Uplifted in a Broken Down World

Today, June 1, 2026, celebrates my Father’s 100th Birthday. He was Granddaddy to all who were (and remain) blessed to know him. Five years ago, he went home to Heaven, not an old man but a child — a child of God.

Though I’m known to be a lady of words, there are no syllables to express Heaven’s gain and my loss when Dad received his well-earned Eternal Reward.

Without his smile starting and finishing each day, there remains a loneliness in my heart, but my soul is not alone. My dad’s wisdom, love and influence forever guide and embrace my being and life’s journey.

The world wrongly labeled my Dad an old man. I smile cause it now, also, wrongly categorizes me an old lady. I’m not. You see, forever, I proudly was, is and will be my Daddy’s little girl.

In my neck of the woods, this week marks the beginning of summer vacation for pre, lower, middle and upper school students. Excitement already fills the hearts of my precious grandchildren. Five-year-old, Rosemary longs for the splash pad to open. Eight-year-old, Zachariah intends to open his own business. His plan has gone from building an $89,000.00 underground football/basketball stadium to opening a lemonade/cookie stand. Finding Duke Energy not interested in bringing power to his backyard for the stadium, he’s learned the priceless lesson that his family never fails to support his needs. His mommy will lovingly supply the lemonade and cookies at no expense to him or his margin of profit. As a rising second grader, Zachariah already understands the desired bottom line is black, not red. Rosemary. bless her heart, has firmly declared to her brother that neither black nor red are on her priority list. Pink and lavender are her choice targets.

My heart chuckles as I hear these two scholars chitter-chatter about their summer plans. My soul thanks God as I hear this duo’s mommy reveal the color in which she will paint their summer is green — the color of Faith. Textbooks, homework and projects will be shelved for the summer. The Bible will not.

I pray parents (and grandparents) across our universe are wise enough to not back burner learning about God during the lazy days of summer. God watches over our little ones 24/7/365. Shouldn’t we make it a priority to use summer’s spare time to root the minds and souls of our young deeper in God? School books are meant to close. The Bible should always be open. Will you share dedicated summer reading of God’s Word with your family’s children?

Between the hardcovers of this year’s summer vacation, we are called to open the pages of the greatest story ever written and share it with the souls of God’s little children. No greater rest, than resting in God, can summer vacation fulfill.

Fears, catastrophes and battles in general are amplified in the shadows of twilight. How many sleepless nights have we tossed and turned as panic and anxiety crescendo at midnight. Watching the slow-moving clock, we wait for darkness to be replaced by the sun coming up. The dawn of light antidotes fear of the dark. This sleepless cycle repeats, not because our fears are insurmountable but because we are not resting in the rays of Spiritual enlightenment.

The world peddles that the sun comes up and puff goes fear. Scripture infallibly proclaims The SON comes down and replaces our fear with Faith.

The SON came down to earth, suffered and died instead of us, perpetually walks beside us and asks us in return to “soul”y “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”. 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) It does not matter, how often, how deep or how traumatic our fear is, the SON comes down to accompany us through and beyond any, and all, our fears. We simply need to grasp “I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.”. Psalm 86:7 (NLT)

Tonight, as darkness creeps into our fears, will you and I rely on the sun will come up, or will we find peaceful rest in trusting The SON will come down?

I ventured to church this morn with one hand stiffly splinted and wrapped in a medical bandage, fingers still tainted in betadine and stubby nails anything but manicured. My thoughts were not of the present but of the past.

It is the first Sunday in May. Three quarters of a century ago, my Mother would have been dressing me for Sunday Service. Come the fifth month of Chicago’s year, Mom would have replaced my wool mittens with white cotton gloves. My Mother firmly instilled a lady (and little girl) was never dressed without her white gloves; and God deserves our finest, nothing less.

What is my finest? What is your finest? What is finest, be it mine, yours or anyone else’s? Yes, white gloves when life is at its best; but could it be our finest is really revealed when we are at our worst? Is finest coming perfectly dressed to stand in God’s presence or coming wounded to kneel in His presence?

