One of the most recent stray gifts that has stayed with me is a road trip we took last month. John had spotted a body of water on the map months ago and was curious, so we made a plan to make a day of it. We packed a picnic lunch and set out, not knowing exactly what we were looking for. The three of us were definitely up for the adventure and excited about heading out onto the open road and away from the city. What we were looking for was Red Bluffs State Park and Reservoir in Orla, Texas. When we did find the lake, we couldn’t believe how much water there was! There were quite a few ducks and even a blue heron! We enjoyed the day out very much and were grateful John felt well enough to drive and get out for the day.
Having grown up primarily in New England, I remember snow falling around Thanksgiving. Our house was on the corner, and snow plows would shovel and pile the snow several feet high. When it was new and clean, it made for great forts for us kids to play in. I also remember having a winter wardrobe of ski masks, gloves, scarves, winter boots, and snowsuits. Living in the desert now, my outerwear winter wardrobe consists of cowboy boots and a cardigan sweater for the colder days. I may need a jacket for the earlier months in the year, but for the most part, winters are mild. I feel nostalgic around this time, especially when my friend from Pennsylvania starts sharing snow photos beginning in November. While I wish for a day or two of pretty snow falling, I am thankful for the 60-degree afternoon temps right now. We enjoy walking outside more because it’s the only time of the year the sun doesn’t beat down relentlessly! While it’s technically not winter until December 21, it’s been on my mind, seeing the news of snowstorms in various other places.
I have a few stray gifts to share from the past few weeks – including a few winter photos from PA. Descriptions of the photos are below the collage.
Top Row (left to right): I was washing the dishes one night and looked up to see the moon pictured just so in that top window. Where we live now, we can see the moon and stars very clearly outside. The constellation Orion stretches big as you please across the sky, and we enjoy the brisk night air. I don’t always go outside to look up, so noticing the moon in the window that night took me by surprise. The middle photo was sent to me by my mother’s cousin. She found my mom and dad’s wedding invitation in a scrapbook she had saved. I don’t remember ever seeing it since my mother died when I was really young, and I never had many items of hers. Jonathan is the keeper of family documents and photos and was thrilled to see it…and save it in his files. The last photo is of a corner in the house finally resolved. I read somewhere that if you move to a new space and you’re not sure where to put things, don’t rush to fill it and let the room rest. Live in it for a while and see how you move around, what you use, and if you need anything new at all. I had boxes of music books piled next to the piano, just waiting for a shelf of some sort. With the dimensions I had, there wasn’t much space. I had been thinking about and eyeing a rotating shelf on Amazon, and finally took a leap of faith that it would work out. I’m very happy with the way it looks, and it fits all my hymn and chorus books, plus a few of my all-time favorite books like our Jan Karon ones.
Middle Row: Here are three wintery photos shared from PA. The deer was quite close to the front of my friend’s house! The cardinal pictures every year are just stunning! And what’s not to love about a red barn and a pond on a snowy day?
Bottom Row: I made various types of Christmas cards this year using a few of my favorite techniques. The first card was made from a few 1×3-inch scraps! Add a poinsettia, and I have a pretty card fairly quickly. If you follow me on my crafty Instagram page, you may remember that I’m obsessed with a torn-paper card. I guess I love the rustic look of it (along with Kraft cardstock!). The last cards pictured were made using a postage stamp die and stamp set. I love the look of old stamps, and I enjoy making pretty paper look like them. I made a ton of other Christmas greetings as well, which over the next few weeks will be posted on Instagram.
Speaking of cards, I keep track of what I send out. I record to whom I send, for what occasion, and also when I receive a response. I counted 230 handmade cards, which didn’t include the last stragglers of Christmas cards that went out this week. I’m thankful to my dad, who supports this ministry. He provides stamps to mail the cards out, funds to send card packages to friends and family who will use the cards to encourage others, and also to purchase new supplies as I need. What a blessing!!
“Lord, help us in our new struggles”, John prayed. This was back in July after a car accident which totaled our car. We were on our way to church when a man ran a stop sign and hit the driver’s side of our car. In the motion of it all, our car crashed head-on into a rock wall at the street corner. In the days to come, John and Jonathan were in great pain. After an ER visit, x-rays showed Jonathan had two cracked ribs. John had just finished physical therapy for neck issues at the time, but felt all the positive work that was done was undone. I was shaken, but fine physically. In the heat of the summer, we trudged through car lots, climbed in and out of cars, and talked to sales representatives while looking for a new vehicle. It was exhausting. To add to the frustration, our car had JUST been paid off!! My heart sinks just writing this. While I was fine physically, I was a mess every time we went out. At every intersection, I had a sense of panic, and while I am better now, I still am hypervigilant at all times. After the insurance settlement was received, we found a car and are moving forward as best we can. John and Jonathan had multiple chiropractor visits after the accident, which, at least, helped Jonathan. John still has right shoulder issues and is going to need physical therapy.
