Morning

 
As I wake from a dreadful dream

and take a breath and look around

to see what pain this day might bring.

I see 

The morning light is seeping in

through curtains where they've  always been.

The day is softly welcoming

as feathered little choirs sing.

My Father, God again has shown

that life is not that awful dream.

Life is held in check by His strong will

and earth and sky are breathing still, 

and fields and hills will flower 'til

God's perfect final plans fulfill

and beauty reigns supreme.

Good morning friends,

Diane

I Am Old

 

This morning I listened to a sermon by Billy Graham titled, 
"Why you must be careful in your old age. "

It was a good reminder that life does not end at 80. (or even 86)  He spoke of the blessings we find in this age, but then he stressed some things we must be careful of now, in our senior years.

• Thoughts that our usefulness is over.
• Regrets for things undone, unsaid, or times we hurt others.
• Becoming comfortable with religion and deciding it's not necessary to keep growing closer to God.
• Letting routine replace prayer.
• Believing that being alone is being abandoned.  
• Underestimating your power to encourage others
• Living in the past. 

Stop looking backward and start looking upwards

I am old, but I'm not done. 
The past is spent, but my race not run.  

I know there's more
God's plans control
more love to give, more room to grow, 

Our aches and pains, this world says,
give us the right to hide our heads, 
and give a reason not to bear another's burdens -
not to care.

Tho the years leave me a feeble frame,
I will ever call on Jesus name.
And walk then closer every day 
in the strength of Him
who leads the way.

 God knows our hearts. He plans our days . 
He walks ahead.  He knows our ways,
 He is the light on darkest days.  

Yes!

I'll lean on Him and give Him praise.

Love
Encourage
Forgive
Believe

Isaiah 46:

Even to your old age and gray hairs 
I am He,
I am He who will sustain you. 
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

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