Peering Through Life's Window

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY Photo courtesy of Dalle 2 I immediately added clean water and the preservative that came with my flower to the rose my husband gave me one Valentine’s Day. But the next day, February 15th, the stem drooped. That afternoon the sun shone through the opened blinds on the sliding glass door the brightest I’d seen since early December. But the rose sat there, it’s pretty head tilted down toward the table.   Wednesday morning I walked in the kitchen to find the rose straight again. Not quite believing it, I  leaned down and studied the flower. I checked it later that afternoon. And another time early in the evening. It wasn’t my imagination. At five days later the rose stood straight on its stem, its petals just beginning to age a tiny bit on the edge, otherwise intact. I’d never seen a flower do that, but I’m no horticulturist, so I thought maybe some varieties of roses perked up once the recipient put in the preservative. Even so, that wouldn’t explain w...

  A Warm Welcome to Carlene Havel Carlene's giving away a $15.00 Amazon gift card. See below to enter to win.  Jesus's Unconditional Love and Why We Should Love One Another The thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians gives us a clear description of love looks like. The scripture tells us we can recognize love because it is patient, kind, does not envy, it does not boast, and is not proud. Among other attributes, love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Isn’t it interesting that, throughout the litany of love’s characteristics, there’s little to no mention of emotions? These verses show us that love flows into behavior, not necessarily feelings. Jesus’ comparison of the Holy Spirit to the wind comes to mind. We don’t see the spirit directly – we only see his results. Jesus modeled love in his earthly life, inspiring John to write about the master being full of grace and truth. Jesus frequently got his blundering disciples out of scrapes, protecting and teaching them all...