Ransomed Relics

10/14/2026

Soo true!!!

10/02/2026

FAITH FILLED FRIDAY’S
Contemplation’s

Out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks Matthew 12:24

Have you ever been with someone that constantly complains? Or has such a filthy mouth, it just seems to spew from them? Or how about someone who always sees the negative in everything?? One the other hand, have you been with someone who their very essence flows with love and grace? Their mouth opens and the goodness of God seems to flow out of their mouth as easily as their breath??

I remember years ago we were holding meetings in East Chicago. The pastors father, who was from Italy, would pray and you could feel the presence of God in such a tangible way that it felt like all heaven paused to hear him speak!!! I never forgot it! I forgot his name, I’ve forgotten his face, but I have never forgotten the way the Lord moved through him! In Nappanee Indiana, we were holding meetings at a little country church, there was a retired pastors wife who had had a stroke but when she tried to speak, it was a little garbled, yet her face shone with the glory of God and she would raise her hands and proclaim,” Jesus, you are my friend!!!”
Out of the ABUNDANCE of their hearts, their mouth was speaking!!!

Jesus said that He came to give life and that more abundantly! I’m living an abundant life!!! But I want more of Him, as I’m sure you do!! What I want in my heart is an abundance of His Spirit and the word of God because out of your belly, Jesus said, will flow rivers of living waters!!! Let it flow!!! I painted this mural on an almost 13 foot high and 8 ft wide wall in my home depicting the flowing waterfall that I want flowing through our life and our home! But it ALL STARTS IN OUR HEARTS!

I love what David wrote, ”Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me!!!” Takes a few minutes today to contemplate what’s in your heart. What is flowing out of your mouth because that is what your heart is full of?We all struggle with this issue! The scripture has soo much to say about our hearts!! That would be an awesome word study! I bow my head today and ask the Lord to cleanse me and fill me with a new heart!

May our hearts be overflowing with rivers of new water that will flow into the life of our family and all that come in contact with us!

09/19/2026

FAITH FILLED FRIDAY’S
Been There-Done That

I think we have all heard that saying at one time or another. It normally reflects a feeling of experiencing something either good or bad. There are so many experiences in life!!! Some are just sooo good! Others are just so bad! lol!!!

Having toddlers around, you really get to see the wonder of life! We have four grandchildren under the age of four! You get to see them exploring and delighting at just simple things!!! Opening a drawer and closing a drawer for 20 times brings oh’s and ahh’s from their little mouths! The little finger pointing at a bird poised for flight with a sweet expression of excitement, brings a parent or grandparent a kind of joy that fills your heart. The sense of wonder they feel at walking in the rain, their little hands stretched up to the sky! I will hate when this season flies by because it helps me to quit looking at life as a saying “been there- done that”!!!

May we face life with expectancy! The wonder of new experiences! Walking in a field of flowers or hiking by a rushing river! May we see our Creator in the nature He gave us to enjoy. A picture of the beauty that is in His heart! We were created to be in awe at His majesty! To enjoy this beautiful life we have been blessed with! May we be a toddler, exploring the everyday experiences with wonder and get joy out of the mundane things! May we see with new eyes instead of the eyes of complacency and boredom!

I can’t help but to think of the difference between a toddler and a teenager!!! lol! A toddler gets joy out of everything! A teenager is stuck with their eyes on their phone or video game!!! They seem to be lost in their own world instead of interacting with those around them. Everything is weighed by their own personal preferences and views. They seem to loose the innocence of life when it’s just beginning to open for them! I loved my children at all stages! They were awesome teenagers and are awesome adults!!! Yet I miss the awe of when they were toddlers!

I think that’s why grandparents are so crazy about their grandchildren because you get a second chance at loving your kids again! This time you aren’t too busy to let them smell a flower or pause to watch a squirrel scamper through the trees! You are slowing down and enjoying life because you know there is more life behind you than before you. I try to soak in every minute I can get with my kids! I try to take each cherished moment and stamp it in my heartt!!!

