Thoughts Along the Journey

There is a tree with shining lights Standing proudly in this room. It gives me joy to see it there, Dispelling dark and gloom. The tree holds many memories, Of Christmases gone by. Ornaments from years now past Bring pleasure to the eye. There is another tree that stood Long ago upon a hill. That tree held Someone much more dear, And wood without a frill. For Jesus, child of Bethlehem Was hanging on that tree. His life and love poured out for us, From sin to set us free. So as you gaze upon your tree Standing proudly in your room. Let His tree give your heart joy, And dispel your dark and gloom. Copyright   2013  Joni Johnson - All Rights Reserved

2013 has been quite the year for our family (both immediate and extended).  As my previous post stated, there have been some stormy seas to navigate. Lest I make you think our year has been one of gloom and doom, though, I thought I'd share some of the amazing things we have seen in the past months. 1)  Our youngest son received an incredible scholarship to the high school he wanted to attend.  2)  When that school didn't work out for him in the end, God provided so many resources, in a very short amount of time, so that we could transition him to home schooling. 3)  Our oldest son was accepted into the college of his choice. 4)  Family members have discovered that faith in God is the only way to truly survive in the tough times.  New faith for some; restored faith for others. 5)  One weekend, when (due to a clerical error on my part), we found our bank account a bit short on funds, we received a check in the mail--that we shouldn't ha...

Over the past couple of years, both sides of our family (hubby's and mine) have gone through some big storms.  There have been physical, spiritual, and relationship challenges on many levels.  We also have several friends who have experienced some of the most unimaginable tragic events. You know what has been so amazing, though?  These times have actually drawn our families so much closer together.  It has been awesome to watch.  As we've stuck together, encouraged one another, and, most important of all, prayed for one another, our family relationships have gained a new strength and depth. Recently, my cousin's daughter was the victim of a school shooting in Colorado.  I have never met Claire, but as soon I knew she had been wounded, the prayers started.  The family bonds that have loosened a bit over time became rock solid once again.  We are family.  We pray together.   We stand together.  None of us will ever need to fa...

My cousin's daughter, Claire Davis, was one of the victims of the school shooting in Colorado today.  Please, please intercede on her behalf.  She is not expected to survive.  My heart is breaking...

I am an eye-watcher.  Everyone has a way of taking in first-time information about others.  Mine is to look into their eyes.  Even when in a crowd, I often look around to see how people are responding to the moment.  Their actions may speak one thing; their eyes, another.  I can see so much in their eyes:  pain, hostility, happiness, sadness, disappointment, joy...  Actions may speak louder than words, but the eyes truly tell the story. The hard part is, I tend to be silent.  While I'm studying the eyes, I don't say much.  My silence has been deemed as being judgmental at times.  So if you've noticed me looking at you without speaking, I'm mostly pondering.  I'm learning about you, by what I see in your eyes. Sometimes we view God's silence as judgment.  We pray and pray about something, but hear nothing.  We "hear" that silence as God's way of saying, "What is wrong with you?!", when He is probably just looking in...

The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. II Timothy 2:11-13   Over the past several weeks, God has shown me His faithfulness.  Our family was going through some really rough things.  I was so tired of asking God to just "take it all away."  As our pastor, Fr. Joe said recently, "We should not ask God to take something away.  And we should not try to go over, under, or around trials.  We need to ask God to take us through."  Hard to hear, but oh, so true. One day, as my husband was filling the gas tank on a trip home, I thought, "I should check our bank account balance."  I called the 800 number, only to discover there was far less in the account than I had listed in our account register.  When we arrived home, I did some quick research.  Sure eno...

I have posted on the story of Peter before, as he walked on the water toward Jesus.  I am feeling those waves today. Truly, He is the Son of God...

Just when you think you have life all figured out...God will laugh at your plans and change them!  Doesn't it seem that way at times? We began the school year with some exciting events. - Our oldest son entered his senior year in high school.  He began the college search in earnest.  We had senior pictures taken.  We're working on graduation announcements.  Exciting stuff! - Our younger son began his freshman year in high school.  There was a particular Catholic high school he wanted to attend.  We couldn't afford it, but he was able to get an amazing scholarship.  His grades, essays, and placement tests paid off.  We bought the required uniform shirts.  He was off to high school. However, things didn't work out quite the way we thought they would.  Within a few weeks, it became obvious our youngest wasn't keeping up.  Without going into great detail, we had to pull him out. But this wasn't in the plan, God! I hom...

