Listening
A Personal Story and Devotional
Print the short PDF

Years ago, I was asked, “What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?” The answer that came immediately to my mind shocked me. It also gave me a new focus. The answer – I would like just one person at my funeral to say, “She heard me.” In other words, “She listened and valued me.”

I never thought of myself as a good listener. Because of my visual nature, I take in a lot of information in my environment and find myself working hard to focus away from the details of my surroundings to assimilate the words of others. And so, along the way, I gathered listening tips that resonated with me. I even made a bookmark to remind myself of them. Although I still rush in to get a word in edgewise, I find myself calmer and more interested in others than in being heard. But I still have a long way to go! Here is my list on how to be a good listener along with other thoughts and Scripture.

The Preface to our Haggadah 
(with simple instructions)

The booklet called The Feast of the Lamb - Past, Present, and Future, A Passover, Resurrection Devotional Haggadah is available for purchase at Flower Girl Greetings here. This 48-page booklet was born out of my desire to gather with others and remember our Savior during these difficult times. It is loaded with vibrant art and a thorough study of the timeline of Yeshua's last days. 

I am sharing the Preface of the booklet here so you can see how you would prepare for your gathering before purchasing it.

His Yoke 
An Invitation to Rest
Print the two-page PDF

Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Yeshua (Jesus), Matthew 11:28-30

I lay awake at 2:00 a.m. [in January of 2023]. Thoughts about this verse came to mind. I asked, “Lord, what did You mean when You said, ‘Take My yoke upon you? A yoke is binding, but You set me free.’” The next morning, I began to write this devotional and prayer.

My Greatest Gift 
A message given on the day with the shortest period of daylight when the earth reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun. Today and always, Jesus is the Light of the world!
Print the PDF

The Greatest Gift anyone ever gave me was my new birth. It was given to me by my Father. I know I had to receive it, but I don’t remember receiving it. I just remember Him reaching out His hand into my darkness and touching me with a light so bright, I felt like I was swimming in a huge ocean of love, joy, and wholeness. I was completely new. It was like the words in a song – It was a “holy collision.” It was like the words that fell from Mary’s lips...

In His Dust
Staying Close
A very short devotional and prayer
Print the PDF

As I continue to learn more about Yeshua (Jesus) by understanding the culture in which He lived, I fall more and more in love with Him! The autumn tasks seem to multiply, but I want to keep lots of room for this pursuit!

Purifying Fire 
A New Beginning
My Journey through January 2022
January 29, 2022; revisited January 28, 2024
Print the free two-page PDF

“In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials, so that the proof of your faith which is more precious than gold which perishes though refined by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

The Birth of Messiah 
O Come Let Us Adore Him!
New Perspectives
Print the PDF
(See also A Chronology of Jesus Birth. This writing merges the Biblical accounts of His birth and is great for family reading. Print the PDF here.)

• When was He born?
• Where was He born?
• What did the wise men know?

“I glorified You on the earth having accomplished the work You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:4-5)

Yeshua Messiah existed before all time. His physical birth into the world allowed our finite frames to see and receive His glory. He visited us and accomplished our redemption! (Luke 1:68) So, when was He born?

Called to be Friends 
Nurturing Strong Sisterhood – 12 Principles
And take Beth Ann’s Fun Challenge at the end!
3/5/2020, completed 10/7/2021; revised 3/22/2024
Print the free 4-page PDF Retreat Tool

A Small Instruction
A Personal Story about my Dad in honor of Father’s Day
A Free Printable PDF

It was 2005. My parents had come for a visit. Sometime that weekend, I was sitting alone with my dad in the lower level of our apartment. He was sitting on a wooden chair he had just fixed for me. I thanked him, and we sat in silence for a few minutes. My father was not one to talk a lot with me. Finally, I asked him, “Daddy, do you have any words of wisdom for me?” I would ask him this question on occasion because
I wanted to get to know him more.

A Baptism to Undergo
Passing through the waters
A Short Scripture Study and Personal Story
Luke 12:49-50
Free PDF Download

Last July 7, 2020, I awoke with Luke 12:50a on my mind – “I have a baptism to undergo…” This morning, November 16, 2020, I awoke with the verse on my mind again. I had not been reading in the Gospel of Luke on either day, so I believe the Lord brought this verse to my mind to consider.

Full Fall Tabernacle Rains of Hope
Living in His Undeserved Love

It has been about two weeks since my brother passed away at 59 years old.
We cried and grieved.
We persevered through arrangements.
Afterward, Dusty and I kept our plans for a five-day get-away with friends into the beautiful fall landscape of Old Mission Peninsula in Michigan.
I returned sick.
Today, energy returns.
I thirst for the Living Water of my Savior.
Just Him and me.

Freedom from Anxiety and Depression 
Learning from a great trial from 1998-2001
Print the PDF

Table of Contents
Notes gleaned from Hope and Help for your Nerves
by Dr. Claire Weekes

How our nervous system works

The cure

Helpful Information for Sufferers and Their Friends

My Story

Background

Path to healing

Healing verses
Why did this happen? Right and wrong ways to think about my suffering

Praying Cynthia’s Way 
Validation
A Personal Story
Free PDF (Printable format)
Validate – to uphold; to assert to be true; to declare something to be well-grounded on principles or evidence; sound; inferred according to the rules of logic; or able to withstand criticism or objection.¹

In 2014 I partnered with Rabbi and Cynthia Schneider of Discovering the Jewish Jesus to print our Hebrew Names of God Art Card Collection for them as a gift for their supporters. Two years later, Cynthia called to see if we could meet to partner on a few things. I was so excited! However, that afternoon, friends from Peru were arriving, and I would be occupied for the next 10 days!

Why I Married Dusty
A Letter

My letters are factual accounts. They were written to a specific recipient for a specific reason at a specific time. I am sharing them just in case they may encourage someone else.

Freedom from Clutter
A simple 8-step plan to organize paper and things
A Free Printable PDF

I wrote this plan for a woman who reached out to me in distress. She was overwhelmed by the paper she had left unattended in every room in her house. You may modify the plan to address things rather than paper.

Lessons for Young Women, 2 of 3
The Tea Party
Lessons in God's Love
Print the PDF (includes the pattern for the teapot and teabags, as well as the pattern to cut out the verses to insert into the teabags)
Created July 2013. Revised February 2021

This writing can be used with the Lessons for Young Women, 1 of 3 (Steeping in His Glory) and 3 of 3 (The King's Daughter - what should she wear?)

The Easy Organic Lawn  
Goal – easy, lasting, inexpensive, safe
How – strengthen grass to weaken weeds
May 2009
Free PDF Download

Laundry Line Logic 
Reasons and Tips for Hanging Your Laundry Outside
Print the PDF

I have lived in apartments, duplexes, and now a home, and have always tried to get some laundry hanging in the fresh breeze!