Author Pam Frame

Pam Frame

Pam Frame's "Wending Our Way" Devotions

Enjoy these selections from the last 90 days of Pam's "Wending Our Way" devotions. The devotions are listed in descending order by date with the most recent devotion at the top. Click here if you would like to read the Walter Mouse devotions.

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Wending Our Way...

Trailblazing #4

February 26, 2026

Genesis 49:25 ...the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above....
Some hiking trails provide easy access to nature's vistas, while others offer greater challenges. Talbot and Bitner mentioned that when a trail gets rough, hikers watch their feet (naturally!) and may miss the beautiful landscape around them. This reminded me of how we humans respond to the rough patches in our lives: we, too, watch our footing as we clatter along, sometimes missing the small blessings that pop up along the trail.
Scouting out life's blessings is often the last thing we feel like doing when the road gets rough, but taking moments throughout the day to notice God's small blessings--something I once heard called "gracelets"--reminds us that God loves us and longs to refresh our withering spirits as we continue advancing along life's rocky pathways.
So--take a few moments here and there throughout your day and look out for the gracelets God lays in beside your path! You'll be tickled at what you find.
Wending Our Way...

Trailblazing #3

February 25, 2026

Proverbs 4:12 ...your steps will not be hampered.
At one point along the trail, Talbot and Bitner discovered a spot where hikers were deliberately walking around a short, man-made staircase on a steep incline. Further investigating showed that the steps were about one and a half strides deep but should be only one stride deep. The fellows fixed the stride depth and hikers gradually began using the staircase again, which allowed the native grasses to re-grow along the previously trampled pathway.
Somehow, our All-Knowing God has matched each of our steps to our individual journeys. Sometimes we stretch, sometimes we take hesitant or baby steps, and sometimes we march or stand in place; but through it all, our Forever Trailblazer is with us all the way, leading us into a Glorious Future at Trail's End.
Wending Our Way...

Trailblazing #2

February 24, 2026

Isaiah 54:13 ...Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.
One of the intentional trail design features created by Talbot and Bitner was "gateways" along the trails. These are places where the trail wends its way between two fixed objects--perhaps two trees or a pair of boulders. To hikers, a gateway often feels like a portal, an opening into something new.
God builds "gateways" into our lives, too. Sometimes, what looks like an obstacle as we approach it, becomes a portal as we pass through it and move on into whatever is newly before us.
Trusting in God's leading and following the path before us leads into the future God has already prepared for us.
Wending Our Way...

Trailblazing #1

February 23, 2026

Colossians 3:16 ...sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
I just read an interesting article in the January 2026 National Geographic magazine. It was titled "How to Build the Perfect Hike" and dealt with global efforts to design hiking trails that provide awe-inspiring vistas while protecting the land. Jed Talbot and Willie Bitner joined forces to create hand-built, sustainable trails in southern Patagonia. Many of their experiences mirror our Christian walk.
One observation by Talbot stayed with me. He mentioned that without variety in our lives, we humans tend to lose our feelings of gratitude, so building trails that lead to a variety of natural scenes guides their trail-building efforts.
'Grateful', with Latin origins, originally meant 'pleasing' and 'thankful' blended together. We've all had plenty of decidedly unpleasant stuff happen in our lives, but we've also had lots of pleasing things occur as well. I invite you today, even amongst the most difficult times, to seek out the endless variety that God has sprinkled into your life--and then to express your gratitude to the LORD above. If you're not much of a singer, offer up a word or a thought or a prayer expressing your thankfulness. God loves a grateful heart!
Wending Our Way...

Good News!!

February 20, 2026

Acts 10:36 ...You know the message of God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ....
Here's another comical kid interaction from the internet. Mom was driving her eight-year-old son to school when he happily announced that his pockets were full of confetti. Naturally his mom asked why he had confetti in his pockets, and he cheerily replied, "So I'm ready whenever I hear good news!"
Isn't that a great outlook?! We can't very well fill our pockets with confetti and toss it around all day, but we CAN fill our spirits with it and toss invisible handfuls of the stuff when we hear of peaceful, loving things occurring around us.
Wending Our Way...

Origami And Life

February 19, 2026

Proverbs 3:5 ...Trust in the LORD with all your heart.
I've always been fascinated by origami--Japanese paper folding. Its most familiar figure is the paper crane but there are countless others. Many are quite simple while others are amazingly complex.
Origami always reminds me of our Christian walk. Both are filled with twists and turns, folds and creases, turn-overs and surprises; but through it all, origami crafters and Our Good LORD all work to create things of lasting beauty and inspiration.
Wending Our Way...

Haiku...Ash Wednesday

February 18, 2026

Genesis 18:27 ...though I am nothing but dust and ashes....
From dust I have come~
And to dust I shall return.
Yet You care for me.
Wending Our Way...

Exploding Carrots

February 17, 2026

Luke 1:79 ...guide our feet into the path of peace.
The other day I put some chicken, pasta and carrots in the microwave to heat up for a quick meal. The chicken and pasta fared OK, but several of the carrots blew up and made an awful mess (I did have a lid on things, thankfully). I'd forgotten that carrots in the microwave do better with less heat and shorter cooking times.
I know people who are a lot like those carrots: they blow up easily. They remain calm longer if I interact with them with less pressure and for shorter periods of time. Some folks just need less external stimulation in order to remain at peace.
Wending Our Way...