There are many things I could say “ Been there-Done that “, but I’m trying my best to savor the moments as a new experience and a new beginning! To count each day as a new opportunity for growth! To focus on what really counts and what is a waste of time! To treasure these precious moments not just in ads over them! Teach us Lord to number our days as the psalmist said! Help us to live in the moment!!!
Love you dear friends!!! Thank you for taking the time to read these posts!!! If you enjoy them, always feel free to share them and comment!!! It means a lot to me!

09/11/2026

FAITH FILLED FRIDAYS
Seasons Of Change

HEY, sweet friends!!! I have missed a few weeks and that frustrates me!!! I want to be writing and posting faithfully because I really want to encourage others in their walk in life. I sit here today asking myself does it really matter? And the answer is a resounding yes!!!! Not because I’m anything special but because YOU ARE!!!! You are special, you matter to the Father!!! You matter to our Savior and if God can use this for one person it is worth the effort because you are worth the effort!

We all have dreams and visions of what we see life as!!! When you are young you feel you have time to accomplish all your dreams and visions but as we age, those dreams and visions become grounded in reality. I had to have a reality check a few years ago and realize that what I wanted and what the Lord had in store for me was two different things! I LOVE TO PAINT! I love doing furniture but as I got older, I can’t move that heavy furniture like I used to. Canvases are a much better fit in size and for space and mobility issues. So I paint canvases now. Is that a failure?? No, it’s just a tweak of the same dream!

I dream of being in a gallery but I have to ask myself what is the most important thing in my life… Is it being a professional artist or is it my family or can I do both??? Life is full of challenges, accessing our values and our goals. The scripture says a wise man counts the cost of building a building… what does it cost, how much should I have to plan for? We dream but every dream has a cost attached to it! Are you willing to pay that cost? I don’t want a half built building because I ran out of money! lol I want to finish my course with faithfulness to Gods plan for my life!

I thought I would be married to the same man and in the ministry my whole life! My course seemed set and I was happy in that! I didn’t want nothing else yet life had different plans!!! One thing that John told me as he was dying was that it was my time to bloom like a rose!!! At that time I thought it meant my art and business! So I threw myself into my art and it healed my heart! God used that to help me through the hardest time of my life!!!

Then God sent this retired army man into my life. I had another choice to make! I still wanted to paint but I didn’t want to live alone either!! What do I do? Do I stay focused on art or could I have both? The Lord helped me to see it was ok to enjoy life!!! He wanted me to slow down and let love enter my heart again. He wanted me to feel free! Not bound by expectations that I put on myself!!!! To live life and to love!!! 💕 so I did! Then came the grandchildren!!! Oh boy, us grandparents know what they do to us!!! Our hearts are full!!!

I had another hard decision to make! Do I spend hours everyday painting or do I enjoy these beautiful children and new husband I’ve been blessed with? Do I enjoy the beautiful life God has given me or do I continue to work long hours painting building a business? I made my choice! To bloom as John wanted me too! Times and seasons change! Life changes and either we change with it or we are left empty and working hard for something that doesn’t really matter! I choose my husband and my family! To be involved in their life! To be present everyday!!!!

Did my dreams go away?? No, they just changed and THATS OK!!!! I still paint, but the pressure is off my shoulders to perform. I paint for pleasure now! I paint paintings that are filling my house with trips Carl and I have gone on! Trips to Italy, France, Spain, and Hawaii! I paint our adventures and we relive them as we walk through our house every day! I paint for my siblings, paintings that mean something to them! I paint for my nieces and nephews!!! I paint wedding gifts and birthday and Christmas gifts! I paint my heart!!!

The big question I had to answer though was God mad at me that I choose to be happy and live again??? Did I not fulfill my purpose? Yet HE WAS THE ONE WHO ORCHESTRATED THE WHOLE THING!!! I think in the church world that I grew up in the pressure to DO something and BE something always kept you feeling like you always had to be busy!!! I had to deal with guilt that I wasn’t doing enough! I had to release myself from the pressure I was putting on myself. It was never God putting pressure on me, it was me!!!

