Welcome back to PORCH,
your go-to weekend companion.
Embrace community.
Discover a fresh perspective.
Grow your faith in Christ.
Get unstuck.
Share your story.
Embrace community.
Discover a fresh perspective.
Grow your faith in Christ.
Get unstuck.
Share your story.
These are the days we live for ... the greening and brightening of creation, the perfection of warmth and weather, wind and waves.
And just in case I thought the world couldn't spin without me, I sprained my ankle two days ago. Badly. I'm not going anywhere for the time being except to awkwardly scoot around three rooms.
These days, Mom's long and winding Homeward journey has her in a place where she's not missing me, not asking for me. And, surprisingly, I'm at peace with that reality even though I can't be there to hold her hand or whisper a prayer in her ear.
It's a bit of a gentle lesson lest I think I'm indispensable. Well-taken, Lord.
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A special welcome to all you new subscribers this week! May PORCH happily become part of your weekly rhythm, gently leading you into whatever kind of weekend awaits. {And if you haven't subscribed, I'd say now might just be the perfect time. Click here!}
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I splurged on Emily Lux's charming water-colored baking tea-towels for my girls ... and me! Her gardening tea-towel is so much fun, too. Fair warning - these babies sell out quick.
When it comes to friendships, it's ok to be the planner.
I'm a big fan of Ed's work.
Being 'fully present' is more than a trendy phrase for these international workers. Talk about being the hands and feet of Christ. Here's a unique glimpse.
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This weekend's E-BOOK DEAL BOOKBAG
My choice for non-fiction is The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning
- $2.99.
'A love story for the brokenhearted. For those who are burdened by heavy religion. For those who feel they can never measure up. It is a provocative and poignant look at the radical, no-holds-barred love of our Heavenly Father. It is a message that will forever change how you view God.'
And fiction? Patti {Becoming Mrs. Lewis} Callahan's When Light Breaks - $4.99
'About all the things that make us worthy as human beings—integrity, honesty, and living the life you are meant to live.…A triumph!'
- Dorothea Benton Frank
'A passionate, unforgettable novel of self-discovery, regret, and the illuminating power of love.'
- Mary Alice Monroe
- Mary Alice Monroe
Scroll down my E-Book Deal page to scoop up more bargains. Because it's about that time to wander out to your hammock with a good read in hand. The yardwork can wait.
Bless your open windows, your budding garden, your tender heart ~
Linda
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
- Psalm 116:7.
- Psalm 116:7.
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I'm so sorry to hear about your ankle! I hope it heals quickly and you enjoy lots of rest and reading.
ReplyDeleteI'm having trouble concentrating these days ... looking for a good historical fiction book to immerse myself in. Any suggestions? I know you're a voracious reader, Barb!
DeleteOHHHHH NO Linda !!!! That is indeed a serious sprain !!!! Guessing the Lord knew you needed a rest..... but know that is NOT the kind of rest you would have requested !!! I think of surgery like that........... not the kind of rest we want !! May you heal quickly.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the deep blue dress and nails !!!! A great OCEAN color....... and that dear puppy...........
Ohhhh and your pink toenails are looking pretty sharp !!!!
Thinking of you all !!!
*subscriber email response
I know, I know ... granddaughter's dress and nails were so gorgeous. She is, too ... inside and out! I'd love if they were all a whole lot closer ... I'm missing that sweet granddog, too.
DeleteHi Linda....... some suggestions of books related to historical fiction..... I have just recently (7 months ) delved into that type of book.........and I have some super suggestions !!! All came via Amazon so you can look them up and see how you feel about them.
Delete"Carnegie's Maid" by Marie Benedict...... a young lady lands a much needed job as a maid in Andrew Carnegie's mansion...... she is a brilliant young girl but keeps that and her true identity a secret..... "her influence may have inspired Andrew Carnegie's transformation from ruthless industrialist to the world's first true philanthropist." Very good book.
"The Only Woman in the Room" by Marie Benedict....... Very brilliant lady... "Underestimated she overheard the Third Reich's plans while at her husband's side. understanding MORE than anyone would have guessed.......... she devised a plan to flee in disguise from their castle, and the whirlwind escape landed her in Hollywood.... she became Hedy Lamarr, movie star." she was an inventor also but being a woman, no one would listen to her or give her the credit for her amazing invention..... super book.
"The Other Einstein" by Marie Benedict..... his first wife...."she got lost in his shadow".......... she was just as SMART as Dr. Albert Einstein as it turns out and they worked together, creating inventions together, writing papers together BUT he refused to acknowledge her work ........... he was not a nice husband - let me put it that way !!!! Nor interested in his son ............ super book.
I was not familiar with writer Marie Benedict but she is superb........... uses words I never knew existed also !!!!
Another possibility is "The Arctic Fury" by Greer Macallister (another author I did not know ).......... Excellent book..... it tells the true story of Lady Jane Franklin's tireless attempts to find her husband's lost expedition as a jumping off point to spin a tale of great
bravery, intrigue, perseverance and HOPE"..... A dozen women trek into the ARTIC looking for her lost husband.... not all return as you might guess !!! great read !!!