Anchored

February 16, 2026

Mark 6:53 ...they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.
I loved the movies Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men. In both movies, Walter Matthau played Max Goldman and Jack Lemmon played John Gustafson--two next-door neighbors involved in a long love-hate relationship. These two guys were always at each other's throats verbally and constantly played tricks on each other. At one point, Max goes off to their favorite lake to go fishing, finds an appealing spot and drops his anchor. The anchor rope lazily uncoils from the bottom of the boat as the anchor slowly heads downward.
Then it happens: part of the rope remains coiled in the bottom of the boat as the other part slips off the side of the boat and follows the anchor to the bottom of the lake. John has cut the anchor rope, and the anchor can't do its job because it's no longer connected to the boat.
It works the same with relationships. We're most effective in our relationships with others if we're connected to them in some way. Take-Home: You can't be an anchor if you're not connected.
Wending Our Way...

Feeding On Resentment

February 13, 2026

Job 36:13 ...The godless in heart harbor resentment....
I just finished a fascinating book about "my life in the restaurant business." It described a young man's journey from waiter to captain to maître d...and finally to owning his own restaurant.
When I started the book, I read his bio, but I must've been tired because instead of "my life in the restaurant business" I read "my life in the resentment business." Heavens! Who'd want to read about THAT?! But come to think about it, I HAVE known several people who did seem to live mostly in the resentment business. (I know one fellow who always felt that his parents shortchanged him; he lived to keep that wound festering. I knew another young woman who refused to go to any continuing-ed classes and was eventually let go by her company. She always resented the company's "unfair treatment" and would complain to anyone she could buttonhole.)
I suspect that such resentment feeds the one who's constantly aggrieved. It might also feed those who thrive on drama and blame, but resentment provides a poor diet at best and attracts unhappy companions as well...which makes it hard to enjoy the good things in life and quickly creates a hugely negative environment.
Wending Our Way...

Haiku...Silence

February 12, 2026

Job 37:6 ... [God] says to the snow, "Fall on the earth...."
Snow fell overnight.
The world is white and silent.
It sounds just like God!
Wending Our Way...

Get Understanding #3

February 11, 2026

Proverbs 13:20 ...There is...joy for those who promote peace.
Larry and I are almost compulsively neat. The house is always clean and tidy, things are put away after use, the cars are washed, the beds are made....A friend of mine from many years ago had a much more casual outlook on neatness. She left out whatever she was going to use again, she had a good bit of clutter around, she tended to dust around things, and her car was filled with dog hair, kids' toys and food wrappers.
When my friend came to visit, I realized that her stuff would always be more visible than mine (she usually brought several craft projects to work on while we visited and they tended to fill up the space around wherever she was sitting.) And, because her car was always so messy, we'd go places in my car instead of hers. It worked out just fine. I've always enjoyed her company and so made allowances for her preferred lifestyle.
Take-Home: Sometimes we don't need to change our realities, but we might need to make room for others' realities as well.
Wending Our Way...

Get Understanding #2

February 10, 2026

Proverbs 1:5 ...let the wise listen and add to their learning....
I've read some amusing stuff on the internet. One elementary school scholar, who was a whiz at spelling, purposely spelled the last word wrong so she'd come in second. When her parents asked her about it, she said if you come in second you get a candy bar, but if you come in first all you get is a dumb old medal. I also saw a video clip of a toddler who had a total meltdown because his dad gave him the wrong color spoon at lunch.
I suspect that both of these kids navigated childhood's difficulties successfully and came to understand that competitive people value medals over candy and that proper nutrition is more important than utensil color. These kids are perfect examples that time, experience and widening perspective work together to build understanding.
Take-Home: When we gain different information, we make different choices.
Wending Our Way...

Get Understanding #1

February 9, 2026

Proverbs 23:23 ...get wisdom, discipline and understanding.
I remember visiting my grandmother when I was a teen. She seemed quite elderly. At one point, she mentioned that she couldn't see to drive at night anymore. This was a complete mystery to me. I wondered if maybe she'd tried driving at night without turning on the headlights.
Since I've been stomping around the planet for over three-quarters of a century (ye gods!!!), I understand completely. I now don't drive at night, either.
Take-Home: You can't fully understand what you haven't experienced.
Wending Our Way...

Nibbles

February 6, 2026

Luke 5:7 ...So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them....
Don't point fingers---lend a hand.
Wending Our Way...

Chickens And Ducks...and Christians

February 05, 2026

John 17:20 ...I pray for those who will believe in me through [the disciples'] message....
My sister invited a friend (I'll call her Sally) for dinner on Christmas Day. Dinner wasn't until five o'clock because Sally, a huge animal-lover, had to put her chickens and ducks into their respective shelters before she left. If those flocks are left to roam overnight, predators get them.
The chickens are agreeable souls, willingly going in for the night whenever asked to do so; but the ducks are another story. They like to stay out until the last trace of sunlight remains and are very stubborn about going in for the night before it's actually night.
People often operate the same way. Some come to Christ easily and early on, but others hold onto their "freedom" until the last moment. Even so, Jesus prays for us all. (Check out Jn. 17:6-20.) Jesus wants "complete unity" amongst Himself, God, the Holy Spirit and all believers (Jn. 17:23). Even those who come to Him at the last moment, find that He's there, holding the door open for them and inviting them into a long-awaited place of safety and rest.
Wending Our Way...

