Welcome
HE IS THE POTTER, WE ARE THE CLAY
True life stories to encourage and inspire
HEAVEN
THE "WOW" FACTOR 5/29/2026
Recently, when l switched all of my books from one bookshelf to another, an unfamiliar volume caught my eye. It looked intriguing, with a red and green cover, a 1905 publication date, and a catchy title, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. Below the title, l looked for the author’s name and, finding none, read BY ONE OF THE REDEEMED. I’m now halfway through this treasured find. The author’s name is Mary Sparks Wheeler, and she amassed a great deal of knowledge from the Bible before tackling this writing project.
THE AWAKENING
It was a privilege to lead a short devotion for our Ladies Fellowship Group at Church yesterday, where l shared passages from my “new,” old book. Here's something l didn’t tell them.
It was a beautiful morning when I awakened from slumber. I had not been sleeping long. It seemed as if I had but closed my eyes and opened them again; but the sleep was most satisfactory and refreshing.
My attention was attracted by the wonderful change in the atmosphere. The air was so balmy and invigorating that every respiration seemed to set new life currents flowing through my entire being.
Could it be possible that yesterday l had been an invalid, with failing health, and struggling with reverses that had come into my life? Had l ever suffered pain or disappointment in any form? Impossible. For now, my spirits were so buoyant, and my heart so full of joy, as to cause me to be incapable of either weariness or woe. Saw, too, that I wore white, flowing garments of shining texture which puzzled and delighted me. Awesome!
WHAT DOES THE BLBLE HAVE TO SAY?
1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
PRAYER
THREE PLUS ONE EQUALS FOUR 5/23/2026
My granddaughter, Bella, should give birth to baby number 2 anytime now. At 36 weeks, she has two medical conditions: preeclampsia, which causes blood pressure to spike, and pitting edema, which traps excess fluid in the body tissues. Understandably, she’s quite miserable!
PRAYER WARRIORS
Even as l write, multiple Churches are lifting Bella in prayer. It’s humbling to know how few of these people actually know her, yet they are faithful to pray. In Ephesians 6:18,19, Paul tells Christians to “pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit for all saints, and for me.” (A missionary.) Do you remember hearing these statements: “I’m praying for you” or “I’ve been praying for you”? Is there anything more comforting to hear than these?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Isaiah 5:9a tells us, Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, “Here I am.”
ANXIETY
HERE WE GO AGAIN! 5/15/2026
This is the time of year when my calendar is chock-full of appointments. The Museum has much to do with this. It opens next week, sparkling clean and resplendent in red, white, and blue in honor of America 250. Meanwhile, I’ve taken on a couple of new responsibilities, which may be a bear to fit in with the other plans, but are necessary, nonetheless. Life continues to throw curves, like the new hot water tank purchased in October that isn’t heating water. Really? Or my right foot injury from an inhaler that blew up when I burned the trash 2 weeks ago. And gas prices are sky high at Tara. (Just kidding about the place – but not the prices!)
NO MORE WORRIES
We may not be able to change all the circumstances as we would like, but we can learn to lean upon the Lord, rather than ourselves. My Bible translation has this heading above the verses below: The secret of the peace of God.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul tells us, Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation (gentleness) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
GOD'S WISDOM
REEL THEM IN! 5/1/2026
Late afternoon, my grandson Austin and family came over to fish in my pond. The weather looked iffy all day, but other than a few small squalls, no serious rainfall showed up as yet. To prepare for more rain, a canopy was raised, but no tent pegs were used to secure it. When that rain did come, the fish were biting like crazy, and everyone caught several bluegills, except for Waylon, who also caught a small bass. Meanwhile, the wind became a powerful force, picking up the canopy and depositing it in the middle of the pond. Once the rain passed, Austin volunteered to retrieve it. I knew the water would be super cold, so I tried to dissuade him, but he was insistent. I ran to my car to grab an insulated blanket. Kudos to Austin for being so brave.
AWESOME POWER
I stand amazed by the awesome power of our God who created the earth, water, wind, and fire. He made and harnessed the stars and planets to secure them into place. He controls nature. There is none like Him! No, not one!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Job 2:24-27 tells us, For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven, To make the weight for the winds; and He weigheth the waters by measure; When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder, Then did He see it, and declare it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out.
sleep
LEO AND TURBO MOVE IN! 4/24/2026
Jul and Oaklynn have stayed with me nearly every weekend since shortly after John passed away. Yesterday, we went from 1 or 2 nights a week to 7. I know this is not a forever situation, but while it lasts, I am going to enjoy it immensely!