I have had so many great ideas for blog posts lately. And you're wondering:  So where are all these fantastic posts?  Still ideas!  :o) ____________________________________________________________ Today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  Whether you are Catholic or not, most people have heard of him.  Especially now that our newest pope took his name, more has been made known about this amazing man of God. Having said that, though, Francis lived in a time and place where written history wasn't commonplace.  Much of what we "know" about him is actually legend.  (Like the, "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words" quote.)  Much is attributed to him which he probably didn't actually say or do.  However, it is very possible the actions or words were due to his influence on someone else, and so he was given credit. He was born in 1182, in a time when villages and districts in Italy had many battles for rule....

A few months ago, I splurged a bit and bought myself a tablet (of the electronic variety).  I think Samsung's Galaxy is a great product!  It's very user-friendly, not as expensive as the Apple brand products, and...I have Angry Birds. I used to scoff at those addicted to such things.  But there is something about a pig laughing at this girl that just doesn't go over well with me.  (I grew up on a farm.  A laughing pig would quickly become bacon!)  Seriously?  I have several versions of the game on my tablet now, and all those swine truly annoy me.  No wonder those birds are so angry.  Who wants a grunting pig making fun of their lousy ability to figure out the perfect angle? Here are some things I have learned from those birds: 1.  Never give up the battle.  There is always another way to fight the temptations Satan throws at you. 2.  Let God use your abilities.  They are gifts to be used, not kept to yourself. ...

A few months ago, I was listening to one of our local Christian radio stations.   The d.j. mentioned something about a prize package--all that was necessary was clicking a link on their website.  So, on a whim, I found the link and filled in my name and address.  Two weeks later, I was surprised when a free Josh Wilson CD showed up.  Hurray!  I won a prize! Yes, I did. The next week, an envelope came, with the radio station's return address.  Inside were four free tickets to Point Fest , which is held at Cedar Point .  Tickets to this event were around $50 each, so we were super excited!  Not only that, but they also provided free entry into the park, which has an abundance of roller coasters.  Hurray!  I won another prize! I won't belabor the prize thing.  Let's just say a Coach purse and 5 more Josh Wilson CD's completed my prize package.  Hurray!  More prizes! This past Saturday was Point Fest.  The hubs had a...

Today is the feast of St. Martha.  You have probably heard of her, even if you don't know much about Scripture.  Her legacy seems to be that of someone who worked a lot, but needed to do something "better".  After all, her sister Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, which is the preferred role, rather than serving, right?  We'll get back to that question in a bit. I have to say, if Martha lived in 2013, she and I would be best friends.  I am SUCH a Martha-type personality.  Especially if there are people visiting.  I want everything "just so" and don't want any glitches:  burned food, lint on the carpet, an empty toilet paper roll...oh, just name it.  I don't want it to go wrong!  I also don't want to be the only one working to make things ready for guests.  I don't want it all to fall on my shoulders.  I may not have said anything to Jesus, but I definitely would have been rolling my eyes enough to get the message across. I ...

Today's readings for Daily Mass are from Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15; Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28; and Matthew 13:1-9.  The whole message I hear is this:  stop relying on what God gave you before.  He has something new for you--a new manna! If we keep longing for what we once had (those leeks and onions by the Nile--ick), we will never fully appreciate and receive what God has for us now (manna!). Something else I see here is the need to trust God daily.  The Israelites couldn't accumulate extra manna for the next day.  They had to trust that, each morning, it would fall from the sky, and they would have exactly what they needed. Oh, to have that complete trust in God's love and provision, for physical, spiritual, financial, and emotional needs.  Never leaving us in want.  Never running short.  Always exactly what we need--daily.                      ...

Happy anniversary to my wonderful husband.  God has been so faithful to us, and has blessed our marriage in so many ways. I am thankful for you, my dear!

A tribute to my very special dad... First of all, let me preface this post by saying this:  my dad will never read this.  There is no computer/internet access in their home.  I don't think he has ever even touched a computer, unless he was helping move one. Having said that, I want to honor him.  I am the youngest of 4 girls.  I'm sure Dad would have loved to have a son.  I'm sure my sisters can attest to the fact, though, that he never showed it.  Each of us has a very special relationship with Dad, and we know he loves us so much. Being the youngest, I have to admit that I learned the ways of a little girl with her daddy.  Batting the eyes, sticking out the bottom lip, and just a bit of whining...sometimes worked!  I especially remember being on vacation in Colorado one summer.  I had my eyes on a cap gun.  It had the whole Old West sheriff's gun look, and came with a roll of caps.  I have no idea why I wanted it, but...