Ice Removal And Disciple-Making

February 4, 2026

Matthew 28:19 ...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations....
On December 27, we awoke to the results of an overnight ice storm. It was beautiful out, but treacherous. Our campus snow-removal team appeared around dawn and began the arduous task of salting, chipping and shoveling the stuff.
As I watched a group of three shovel our sidewalk and then move on to deal with the sidewalks around our courtyard, it occurred to me that snow and ice removal has a lot in common with making disciples. (1) Working as a team makes the job easier on everyone. (2) At one point, our snow-removal team put down a good bit of salt, then left to shovel elsewhere while the salt did its work. Sometimes, we disciple-makers too, must lay the groundwork and then move away to give time--time. (3) Our faithful workers had to move slowly in order to avoid falling on the icy sidewalks. We often have to go slowly when making disciples. Too much forward momentum can overwhelm newbies or seekers as we guide them toward the Beautiful Place we already inhabit.
Whether shoveling snow or making disciples, we must move in tune with the realities of the situations we inhabit.
Wending Our Way...

Thorns--and Service

February 3, 2026

2 Corinthians 12:7 ...there was given me a thorn in my flesh....
I write these devotions in small notebooks I get at the dollar store. They're cheap--and cheaply made--but that's okay. They still do the job I need them for. As I began writing this devotion, I noticed a tiny brown fleck on the notebook page. I suppose it was a bit of wood pulp that was left in the mix. It didn't hurt anything. I just worked around it.
It works the same way with us humans. We all contain odd bits of detritus (bad memories, unkind words aimed at us, jealousies, lusts, self-doubts, to name a few).
None of this bothers God. He just works around our thorns--and accomplishes wonders by using our imperfect souls.
Wending Our Way...

Never-Ending Love

February 2, 2026

Psalms 136:1 ...His love endures forever.
I just read that most forms of energy weaken at a distance. Think about how the force of water in a garden hose diminishes as it gets to your farther-away flowers; or how the cooling effect of a fan on a hot day weakens as it crosses a large room; or how about the way human energy flags at the end of the day.
One thing that doesn't diminish because of distance is God's Love. No matter how far from heaven's gates we are, or how far away we feel, God's Love is a constant in our lives.
Psalm 136: 1 contains a blessed promise we can rely on from now through eternity.
Wending Our Way...

Blessings!!

January 30, 2026

Psalms 91:11 ...For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
May blessings flood your path today. May angels guard your door. May heaven's gates reveal their Love And guide you safe to shore.
Wending Our Way...

Wisdom's Origin

January 29, 2026

Job 28:20 ...Where does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?
I love the above question. Wisdom is generally gained through experience, by acquiring knowledge, learning from our mistakes, using good judgment and adhering to sound principles. It's mostly made visible in our actions, thoughts and words. I ran into an interesting slant on wisdom this week. I was discussing the concept with a fellow pilgrim who said, "Wisdom isn't so much wise words as much as a wider perspective."
Wow! How insightful!! Our perspective refers to the way we see things, our way of regarding things, our point of view. If our perspective is narrow, our wisdom may be also. As we gain experience and knowledge, our perspective often widens and we become more patient, kind, understanding and compassionate--more Christlike.
Part of growth involves being open to new perspectives, then enlarging our territory* by allowing these new perspectives to generate wisdom within us. *(Isa. 54:2...Enlarge the place of your tent...NIV)
Wending Our Way...

Drone Salvation

January 28, 2026

Psalms 119:45 ...I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
I recently watched a fascinating video about a doe and her two fawns who had gotten trapped in the ice on a large lake. I felt so sorry for them!! They were soaked, scared, deathly cold (the poor things were shivering violently) and in a hopeless situation. The lake was in the process of freezing over and they'd gotten trapped in the forming ice and were now too exhausted to break through the ice and swim to safety.
The local police arrived--with a drone, of all things! The drone flew in low and behind the deer and scared them so badly that they found a new surge of energy, thrashed through the icy mixture entrapping them and swam toward shore. The doe and one fawn made it to dry land and climbed out, racing toward the nearby woods. The second fawn got to the rocky shore but was so exhausted that it couldn't climb out of the water. It just laid there, kind of draped over the rocks, still half in the water. One of the officers managed to get a rope around its neck and pulled it out of the water, whereupon it, too, dashed off to the safety of the woods.
Take-Home: Sometimes what scares us is really the road to freedom.
Wending Our Way...

10% Discount??

January 27, 2026

Jonah 2:9 ...Salvation comes from the LORD.
Here's another computer ad devotion. I was nosing around on the internet, not really looking for anything in particular, when an ad popped up: "10% Discount On Your First Order!!" That'd be nice--if I really wanted to buy anything.
Not surprisingly, it reminded me of Jesus and salvation. That's because Jesus never offers a discount on salvation... because it doesn't cost us anything...and you can't take 10% off something that's already free.
Hallelujah!!!
Wending Our Way...

Free Shipping!!

January 26, 2026

Philippians 3:20 ...our citizenship is in heaven.
I recently received an email ad from a clothing retailer. I guess they're looking to boost post-Christmas sales because the ad boasted: "Free Shipping Has Been Extended! Buy Now!!!" (I didn't.)
The ad reminded me so much of salvation. For one thing, salvation always includes free shipping, so a "free shipping" offer would be meaningless. Another thing: "Free Shipping Has Been Extended" would also be meaningless with salvation because you can't extend something that already has no earthly expiration date.
And finally: Jesus isn't interested in post-Christmas sales. He just wants all His people to get Home.
Wending Our Way...

No Jesus??!!

January 23, 2026

Luke 2:12 ...a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Our retirement community has a lovely manger scene displayed near the front lobby. It's a good-sized set-up. The people are 20" tall or so and the animals are pretty big, too. It's an inspiring sight.
The only disturbing thing is the manger. It was empty most of December. It made me sad to see it that way. I realize why Baby Jesus wasn't there. He didn't arrive until Christmas Day, consequently many churches wait until Christmas Eve to put Him in the manger. Makes sense.
In reflecting on the early-December creche, I came to wonder: Wouldn't it be awful if the manger just stayed empty all year? Love and Light and Hope and Kindness would diminish in our world or maybe they'd vanish entirely. Then we'd have a cold, dark, empty world at best and no joyful Christmas celebrations.
Wending Our Way...