My dreams are fulfilled! My heart is happy! I love traveling with the man I love, my best friend! I love spending time with my grown children, they are my life! I love my grand children and can’t wait to be their Grammy at all times!!!! I love this life! I love ministering to others and helping others see Jesus! And I think God looks down and says I did this for you, my Daughter because I love you!

If life has changed for you. And if your seasons have changed, don’t keep looking back, just look ahead at what God has given you and be blessed!!! Realizing that it’s going to be ok!!! God has you in the palm of His hand! Your change may be different than mine and you may be in the middle of this season of change not knowing how it will work out but listen to a fellow traveler, just hang on, God has you! He has great plans for you!!! It will be ok!!!

Just a few pictures of this beautiful life God has blessed me with!!!

09/01/2026

The today you have been gone 7 years! How can that be? It seems like yesterday but also seems forever ago…Here is my dear John letter…..

Dearest John,

It has been seven years today., almost to the minute that you passed from this life to the next. Emotions swirl around my mind as I relive the day you went to heaven. The grief is there but along with the grief comes the realization that I’m so glad that you didn’t suffer. Right after you passed, Covid hit and I’m soo glad you didn’t have to live through that. We got to be with you and love on you till Jesus called you home!

I grieve that you never got to meet your 5 grandchildren! You would have been such a great grandpa!!! They are the light of my life!!!! One day you will get to meet them and you will be so impressed at how much they are such a beautiful reflection of us!! And our kids of course!!! They are such treasures!!!

The kids are doing so well! They miss you so much yet we laugh at the good memories that we all had. You would be soo proud!!! Bethany has had her struggles physically but is doing well and able to work part time! Titus has dealt with pain for 20 years yet he has recently gotten relief through new procedures! I know you would be happy for that! Moriah has a beautiful little girl, Jordan Faith! She lights up a room with her sweet smiles! Blake just turned 9 and what an addition she is to our family! Josiah is getting ready to graduate seminary, you would be soo proud of him! His three girls are the light of my life!! They are such joy!!

Sometimes I sit and think about how much you have missed but then I remember the post you made about heaven and how you were looking forward to seeing Jesus! How can I grieve for you? I can’t! I grieve for our loss but for you time is no more! You are in eternity and will turn around and we will be there!!!

You would be so happy that I’m living a good life. That I am loved by a good man who takes care of me like you did. You’d be happy that we are thriving and enjoying life. You and I talked about it and your hopes came true! God sent me exactly what I needed. I’m sure you have met his late wife, Mary Ann, and you all probably laugh at our adventures and are happy that Carl and I love each other just as we adored you both and we still do!

You are always in my heart, my dear husband and you always will be! Till we meet again! I love you!

07/31/2026

Faith FILLED FRIDAY’S
ARE YOU HUNGRY???

Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you sit down to a meal, it tastes especially good, your sooo hungry and it “hits the spot “!! You enjoy it so much!!! So you return the following week and you order the same thing but it just doesn’t taste the same? What makes the difference?

Maybe, it’s because the first time you ate it, you were sooo hungry!!! Did you know that in Proverbs 27:7 it tells us the
the “full soul” loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet!!! When you are full, the best desserts and the most tasty things loose their effectiveness to make you feel satisfied because you already are full. But when you are hungry, really hungry, even the bitter things taste soo sweet!

Have some bitterness in your life? Things that leave such a bad taste in your mouth??? Get hungry!!! Get so hungry for more of God and his goodness that even the bitter things in your life take on a sweetness when you lay them down at His feet! Jesus made a promise that he that hungers and thirsts after righteous shall be filled!

Sometimes we spend so much time asking the why’s something happens, we forget that God has a purpose for every season in our life! He wants us to be hungry so that even the why’s take on a new meaning to lead us to be more like Him!!!

We fill our hearts with soo much of the world and get so involved in things around us that when it’s time to come to the Lord, our minds are so “filled” with other things that we feel so full we can’t feast at Gods word!!

