It was a winter wonderland as my friend and I traveled the other morning. The sun shone brightly on every tree decked out in full glory. The blizzards of yesterday and yesteryear are forgotten when one sees those snowflakes glisten and sparkle. The world around us was a heavenly mantle of white. One can truly appreciate each season of the year.
Episode 117: Christmas in a Cave →
Recently, my dear friend from Nebraska shared with me her anticipated pre-Christmas pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Her excitement over being able to be in His land in the Christmas season brought many warm thoughts to my mind. It was 10 years ago that I experienced the joy of worshipping in a cave on the shepherd hills on Christmas Eve. While the many experiences I had the day before Christmas, and on Christmas day were so vivid in my mind. I wrote them down the day after Christmas, in the International Hotel on a hill in Jerusalem. And I will share these thoughts with you dear readers of this Warm Thoughts column.
Episode 116: Happy Christmas to All →
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" These heartwarming and familiar words so dear to all, complete Clement Clarke Moore's beloved poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas." The following Christmas poem was written by an unknown author, "Twas the Night Before Jesus Came."
Episode 88: The Heart of Spring →
Happy Easter! Easter and Spring have arrived. As I write these warm thoughts, it is the week before Easter, and there are still some mountains of snow surrounding the little home on the prairie. My grandson, Trevor, who lives in Nebraska and who's spending some special vacation days with his grandma in South Dakota, is overjoyed to make an Easter snowman! Is spring really here in South Dakota?
Episode 81: What is Love? →
When you read this Warm Thoughts column, it will be February, and January has come and gone. Where has the month gone so fast? It has been a month of London Fog flinging, a Crystal Veil over the Heartland! A real Winter Wonderland. February is heart month...the month of Groundhog, Valentine's Day, Presidents Day...Did I forget something? February is also the month when many warm thoughts on love come to mind. And his book, "How to Love," Arthur H Rauner, Jr states, "It is a selfish world." He defines love as not emotions or feelings, but the willingness to sacrifice for another. When we are selfish and look only to support our own causes, we cannot truly love. It is many moons ago that a blind friend of mine read the poem, "What is Love." As her fingers touched each line of Braille, my hearts thoughts followed each word. The author is unknown, and I would like to share these warm thoughts on love with you.
Episode 80: Forgiving Others →
In last week's column, it was mentioned that January 21st is National Hugging Day. I also read about Thank You Day being in January. And the last week in January has long been known as International Forgiveness Week. The other morning I was listening on the radio, and heard it say that a noted doctor stated that, "70% of the people would be released from hospitals in 24, hours, if they knew they were forgiven." A French philosopher once said that, "To know all is to forgive all." Among my heroes of faith are many missionary friends whose forgiving heart has taken them to their former captors. That is the story of St. Patrick who went back to Ireland as a Christian missionary to take the love of Christ. A well known missionary and author of many books, worked among the people who killed her husband, and other missionaries. There are many heroes of faith, who live a life of daily forgiveness. Forgiveness is the mark of maturity. Life is too short to hold a grudge. Harry E. Fosdick once said, "Hating people is like burning down your home to get rid of a rat." The inability to forgive and forget, is what makes one sick. As we have many warm thoughts on forgiveness during International Forgiveness Week, may we remember, there is a little remedy to ease the life we live and make each day, a happier one - it is the word, forgive.
Episode 65: Intentional Counting →
Some time ago, a dear friend and great grandma who has faced many emotional challenges in her life, shared some thoughts about counting. This dear friend regularly reads this Warm Thoughts column and wanted to share the thoughts of an unknown author, with all you, dear readers out there, somewhere. We live in an age where we have many choices and changes.
Some time ago, I heard someone state that, "Pain is inevitable, but misery and being miserable is a choice." In the school of learning and hard knocks, the following thoughts may warm our hearts, and perhaps motivate us in our own countdown.
Episode 52: Reflection in the Mountains →
It is springtime, and the Rockies. After the wintry April of South Dakota, it was a spring retreat for me to fly to the mountains of Colorado. It is always a joy to go see family in Colorado and celebrate special family events. Going to the mountains provides special moments for reflection and meditation. It was many years ago that I reflected on Psalm, 121, a favorite psalm for many and at that time, I penned these lines, which I will share with you.