My Salvation

January 22, 2026

Psalms 18:2 ...He is my shield and the horn of my salvation....
Each of our bathrooms and bedrooms have one of those emergency call boxes. Each box has a pull-cord to summon help, should we need it. The system works well, but we have to pull the cord to get help. We can't just sit there (or lie around) thinking how nice it'd be if someone came to the rescue.
Salvation works the same way. Jesus is right there, waiting to be of service, but we have to initiate contact. We have to ask for His intervention.
Emergency call systems and Jesus--both require a "request for service" before help arrives. Neither one forces their way into a relationship. They connect by invitation only.
Wending Our Way...

Toothmarks

January 21, 2026

2 Peter 5:10 ...And the God of all grace...will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
One day back in mid-December, we had a 7" snowfall. (That's enough for me until spring!) Larry knew it was 7" because he grabbed our old yardstick and measured it. The yardstick is really old-- 40+ years--and has little pinholes in one end, the result of my schnauzer puppies chewing on it many years ago. The toothmarks made the yardstick look funny, but it still worked ok.
Life's like that. All of us have toothmarks in places where life has gnawed away on us. Toothmarks might rough us up a bit, but we can still go right on serving God and His people, even if we don't look or feel as perfect as we think we should be.
Wending Our Way...

Light #2

January 20, 2026

2 Corinthians 3:18 ...And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness....
Yesterday I wrote that light, if unimpeded, travels at 180,000 miles per second. That's if it's traveling through space (which is largely empty in spots) and doesn't collide with planets, stars, dust, golf balls, dead spacecraft, airplanes, birds or other detritus that's hanging around. If it runs into something, it can be absorbed or reflected, which reduces its intensity.
Again, this sounds like Our Jesus. He connected with various forms of matter during His earthly life: mangers, graves, ill and injured people, moneychangers, donkeys, boats, lakes, scrolls...and the Cross.
One of His most lasting achievements is His connection to mankind; we who, individually, absorb and then reflect His Eternal Light.
Wending Our Way...

Light #1

January 19, 2026

Matthew 5:14 ...You are the light of the world.
I read an interesting comment about light recently. It said that light doesn't just disappear. It keeps traveling. I checked it out on-line and things got even more interesting. I discovered that light is like a traveling wave. It can travel forever without disappearing. It can be absorbed or reflected if it connects to a physical presence and this reduces its intensity. It's massless and has great speed (about 180,000 miles per second.) Any sunlight you see is eight minutes old. Light maintains its speed as long as it's unimpeded.
Hmmmm...doesn't that sound like Our Jesus? He started His earthly journey over two thousand years ago and will travel forever. He journeys all over the world and throughout the universe, but His favorite destination is the human heart. The Light of the World...with us always.
Wending Our Way...

"...into A Pain."

January 16, 2026

Psalms 69:29 ...I am in pain and distress....
I overheard an amusing child's comment some time ago. A young girl was going on at great length, describing to her mother a disturbing incident she'd just experienced. She ended her monologue by remarking sadly that she now had a stomachache.
A few moments passed, I heard the child's deep sigh, and then she quietly said, "I just talked myself into a pain."
What an insightful comment! It got me thinking about the times I've made myself nuts by talking incessantly about whatever's bothering me. Venting is fine and so is thoughtfully creating plans to improve things, but there's no need to talk myself into a pain!!
Wending Our Way...

Reality Or Possibility

January 15, 2026

Luke 18:27 ...What is impossible with men is possible with God.
Here's an interesting saying I heard recently--Your past holds realities, but your future holds possibilities. If you think about it, this is a very freeing statement. Nothing in our past can be changed. It's all a done deal, forever written in the pages of history.
But the future? There certainly is reality there, but there's also stuff that can be done, actions that might make a difference, changes that might affect the outcome of things.
We can't act on history. It's solid, immutable, unchanging. But the future (and the present, too) are flexible, malleable, bursting with potential. So--don't let past failures shipwreck you. There's always a new port to sail into--and new hope on the horizon.
Wending Our Way...

Nibbles

January 14, 2026

John 12:26 ...Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be.
You don't have to know the why of things; you only have to know your part.
Wending Our Way...

Softliness

January 13, 2026

Philippians 4:5 ...Let your gentleness be evident to all.
I was in a dollar store the other day and was reading those signs above the aisles that tell you what's shelved on the aisle. I was SURE the one said "softliness" and I couldn't imagine what on earth I'd find there. When I got closer, I realized the sign said "Softlines." Not surprisingly, it refers to textile-based products that are soft, like clothing, bedding, linens, etc. (I also discovered that "softliness" isn't a word!)
Still, I like the sound of "softliness." Doesn't it sound inviting? Soft stuff feels good and is welcoming and soothing. Sounds like Mary, so many years ago. We humans have varying degrees of softliness, too. And, of course, Jesus has tons of it.
Oddly enough, "soft" isn't in the NIV Bible. The closest thing I could fine was "gentleness." Read Php. 4:5 again but put "softliness" in where "gentleness" is. Sounds workable to me!!
Wending Our Way...