I have a few stray gifts to share from the past few months. I do still look for them and always have a new blog post in mind to write, even though I don’t post here as often as I plan. The days are getting cooler now, and I love how the gifts change with the seasons. Descriptions of the photos are below the collage.
Top Row: (first two photos) After purchasing a replacement vehicle, we were still unsure whether we wanted to keep it. John wanted to take it for a long drive to get comfortable with the car, so we headed out away from the city and towards the Guadalupe Mountains. We love road trips, and this was exactly what we needed after the accident – no stop signs, lights, or traffic for miles. The last photo in this row was taken at the chiropractic clinic where John and Jonathan were receiving treatment. The lush greenery inside is impressive!
Second Row: This was taken over a month ago, when I first started noticing the daylight change in the evenings. I loved the glow coming through the back door window. Photo two is of a pothos plant in our bathroom window. We had a few weeks of rain, and I noticed that before the rain, the plant would have water drops on the leaves. I had never seen that before. I thought the bathroom vent was somehow leaking water. The third photo is of roses the guys brought home for me after a trip to the store. The flowers brought such beauty to our home and smelled so sweet.
Third Row: All three of us are pretty talkative, and since we spend a lot of time together and have a lot to say on many topics, quiet times are highly valued. My friend, Jonna, sent me a cute card and these super soft socks in the mail since she knows the struggle – haha. I just want to go craft, ok? Oh – and these last two photos are from my friend Kara in Pennsylvania. She lives on a gorgeous property and every season is just full of stunning views. She knows I miss a traditional Autumn season and shares photos with me often of the changing scenery. While we don’t have views like that around our area, I do appreciate the cooler weather. I am enjoying the earlier daylight and our evening walks around the neighborhood.
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Do you ever notice a particular theme running through your days- something you know you need to pay attention to? I have had the words “consuming vs creating” pop up in the last few months. As a card maker, I am constantly looking at new and creative ideas. When I first started making my own greeting cards, I had no idea how many different ways one could cut paper and lay it out on a card front. I didn’t know there was a whole crafty universe of pretty cardstock, paper trimmers, scissors, and supplies. On Pinterest, I have 3,649 creative ideas saved of handmade cards alone. I have inspirational screenshots captured on my cell phone and videos on YouTube to watch later. At times, all the ideas and new products that come out every month from all the companies I love cause my brain to freeze, and due to the overwhelm, I am unable to create.
I used to write more on my blog, but looking too much at what other people are writing keeps me silent and uninspired.
Another area that has been on my radar is Bible reading. Reading Scripture daily has slipped away over time, and I haven’t been reading my Bible like I should. I have looked at multiple devotional books, wondering which one would be just right to get me back on track. There are so many! Should I read about rest? Do I need a book on motivation? I have a study guide book covering the Psalms, which is always a good place to begin again.
I watched a YouTube video recently covering the topic of “consuming vs creating” and decision overload. When I am constantly looking at other people’s ideas in cardmaking and not creating myself and playing around with different ideas, I am a consumer of ideas, not a creator of them. When I read too much what other people are writing about the Bible, the Scriptures become less personal, and I have nothing gained of my own to share. I have notes written along the margins in every Bible of mine. There are messages from my dad, my husband, speakers from various special meetings, former pastors, and preachers who have since passed away. What a history! There is so much richness there, just in the notes from God speaking during those times.
There is a season to consume ideas and gather up inspiration. Lately, I have been in a creative phase and have made well over fifty cards rather quickly. Most of them have been mailed out or sent to friends who like to use the cards in this encouragement ministry. There is a time to read devotionals and be inspired by the perspectives of different authors, and there is a time to read the Bible alone to see what God has to say directly with no filters or preconceived thoughts. I can open anywhere in the Old and New Testaments and find a notebook’s worth of moments when God was speaking. I am in the season now where I want to begin reading the Bible again to hear from God myself. Currently, I am following this plan of reading the New Testament.
Consuming ideas vs creating something touches many areas of my life – including what to cook for dinner! God has been weaving this theme throughout my days and moving me towards a bit of action.