THE CAT’S MEOW
The cats are accustomed to an overnight stay in the mudroom, but it would be cruel to confine them day and night, so I resigned myself to accepting necessary changes. When the lights went out, Leo found his way to my bed (which I am not used to sharing!), and he climbed aboard. I waited to see what would happen next, and he stayed put near my feet. This isn’t so bad, I thought. But I had become too alert to fall asleep. In addition to this, my eyes started smarting, my nose started to itch, and my mouth grew dry from the cat dander. I cradled the unsuspecting kitty, and with my granddaughter’s help, we located kitty number 2 and placed them both in the mudroom. I can deal with them being “at large” during the daytime, but at night? That’s another story! I know. I’m a whimp. But not all stories have fairytale endings.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Psalms 127:2 says, It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He giveth His beloved sleep. Proverbs 3:24 tells us, When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
godly advice
A SPECAL TREAT 4/17/2026
God gave me a wondrous blessing this week when He arranged for an all-day visit with my youngest son, “J.” It started with my scheduled crack-of-dawn trip to the vet’s (the poor cats would be there all day long!) and his cancelation of an important tax appointment. Before calling to let him know I arrived, I struck up a conversation with a gas station attendant. Did she know where Daniel McCook’s brother, George, was buried? Laughingly, she answered, “No, but l think I live on the top floor of his home on Washington St!” When my son and I checked out her claim, we discovered she was correct, and I learned that my daughter-in-law had lived there once, too! Next, we traipsed through an old cemetery, locating the grave l sought. Throughout the day, our conversations included the Lord, our family, and how to operate a business.
WHERE DOES WISDOM COME FROM?
The next day, my son called to say how much he enjoyed our time together. He appreciated the advice he had gleaned throughout the day. Hmm. I do remember asking what the purpose of his business is. Only to make money, or to use as a ministry? Later, I recalled sharing a biblical truth I’d taught in Jr. Church the day before. God had told Abraham and Sarah they would have a child, and they waited and waited. Twenty-five years they waited until both of them were past childbearing age. Then their son, Isaac, was born. Remember when Lazarus fell sick, and his sisters and friends were praying, asking Jesus to come right away? But Jesus waited until Lazarus died. In both incidents, the answer to their prayers was not an immediate “yes” or “no,” but a “later.” Sometimes we must wait to see God’s glory.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Genesis 18:10-14 says, And he (angel of the LORD) said, “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah, thy wife, shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have become old shall I have pleasure, my lord (Abraham), being old also?" And the LORD said unto Abraham, “Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old also?
Is anything too hard for the LORD?”
worshIp
SEE THE SACRED 2/28/2026
I tried something different this week by setting aside one full day other than Sunday to rest and worship God. l love singing songs of praise, yet on this day, l didn’t sing much. And surprisingly, l only read one chapter of the Bible. Something l did do, though, was pray and meditate; l understand prayer, but meditation is a new concept for me. l prayed about a difficult situation, remained silent afterwards, and waited for His response. One time, His Spirit clearly communed with mine to reveal these words, “Show her kindness.“ Then l started a project to relearn forgotten Bible verses by looking them up and writing them in a journal. After a few entries, it was nice to discover I actually remember way more than l thought l did. Nice!
COMMUNING WITH GOD
During this “Sabbath Day,” l read a message in a Christian quote book that is well worth sharing.
“When you meditate, imagine that Jesus Christ in person is about to talk to you about the most important thing in the world. Give Him your complete attention.” Francois Fenelon, Archbishop of Cambrai, 1651–1715.
WHAT DOES THE BlBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Exodus 20:8-10a tells us, Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work; But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work.
kathorn4120@gmail.com
relationships
A MATE OF GOD'S CHOOSING 9/12/2025
They loved their 90th birthday party! Mom looked classy as usual in tan slacks, a chocolate-brown pullover and a string of pearls. My jovial Dad dressed casual in a blue-striped shirt and jeans. 38 people assembled at the farmhouse to celebrate. Photos were snapped when we gathered in the kitchen to sing “Happy Birthday” and to eat a slice of Holstein cake made by my brother’s daughter, Holly. I took my own pictures, and Mom’s wide-open smile nearly made me cry. You see, in planned photographs, her mouth is always closed, but on this day, her joy could not be contained. Did Dad’s adoring glancnces have anything to do with it?