Kayaking And Life

January 12, 2026

Galatians 5:22 ...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
One of our screensavers shows a drone shot of a lone kayaker paddling across a peaceful lake. His paddle is momentarily at rest and there's an interesting pattern of swirls and small waves behind his kayak as he glides along. In a sense, he's leaving peace and tranquility in his wake.
As I gazed at his peaceful passage, I got to wondering what I leave in my wake as I journey along. I certainly aim to leave love, joy, peace...behind in my daily travels, but it's hard to keep all nine of those characteristics going at the same time. It's mind-boggling, actually. So--I often pick just one quality for the day and try to incorporate it into my daily relationships. So, on Monday, I might be aiming to spread love. Tuesday I might be working on joy. Wednesday I could be sharing peace. This fulfills Gal.5:22 in my life without overwhelming me or anyone else.
Just think: Jesus fulfills Gal. 5:22 every day of His life...24/7/365...and He's done it for over 2,000 years!! How wonderful is that??!!
Wending Our Way...

Repeating Action

January 9, 2026

Matthew 18:21 ...Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?
I'm still thinking about that "repeated action" in the original usage of the word 'accept.' It suggests that acceptance is an ongoing action or process rather than a single event. All this made me then think of forgiveness. I think that works the same way--it's often an on-going or repeated-action behavior as we humans bumble our way along. Since we're prone to errant behavior, we're often in need of forgiveness from others or we're needing to forgive someone else. And since we tend to repeat some errors, forgiving just once often isn't enough. It's not a once and done thing. We must repeatedly forgive.
And how about Love? That also calls for repeated action, since human love doesn't always perk along with the strength and steadfastness of Divine Love.
I find that the idea of on-going action in acceptance, forgiveness and love is very freeing. It means that I don't have to feel guilty for not accepting, forgiving and loving perfectly. I can relax and allow myself to work through the processes that each of these actions requires. Jesus recognized this when he answered Peter's question in today's scripture: "I tell you, not seven times but seventy-seven times." That's Repeating Action fer sure!!!!
Wending Our Way...

Repeated Acceptance

January 8, 2026

Revelation 22:7 ...Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.
In digging around for the history of the word 'accept,' I discovered that the past participle of the word originally implied repeated action. Interesting. I always thought I was supposed to accept stuff once and be done with it, but repeated action relative to acceptance makes sense.
I always wake up with back pain and stiffness due to a car accident many years ago. It's such a bummer to wake up to, but it helps if I wake up each morning, recognize the presence of pain and stiffness, and get on with my morning stretching exercises without activating Fuss Mode in my brain. Maybe someday I'll be able to finally accept morning back pain and stiffness once and for all, but until that occurs, accepting their presence anew every morning and moving into helpful strategies is way more useful than remaining immobile and crabbing about the situation and getting bogged down in negativity.
Sometimes repeated acceptance is just part of the journey.
Wending Our Way...

What Is Acceptance?

January 7, 2026

Luke 1:79 ...guide our feet into the path of peace.
Sometimes acceptance is so hard! Accepting good health, financial stability and desired gifts is easy, but how about accepting declining health, financial difficulties and work or relational challenges? That's way harder!
The dictionary says to accept something means to consent to receive it. That makes sense. Here's another definition I heard recently: If we accept something we stop resisting it.
Hmmm---so if I'm really accepting my Irritable Bowel Syndrome, this means that I stop fussing about it and set about dealing with it in logical, organized ways. Life then becomes more peaceful because I'm not generating negative energy all the time--which leaves me dealing with my IBS symptoms AND my self-generated angst.
Wending Our Way...

What Is Judgmentalism?

January 6, 2026

Proverbs 24:23 ...To partiality in judging is not good....
It's so easy to judge others, experiences and objects...or anything else that comes to mind. 'Judge' comes from Old Latin and meant to 'speak the law.' So far, so good, but problems arise because we each have our own interpretation of "The Law" and different people can have vastly different ways of looking at the world.
One sage I heard years ago said that judgmentalism is actually prejudice--expressing an opinion not based on reason or fact. The word 'prejudging' comes from Latin and meant to 'judge in advance.' It shows up in unsubstantiated dislike or mistrust of others or circumstances.
I never thought of judgmentalism as prejudice, but now that I'm aware of the concept, I want to be more open to becoming familiar with other people and situations instead of judging them without merit.
Wending Our Way...

What Is Patience?

January 05, 2026

Isaiah 18:4 ...I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place.
We had a power failure one night back in November. At 7:00 PM, the whole campus went dark. The electricity was back on within the hour, but it was weird to live for an hour in almost cave-darkness and with no microwave or radios working. We all just had to be patient as we waited for things to straighten out.
It made me reflect on the word 'patient,' since patience was about all I could work on during the outage. 'Patience' comes from Latin and meant to 'bear affliction with calmness.' The dictionary says that 'patience' is the capacity to tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting upset.
Someone recently told me they think of patience as the ability to wait quietly to see what will come next. I like that! Waiting quietly means waiting with a quiet mind, a quiet voice and quiet actions. No working myself up with anxious thoughts, words or behaviors and no dramatic complaints about the situation. I simply remain quiet and look on--no need to get worked up or stressed. Just a peaceful interlude until the lights come back on again.
Wending Our Way...

Keeping God's Word #3

January 2, 2026

Psalms 119:17 ...I will obey your word.
Finally, if we're going to KEEP God's word, we must OBEY it. We have to reflect on it and comply with its instruction. We must act in accordance with its direction. Sitting around --like peacocks--preening ourselves with God's word doesn't fulfill God's purposes in our lives. His purposes always include action--specifically action to glorify Him and to help ourselves and others.
Take-Home: To KEEP God's word, we must OBEY God's word.
Wending Our Way...

