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The angst of the prodigal son story arises upon my path again today. Its a bane to many parents. Shakespeare included this global trauma in his play The Tempest where Miranda is surprised that a noble woman like her grandmother could give birth to an evil man like her uncle Antonio and stated “Good wombs have borne bad sons.” This same phenomenon persists, evil? I am not so sure but certainly not biblically honoring “thy mother and father.” Has it always been like this? Is this why the honoring is included in the Ten Commandments and is also addressed in the Chapter of Luke? Luke, the physician and the reporter, of the New Testament writes of The Parable of the Prodigal Son. The young son takes off with his inheritance and squanders it in reckless living and then returns home to his forgiving father. In telling of the story there are key parts that get overlooked; one; even though the request and the reason for the financial request surely grieved the father, he didn’t argue with his son’s desire, he conceded to it. I believe he exhibited faith in his child. And second; the father did not chase after the son, did not impose his desires upon him, and the son, when in dire straights, made the first move in returning to his family. The first move in contrition after such a big bravado is an important character reset. It is a form of dying to self. Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And third, the father ran to meet him putting aside what transpired, an act of mercy so that his son didn’t arrive home defeated, but knowing he was wanted. And fourth… there will always be the one who who cries “not fair!” when witnessing the power of forgiveness.

I can look where I choose. The Hostages. The Protesting. The Media. The Bills. The Diagnosis. The Changes. The Discontented. The Crime. The Loss… and more. There is always more. Will I will see what I want to see. Will I see what they cause me to see? Am I right? Are they right? Three times yesterday God proved me wrong. I am glad He did for His way was better and benefited me. Remember… Romans 8:6 “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,” He reminded me, where is your focus? Everything now has happened before. We puny humans are slow to learn as it is in our nature to drift away from God on a daily basis. If things are good, we drift in taking His good for granted. If things are not good, we drift in defiance. But God is the same. He was called upon by our fathers and mothers for hundreds of generations. He was called upon by Moses. He answered every question, and every plea… to those who asked. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is our God. So for the solution? God. Always God. Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=8txqw-u4V78&si=kldAX_MJxOsCmt2H

This is the Rescue of The Rose and like my paintings she comes with a story!

After ten years I moved from my “exit” house. At least I hoped it would be where I made my exit into heaven’s door. In my heart I knew it was not. How did I know? I was under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. And how did I know that? I fought too hard to control all aspects of it. The first sign was in the heavy furniture I bought that was only movable by professionals, and another was many times we traveled for Du’s work which also piqued my quest to see many places and their peoples. And then the Holy Spirit called me out on my heavy furniture. He let me know that there are people that will take care of that. He simply said “let’s close this door.” I was excited, yet reluctant, but because I belong to Jesus l will follow Him. He allows us the Ecclesiastical time to reflect and so I did. This past home was a time for personal soul growth. Observations were made, messages given and received. Theirs is on them. Mine is on me. And then my reflecting turned to self-doubt with a tint of pity. Leaving an opening when the devil came around to find me looking back at the routine, the order, the knowing. I was looking back just like Lot’s wife; the only woman in the entire bible that Jesus mentioned in Luke 17:32 “ Remember Lot’s wife”? She left her heart and her attention back in Sodom. My lesson was to be an up close and personal reflection regarding this comfort of “knowing.” The humanity version of it steals! Proverbs 18:15 states “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” This acquiring and seeking are action verbs. Like in GO. Mark 10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. And so on. So I will go and grouse no more. ☺️

While I am away my youngest granddaughter Ev is babysitting our pup. And he is teething… and curious… and nighttime was a struggle… and a lot of texting was sent to grama and papa. We prayed… fervently! We prayed from the need. We prayed with “oh please Jesus put your touch on this situation!” And thank you for rhe gift of this situation! Teach us our parts in it.” And then… Ev just “knew” what to do. The kennel was chucked to the side. Playtime was increased. Sammy was invited in to her space where he knew he was safe. And both found joy, peace, and confidence. All in less than 48 hours. Why so quick? They both understood their part in the relationship. But the lesson was mine as I watched this clip she sent and the song by Tom T Hall played in my thoughts of “old dogs and children, and watermelon wine…” https://youtu.be/e7luxiYV0Kk?si=vymea1AXDJKIf-62

I am in Mexico right now recovering from selling the house, putting everything in storage, and designing the new house… my territory is getting really large as stated in the Jabez prayer. Is this prayer “magic” - no of course not. But what it is is on God’s timeline for us in the Ecclesiastical way as in “for everything there is a season…” And as we have prayed in as an inclusion to pur morning Bible time, my prayers have expanded to others and by name as God pointed out!! 😀 Thank you Jesus ❤️ for putting this retreat on our timeline as well. You truly are the King of everything!