Now this one I JUST completed yesterday at the beach....of course !!! Title "The Second Mrs Astor - A Novel of the Titanic" by
Shana Abe - I did not know her either........SUPER !!!! John Jacob Astor - divorced and about 45 - falls in love with a 17 year old gal named Madeline Force..............and thus starts this true story.....of their love and waiting until she turns 18 to wed and the press hounds them from that day on........... a dog also plays a huge role in this book........ we love our dogs !!!! it is a beautiful story and we learn much about how the VERY rich and famous live.....and true devotion.... and yes, they were on the maiden voyage of the Titanic so you know there will be sadness........... but joy also................. I enjoyed it a LOT. Bar Harbor, Maine plays a big role in the story.
One more but very different ........ perhaps you already are aware of this book Linda.........
"The Book of Longings " by Sue Monk Kidd...........I could not put it down.........read it last Fall...... it is controversial in the sense that we don't know if Jesus every married but this work of fiction says yes.............. and his wife Ana is a gal with a strong and brilliant mind of her own....... wealthy with a family that strictly opposes her marriage to Jesus.......... "Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus's life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman's bold struggle to realize the passion and POTENTIAL inside her while living in a time and place and culture devised to
silence her."
Blessings !!
* subscriber email response
Good morning! I'm so glad you came back laden with books! I enjoyed both The Second Mrs. Astor and The Book of Longings. Understanding that Longings was fiction and NOT biblical freed me up to appreciate the author's outstanding exploration of the culture in the days Jesus walked on the earth.
DeleteI'll be checking out the others ... and I know other readers here will be doing the same! And yes please to books on the beach. I can't wait!
So glad you're here with us.
I am so sorry to hear about your ankle!! So much on your plate at one time. Have you read Amanda Wen's Roots of Wood and Stone? It is a great historical fiction novel.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to check out your recommendation, Cindy! Thanks!
DeleteOh, Linda! I'm so sorry you sprained your ankle so badly. I'm also sorry you can't be with your mama right now. Though she doesn't ask for you anymore (I understand that), I can see how it would be hard not to be there with her. I'm glad God's given you peace about all of this. The quote about sunshine made me smile. We're at 80 degrees today with a snowstorm moving in tomorrow night. :/ I'm going to cover my flowers and pray for their survival. :) Anyway, my friend, I'm saying a prayer for a quick recovery and that you rest and learn the beautiful truths God has for you in this season of forced stillness.
ReplyDeleteSNOWSTORM? NO WAY! That's just too crazy. Hard to believe we live in the same country ...
DeleteSo sorry that you've sprained your ankle, Linda, and wishing you a speedy recovery! These are not new on the book scene, but books by Eugenia Price are great historical fiction. They take place at St. Simon's Island in Georgia. Praying for you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteOh I LOVE Eugenia Price's books. I'm guessing maybe they were the first historical fiction I read a long long time ago. Thanks for the nudge to dip into them again, Martha. So excellent!
DeleteOh Linda, I'm so sorry you sprained your ankle. I hope it heals quickly. I'm glad you are at peace with not being with your mom right now, but I'm sure it's still hard not to be there holding her hand and singing sweet hymns to her. Speaking of hymns, as I was baking this morning, I heard "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" and I thought of you and how you love that Bible verse of His mercies being new every morning. Love and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteLamentations 3:21-26, 31-33, 55-58
Delete21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
31 For no one is cast off
by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.
55 I called on your name, Lord,
from the depths of the pit.
56 You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears
to my cry for relief.”
57 You came near when I called you,
and you said, “Do not fear.”
58 You, Lord, took up my case;
you redeemed my life.
AMEN! 🙏🏼❤️
DeleteOh I just love this passage so much ...
DeleteOh, Linda! Prayers for you, your mom, and your whole family.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pix, too!
Thanks, friend. You knew her when ...
Deletexo
Adding my disappointment to others above, to hear about your sprained ankle. I'm so sorry! I pray you'll find so many intriguing activities to keep you meaningfully occupied, your convalescence will pass quickly!
ReplyDeleteWell, I am blogging a bit more, so this time to reconnect has been good on lots of levels!
DeleteLinda, I am so sorry you sprained your ankle. I will be praying that it heals quickly. I am so glad that you are at peace that you can’t be with your mom right now. Your granddaughter’s nails and dress are beautiful. The brilliant blue reminds me of a peacock! Take care dear friend!
ReplyDeleteOh I know, that dress! Those nails! The hair! The shoes! That beautiful heart! Don't you just love singing the praises of your grandkids?! Five out of our six are in their teens. Be still my heart.
DeleteHi Linda, thank you for a view into your life to encourage and uplift others who might think they are alone on their own journeys.
ReplyDeleteGod bless
Tracy
Tracy, hi! It's been good to connect with you in recent weeks ... your blogging story resonates with us die-hard bloggers. Looking forward to your writing in the days ahead. Bless you.
DeleteSo sorry to hear about your ankle, Linda.
ReplyDeletePraying that it heals quickly.
((hugs and blessings))
One good thing ... it's giving me time to immerse myself in blogging again which is turning out to be just what I needed.