My Mother taught me respect in God’s presence. My wounds teach me humility, healing and Hope in God’s presence. Be it seventy some years ago or this 21st century morn, as we approach the throne of God, our hands, hearts and souls were created to wear both white gloves and bandages.

This dawn, I felt my Mother enlighten this newly acquired wisdom within me. Thank you, God, for sending Mom as Your morning messenger, I was yearning for her forever guidance and love.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it,” Proverbs 22:6 (ESV). Mom, you did just this…

Like every blessed Grandmother, a grandchild is cherished treasure. My grandson, seven-year-old Zachariah, proudly boasts two baby brothers. Just about the only drawback is both babies are not fans of sitting idle while strapped into their car seats. Thus, my daughter when picking up Zachariah, times it so she is one of the last cars fetching a student. This avoids stereo opera from announcing her arrival. Like any first grader, Zachariah is not keen on always being last. He naturally was delighted to hear his GaGa drew Tuesday/Thursday school pick-up duty this semester.

I needed instructions, and Zachariah announced he’d educate me! His version of my assignment was to always make sure I was waiting in the car line between the “A” and “H” letter signs — ensuring he’d finally be called for release in the first batch of scholars climbing into cars. Confident even this ‘ol GaGa could handle her job, I assured him I could handle the task at hand. However, what I came to learn was to wait between “A” and “H”, a car has to arrive a good hour before school calls it a day.

My immediate solution was to use the wait for catching up on paperwork, messages and to-do lists. Then came last week and the arrival of God’s gorgeous gift of Spring. Arriving at school in time to stop at letter “C”, I reached for the day’s car work, only to scold myself for being satisfied to sit behind tinted windows when God’s landscape and singing creatures were sharing a dazzling display of stunning creation. The invitation to partake of peace, renewed life and inspiration was knocking on my window. You better believe, I swung open the car door and hopped out of stale air to breathe in God’s gifts and breathe out praises to His glory.

I walked the field in the center of the car loop, praying for Zachariah and his fellow students’ wisdom and protection. My stroll completed, I plopped down on one of the benches lining the sidewalk along the car line and began talking to God. I mean a day as beautiful as I was beholding merited a litany of praise and thanksgiving offered to our Creator. The birds chirped along, as if to add their gratitude and joy.

Suddenly, my exuberance changed to somber realization. I sat totally alone. Not one other driver sitting, by now, in about 100 cars left their steel cage to take hold of the Hand of God’s peace, beauty and freedom from stress, schedules and life’s winter woes. How very sad this is.

Why are we captive to cages, when freedom to soar awaits us? Why do we choose to gaze through dark lens and filter out our SONshine? Why do we skim our smartphones over conversing with God? As Zachariah and I drove home, we pondered these questions. Maybe, we were unable to sum up the answers, but wisdom grew from wondering.

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12: 7-10 (ESV)

When I was a child (3/4’s of a century ago!!) obedience came from the inside out — heart over headstrong, soul over weak morality. I hailed my Mother and Father as the smartest people alive. Does anyone else remember telling friends (and foes) your mommy and daddy knew all the answers to every question? Back then, there were no computers or AI. They weren’t even longed for or needed. God’s laws told us all we needed to know and follow; and parents showed us how to measure up, keep the rules, succeed in life on earth and reach the reward of Heaven. Was this social naivety or spiritual security? I believe the latter.

In the olden days, there didn’t seem to be an abundance of too much on our plates. Our focus was more on drinking from the Cup — Christ’s Cup. We didn’t need to over fill our plates to feel successful in life. Christ’s death and Resurrection nourished our wisdom and led to inner peace and, also, a piece of outer accomplishment. Worldly enough was just that — enough. The rest was to be shared — not hoarded nor lauded over others.

Obedience was expected, not rejected. Letting down others, especially family, was a bitter sting. There was a distinction between wants and needs. We were nurtured through being taught the difference.