Well its done! Papers signed. New people moved in. Blessed beyond measure they are for the triple threat of the house, the property, the neighbors. It was tremendously hard to leave and a lot of tears fell from the depths where losses accumulated over the years. The home, the property, the neighbors had become a great source of comfort for 10 years and God called me out on it. Not only did the scenario cripple my soul, but He being a jealous God made it very clear that to grow, He is to be my source. And now our possessions are in storage, suitcases, baskets and we spend our time divided between our daughters quaint and cute cabin on a massive lake and the RV we purchased a couple of years ago that sat waiting. We often wondered what it was waiting for and now we know. It was a divine “heads up.” C.S. Lewis stated, “Crying is all right in its way while it lasts. But you have to stop sooner or later, and then you still have to decide what to do.” And so I did. I will greet the day, thanking Jesus for it, and see where it goes. He is literally directing my path. One is never to old to embrace change. After all, “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Matthew 8:20. I have not one bed but 2 and sometimes 3. This Jabez prayer is working out really well. And to add a word of warning… Don’t pray it if you aren’t ready to go all in on changing things up!! Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:10

As I have endured through tremendous and multiple griefs over the years, I have found that our ministry’s are born in our pain. Every emotion, every feeling; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control all rise to the top and we become thee vessel for Christ. We endure as He endured. Eons ago I used to think His pain and anguish ended when He ascended into heaven. But thats not possible as He is still with me here helping me, nurturing me, feeling me for He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I learned the impact of loving from my heart to yours. May God strengthen you today and always, and May God fill you with peace from His heart to yours my friend. The waves will get smaller revealing two sets of footprints again. ❤️

This popped up for today. Praying in the Spirit is a directive from the Word of God. Romans 8:26 also teaches us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Unlike the Praying in Tongues, a gift (not all receive) of The Holy Spirit, praying in the Spirit, a fruit ( all should manifest in varying degrees as we travel up the path) comes from being secure in your position as an heir of God. For instance… “Jesus take this, fix this, do what you need to do and step me back out of the way. I trust you. Let your will be done, not mine. Into your hands I commit my life. In your name, Amen” I have found when I go all in, things happen. I have also found that I am often the cause of the holding pattern when it appears nothing is happening and when it seems God is silent. Because God is the epitome of gentlemanly, He remains quiet when I take over the conversation.

I once heard that in less than a generation the majority of us will be completely forgotten as if we never existed with the exception of our family stories being passed down as generational curses or blessings. If we want to be remembered then we need to care for our own circle, even if, and no matter what.

. “What is your most common emotion?” This made me think! Great! My gut reaction was HOMESICK. It says in Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." My path is always on the move it seems. I have learned to adapted to appreciating keeping the household paraphernalia to a minimum, andfor the friendships that could endure this divine-styled path. But in all that I’ve lost or gained, endured or skated through, “homesick” does not ring true. The truth is that the emotion I experience most is GRATITUDE. No matter what I fell into, or what was thrown at me, or what I lost…or or or…I made it by the grace and mercy of my best friend, Jesus. I love how my life flipped and turned into a wondrous gift of love, of people, of places, and that its a fact that I will be seeing Jesus later in heaven. Yep, its most definitely “gratitude.” By Denise Dahlheimer

I was asked “If Van Gogh was a genius, why wasn’t he recognized as such when he was alive?” I thought about it and finally answered them. “It is a fairly simple reason that happens over and over. The majority of people do not recognize greatness when it stares them in the face or pokes them in the eye with its glaring beauty. It is far more common, and “common” being the operative word, that people focus more for others to see them with a “look at me! look at me” noisy persona. Look at President Kennedy. Hated!! Detested. This Irish Catholic would doom us all!! President Reagan and his horoscope seeking wife with her need for new plates. Now both are historic in their saving deeds. Even the words spoken by Jesus to his own people in Nazareth were scoffed at because to them he was just the kid down the block therefore without authority to preach to them. Now Mother Theresa… a lowly sacrificing sister to the poor. Made worldly great by one Royal person who took an interest in her. That and that she appeared more lowly in life than she truly was. Her greatness was no threat to ours. Because we have one chance at life, we are driven by our esteem to make it count, to be remembered. This drive pushes folk to be so narcissistic that they have to be told what great is. God knew of this flaw about us. Even He had to proclaim “Greater is HE (Jesus) that is in you than he (you) that is in the world. And yet we were worth it to Him.” Love is an amazing thing. So is hindsight. ~Denise Dahlheimer

“Say I feel all sad and self-indulgent, then get stung by a wasp, my misery feels quite abstract and I long just to be in spiritual pain once more - 'damn you tiny assassin, clad in yellow and black, how I crave my former innocence where melancholy was my only trial'.“ ~Russell Brand I went to sleep last night thinking “Lord Jesus my life is in your hands there is nothing else I can do.” I had been stung on the back of my leg 3 days ago by a dirty paper wasp (how rude!) while mowing the lawn. And btw Google is so wrong! 🙄 The burning hurt did not leave in 15-20 minutes, it was 9 hours later and not without leaving a big ole brand of infection. So in we went to urgent care, meds were prescribed and out we went to the pharmacy who had to refuse to fill per their records of my allergies. The PA was recontacted, new ones were prescribed and back home we went to wait. And wait. And wait. And finally to bed with a wish and a prayer of “Yes Lord Jesus my issues are your issues.” This morning I woke to the song in my heart of 🎶 You are magnificent Eternally wonderful, glorious Jesus, no one ever will compare… The bite is visibly better. My phone pinged that the meds are finally available. We will still go get them. I am on the mend. Thank you Jesus. Why the songs from the Holy Spirit? They all fit appropriately to my days. And why not? Jesus and I are one and as much as I love Him, He loves me more. Which reminds me of the constant banter with my grands… I love you gma. I love YOU! my child. I love you more gma. I loved you first my child. The banter then stops with everyone smiling. “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.” -Psalm 9:10 I had a big wasps nest under the eve of my roof so I went to the hardware store to find some wasp spray. I found a can and asked a worker if this was good for wasps? He says “No, it kills them.” sorry… not sorry… and I will see you on the other side

Psalms 23  1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Nuff said. Gods got it. Rest.