Keeping God's Word #2

January 1, 2026

Proverbs 19:8 ...he who cherishes understanding prospers.
Once we know God's word, we must cherish it if it's to have a lasting effect in our lives. 'Cherish' comes from Middle English and meant 'to treat with affection.' How about that??!! I think of treating family, friends, co-workers and pets, etc. with affection, but I never thought of showing affection to God's word.
Whatever I feel affection for, I tend to treat well. Anything I treasure will automatically receive my protection and care. God's word blossoms in my life as I cherish it and care for it in loving ways.
Take-Home: To KEEP God's word, we must CHERISH God's word.
Wending Our Way...

Keeping His Word #1

December 31, 2025

Proverbs 7:1 ...keep my words and store up my commands within you.
The word 'keep' has a sort of hazy past. We're not quite sure where it came from, but it seems to have Old English heritage, and meant 'to seize, take in or care for.' So--if we keep the word of God, we grab hold of it, take it into our hearts and make its teachings evident in our lives and the lives of other people, and in our relationship with God.
Naturally, if we want to KEEP God's word, we have to KNOW God's word, which means we must read it, hear it, understand it, talk about it and think about it. All this involves actively seeking out God's word, reflecting on it, talking about it and bringing appropriate passages to mind in various settings.
Take-Home: To KEEP God's word, we must KNOW God's word.
Wending Our Way...

Nibbles

December 30, 2025

Philippians 1:10 ...so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure sand blameless until the day of Christ....
If you're angry, don't assume that you're right. Instead of defending your actions, see if you can defend your motives.
Wending Our Way...

I'm A Seed!

November 19, 2025

Luke 8:6 ...Some [seed] fell along the path and was trampled on.
Stop and read Luke 1-15. Verses 1-8 tell the Parable of the Sower. Then verses 9-15 explain the Parable's meaning as Jesus understood it. Fascinating stuff!
I was reading this passage today and soon came to realize that I often feel like one of those seeds. Sometimes I set out and get trampled on by everyone else's agendas; or I get gobbled up by others' needs or by the world's interruptions and distractions. Sometimes I get parched, drained, and dehydrated as I plod along. Sometimes I feel like I'm being choked out by constant pressure to perform, and sometimes I just run out of steam. Life can be so disheartening at times.
Seeds have no say in where they wind up, but we do. God's Guidance leads us, in time, to "good soil," where we can continue our work for His Kingdom on Earth as we anticipate living forever with our Triune God.
Wending Our Way...

Keeping Watch #4 Forever Watchful

December 26, 2025

Luke 12:35 ...Be dressed and ready for service and keep your lamps burning....
As our Supreme Sentinel, Jesus keeps watch over us both now and forever. His Manger Scene reminds us of His boundless Love for mankind and His constant Provision in our lives. The Manger Scene also stands as an invitation for us to take up our positions and stand watch with Him as together we care for His people and His Kingdom.
The Manger Scene assures us that the connection between human and divine remains strong, in spite of life's difficulties and challenges. This connection gives us strength, discernment, grace, truth and love which enable us to go forth in His Name, tending to His people and Loving our Triune God.
Wending Our Way...

Welcome Christmas!

December 25, 2025

Luke 2:7 ...She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger....
"Christ has come!" the angels said. "Mankind is now secure."
Nestled in His Manger bed~ His Love will e'er endure.
Wending Our Way...

Keeping Watch #3 Watching For

December 24, 2025

Acts 16:31 ...Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved--
The word 'watch', with Old English origins, implied being alert and vigilant. Watchmen are called not only to watch OVER and watch WITH, but also to watch FOR--for dangers, threats, suspicious activities and subtle changes that could signal impending difficulties.
Human watchmen are posted to ensure the safety of those nearby and in the present, but Jesus (our Divine Watchman) was anointed to stand watch over 2000 years ago. He is still serving in that capacity, as He watches out for our eternal safety. He intercepts Satan's maneuvers here on earth and leads countless human souls to the Gates of Eternity. His Ministry spans the centuries and will continue to do so until He comes again.
We who kneel beside the Manger live in His Forever-Love and Provision, which will remain constant now and throughout Eternity. (1Chr. 16:31...give thanks to the LORD--his love endures forever.)
Wending Our Way...

Keeping Watch #2 Watching With

December 23, 2025

Matthew 26:40 ..."Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?"
Moving forward a few years, we find another "keeping watch" scenario. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asks His disciples to keep watch with Him. How amazing that our King of Kings, born in a manger and moving steadily toward an Old Rugged Cross, invited humankind to be WITH Him amidst His deepest struggles.
Even though our efforts are often feeble, distracted, incomplete or ineffective, Christ longs to simply be with each one of us as we all journey along together.
The Manger scene stands as an invitation to be with Jesus now and forever, and as an assurance that He will never leave us... Our Emmanuel.
Wending Our Way...

Keeping Watch #1 Watching Over

December 22, 2025

Luke 2:8 ...there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
"Keeping Watch" is an integral part of the Christian life. It began with the faithful shepherds who were charged with keeping alert and vigilant while they watched for danger as the night hours drifted by so long ago. The appearance of the angels that frosty night sent them off to Bethlehem to "see this thing which has happened and which the LORD has told us about" (Lk. 2:15).
When the angels had departed, the shepherds hurried off... (Lk. 2:26) and found Mary, Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in a manger. They had come upon the One Who would be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6) --the One Who would watch over them and all mankind now and forevermore.
Wending Our Way...

