Every direction we go, every path we take, every experience we have, and challenge we face always leads us back to Love. Love is what heals – not words, tradition, prophecies, rituals, or creeds – but simple, undiluted, ungussied-up, unfancified, unconditional, unpackaged, unboxed, unpoliticized Love. If it doesn’t come from Love, isn’t performed with love, and doesn’t lead to love, let it go…
photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell
Note to self: Don’t waste a single moment. Hurrying to get through this moment so you can get to the next one is not the way to live a life. Make each moment count – learn something new in each moment, love more, see the beauty in now. Okay. Carry on then…
photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell
One of the most difficult things in life is to get out of the way and allow those we love to learn the lessons they need to learn and face the challenges they need to face. But why would we want to deny those we love the opportunity to grow?
photo atop Table Mountain by Karen Molenaar Terrell
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…
I love autumn! I love the changes it brings, the chance to relax from all the activity of summer, and read a good book while the rain beats against the window panes and a fire flickers in the woodstove…
Autumn smells like cider and cinnamon,
sounds like my feet whooshing in the leaves,.
and tastes like pumpkin pie and nutmeg.
Autumn puts on a leafy fireworks display to celebrate itself. .
The wind feels cool and crisp against my face.
Autumn totally rocks!
all photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell
For a few days in the last week my family was spread out across 2,000 miles – Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago. And as I thought about this, I had a sort of revelation: Did the physical separation in any way weaken my love for my family? Did the fact that we weren’t in close physical proximity in any way make me love my family members any less? And the answer was, of course, nope. No way. Absolutely not. And then I thought about the loved ones who have died through the years and realized that death hasn’t stopped me from loving them, either. In fact, even though they’ve moved on, the relationship we created together has continued to grow and blossom and been a positive influence in my life.
As the character Jack Lemmon plays in Tuesdays with Morrie says: “Death ends a life, not a relationship.” (Mitch Albom)
photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8
photos of birds by Karen Molenaar Terrell
“Perfect love casteth out fear.” – I John 4
Photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell
Okay, here’s a challenge for my fellow writers – find a sample paragraph from each of your books that you think best represents those books, and share with us… 🙂
Here are mine:
From Blessings: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist:
“Let’s get one thing clear from the start: I am not the best example of a Christian Scientist. I’m not as disciplined as I could be. I have fears and worries and doubts. I’m a little neurotic. I am the Lucy Ricardo of Christian Scientists.”
From The Madcap Christian Scientist’s Middle Book:
“Four years ago I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to today. Think back on the last four years of your life, my friend – become aware of all the things you would have missed if you’d given up on life four years ago: the new friends you would never have known; the sunsets and sunrises you wouldn’t have seen; the lessons you wouldn’t have learned; the changes you wouldn’t have been able to make; the pictures never painted; the photos never taken; the songs never sung; all the love and laughter that you would have denied yourself.”
From The Madcap Christian Scientist: All Things New:
“You know that old saying about quitters never succeeding? I am here to tell you that sometimes having the courage to quit the course you’re on and head off into a different direction is the absolutely best thing you can do for yourself.”
And from The Madcap Christian Scientist’s Christmas Book:
“I love Snow Days. I love waking up to a world bedazzled in sparkling white. I love the laughter of rosy-cheeked children building snowmen, and the sound of the teapot whistling on the range. I relish the cozy contrast between the warmth of the dancing fire in our woodstove, and the cold of the snow falling softly outside our windows. I love school closures, and cancelled appointments, and the chance to slow down and take a break from the hurry and rush. I love the peace.”
Photos and photo cover designs by Karen Molenaar Terrell.
Superstition Mountain, Arizona. Photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell.
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 