The LORD will prefect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Psalm 138:8
When I don’t write consistently here on the blog, stray gifts and updates pile up, and I find it difficult to know how to start a new post. Where do I begin? How far back do I go? How much do I even share? I stay off social media except for my cardmaking Instagram site, so my posts here can lean toward the lengthy side at times. I haven’t made any new cards in a few months, so there are no updates since April. If you have followed along here on the blog for some time, you know that John’s journey to health as a disabled veteran has been challenging. We have had to rethink our life plans and pivot in many areas. To keep the update short, five years ago, John was barely able to walk and couldn’t drive. Migraines and chronic pain kept him secluded and unable to work. Since then, he has filed for and was granted full disability. Also, since then, through physical therapy and various medical treatments, he is able to walk without assistance and can drive. Slowly, but surely, with determination and with a lot of prayer, his mobility has progressed, and his mind is clearer. So much so that we were able to recently buy a house! There have been moments of doubt whether or not God sees and hears, but we always come back to knowing that our life does concern Him and He is working through us. Through it all, I have kept up with documenting stray gifts. Friends and family who have been following along with this scavenger hunt are still sharing their great finds with me. Here are just a few of the latest. A description of each photo is below the collage.
Top Row (left to right): The first two photos were taken around the Grants, NM area. Between 1998 and 2001, we lived there and worked in a church with youth, music, and bus ministry. It was there that we met our friend Carolyn. Throughout the years and our many moves, we kept in touch and stayed close friends. In April of this year, she passed away suddenly at the age of 71. It was such a shock. We texted every week, sharing our new crafting obsessions. She was a quilter, and I am a card maker, and we always had a few projects going on at the same time. She loved my handmade cards, and I would send her a package of five every so often to write out for others. “I received your beautiful cards today”, she would text. “I’m going to write and send some out today”. She followed along with the stray gifts, often sharing things she found in a day. She read my blog and would text me that she enjoyed reading my updates. We have a long history – too much to share here. She impacted all three of us deeply in many ways. We traveled to Grants for her memorial service. We drove around to where we lived and the places we would go. We drove up Mt. Taylor, something we never made time to do when we lived there. It was a beautiful drive with bits of rain here and there. Carolyn loved the mountains and enjoyed collecting pinecones. While unpacking the other day, I found the box of pinecones she brought me last October when she came to see us. She was thoughtful in many ways, and we are thankful to have known her.
The third photo is a huge stray gift. When we moved back to Texas to be closer to my dad, we started looking at the possibility of buying. Everything went surprisingly smoothly – from obtaining a VA loan to the location of the house and the house itself. It’s a one-story home, and the layout is easy for John to navigate during the bad days with his health. It’s close to my dad, so we can be a help to him. So far, living here is going well.
Second Row:1) As we were moving in, John and Jonathan surprised me with fresh flowers for our new home. They even remembered to bring a glass jar to put them in! 2) It’s like Christmas some days as we unwrap items we packed months ago. I found a pink glass jar a good friend had gifted me for my birthday one year and immediately made my favorite True Lime Black Cherry drink.3) Roses are blooming at my dad’s house. This is a new bush we planted for him in the backyard.
Third Row:1 and 2) Recently, my Aunt Carol shared a few stray gifts with me. “The deer picture was taken where we work at the day use park. There are 13 of them and some just had babies”, she said. She mentioned that there are 5 of them! We don’t see deer here in our area, so I always love it when others share their neighborhood nature photos. The middle image was taken from her garden. It looks so peaceful! 3) My friend Kara in PA sent me a view from her swimming pool. With triple-digit temps here in Texas, that sure looks refreshing!
I always hope to update the stray gifts more regularly, but a quote comes to mind that my friend Carolyn often said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans”. So true!
Today, let there be peace within me, trusting that God has planted me right where I am meant to be. -Unknown
The guys are constantly showing me social media memes. Some are super funny and others are just plain corny. They share serious ones and thought-provoking ones, too, which make for interesting conversations. Jonathan sent one to me recently that I thought was cute and would make a great blog post! It’s in line with the “stray gifts” theme I have throughout the website.
I think of throwing confetti often now when I see stray gifts pop up! Stray gifts are bits of good news in the day that God sees me and places things in my path so that I see Him. That’s worth celebrating, even if the confetti is imaginary, isn’t it? Here is the latest record of graces to share! A description is shared below the photo collage.
