In HisTime

This morning I woke to the following song.  Oh, I'm sure we have all heard it may times, but this morning -  This morning - the words dug their way deep into my heart, into my soul, into my pain and then, they sat there - soothing the cares away.  

He makes all things beautiful in his time.

Lord, please show me every day, that you're teaching me your way, that you'll do just what you say in your time.

Lord my life to you I bring, may each song I have to sing,
be to you a lovely thing
in your time.

In your time,
you make all things beautiful in your time. 
Lord please show me every day, as you're teaching me your way that you'll do just what you say, in your time.

In your time
In your time.
You make all things beautiful in Your time.

Psalm 33:20 (NKJV)

My soul waits for the Lord, 
my whole being waits, 
and in his word I put my hope.

It sounds like the Psalm writer may have been in the same place as many of us - bottomed out, and waiting.  But he knew who he was waiting for and who he could trust .

--- 

The song, "In His Time" was written by Diane Ball, in 1978.  As I followed her life I found that she continued to do many things, "in His time."  But today, for me, I'm afraid I just have to learn to wait for "His time," and to learn the lesson of leaving my life in His capable hands.

May God bless each of you.

Diane

A little update

Dear ones,, my writings are a little disjointed these days.  I fell and broke my hip about a week ago since it this wasn't on my schedule, I was still on a blood thinner so they had to hold off the surgery to fix it until we got the Xarlto our of my system.   So after about 3 more days they did a total hip replacement.  It's been a roller coaster, but at the present time I'm at an Acute rehab hospital, having PT and OT to get my body going again.  I was transferred here on 9/2.  They're hoping to get me moving well enough to go either back to the assisted living place with Ron, or to our house, with Sue.  It's all emotionally disturbing, but God is here in my room - in my heart - in my darling Ron's situation.

Right now I'm writing snippets of thoughts,  which will probably go everywhere considering the day or hour I've had.  This post speaks about a lovely therapist.  I hope you enjoy it.  

 Pain and torture with a smile,

Her heart speaks

warmth

kindness

interest and a desire to help.

But no matter, there's still pain,

and sometimes 

you feel you can't stand up from the chair, even one more time, let alone the 20 times expected of you.

Her heart speaks again of

warmth

kindness

interest and a desire to help.

And you stand, not one more time, but 20,  and if by chance you have any strength left, you tell her you can do 3 more.

You try, 

because you know that this person, this harbinger of pain and torture wants you to succeed.

This, not for her own satisfaction, but for you.

So, she works to think up ways to make it look less like a torture chamber and more like a game.

Good people doing good for others.  

Thank you God for them.

what lies behind the faces

What lies behind the tart retort

the angry stare

unmoving wall

dark sheltered soul, a stranger there?

a twisted tree

in desert hot

bone dry and bare

by choice, or not?

Is this the face his maker sees?

And do you really want to know

what brought him here

with hurts unhealed

with grief and pain

he cannot show?

If we walk in the sandals of that stranger 

and see his soul laid bare,

but then listen to his maker

we may find our brother there.

Can I assume a pain, 

a wounded heart

or just a person torn apart

by circumstance of birth or wealth

lest I then judge his inner heart.

Assume goodness

though hidden from sight

Assume the best of the man

and see if you are right.

A Quiet Resting Place

 

When this world resounds with noise and clamor
and deafens thoughts of peace and grace
and words run round in circles random, 
we seek a quiet resting  place. 

As turmoil triggers pain and sorrow
I long to touch our Savior’s face.
to run away and close the door
upon some solitary place. 

To shut the world and find Him waiting
in that solitary place.
Ready, willing, waiting always
reaching out with love and grace.
 
I found him waiting when I came.
I entered there and called His name.
With chaos gone I heard His voice
and now with gentle sweet release
I rest in His amazing peace.
 
The world can’t reach me when He holds me
The world can’t see His arms enfold me.
Or drown this sweet tranquility.

 

Diane Gruchow August 2026

Everyday Miracles

When you opened your eyes this morning, did you see it?  Did you see how God provided another miracle for you?  Did you see?

Or if you could not see, when you woke to the sounds of the morning – the alarm, or perhaps bird song, or traffic, or a loved one’s voice, did you hear it?  Did you hear how God provided another miracle for you?  Did you hear?