A BIBLE LOVE STORY
It just so happens that my bible reading on the morning of this birthday occasion came from the book of Ruth. A story of God’s leading to bring a woman (Ruth) out of a foreign country to meet and marry a man (Boaz) who was in the line of Christ. Ruth had put her faith in the God of the Jews, and He phenomenally blessed her.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
When Naomi exits the foreign land to return to Israel, her attempt to prevent her widowed daughter-in-law (Ruth) from following fails. Ruth’s devotion is touching, and in part, her words have been used in countless weddings. Ruth 1:16, And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to turn away from following after thee; for where thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God.
THE RAPTURE
AN EVENT 9/5/2025
Paper supplies for serving slices of homemade pie. A canopy in the yard for shade or (perish the thought) protection from a cloudburst! Metal chairs, borrowed from the Church in case we need them. Jugs of bottled water, stored beneath a desk for making lemonade and hot drinks. Reenactors setting up camp tonight or tomorrow morning. Guest speakers perusing notes one more time. Eleven ladies rolling out pie crust tonight and baking those luscious pies mentioned above. Tomorrow’s the big day!
A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT EVENT
According to God’s holy word, the rapture will come without warning. Are we ready? Are we anticipating the event and the thought of being with Jesus for all eternity? Do we have concern for the souls who will not be going to the same place? When they look at us, do they see a reflection of Jesus? Do words of His love issue forth from our lips? Do we love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds? Are we ready?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
1 Corinthians 15:52 & 1 Thessalonians 4:16 & 17 reveal, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord;
BLESSINGS
IN AWE OF HIM 7/11/2025
These days, I am overwhelmed by the blessings our great God has showered upon those who love Him, including me! He welcomes us without reserve, then woos us into a sweet fellowship which is more fulfilling than any other we will ever know. His word is all-powerful, and it clearly outlines what He expects of believers and how we are to be witnesses to those who are not. He is so good to us that we can see Him working in and through our lives every single day, including Wednesday of last week, when Jul and I witnessed a miracle.
THAT PESKY CRITTER!
My granddaughter successfully turned the key to unlock the side door of the garage, but even so, the door wouldn’t budge. After a few tries, she enlisted my aid. We guessed correctly that our “culprit” was a groundhog that had taken up residence in the garage, which lacks a cement floor. The critter dug a tunnel on the other side of the door under the hinges, and loose dirt caused the bottom hinge to spread somewhat. After ramming the door a few times with her hip or mine (we looked ridiculous), we discussed our options. The two garage doors were bolted shut on the inside. We had no options. I finally decided to pray. Immediately after, Jul placed her hand on the door, but before she pushed, the door fell open! We looked at each other incredulously. But we shouldn’t have.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Luke 18:1, Jesus says, And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. This verse and a few that follow are about retribution for a persistent widow by a nonbelieving judge, and the passage goes on to say our awesome God will surely avenge the elect because of their persistent prayers. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages us to, Pray without ceasing.
NEW GOALS
"YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" 1/3/2025
Right or wrong, we are alwaysresponsible for reacting in a Christian manner, no matter what. God holds us accountable to a high standard – the life lived by our dear Savior. A long time ago, at the insistence of a close friend, I had to face the facts. Hubby and I were not getting along and if nothing changed, we would remain unhappy forever. I prayed earnestly for a long time until one evening on my way home from work I implored God one more time to intervene. Then something miraculous happened! In an audible man’s soft voice from the direction of the empty seat beside me, I heard the words, “You have to change.” “What do you mean, I have to change?” I retorted with irritation, listing a couple of Hubby’s faults for good measure. When I paused, the voice restated what it said before, “You have to change.” My thoughts? This is either an angel or the Son of God speaking to me! Pay attention! Suddenly I recalled a kind act Hubby did for me every morning and an uncharacteristic softness stole into my heart. Thirty years later, it is still there.
GREAT ADVICE
Today the memory of that night came to light when I considered the three goals I made for myself for the new year: to be less critical, be a better wife, and humble myself before the Lord. “You have to change.” The words once turned my life around, and if I apply them to other circumstances today, who knows what will be the outcome? After all, I can use some tweaking!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY? I always believed those words would not be audible to anyone else in the car, had I not been alone. In Acts 22:7-9 we read in part about Paul’s conversion. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, “Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?” And I answered, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And he said unto me, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.” And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spoke to me.
DESPAIR
PART TWO OF "YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" 1/10/2025
Last week I shared a personal story about how the Lord miraculously intervened to heal my broken marriage. He could have chosen a different method, like conviction through His powerful word or directing us to the right godly counsellor. Why a miracle? I don’t know. It was His choice. A valuable lesson I learned that night is that I am not responsible for the behavior of others, only my own. In short, we can’t fix them we can only fix us. But the good news is, when we change, they change too.
