A Common Life

2026 Election Results

I don't spend a lot of time on news sites, but the reality is, you can't ask good questions if you never read the news.

It is hard to express how unfortunate it is that we've lost 7 Senate seats and at this point, 25 seats in the House flipped. The efforts of the Democrats to infiltrate conservative states has paid off. Ultimately, it isn't surprising when you look at the state of our world. The enemy seems to be gaining ground left and right. With the rise of anti-Christian religions, crime, turmoil in marriages and families, there's evidence of evil everywhere.

We know that God will call us with the trumpet sound at a time that is just right. I think the left will think they are gaining yet another victory when we depart. The evil world will think they are truly reaching their Nirvana. We must care for the lost and dying even in the midst of this harsh blow.

America is so blue, and this political mapping is just one aspect of it. But God....☺

Making Life Smaller

God has a way of growing us that is pretty awe inspiring. We can be so hard-headed and intent to work in our own strength. Many people complain about getting older; we share platitudes about how it isn't for sissies and things along that line. It is true. There are things that go along with getting older that are not better than when you are younger!! But there are things that go along with getting older that are better. One is that you just can't stress too hard when you make mistakes. It happens. And it happens more and more at certain seasons of life.

It has taken over 50 years for me to slow down, and not because of a physical problem. That was a couple of years ago. But now my body is better, not like when I was younger, but far improved over the set-back 2 years ago. No, this slow down is more of a mental simplifying. A necessary simplifying. No one looking at my days would say I'm slowing down, but my ability to juggle many things well is slowing down rather. My world needs to shrink. I'm making mistakes that are surprising. I'd say 'alarming' if I were younger or living a different life.

Recently I auto-shipped to a relative something I never intended to have on auto-ship. I ordered double of an expensive vitamin, possibly 4 times more....then I cleaned a house on a day I don't usually do it because of thinking I was traveling sooner than I was. It seems I forgot to tell the home owner I'd be there a different day, which was a big deal. No one wants someone in their house when they aren't expecting it! The kicker is, I didn't need to move the day I cleaned for them at all! We were not away on Thursday, only Friday...This last one is a total alert to PUT ON THE BRAKES in my busy schedule.

This is the reality of when you are over-loaded. This is when you must pull in the reigns hard and not make any plans with people. It is time to cut more from the schedule. Take things off the plate. Be home more. Slow down, double check, send reminders like I used to....make lists. I can't keep up with all the people I'd like to keep up with. I can't add coffee dates or lunch dates. Making plans with people is giving me heart palpitations. It has to be last-minute or not at all, and more often than not, it is going to be the latter.

God is good to bring me to this point. I've never been here; it is epic honestly. I know why I'm to this point, and thankfully so does my husband of over 28 yrs.

Have you found yourself at your full capacity? Doing all you can, but obviously slipping? What do you do? Zero in on the must-do's. In all arenas of life. You can't have FOMO! Do the work that has to be done. Draw near to God, spend daily time with Him. Step away from responsibilities you can step away from. Carefully budget your energy and mental/emotional resources so the essentials get your best.

My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Amen.

When We Stray From What's Right, We Complicate Things and Miss Out

Ways change and often we fail to really look at why. Should we just go along with the nouveau without considering the underlying reasons? The world certainly has ideas that justify why they do what they do. Are we careful to examine the 'why' if we're going along with the current trends?

How many couples do the things only married people should do, then to make their wedding special, they turn it into something far more elaborate than they need to? Why is this?

I submit it is because what should have made it most special has already been done, and so they have to create other things to try and make it feel special. Sadly, all of the trappings can never replace what God designed. Trying to create a substitute for God's best just doesn't work.

There should be nervousness and anticipation at a wedding-- innocence. A man and a woman coming together to live out what they've already demonstrated (hopefully) in their dating: him leading her in a loving way showing his care for her, and her doing what she can to show she'll be a suitable helpmeet. They should both have been showing a willingness to die to themselves and build a life that is truly pleasing to the Lord. They shouldn't look like professionals with how they are physically with one another.

Just as the engagement ring is a young man's gift demonstrating the best he has to offer, the couple is a gift to one another for after they say, "I do", offering all of themselves to each other.

There are only a few opportunities in this life when you get to joyfully anticipate something wonderful that has some unknowns. Enjoy experiencing them. They are for a season that passes far too quickly.

Music I Love

Revival Came, George Whitefield

Where You've Never Been Praised, David Livingston

Attempt Great Things for God, William Carey

Consumed for Lost Souls, David Brainerd

Another Death

My family has a small ministry to widows. We love them. It's a joy to spend time with the ladies and invest in them. Of course, I wish I had more time to visit them in their homes or when they are in the hospital.

Something the Lord has been teaching me this past year is that I simply can't do all I might wish to do, but I need to prayerfully consider how to use the available time He's afforded me. There's only so much time in a day, but there's also only so much bandwidth mentally and emotionally available to expend. Certain fixed responsibilities consume what we have to offer, and after that, we must divide up our resources carefully. This is a reality of aging for this writer, though others who know me best might say it's always been true, apparently I'm just now realizing it. Probably because I'm at capacity, or very near it, most of the time.

I think in terms of "big rocks in the jar", and that is the monthly gathering for this ministry. There's planning and shopping, plus texting and emailing. Sometimes there are phone calls, but those are the smaller rocks. There's cleaning and food prep, the event, and then more cleaning and laundry and rest. There is card writing, because at least I can do that when the health challenges come.

Goodbyes are hard. Seeing the strength of the ladies and their love of God is a gift, even as they diminish here. One sweet friend got to say goodbye to us all and that was precious. Another passed and we thought we'd see her again. And now another has left this temporary home and is with her King. In about a month's time, our group has lost these three sweet friends. It's helpful knowing our loss is Heaven's fullness! Each widow had beloved family that had gone on before them, and each loved God and was a born again believer.

I hope I'm brave like those who were brave. I hope I love like these girls love. They have become such inspirations and a source of comfort to me the past 2 years. I'll miss JG, AMB and TL. It was a privilege to be involved in their lives in a small way.