When I woke this morning, I smelled another miracle.  I smelled the miracle of coffee.  God provided that ability.  How does your morning smell today?

Are you amazed at how God provides the senses and blessings we enjoy each moment?  If we aren’t amazed, if we don’t marvel at every sunrise, sunset, shower, sound or sight, we’re sure missing out on the beauty of our creator’s imagination.  We’re missing out on reminders of God’s love for us, his children.

I started this with some everyday blessings, sight, sound, smell.  Most of us have at least some of those blessing show up daily in our lives, and if I don’t appreciate those miracles, well, I wonder if I really believe they come from the hand of our Father.  Everyday miracles don’t become less miraculous.  To me the every-day-ness of them makes them even more special because that reminds me that He is with me, providing for me, walking with me every day.

Today I woke to rain and cloud

I felt the thunder roll.

And the sound of God’s brass orchestra

brought drum beats to my soul.

I Remember days when morning brought

icy winds and snow

and the beauty of each tiny flake

brought splendor in my soul.

And if I wake on sunny morns

those days too, help me know

that my Creator, God most kind

loves me with heart and soul.

Diane

A Word Softly Spoken

 

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This morning at breakfast I became convinced that, when I get upset at people for upsetting other people it doesn't do God’s will to grumble about it.

Now, I’d better start from the beginning.  Or maybe I should start with a question.  Have you ever gone into a situation with a positive, upbeat attitude only to confront a person, or people who find fault with everything they encountered?

"The food was cold! The tea never came!  The service was slow!  The egg casserole didn’t have any sausage in it, as promised!"

Do you get the picture?  It gets worse.  Spread the word.  Spread the discontent and tell everyone within earshot of the entitlement  you didn’t receive.  In fact get up and go to the next table and help them understand your disappointment. 

Ok.  What did you do about that?  I hope you wouldn’t  have done what I did?  Yes, I confess, I loudly explained  to the person next to me that “some people just can’t be happy with anything” just loudly enough to make sure the offender heard me.

I believe that the Holy Spirit spoke to me softly after that statement and said, “Diane, you really aren’t helping the situation and that’s not demonstrating Jesus’ way.”

Wow!  Now what?  Afterward, I got to thinking that I don’t only do God’s will when I speak of Him to others, or when I explain salvation, or forgiveness, or heaven to those around me.  I believe the Spirit was telling me that I do God’s will when I pass on his peace and joy to others.  And I must do that by encouraging the hurting people with a smile, a kind word, or an offer to help, rather than condemnation of those who try to spread that strife and unhappiness. 

Ok, so much for my lesson from the Spirit this morning.  How was your day?

 

 

Tonight

 

I’m up tonight, it’s 3 AM.  I Couldn’t sleep – my cough kept me awake.  So I sit here on the couch in the tiny living area of our apartment at The Bickford.

I try to orient my mind.  Since the cough keeps me from slumber, what do I really need right now?  Maybe a cup of hot water, to help me breathe a little better, a soft blanket, quiet and rest.

But no - The order is all wrong, those things are not what I truly need.  I need to know that my God is near.  I need to feel a closeness with my Father.  He is my true need in the night and He is my greatest help in times of sickness, trouble and uncertainty.

Yes, a soft blanket is nice and the hot water helps, but they can’t supply the warmth and comfort of knowing that the creator of the universe is right here beside me.  That’s what is helping me in the night, right now. 

The other day someone gave me a quote by Tim Keller.  Tim said “you don't realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have,”

I know that is true, but what is really true is that Jesus is really all that any of us have.  Jesus, instead of our cup of hot water, our soft blanket or our peace and quiet, is all we have and need.  This - Jesus will provide the ultimate comfort, control and then He will caress our hearts.  That’s just what Jesus does.

He is here!
Halleluiah!
He is here, I sing Amen!
He is here, listen closely, as He whispers yet again. 

I am with you in your nighttime.
I am with you when you cry
I am here, little daughter, when you feel your spirit sigh.
When I whisper, Child I love you,
there’s no need to wonder why.

Since

I’m the God of great compassion.
You’re my child and my creation
and the apple of my eye. 

He is here, Halleluiah!
He is right here in my night.
He is here, and He’s my comfort,
as I wait for morning light. 

It’s after 4 AM – I feel better now and I’m going back to bed.  Thanks for listening.  Diane