Top Row: 1) In January, a friend of mine in Texas shared this little snowman she made. She gave him an acorn shell hat and named him, “Pierre”. Isn’t he adorable? 2) I meant it this time when I told Jonathan I was ok with the day lilies not making it this year. Well, here they are again. Every year, I am so surprised when they come back! One day, there are no signs of life and the next, we see green leaves that have pushed their way through the soil! This photo was taken in January and right now, they are filling the pot! Last year, Jonathan and I separated them into several flower pots because they had grown so much. I’ll share a photo of them in their current state soon. I say this every year, but these are the flowers I bought on clearance for $3.00 a few years ago – definitely a stray gift! 3) We pass by this tree every time we go for a walk. When the breeze is blowing through the leaves, it sounds like a small waterfall. It’s such a lovely sound.
Middle Row: This row is all about a few cards made this year. In January, I sent out sixteen winter-themed cards similar to these. The same amount of cards were mailed in February. These were fun to make! The third card is one of the few cards I’ve made for March. In total, forty-two cards were sent out in the last three months! I’m thankful for this encouragement ministry.
Bottom Row:1) Jonathan made a breakfast casserole one day before I even got out of bed. It smelled so good with the coffee brewing in the kitchen at the same time. I pretended to throw confetti at him and we both had a good laugh over it. 2) “Back porch sitting doing Bible study listening to birds and hearing geese fly over”, a friend sent along with this photo. I so love when others share their stray gifts!! 3) Signs of spring are everywhere. This tree is in front of the church we have been attending. I have loved watching this bloom from the very first signs over the last few weeks. It keeps me looking to see what else might be waking up this season.
After stumbling around looking for contentment for years, I suddenly learned that you cannot find it by hunting furiously for it. Happiness sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.
John Barrymore, as quoted in The Reader’s Digest, 1934
Thank you to everyone who has followed along with my recording of the graces in 2024. Your weekly encouragement and conversations about the shared stray gifts mean so much. Those of you who text me photos of your daily gifts and blessings inspire me to keep looking for more!
“Happiness sneaks through a door you didn’t know you left open”. Keeping open eyes, hearts, and hands to what God may provide in a day is keeping life’s door open so that He can enter the everyday ordinary. While 2024 had its challenges, it was full of stray gifts that kept me noticing God in ways I hadn’t seen before. I enjoy texts from friends and family who have little surprises throughout their day, too – a bright red cardinal at the feeder, a set of keys that was lost but found, gifts of time used to make art, wildflowers gathered to bring during a hospital visit, a card in the mail on a day when you felt forgotten, beautiful days to sit on a back porch, and many prayers answered. Do you keep a journal? Do you write on a blog? Or do you keep stray gift photos on your cellphone to look back over occasionally? God shows up in the big and the little things. I was reviewing past blog posts of 2024 and am so glad I keep a record. There’s so much to thank Him for.
With that in mind, here are the last stray gifts shared for December. I wish all of you a safe and Happy New Year. A description of the photos will be after the collage.
Top Row: 1) Eggs. I love eggs for breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack, or dinner. Twice this month, two eggs came out of one shell. It was a little exciting. (Did I mention I love eggs?) 2) Sometimes, we get stuck in a rut and watch TV for hours in the evening. One night, we plugged in the Wii and the three of us played a few games of bowling instead. We had forgotten how fun it was. Jonathan and I played tennis afterwards and tried to ‘whip the tar’ out of each other. haha. 3) Postage dies and stamps have been my favorite to work with this year in cardmaking. This year’s Christmas cards were made with a few new crafty supplies and Christmas paper I’d had in store for a few years.
Middle Row: 1) I used a new-to-me large ‘Merry’ die to make Christmas cards this year. 2) and 3) I played around with pinecone paper and made two similar cards for two different people. I liked the non-traditional holiday card colors.
Bottom Row: 1) Christmas cards I received from friends and family! One of them is handmade! 2) I enjoy the snow photos my friends from PA text to me. I also enjoy looking at them here in the 60-degree desert weather at the same time. 3) The church was clearing out the live poinsettias that were used to decorate for Christmas, so I brought one home. It needs to be repotted and I “just so happen” to have a flower pot the right size. Stray gifts!
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:14
We heard this beautiful song for the first time during a Christmas program a few weeks ago and thought I would share it with you. The music video is posted after the lyrics.
Merry Christmas to you all!
“Still, Still, Still” – an Austrian Lullaby, 1865
Still, still, still, One can hear the falling snow. For all is hushed, The world is sleeping, Holy Star its vigil keeping. Still, still, still, One can hear the falling snow.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, ‘Tis the eve of our Saviour’s birth. The night is peaceful all around you, Close your eyes, Let sleep surround you. Sleep, sleep, sleep, ‘Tis the eve of our Saviour’s birth.
