Unexpected Awakening

August 1, 2026

Yes, I grew up on a farm so I shouldn’t have been surprised. But I was anyway. On our farm we only had cows and cats, not chickens. And certainly not roosters. . . that crowed in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!!

We were jolted out of a deep sleep to a robust “cock-a-doodle-doo” or two just outside the van window in the wee hours of our second day of our trip north. But we were so tired, we fell back asleep quickly. But then around 5am he started again and didn’t quit.

And so, we rubbed our sleepy eyes, grabbed a drink out of the fridge and hit the road again.

It was a foggy morning, and we didn’t have much of a signal on our phones. But we soon found a highway and after a few hours we were ready for breakfast.

We found ourselves in the gorgeous historic town of Port Washington, Wisconsin, home to 13,000 residents. We stopped at an interesting old multi-level building which housed Java Dock Café and ate a quick bite and got Terry some strong coffee.

Heading north out of town we noticed an extremely large construction site and wondered what it was going to be. Of course, I checked google and found out a huge data center was being built there. This made me very sad that such a beautiful town was going to have such a large eyesore right next to it.

A bit further up the road, since we were in the area, we agreed we had to stop at Lambeau Field. Terry wanted to put his Chiefs shirt on for the photos, but he refrained LOL!

And a couple of hours later we arrived at Peninsula State Park, which was to be our home base for the next 3 days. We had some time to kill before we could check-in to our campsite, so we visited Eagle Bluff Light House, built in 1868, which is inside the park. We were a little disappointed by its lack of height and the fact that visitors are not allowed to go to the top of it. But it felt good to stretch our legs after the long drive.

We then checked out Nicolet Bay Beach, which was packed with lots of interesting families, enjoying the bright sunny day. And when we saw the food trucks next to the parking lot, we decided we had to try their huge brats with kraut and spicy mustard. Delish!

After a hot steamy shower at the shower house (there was very little ventilation, unfortunately), we found our spacious wooded campsite and parked. Exhausted, we were asleep by 8:30.

We were amazed by what we found just up the road the next morning! Tune in tomorrow to find out what it was!

 

Escaping the Heat

July 31, 2026

While the heat wave was brewing out west, Terry and I decided to “get outta Dodge”. I don’t tolerate heat very well and heck, Terry always wants to travel! Plus, BART had just gotten a couple of upgrades, and we wanted to try them out (more on that later).

After watching some informative YouTube videos—thank you LoveNesters! —we decided to head north. We threw some clothes and food in the van, and I checked the radar and traffic and we hit the road.

There were some showers and accidents on my screen for the latter part of our first day’s driving, but Terry was sure that all would be clear by the time we reached that point. And, of course, he was right.

One of the things we do when we drive anywhere is to check off the state license plates we see on the road. Terry’s rules are that the plate must be on a passenger vehicle (no tractor trailers, etc.) and that we both have to see the plate. Bonus points are awarded if the plate is from outside the US.

So, we’re driving along, headed north on I-55 in Illinois when Terry points out a Mexican plate from Puebla. Bonus Points! He then admits he doesn’t know what part of Mexico that is. Google Queen that I am quickly inform him that it’s just east southeast of Mexico City. And then I notice that’s the region I actually visited on a mission trip I took with my church about 10 years ago! What a coincidence!

A few hours later, we arrived at our resting place for the night. . . an alpaca farm near Belvidere, Illinois. The site is one of several Harvest Host locations we have used as we travel. But they had more than alpacas! Pictured above is me with their kissing llama!

Life on the road is certainly an adventure!

Follow Us to find out what happened in the middle of the night!

And check out our Instagram page for more photos of our journey!

 This morning's gathering. . .

Terry likes to pick up the "perfect" ones.

I prefer any that have a different color or texture--the ones that really catch my eye 😉

 Psalm 113:3, "From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!"

 

One Day at a Time

June 22, 2026

Grief can hit you in the most unexpected places.

For me lately, it has shown up in my dreams, driving down a wooded highway, sitting on a beach watching the sun come up.

Sometimes I can talk about it with Terry or a close friend. Or write about it.

Other times, I just let it envelop me, wash over me, and I keep it to myself.

Each of us has experienced loss in our lives. It’s part of life in this imperfect world. None of us is immune to it.

Yet each of us must find our own way of getting through the process of grieving.

The difficulty lies in what works for one person may not work for someone else. And what works one moment for someone may not work for them tomorrow.

So how do we get through this?

First, know that we are not alone. Even Jesus experienced loss and wept. And it’s okay to cry.

Then, don’t feel like you have to bounce back immediately. Some days are harder than others. And some moments are heavier than the previous ones.

Ecclesiastes 3:4, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

Reach out to someone, either a trusted friend or family member or even a counselor or pastor. Don’t be afraid to share your feelings. We’re all in this together.

Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

Finally, remember we are only in this world for a short time. Soon all our sorrows will be wiped away. Hallelujah!

Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Psalms 30:5, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

 I Do Belong

June 9, 2026

Being the hard-core introvert that I am, it is difficult for me to feel entirely comfortable when I am surrounded by a group of people. Even people that I know. Sometimes even people who are friendly towards me.

I know my quietness can sometimes be misunderstood. And when I hide behind others, it may appear that I have nothing to say. One may interpret my actions to mean any number of negative things. . . that I don’t care, that I’m bored, or that I’m being aloof.

In reality, I’m just truly struggling inside. To find my voice. To put myself out there.

I’m not sure if this is just how God created me or if it comes from events that happened in my early childhood. And the cause doesn’t really matter at this point in my life.

What matters, I’ve come to realize, is what do I do about it.

And that is the difficult part.

Because I can’t change how I feel.

And it doesn’t work to try to smother my anxiousness. . . to pretend that I’m okay when I’m not.

All I can really do is remember who I am. And fully be the person God created me to be.

1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God gave me an outlet for my voice—my writings.

May He use them for His Glory.

And I pray that the individuals who take the time to get to know the person I truly am find that I am worthy of their effort. 

 

Be Alert

June 6, 2026

Last night I said something I rarely say, “What an exciting baseball game!”

From the multiple errors by the opposing team, to the whopping number of runs walked in, to the double-digit final score of the home team. . . I was so glad I stayed awake for the entire game!

But let’s face it, that’s not always how it goes.

Even my die-hard fan of a husband sometimes dozes off while watching his team play ball.

And that’s okay.

As long as we DO pay attention to what’s truly important in life.

1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Matthew 24:42, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”

Are you aware of your final destination? Do you know for certain where you are going when you die?

Even though my mom lived much longer than anyone expected, tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.

The end can happen in an instant.

Are you ready?