Thank You For Christmas

December 19, 2025

Luke 14: ...Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.
Angels and shepherds sing here and above~ Camels and wise men appear~ Mary and Manger have brought us His Love~ God will forever be near.
Wending Our Way...

Blocked Prayers??!!

December 18, 2025

1 Corinthians 14:15 ...I will pray in my spirit.
I read a novel a while ago. It was about a rather timid young woman who decided to embrace life. She had always felt unwelcome in the world because her parents wanted a boy and always gave her the impression that she wasn't ever quite "enough." And as if that wasn't bad enough, her teacher in a Catholic school told her repeatedly that if her prayers weren't reaching God, it was because her sin was blocking them. No wonder she had low self-esteem.
The nifty thing about prayers is that they always get through to God. Somehow, prayers go around or through all obstacles and wind up before God in heaven--in golden bowls (see Rev. 5:8). Nothing in heaven or on earth blocks prayers. Think of all the people in the Bible who led less than saintly lives but who were none-the-less faithful pray-ers. Check out Noah...the drunkard (Gen. 9...20-23), David... the adulterer... (2 Sam. 1-5), Moses...the untrusting... (Nu. 20:1-12).
Be assured that God hears your every prayer and will act on each one at the appropriate time. So, keep your prayers coming. God is awaiting their arrival.
Wending Our Way...

Reserved

December 17, 2025

John 14:2 ..."I am going there to prepare a place for you."
I periodically lead tours around our retirement community. Last week I joined some prospective residents at a luncheon here on campus, then took them on a tour of the public buildings and spaces on our grounds. When I got to the luncheon, there was a "RESERVED" card perched at my seat. It gave me a warm, cozy feeling.
I brought the card home and as I was looking at it, it came to me that I have another "RESERVED" sign waiting for me. It's in heaven and Jesus put it there. It marks my place in my Forever-Home. When I finally get past the Pearly Gates, my room/s will be waiting for me. There's another warm, cozy feeling!
Wending Our Way...

Evolving Life

December 16, 2025

Habakkuk 2:3 ...the revelation awaits an appointed time....
I recently started knitting a cotton dishcloth. Once it got under way, it started to look genuinely awful. It had bumps in several places and was looking pretty uneven. I almost ripped it out, but then I figured I'd stick with it for a bit. It was good that I did because, as the pattern developed, things straightened out and the dishcloth looked just fine.
Sometimes life events do that to us, too. A new job, school, house, boss, illness, etc.--all take time to adjust to before life begins to run smoothly again. Sometimes all we have to do is patiently live within the new circumstances and give things time to settle in.
Wending Our Way...

Christmas Haiku...Missing Christ

December 15, 2025

Mark 6:31 ...Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place....
Charging toward Christmas~
My Mastercard in my hand~
Fa la la la la!!!
Wending Our Way...

Astigmatism

December 12, 2025

John 7:24 ...Stop judging by mere appearances.
I have astigmatism. It's a defect in the eye which makes the eyeball less round. This prevents the eyes from focusing as a team. Without corrective lenses, people with astigmatism can have double vision at times.
I had a recent example of this around Halloween. One of our neighbors had three orange electric candles glowing in their front window. They looked so cheery! When I looked at them with my glasses on, there were three distinct candles; but when I looked at them without my glasses, each window frame had two candles...so I was looking at six candles.
As I reflected on this, it came to me that both three lights and six lights were realities for me. It made me think of times I've talked with someone who sees things differently than I do. Sometimes our inner workings and outer circumstances are just different from others', so life can have a different appearance to different people. If we tend to disagree with someone else, it's possible that neither of us is being disagreeable. We may simply be trying to explain our own reality.
Wending Our Way...

Haiku...Happiness

December 11, 2025

Ecclesiastes 2:26 ...God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness....
Can be elusive~
It's not a destination~
It's a daily walk.
Wending Our Way...

Love Ya!

December 10, 2025

2 Corinthians 13:11 ...the God of love and peace will be with you.
Sometime this past fall I read a novel in which a young man and woman were dating. At some point, the young man realized that though his girlfriend said she loved him, what she actually loved was his money, looks, position, and connections. "She loves a version of me that's incomplete," he told a friend.
That phrase stuck with me. It made me realize that we all love versions of others that are incomplete because we, as humans, never know all there is to know about another person. And surely, we don't know all there is to know about God! We don't even know all there is to know about ourselves.
One comforting fact here is that God will never love a version of us that's incomplete. He knows every inch of every thought, experience, like, dislike, habit, connection and resource that we've got now, had in the past or will have in the future. He loves the complete version of us, warts and all. We can rest in His Love forever. Hallelujah!!
Wending Our Way...

Take Care Of Each Other

November 13, 2025

Philippians 2:25 ...Epaphroditus...whom you sent to take care of my needs.
My car was recently in for routine service. When we'd finished paying the bill, the lady who was helping us smiled up at us and said, "Take care of each other."
Her comment made me think of this scripture. We're each sent here to help take care of other folks. And others are put here to help take care of us. No one (except God) takes care of everyone. We're each sent into certain areas to serve certain people...those whom God puts before us. Check out Jn. 5: 1-15... "The Healing at the Pool." Here, Jesus approached the one man God wanted Him to help. He didn't try to cure everyone there at the pool.
"Take Care of Each Other!" What wonderful words to live by as we do God's will in loving others.
Wending Our Way...