Dream, dream, dream, Of the joyous day to come. While guardian angels without number, Watch you as you sweetly slumber. Dream, dream, dream, Of the joyous day to come.
Not that which we give, but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare.
James Russell Lowell, 1848
Stray Gifts December-
Something nostalgic: We’ve been to two children’s Christmas programs in the past few weeks, and they brought back memories of participating in a few when I was younger. I’ve also helped put programs together and it is no small task! Hearing children share Christ’s birth in Scripture reading and song was a blessing. I’m also amazed at how much little ones can memorize!
Something enjoyable: The last decade has been difficult. We’ve been a bit secluded due to John’s health issues and have just started to get out more in the last two years. We had been invited to a few church Christmas parties by several local churches and not knowing many people, we were unsure about attending. We did choose to go to one and we had such a good time!
Something surprising: Recently on a Sunday evening, a teenage girl came to church by herself and sat behind us. During a time of handshaking, I introduced myself and asked a few questions. She explained that her grandfather attended this church and she was thinking about visiting more. Much to my surprise, she came to the Christmas party – by herself. She was the first guest there and we arrived soon after. I sat down next to her on the couch and started asking about her day, her school classes, etc. As others started to show up, it seemed that they knew her a bit and conversations started flowing as the hosts were finishing getting dinner ready. We saw her again in church on Wednesday night and her grandpa was with her this time. When he was talking to John before service, the young lady told her grandpa that we were the ones she mentioned to him. The grandpa’s face lit up and he heartily thanked us for being so friendly to his granddaughter. The exchanges I had with her weren’t lengthy or deep, just simple conversations, but they seemed to have made a difference.
Something impressive: A set of five-year-old girl and boy twins sat in front of us during Wednesday night church service. We have seen them before and have talked briefly. I asked the girl how her day was and she responded that it was good. She talked about her day in kindergarten and about her family moving soon. She then asked me, “How was your day and what did you do?”. I shared that I had done some house cleaning and she said that she helps her mom clean the house…especially when company is coming over. Both the twins were great at keeping a conversation going, asking questions, and responding politely and with interest. During the service time, she sang, “Mary Did You Know?” and it was the best version of it I’ve ever heard. The pleasant spirit we had seen beforehand made the special song so much sweeter.
The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.
-Author Unknown, c.1920s
At the end of the day, if the kitchen sink is full of dishes and other tasks need attention, it can be such a letdown when there is more work to do. It’s easy to just leave it until tomorrow and go to bed, but when tomorrow comes and before breakfast is even cooked, yesterday’s work casts a shadow and has now become extra work for today. With the shift of energy in me over the last few years, every little thing can become a big thing in a hurry. I came across a video recently of a woman who was sharing the same struggle. At night, when she just wanted to be done with the day, she asked herself how she would feel if she took a few minutes and tried to reset the kitchen so the next morning would be easier. She looked at getting the few tasks done as if she were doing it for a friend. If she was a guest and knew her friend was tired, she would offer to clean up to make life easier. She mentioned we do more good for others than we sometimes do for ourselves. “If tonight, I try to tidy up a few things, then tomorrow I will have appreciated the effort”, she said. I’ve started to say, “Tonight’s Rebecca will get these few things done for Tomorrow’s Rebecca”. John and Jonathan help all the time, but sometimes there are a few extra things the guys don’t notice (or care about as much as I do). It has helped me think about the next day and how I would feel if I left certain “today” things undone. This happens more when I’ve spent all day crafting! I’m in the zone of making Christmas cards currently, and it’s easy to let tasks pile up so I can play with pretty paper instead! When Tonight’s Rebecca takes a few minutes to get a few needed things done, Tomorrow’s Rebecca is quite relieved in the morning! I don’t always accomplish this, but I never regret it when I take a few minutes to make tomorrow easier.
Fall Cards: I think I love making fall cards most of all! The top three are examples of Thanksgiving cards I sent out this year. The “Thanks” card was made for a friend using 3-D leaf stickers I found at Dollar Tree!
Flower Photos: While visiting my dad last month, I saw a few Morning Glory flowers blooming in his yard that Jonathan and I had planted years ago. They grow in the desert quite well and can make a plain rock wall or a trellis look so pretty. When we moved from El Paso, I brought the yellow bell plant with me. It looks so pretty by our front door.
Nature photos: My friend Marie in Pennsylvania shared with me her view from her back porch in early November. My friend Kara (also from PA and Marie’s daughter) sent me the snow photo (taken November 22). She that said one day, ten and a half inches of snow fell before noon! Thankfully, she was able to get a fire going in their stove to help keep them warm.
