Category Archives: Things to ponder….

People, events or things that cause one to stop and think.

North Western Arizona topography always gets me thinking….

Intro to Change, Things to ponder....,

Growing up as a mid-western girl, I’m enjoying, astonished and overwhelmed with the western topography! The countryside is vast! There are such drastic changes in the landscapes. I have never been exposed to so much openness and ruggedness. In driving through North Western AZ on the way to CA, I have had the same thoughts impressed upon my mind every time we drive that way. The thoughts are different from each other, but consistently come to my mind.

  • …What is man that thou art mindful of him…. Hebrews 2:6 or Psalms 8:4
    The heights of the cliffs and the depths of the canyons are so huge. I feel so little compared to this landscape. I stand in awe that the God who created all of this loves and cares for me. The drive always invokes increased appreciation for the love and care of God our Father.
  • The land is so rugged and unwelcoming it leaves me wondering about our forefathers who traveled west by mule, wagon or horse. How they were able to traverse this rugged land leaves me amazed. I also ponder what motivated them against such obstacles. I wonder about the woman who made these journeys; about what their thoughts were and what their lives looked like. I believe a future reading topic will include women pioneers of the west. I would like to understand this experience from a woman’s point of view.

There are so many things about the west that interest me, I suspect I will be standing in awe many times and finding new things to research or read about for a long time. That means probably writing about it also.

Living a life of passion……

Things to ponder...., ,

I recently visited with friends I had not seen in 20 years. It was a memorable evening on so many different levels. When I knew this couple, David was a military chaplain and his wife Rose and I were involved in Women’s Ministries together. Twenty years later I find that David tried ‘retirement’ and did not find it satisfying. Something was missing for him. He is now working for the VA as a chaplain, ministering to soldier’s who return from war suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. It was a blessing for me to see someone who is 70 still pursuing the passions of his youth. His life is making a difference to those who want his help – and he feels blessed to be in a position to use his life’s experience to help these younger returning soldiers through difficult times in their life. There is talk that David may ‘slow down’ a little, but it does not look like he will be walking away from this job anytime soon! The visit has me thinking about passion, and wondering if many of us have something we are so passionate about we would change our way of living to fulfill. Are you willing to share your passions?