My Brother

I found this post that I published from 2011.   I want you to know all that has happened since this time:

"After over 20 years, I finally was able to talk to my brother, Mark, this week. I had no idea where he was, what he was doing or even if he was alive. My friend Gaylin one time offered to go with me to Denver to try to find him. I have prayed for him and thought about him so often. I am beyond thankfulness to God for bringing him back into my life. I am filled with joy just knowing he is happy and doing well, and most importantly, that he is a believer.

This reminds me, of course, of how much God loves it when a lost person is found and brought into the kingdom. We pray for years sometimes and then our prayer is answered. Sometimes our prayers are not answered, even after many years of praying. I would like to encourage you though to continue those prayers. Every prayer stands in the presence of God, active and alive, until the day we all return to our real home in Heaven. God is faithful to cherish those prayers and the hearts that prayed them. Your prayers may still bear fruit, even if you are no longer here praying them"

Since this time, my brother has moved to Joplin near us.  He came on a bus, with no money, no ID and deathly ill.  After about 3 weeks in the hospital with a blood infection, and the discovery of a rare skin disease, my dear hubby Fred helped  him get all his necessary ID's to prove he's alive and human, and started looking for a job.  He found one eventually, then moved to our town and found an even better job.  He is now living on his own and enjoying making things, building things and friends and church. God is good!

A New Year

Another post, many months later from my last one. 

Our granddaughter Riley is now a first grader!  She reads at a higher level than first grade and loves math.  She is fun, funny, independent, lovely, ornery. . . normal. 

Our daughter, Melissa, became engaged on New Year's Eve to Steven.  He is a retired Marine, a few years older, and good for Missy.  They have so much in common, and Riley loves him, and he loves Riley.  We are happy for them!

Been exercising at the Y for a year now.  No pounds lost but I feel great.  No high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.  Just way over my preferred weight.  Will continue to work on that this year.

Art/junk journaling is my new hobby.  Painting, gluing, collaging, sewn binding.  Riley and I made our first journals out of paper lunch bags about a year ago.  Hers turned out way better than mine!  I also still like to make a jewelry piece from time to time.  And crocheting, sewing and reading the too many books I've collected this past year.

My spiritual priorities this year are to continue to serve in any capacity God sets before me.  More studying His word, more detailed prayer.  Our LeadHer group's word for the year is Worship.  My "words" for the year are "expand my spiritual circle and strive for a higher level of excellence, not accepting mediocrity."

God bless you all. . . whoever you are that are following.  I'll make a better effort to keep up with blogging.