May we become hungry for Him! Sooo hungry, wanting His will, His touch, His Presence, that all other things pale in comparison because to the hungry even the bitter becomes sweet!!! I’ve had some bitter things in my life, situations that you just hang your head and can’t comprehend another battle, another journey! Ahhh, but when I fall on my face with a hunger in my heart, the Lord breathes His presence into my bitterness! It takes on the sweetness of the Holy Spirit, reviving my soul and bringing new joy and new understanding! And the best thing is that He paid all the cost for us and this is free!!! In this age of uncertainty and the turmoil around us, we have many questions why that we may never have an answer to but our one answer is this:

Isaiah 55:1

1“Come! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy w**e and milk
Without money and without price.

07/24/2026

07/24/2026

FAITH FILLED FRIDAYS

Carl and I are watching our grandkids for 11 days as my son and daughter-in-love take a much needed break. Kid-free for 11 days! You never know what that means until you have children! As a grandparent, we look forward to this time yet we realize why God gave us our children when we were young! lol We are tired by the end of the day! We are counting down the hours til bedtime! lol but are ready to do it again the next day.

I wasn’t a grandmother until 64. I envy young grandmothers because you have so much energy! The one thing I think that comes with age is the ability to number our days. I recognize at 68 that my time is short and I want to make sure I milk every minute with my children and grand children that I can. I appreciate them more than they can comprehend at their age but someday they will be where I’m at and recognize the effort it took.

Many of us,when we were young mothers, didn’t have the help that we are giving our children. It’s important to us that we are part of their lives. That we give them breaks that we never had. That we are involved as much as we possibly can be to root them on! For some of us, that means traveling hours to see them but it’s worth it! To hear the words, “Grammy, I miss you and will stay with you a million years!”, makes my heart melt!!!!

Just a word to those Grandparents that are not able to visit or those who are estranged from a child that keeps you from your grandchildren. I have witnessed first hand that pain through close family members but I also know that God is the lifter up of your head!! You do what you can and leave them to the watch care of your Heavenly Father! Pray for them! Hold them up before our Heavenly Father! Knowing the He does all things well! But don’t beat yourself up and take ALL THE BLAME! We own our mistakes as parents but we don’t have to carry their mistakes as well. They are adults making adult decisions and have to one day answer for what they are doing. The Bible is clear that we reap what we sow! Some of us never sowed what we are reaping but are affected by others decisions. Keep your heart open and pure!! Let forgiveness reign in our lives! Keep doors open as much as you can and encourage open conversations.

We have 10 days left of our time with these precious girls! Lots of fun planned! Lots of memories to make!!!We can rest after they leave ! lol!!! Be blessed dear friends, and may the Lord shine His glorious light in the dark places you think are hopeless!!! May Faith arise in your heart to believe for a miracle!!!

07/21/2026

Sometimes you just have to repurpose what you have to fit where you are going!! I’ve had these terra cotta pots for 18 years. I’m currently working on my bedroom. I figured I would use what I had! This is hand painted and I taught this in my painting lesson for this month!!

Life is kind of like that, you can buy new but you miss the beauty of taking what you already have and fitting it to your current needs. New feels fun for a minute until you get the credit card bill 😂! Not saying it’s wrong, just saying there is a satisfaction that comes with working with your hands to accomplish a task. There comes a deep seated feeling of joy when you look at something and you take pride that you did that! Every thing I’ve learned to do, it was because I took the initiative to try!!! I’ve laid tile, torn down and built walls, laid flooring, landscaped, painted walls, painted furniture. My painting canvases and murals is because I tried!! Playing the piano was self taught as well! Many things I couldn’t afford to pay to have it done unless I did it myself! I’m not bragging on myself, just trying to encourage you just to try. You never know what you can accomplish if you don’t make an effort. That old saying necessity is the mother of invention is so true!!!

Hope you enjoy this little video!!!

07/19/2026

I recently painted my youngest daughter this painting. It was a joy to paint it! I taught it in my online class. I love painting old world scenes. They are so tranquil. Seems like life was slower back then. Sometimes you have to stop and take the time to enjoy the beauty around us!