Splankna Time!!!

Life has a way of questioning my existences; maybe questioning yours also. It’s been just over a year when I posted, The Sticky Note Resurfaced- Splankna!

All that is happening in the world has grounded me in the compassion, tenderness, and empathy needed to recognize Splankna once again as the deep seated root of emotions that churn the gut and highlight the internal workings of the bowels. In this day and age, the word may be stress – a word overused in light of the many blessings I experience daily.

There is the blessing of taking a deep breath and releasing it as a bodily tool to regulate my emotions. There is watching the snow fall, and blanket the non aesthetic brown grass, as a gift from heaven to embrace the seasons of life. It is the amazement of the hornets nest that is weathering the stormy winds by swinging from a branch seemingly untouched.

This day to day, moment by moment, way of being is grounding me in the strength of the hornets nest I see outside my window. It is the incredible strength built upon layers and layers of pulp. I am also wonderfully made to withstand the storms of life. The lightweight flexibility that makes the hornets nest so strong is the same multilayered experience of mind, body, and soul that we are all built.

Unlike the home of the hornet, my soul is strengthened by the Lord. The Holy Spirit lives in me to guide me to be compassionate, to be empathetic, to be mindful of the many blessings in the day to day.

Just as the Greeks consider splankna a word to speak of the gut reaction as deep emotions, and the hornets nest a strong yet flexible dwelling place, may I continue to sway from the vine that is the Lord. That in all circumstances, there is a moment of joy, alone with the Lord or together with others.

Joy is in the air. I turn to the right and left and there is a message or word from the book of Philippians. Be it splankna, be it neuroplasticity, be it me self-regulating, I am able to settle the emotions and walk this life journey with perspective of Paul’s final exhortation Phil 4:8 “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

May I continue in this world to exist and do all that is praiseworthy.

Always grateful,

Always Grateful

Do you ever wonder, Why Are You Not Dead Yet? This is a question presented in a study that began in a few weeks ago.

In all consideration of the blessings in my life, I am grateful to still be alive to embrace all the joys in my life. The love note I received from one of my children that removed the lingering doubt of Did we do a good job rearing our children. The joyful visit from a friend, by way of Zoom, that traveled from Argentina and spent the New Year weekend with us in-person.

I am a Silhouette at Noon basking in the sun of discovery. I am grateful for everyone that has poured their experiences, their encouragement, their peace into me. All of these spoken moments and the numerous others unspoken remind me that I am not yet dead because I too must be encouraging. I must send love notes, I must travel to others, I must call others, I must seek forgiveness, and I must apologize.

I am grateful to live in a space and time to witness the good that is the undercurrent of a world gone bad. I am grateful for a God that so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that I may live joyously, forgiven, with the promise that I am never dead for eternity.

So, as I continue in the study of Philippians, may I answer the question- Why am I not dead yet? with the response, the Lord is not done with me yet. There are many more obligations to complete in my assignment as a wife, mom, friend, and disciple of Christ.

Lord, may you continue to guide me through the Holy Spirit with the wisdom of discernment, the graciousness of love, and the daily reflection of your word as my path.

As the word is given in Philippians chapter one, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Lord, I thank you for your word, from Genesis through Revelation, that informs me this space and time I live in 2026 is not a new era but the same ole same ole of a world gone bad. I thank you for the undercurrent of the good in knowing Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Always grateful,

Promises – Promises

It is the holiday season throughout the world. A time when we admit there is a higher power beyond our mere existence. For me, it also a time to reminisce of the happy childhood days with family. Opening gifts, gathering around the table, and performing the dance routines of the popular hit songs.

So many have passed on from this earth but the memories and the joy remain. There is a song that reminds me of the joy in their absence. A song of the promise for my grandparents, mom, pop, dad, sister, cousins, and friends who ran the race until they see our Saviors face. May I too enjoy the promise when it is my time to be Goin’ Up Yonder.

I embrace this good ole gospel song for what it is, a song of promise and joy. A song of extended praise to give thanks for God’s promise “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.And where I go you know, and the way you know.” John 14: 1-4

As I continue in the study of Philippians, may I also be obedient on this life journey to “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

So while I run this race and wait patiently for my time, I sing a more contemporary quick praise of God’s promise to be anxious for nothing for everyday is a Good Day.

Lord, I thank you for your promises. For you have healed me, lead me by your Holy Spirit, and grounded me in faith of your promises. In Jesus name, Amen

Always grateful,

Time to Cozy Up #EOY25

So many ways to cozy up this winter. Find your next read #EOY25 at https://www.smashwords.com/

“A book is a gift you can open again and again” Garrison Keillor

Also available in Spanish

English

Thank you for walking this writer journey with me. Lord willing, I hope to continue sharing pieces of me as I continue to figure out how to be in the world, yet not of it.

Always grateful,

The Ape and the Blockhead

Every now and then I must retreat from the quick fix of BREAKING NEWS to the contemplative idea of deep thought. My go-to during some of these moments of inspiration is C.S. Lewis. So, I go to my Apple library of next reads and open The Abolition of Man. Already, chapter 1 titled, Men Without Chest, is a wake-up call to prepare my mind for the duality of thought that makes my brain ache.

It has taken me more time than usual to get to page fourteen, where I pause to visualize the state of communication that I feed on daily. And I ask myself, am I being subtlety coerced into, what Lewis calls the “trousered ape” or the “urban blockhead”.

I must admit, information is frustrating when I am seeking news only to receive someone’s idea. Lewis has a way of bringing me back to my active brain and the components of thinking, discerning, and questioning to combat the subtlety of passive listening. Again, this active state of mind is exhausting and my brain aches.

So, I will continue this day fully aware of the remedy to the trousered ape and the urban blockhead. As Lewis also brings to mind, I may not receive real news/information but I must be cognizant that my soul is under attack.

On this somber note, I retreat to my study on Philippians where another great author, the Apostle Paul, writes to the church of Philippi as he lingers in prison for the BREAKING NEWS he brings.

I embrace and make theses words of Paul my own. Not as a passive listener but as the active brain, mind, and soul of a thinking individual… I pray that my love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment so that I may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ. Philippians 1:9-11

As I seek to stay informed of the breaking news, I will also remove the trousers and the blockhead to weigh all things through the wisdom of God’s truth so that I may be in the world but not of it.

On this note, my heart is on fire and my brain is no longer aching.

Always grateful,