Dreams were ours to reach. They were not gifts to be freely handed out. Do you, like me, remember working long and hard to merit a goal? If so, I bet you haven’t forgotten the feeling of finally reaching and crossing a finish line.

Best of all, I remember Sunday was just for God. Wasn’t a store in the city that opened its doors on the Lord’s Day. What’s more, Church doors never closed. Instead of current day worrying about tomorrow, I ask God to somehow bring back the olden days (and ways) when taking time to be fully God’s on Sunday led to God being fully ours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

I don’t pray that somehow there would be more hours in a day. Rather, I pray ours would find a way back to the days when Christ’s Cup, not plates, was overflowing.

“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NIV)

The morn dawned very early. Well rested, I was a tad trepid of the day, but at full peace God was straightening my path. Proverbs 3:5-6 carried my soul — my heart too!

Early morn while navigating the interstate, my car console delivered a text from my son, Beamer. My daughter-in love’s grandpa was making his final turn into Heaven. As Kate flew to say good-bye, I was needed to fly to care for my NY grandbabies. God having immersed me in Proverbs 3: 5-6, I sort of anticipated I must be going to need to cling to that Scripture. Why else would God be constantly placing it before me? The morning proved my intuition correct.

Suddenly my day rained chaos. In my heart, trust in God reigned supreme. My need was to see God’s powerful hand, not Satan’s devouring teeth. God answers all needs. Thus, a kaleidoscope of God’s blessings landscape this post.

Waiting to board my flight, I gazed upon an elderly lady perched upon an airport wheelchair throne. Her middle-aged daughter stood loving guard by her side. Both were fighting tears. My soul, deeply touched, understood their love reflected how God created family love to be. As the mother was pushed away, I approached her daughter, thanking her for personifying Godly love, too often missing in our world. Tears now washing her cheeks, she expressed how her mother instilled this love in her. She turned and walked away. Not more than two minutes later, she returned and tapped my shoulder. She asked me, when I was boarding and passed her mother’s seat, if I would please tell her mother she loved her and she would be ok cause her husband was going with her and would take care of her. Instinctively, I knew to the world her husband was deceased but to this mother, he was the guardian angel accompanying her. The news would broadcast death. The message reported to me was God’s gift of eternal life.

The sisters, two-year-olds “B-Boo” and “Nor-ra-ra” delivered many priceless and comical moments. While mommy was away, they decided crying for her at bedtime was deemed the way to end each night. It was pathetic to hear. This grammy had no magic trick to dry their little eyes. All that could be done was to accept that eventually they would tire themselves out and fall asleep into dreamland. My last night in charge, as I was finishing praying over them, “Nor-ra-ra” exhaustedly called from her crib to “B-boo” in her crib, “I go night-night. You cry!”. After stifling spontaneous laughter, I felt God proclaiming, “Those sisters understand what I say to you. You go to sleep. I’m taking the nightly watch.”.

Five-year-old J.B., more than once, melted my heart and soul. He was my leader, as in so many “ins and outs” of their schedules, I was lost. He took care of both the sisters’ needs and his grammy’s too. Post Friday night’s pizza party, he looked at me and said, “Grammy, I wish you were always a part of our family.”. His little heart wanted his grammy always physically close. Many, many times each day he’d find me and say, “Grammy, will you come and sit by me?”. Christ is all of our greatest leader. His words do not differ from J.B.’s. His heart (yes, Christ is not without heart) like J.B.’s, longs for our closeness. May we all choose to stop worldly hustle and make time to sit at Christ’s feet. This will not make more twists and turns in our day, but rather, straighten our path.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3: 5-6. (ESV)

Easter attire is abounding. Easter baskets are brimming. Easter Services are overflowing. The Easter tomb, in stark contrast, is EMPTY. “Empty” significance is quoted as “Resurrection” or “escape from death”. Could there be an additional and overlooked implication? As I observe our current dark, bleak world, I hope so. I long for the empty tomb to be symbolic of more than absence.