Not A Loan

December 8, 2025

Isaiah 12:3 ...With joy you will draw water from the wells of Salvation.
Yesterday I got to thinking about a Home Equity loan offer I'd received in the mail. At the bottom of a very official-looking page, dark capital letters informed me that "This is not a loan approval."
"This is not a loan approval" reminded me of salvation, since we DO need to ask for it (as you'd ask for a loan), but salvation is never on loan. It's a once-and-done gift from God, purchased by Jesus and infused with the Holy Spirit.
We can't buy or rent salvation. We can only accept it and enjoy it...now and forever.
Wending Our Way...

Unlock Your Equity!

December 05, 2025

Luke 6:23 ...great is your reward in heaven.
Back in January 2025, Larry and I moved to a Senior Living Community. We sold our home and are now living in a smaller, very cozy cottage. We just received a letter from a bank offering us the opportunity to "Unlock up to $750,000 in your home's equity!!" Great! I had to chuckle, though, because I wondered how a Home Equity Loan works when one is renting rather than owning. (Renting means that we have no equity in our cottage.)
Hmmm--how about equity in heaven? Do we have access to THAT?! Well, let's see, Equity equals the value of a mortgaged property after all charges against it have been removed. Heaven isn't mortgaged. God owns it outright, so to speak. And...heaven has no market value. It's not for sale! Annnd...There are no outstanding debts in heaven. So, no. We have no equity in heaven.
What we do have is an Eternal Home, free forever from the difficulties and challenges of earthly life, and the promise of eternal companionship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Sounds like a wonderful reward!!!
Wending Our Way...

Birthday Card

December 4, 2025

Deuteronomy 28:2 ...All these blessings will come upon you....
I recently received a birthday card from a friend. On the back of the card was a small Post-it note with my name written on it. My friend probably got a number of cards ready at the same time and mailed them closer to their due date.
That little sticky-note gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling. How nice to be remembered!
Do you suppose God has an enormous storehouse in heaven lined with innumerable shelves? Maybe each shelf contains countless blessings (maybe even a thousand!!)? Maybe each blessing has someone's name attached to it and perhaps a delivery date as well. Next time a blessing slips quietly into your life, remember God's Storehouse and thank Him for remembering you with His Generosity and Love.
Wending Our Way...

Kids #3...Confuzzled

December 3, 2025

Isaiah 21:3 ...I am bewildered by what I see.
Here's the final kiddie devo. A very earnest--and somewhat precocious 5-year-old--strode up to his mom and asked, "Is 'confuzzled' a word?"
My Kindle doesn't list 'confuzzled' as a word, but an AI overview on my phone said it's a "playful" word that means one is confused and puzzled at the same time. It's considered a neologism--a newly minted word that hasn't made it into dictionaries yet.
Gosh! How often I've felt confuzzled--unsure of the ongoing situation, bewildered by circumstances and unable to figure something out. Many stories in the Bible take shape around someone who's confuzzled. (Moses and the Golden Idol, Joseph in prison, Joseph when he heard of Mary's pregnancy, Jesus on the Cross...to name a few.) I think ultimately, feeling confuzzled isn't so much about what we see before us. It's about what God is aiming at, which is usually way beyond our human capacity to visualize or understand. God's always got a plan--an unstoppable plan--so we can relax a bit, knowing all is under His control (even if we're confuzzled at times!).
Wending Our Way...

Kids #2...Pet Ice Cube

December 2, 2025

Matthew 28:20 ...And surely I am with you always....
Here's another Difficulties of Parenting scenario. A young mom had just settled her toddler in his seat at breakfast. As was her custom, she put a single ice cube in his juice glass, poured his juice and turned to put the finishing touches on breakfast.
A short time later, she heard her little one sobbing desperately--because his pet ice cube had melted. What the child didn't realize was that the ice cube was still with him, just in a different form (one he couldn't see).
Isn't that just like Our Jesus? We can't see Him (or God or the Holy Spirit), but, even so, we know that they're with us always--now through Eternity.
Wending Our Way...

Kids #1...100 Pockets

December 1, 2025

Genesis 49:25 ...God...who blesses you with the blessings of the heavens above....
A short time ago I saw an amusing thing on YouTube. Parents had sent in blurbs about the difficulties of parenting. One young mom reported that she had to fight to stay awake as her toddler sang all the verses of a song she'd made up about a dress with a hundred pockets. Heavens!
One hundred pockets sounds like a huge blessing to a toddler. Just think of all the stuff she could hide away and still have ready access to!!
This reminded me of an ancient blessing---from the Mid-East, I think. "May you have a thousand blessings." That's way better than a hundred pockets!!
Wending Our Way...

Bridge Or Chasm

November 28, 2025

Genesis 50:21 ... [Joseph speaking to his brothers in Egypt] ...he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
I recently witnessed a sad but probably common verbal interchange. As a mother and teenage daughter entered a store, Mom turned to her daughter and said, "Why do you always have to screw up your hair?" (Her hair was intricately braided, with a few colorful beads and ribbons added in. I thought it looked nice.) The daughter dropped back and waited a bit as her mom continued into the store and began her shopping.
Soon an older woman entered the store and walked up to the teen. She threw her arms around the young girl, smiled and said, "Your hair ribbons match your outfit. That's cool!" The teen smiled shyly and said, "Thanks, Gram" as the two strolled through the store together.
As I reflected on these verbal interchanges, it occurred to me that Mom, with her unkind words, created a chasm between herself and her daughter. The daughter would no doubt be hesitant to move toward her mother again any time soon because there might always be the threat of the emotional abyss the mom had created with her comment. But Gram, with her hug and supportive words, had built a bridge--one that allowed Gram and teen to walk forward into each other's grace, love and companionship. TAKE-HOME: Every word we utter either builds bridges to others or creates chasms that hinder contact.

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