SPECIAL MUSIC
My favorite place to practice singing is in the basement. I set my CD player on the chest freezer, like it’s my desk, and plug in the cord before setting CDs in an array in front of me. (CD’s? I know. I’m old school.) I start by singing with the artist until I can remember the prompts and go it alone. This reminds me not to handle anything alone without first seeking the original Artist’s help. I love these lines from Lauren Daigle’s song, Trust in You. “I’ve tried to win this war I confess, My hands are weary I need your rest, Mighty Warrior King of the fight, No matter what I face You’re by my side.”
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Psalms 145:18&19 tells us, The LORD is near unto all those who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
MARRIAGE
PART THREE OF "YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" 3/14/2025
Someday I planned to write about the miracle God used to heal my marriage, but the truth was, I didn’t want to hurt or embarrass the other person involved, John. But God. God knew how badly I wanted to share my husband’s and my story, so on the second Friday in January, when I settled down to write this weekly blog, out of the blue, a strong impression changed my mind about the subject matter I planned to use. Now, I must add that at this time I had no idea my husband would be passing away in less than a week! There were no signs of decline – although he was a bit depressed about leaving the Cardiac Therapy class he attended for a few weeks. What we hoped would strengthen his heart had to be discontinued because his blood pressure wouldn’t cooperate. Once I finished writing the blog I asked John to read it and to give me his honest opinion. His face showed no expression until the very end when he smiled, and advised, “Yes. Go ahead and use it.”
A NIGHT OUT
Twenty-seven years earlier, two months after the marriage miracle, we were returning home from a “date night.” Sitting as close to each other as humanly possible, we were sublimely happy. However, John knew nothing about the miracle as yet. I asked, “Have you noticed a difference in our relationship?” “You bet I have! What happened?” My reply? “God gave me the kind of love for you, that I should have already had.” I filled him in on all the details (a few I did not share here). When I finished, he cried. He knew everything I said was true because of the change in me.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
Genesis 2:24 says, Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh. (Like being glued together). Ephesians 5:33 adds, Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife, see that she reverence her husband.
GRIEVING
WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE? 2/28/2025
Will we sit at the feet of Jesus, see his nail-pierced hands and feet, and watch His shining face when He speaks of the kingdom to come? Do we eat food because we want to and not because we have to? Do we need any sleep at all? Will the angels sing? Will we?
GRIEF IS A PROCESS
Looking back these six weeks to the days when l first lost John, I must admit, after the shock of his passing, my thoughts raced to list all the things we could no longer do together, like plant a garden, work in the yard, watch movies, go thrifting or out to eat or hang out with family and friends. Poor, pitiful me, I thought, the one left behind picks up the pieces, alone. After these self-centered moments passed, I stared at the places in the house where he normally could be found. Although he wasn’t present anymore, I could conjure up a mental picture of him at the drop of a hat, and I did. I wanted to share my thoughts with him about this or that and found myself doing so, often. Most recently though, I am finally connecting the dots, considering his lengthy hospital stays (which he hated) and the painful issues he suffered in between. It’s over now, dear one. Rest easy.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
In I Thessalonians 5:17&18, Paul advises, Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. In EVERYTHING give thanks. Even while grieving.
faith
NEVER FEAR, ONLY TRUST AND OBEY 4/23/2021
Our 3 year old great-granddaughter, Oaklynn, and my husband share a special bond they developed when he babysat her as an infant and toddler while Mommy worked. This bit of information will be detrimental as you continue reading, so please keep it in mind.
TOOTHPASTE DILEMMA
While Oakey and I were brushing our teeth, somehow or another, toothpaste got into her eye. Oh - how she wailed! It would be futile to try to rinse the offending goo out with water, so I grabbed the Visine out of the medicine cabinet. "These drops will help." "No-o-o!" she wailed on. John's voice came to us in a clear and unworried tone. "Why don't you come here and let my magic hanky take care of it?" (His what?!) She rushed to his side, weeping less, as he explained calmly how the magic hanky would immediately draw out the pain. She laid down, and he covered her eye with the cloth but a moment, pulled it away with a flourish, and asked, "Does it hurt anymore?" Joyfully she replied, "No!" Although he never tried this before, Oakey trusted him so completely, the ruse worked! A verse from an old hymn reminds me about this kind of devotion.
Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet
Or we'll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY?
If we trust in God the way Oakey trusts in Grandpa, the peace mentioned in Philippians 4:1-7 will be ours! In Psalms 37:3-5 we see how this actually transpires.
1st, TRUST in the Lord and do good, so shall thou live in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 2nd, DELIGHT thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
3rd, COMMIT thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.