My heart aches for the throngs of Christians (and non-Christians) whose lives feel empty and alone. When a physical life (or spiritual life) feels empty, eyes see nothing but mortality, loneliness and despair. What if the vacant, unoccupied Easter tomb reminded us that Resurrection, salvation and joy are the result of Christ walking out of, and carrying us away from, worldly outer emptiness and into spiritual inner fulfillment? The prison of empty would then turn into overflowing escape.

Quite possibly, the best antidote for feeling incaved in an empty tomb is to know, believe and trust that following a Christ led life is the sole, and soul, way of leaving all emptiness behind. This is the promise of Easter. May it be ours today and every tomorrow.

This has been a blessing of a week. While their mommy was away helping Veterinarians learn better how to care for God’s furry critters, this Grammy (aka, GaGa) filled in at home with the grandbabies. Though 100% love and effort were shared, an age-old adage proved true — ie., Mommy is irreplaceable!! I did, however, score better in the “napkin and Kleenex” category — ie., any port in a storm!! Actually, for me, the “napkin and Kleenex” were clear reminders of my (and your) Heavenly Father’s presence and love for all of His children on earth.

Strategically, I had to devise a plan of how I could get enough ounces of freezer, breast milk down the baby to keep him hydrated. This tactical maneuver centered in graham crackers and milk go hand in hand — more hopefully hand to mouth!! Since my 10-month-old grandson refuses any liquid in a bottle or cup, I knew a simple direct bottle approach would be futile. However, graham crackers are his favorite food. My thesis (maybe flawed but definitely successful) was eating graham crackers in large amount would make Baby Elijah thirsty; and being thirsty would make him drink mommy’s milk from his bottle.

Before I pat myself on the back for this genius strategy, let me confess an unlimited amount of graham crackers for an infant, most definitely, produces baby mitts, face and hair caked in sticky, gooey, graham cracker mess. What’s more, when baby decides he’s had enough wearing his food, GaGa becomes his napkin. He wants no part of a washcloth or wet wipe. Transferring his mess to his GaGa Napkin is his way (and his only choice) to get clean. After all, rubbing on love best wipes the stains away!!

During my week, I sensed God sharing a parallel between graham crackers and mankind’s sins. We, God’s children, so often make a “graham cracker” sticky mess in our lives; and, yes, God best wipes our sins away. May we not hesitate to choose God, not a worldly source, to wash us free of the mess engulfing us.

When difficult moments arrived and tears filled my grandbaby’s eyes, he needed his GaGa’s arms to pick him up and vanish his fears away. GaGa became his Kleenex. He wiped his tears away by snuggling on my shoulder. Once more, I realized God stands ready to do the same for me and you. In every storm He is our port, waiting to hold us and all our fears, wipe our tears away and shelter us within His loving arms. All we need to do is cry out to Him.

Mommy is back home. I’m relieved of my fill-in role. I thank God for guiding me through this week’s tour of duty. With even deeper gratitude and praise, I thank God for never going off duty from being the greatest of napkins and Kleenex for me and each and every one of His children on earth.

Watching a new season awaken this week reminds me how the storms of Winter are wiped away through God’s creation of Spring. Over and over, God sent Proverbs 3:5-7 to me. Last Tuesday, THREE of my daily devotions centered in this Scripture. That was an impossible co-incidence but an unquestionable God incidence. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

After my trifold revelation, deep inner peace settled in my heart and soul. All that might have been moments of fear and frustration, instead, were wrapped in trust. My hands, heart and soul were not carrying the weight of the world. There was no need; for God is carrying me, and nothing is beyond His strength. The promise of His words never disappears.

“He will make your path straight”. It does not say my path will automatically be straight, even before it comes my way. It does proclaim no matter how twisting, uphill or downhill my path is, my God will straighten out the snarls. No greater Hope this day can I share with you.

As the seeds of Spring begin to sprout in our world, may Proverbs 3:5-7 be rooted in our souls. Herein will flower the Faith and Hope needed to withstand the thunder of storms, while also surrounding us in the beauty of God’s protection, guidance and Love. May this Scripture truth hug you day and night, rain and shine.