DeleteOh, this phone! I jiggled it and it published, far too early.
ReplyDeleteLest I think I'm indispensable...
words I would expect from you,
whose humility's so sensible,
but I think it is not true.
The times you had to step away,
when time was at a lack,
all of us looked for the day
when you'd be coming back,
for we read between each line
to find love living there,
coming from a heart and mind sublime,
a breath of higher air
without which, yes, of course, we'd live,
but less without which that you give.
Well, I don't know about 'a heart and mind sublime, a breath of higher air,' but yes, I'm glad to be back for now. There's something about continuing our normal rhythms that helps get us through the hard stuff. When too much else is crazy and out of control, investing in the activities that breathe life is incredibly helpful, isn't it.
DeleteBut that you already know.
Linda, I am so sorry about your ankle, especially during this time. God is so good to have brought you peace in this. Praying for you and your family this morning.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Joanne. I so wish I was mobile right now. But He had other plans and I rest in that. It's a good place to be ...
DeleteLove the tea towels...I'll watch for them again when they are restocked. Praying healing for you, Linda!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I heard they sold out quick again ... restocking in June? Definitely worth the wait!
DeleteI'm so sorry about your ankle, Linda. That really lays a person up and in the nice weather time, too! I hope your recovery is quick. (And I adore your dog!)
ReplyDeleteThat's my grand-dog, Rosie ... and she lives way too far away!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your mom and sprained ankle, Linda. Hope you'll be back on your feet again soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a fan of pretty tea towels--they're works of arts for the kitchen. I've even framed some of my pretty tea-themed towels.
Thanks for the visit. Gotta love garage sale season!
This one is a work of art! I'm hanging it on the fridge and hoping no one will touch it!
DeleteLinda, I'm so sorry to hear of your mother's passing, but rejoice that she is now with our blessed Savior and no longer suffering! I love visiting you on the porch! The tea towels are lovely, and I have read Brennan Manning's book more than once!
ReplyDeleteOh Donna, she is still alive and has not passed away. I'm sorry my wording wasn't clearer.
DeleteThat ankle doesnt seem to have slowed you down on little bit.
ReplyDeleteGrateful for the borrowed scooter to use around the house ... will wait on going out til next week!
DeleteI'm so sorry you sprained your ankle. That is such a bummer. Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteAmy, thanks ... I hope your weekend has been wonderful. Can't wait to see what you're wearing this week!
DeleteMay your sprain heal quickly, Linda, so you can be out in your garden again! And glad to read you are at peace with where your mother is currently at. Maybe your mom is feeling peaceful in her heart and mind, too, and it is connected with yours? Regardless, may the peace of Christ continue to dwell within you.
ReplyDeleteI miss puttering around outside, for sure! Can't wait til I can tend the plants and flowers again.
DeleteI hope your ankle heals quickly, Linda. I'm glad you are at peace about not being with your mom right now. Your situation reminds me of when I got pneumonia several days before my dad's funeral, when family was coming in from all over and there was so much to do. All I could do was lay in bed, cry as I practiced my eulogy and wonder about the terrible timing. In the end, it turned out OK. And then all I could tell myself was, "God knew." Praying for you, dear friend ...
ReplyDeleteOh that's right, now I remember, Lois. When you think you can't bear another thing ... But God.
DeleteI learned so much from what you shared during the Homegoing of your parents. You are a blessed guide.
I guess the one good thing about your mom's state of mind and health is that it "relieves" the guilt of not being there and allowing you to recover. As you know though, your heart longs to be with her even though it is wise for you to recover for the days ahead. couple comments about the pictures: them are some big eggs! My egg supplier has dried up. I miss them. Another picture: the dog's life. We all need those times/days. I pray you heal quickly.
ReplyDeleteMy granddaughter heads down the road to the neighbor's with $3 in hand to see if there's any eggs to be had. I hear each kind of chicken lays a certain color egg. I just love the surprise, the variety.
DeleteGod smiled when he thought of hues of eggs, yes?
Oh, sweet friend! I am so sorry you sprained your ankle! As I read this, I couldn't help thinking that this could be God's roundabout way of forcing Linda into putting Linda and her needs first, something I feel certain you never do!! Sometimes He has to pull us aside, doesn't He? It reminded me of when Jesus told His disciples to "come aside, and rest a while." I so hope you are feeling better & not in a lot of pain. Sending much love and hugs to you today.🙏❤💐
ReplyDeleteYes, that's what one of our sons thought, too. I'm believing that God allowed this to happen to take me out of the picture for those days that were particularly troublesome. Yes, the process of dying, even for the Christian, can be an excruciating thing to sit by and take in. We were not created to watch our loved ones suffer.
DeleteI so enjoy meeting you on the porch for porch stories. Your weekend meet up on the porch is really special and dear to me because I love being porch people in the summer. I'm retired so yep, that's where you'll find me. Reading, talking to friends or neighbors and awning in God's creation.
ReplyDeletePaula, I'm so glad to hear that you're a porch person, too! Thanks for those encouraging words today. They are always valued and appreciated.
Delete