Today's post is more of a rant than any theological- or devotional-type message.  Just so you know! I have been a parent for about 18 years now (counting the pregnancy, because that is definitely a stage of parenting).  I have learned a lot in the past 18 years--some good, some bad.  I have heard a lot of parenting advice over those years, too--some good, some bad. You know how it goes:  as soon as anyone finds out you're expecting a child, they have tons of free advice to share on how you should parent. "Don't spoil them.  Let them cry sometimes." "Never let them cry.  It's a sign of need.  Pick them up." "Never let a child sleep in bed with you." "The best parents allow their kids to share their bed." "Put them on a strict schedule." "A baby sets its own schedule." "Never use a pacifier.  Thumb-sucking is more natural, and an easier habit to break." "Use a pacifier.  Thumb...

Thus says the Lord : “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.” Jeremiah 31:13 My heart is sorrowing today.  I am filled with grief over senseless deaths. If you have followed the Kermit Gosnell trial at all, you have heard some things too horrendous for words.  Thousands of abortions performed in unsanitary conditions.  Women's lives endangered.  Living, breathing babies killed after delivery.  Grisly details given by employees at his "clinic."  If you live in my area, or just about any area of the United States, you will have heard the stories of young people who have taken their own lives.  Thinking that life is useless and there is no hope, they choose what they consider the only way "out."  I have friends who have lost children, grandchildren, and friends.  My oldest son is at a funeral home tonight.  A...

Life is never smooth, is it?  There always seems to be some trial--big or small--that puts stumbling blocks in our path, and tempts us to take our eyes off Jesus.  These verses are ringing in my heart today.  I wanted to share them with you, to encourage you.  No matter how hot the fire seems to be today, trust Him.  He's refining you.  Fire does not consume gold.  It purifies it.   * * * * * * * * * *  When He works on the left hand,   I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.      ~Job 23:9-11 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Do you remember the old Ginsu Knives commercials?  "Cut a tin can, and still cut through a tomato!  These knives can withstand being pounded by a hammer, and still look great!"  The guy on the commercials put those knives through many things, and still, they were sharp.  Then there was always the clincher line: "But wait!  There's more!" Which was, of course, their way of trying to sell you something in addition to the AMAZING knives. Yesterday, we celebrated the Feast of Easter:  the Resurrection of Jesus.  Churches were packed.  Flowers were placed.  Candy was devoured.  New clothes were purchased.  Many hams were baked.  Eggs were colored.  Songs of praise were sung to God for His gift of redemption.  But today it is Monday.  Back to life as usual.  We did the annual celebration.  Now back to the "same old, same old" of life. But wait!  There's more! In the Catholic Church (and some ...

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10, 11  Tonight, as I heard this passage read at our Easter Vigil, it became so clear to me:  the Word Isaiah prophesied about?  That's Jesus! Every time the Scripture's authors wrote of the Law and Prophets, they spoke of it as the Law and Prophets, or as Scripture.  But every time the Word is mentioned, they are speaking of Jesus. And Jesus has accomplished that for which He was sent:  our redemption and life! Happy Easter!

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:   “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth” ; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. I Peter 2: 21-25 

Well, that's not completely true.  I LOVE watching NCAA basketball.  I enjoy the competition, the crazy fans, cheering for my favorite team(s), etc.  Love, love, love it. What I do NOT love about it?  The brackets.  I have never, ever filled out a bracket with my predictions of the winners.  Never.  It drives me crazy!  Picking the teams to win every game over two weeks' time, and then crashing when your favorite team doesn't even make it out of the first round?  I can't take the pressure! So, every year, I print a bracket.  Then, as the games are played, I fill in the winner, so I can track which teams will be playing the next round of games.  Nice, safe, and low-stress. The real reason is that I don't like the uncertainty of the "gamble".  I am not a risk-taker.  I want to know what's going on, have time to adjust to that matter, and then go on with life.  Very safe.  The problem with this is that it seve...

Over the past couple of years, I have received several private messages via Facebook.  The common theme has been:  "I just saw on your personal info that your religion is listed as 'Catholic.'  How is that possible?" Well, for anyone who has followed our lives over the past 11 years or so, this isn't a big shock.  For those who have recently reconnected with us via Facebook, it's a heart-stopper.  If this is your first time hearing it, I apologize, and recommend you go directly to your nearest ER--do not pass "Go," do not collect $200.  :o) When I first began my blog, I shared our journey through several posts .  (And more here !) As the questions have multiplied, though, I thought I should give an updated post on the subject, as well as bringing everyone up-to-date on our lives.  So, here goes! Keith and I were married in June, 1989, just one month after graduating from Central Bible College, an Assemblies of God college.  We lived in ...

I love you this much. Trust me. "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit." I Peter 3:18

"Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it.  Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’  For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?  And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?  Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children ." Deuteronomy 4:5-9  Tomorrow will be the anniversary of the death of my grandpa Davis....