming, even in a place where it was unexpected.

Happy Spring!

Moving Forward

For several years now, the phrase, "move forward" has come to mind often, especially when praying about various situations. Those words were vital to me when I was caught trudging through life in the months right before and after my marriage ended. My relationship with God is the only thing that propels me forward as I cannot do this alone.


Life seems to be flying at me double-speed these days (mainly good things, thankfully!) I see dreams coming true and am learning it's all in the attitude. Proverbs 23:7 says, "...as a man thinketh, so he is in his heart..." I have learned the truth in this! You ARE what you think! I see doors opening before me. In the past, I would hesitate and wonder what was on the other side? What if I made a mistake? What if I failed? It was safer to stay where I was. But staying in the same place makes one stagnant. I have to move forward. I have to take the chance.


When I face those mountains that loom ahead of me in life, I hold my head up and move forward. I'm not looking back. I'm not standing still. There's no place to go .... but forward.


It's funny how a simple conversation can point you in the right direction. Several years ago an old friend mentioned that he wanted to visit Mt. Everest. Interesting to me because, at the time, I had never given that part of the world any thought before. Soon after, I heard someone speak about Nepal (where Everest is located) and my heart was captured. I started to think this was not a coincidence. Actually traveling to that part of the world (albeit Bangladesh) confirmed what my heart was telling me. These were my people! That same friend mentioned he then wanted to go to Bhutan. "Where??" I thought (and was embarrassed to see that Bhutan was just located 2 hours north of where I had been in Dhaka).

Thanks to modern technology and my Facebook obsession, I now have a friend and future tour guide in Bhutan, my cool friend, Karma! Check out his website. http://www.go2bhutan.com/ It really is a small world after all.

Moving forward.....