tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19049593567361857482024-11-01T05:42:16.017-05:00A lifetime of learning to walk in step with the Lord, surrendering to His priorities, drawing my strength and nourishment from the Vine.Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-85851899991120941422023-10-22T12:56:00.002-05:002023-10-22T13:00:26.949-05:00

"Would it be worthwhile to go through the botanical gardens?" I wondered, "or had the frost gotten the best of the blooms?"But I had some time before my next event so I took a chance and wandered in. There were paths winding through foliage of many varieties...from formal trimmed hedges to lush meadow grasses, and persistent perennials. Brightly colored blooms still peeked out between sculptures,

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-21181926279319840562023-05-03T17:29:00.000-05:002023-05-03T17:29:14.657-05:00

Our dad went to be with the Lord early morning on April 13. Here is an excerpt from the eulogy I gave at his celebration of life:We kids have had a lot to learn about dementia. Over the last five years, we watched it take away Dad’s abilities, one at a time – like losing a small piece of who he was with each progressive stage. There were good days and sad days, and a long season of Covid, when I

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-61398305620965156762022-11-23T10:17:00.003-06:002022-11-23T18:24:25.656-06:00

My puppy is the sweetest thing, full of snuggles, love and kisses, and genuinely wants to please me. Zoey can already retrieve a full-size tennis ball in her tiny mouth and she hops like a baby goat chasing after it. So much joy! But, like any baby, there is crying at night. In fact, lots of it, as she tries to get used to sleeping alone in a crate. One of the best days of my life bringing

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-80286074832310269562022-02-08T13:22:00.004-06:002022-02-08T20:09:39.452-06:00

"What's wrong with us, with our world today, is wrong 100 times a day. It's in ordinary life where we catch this or lose this." This is the writing of Thomas Howard (1935-2020), who also references George MacDonald (1824-1905), so you can see, it's been wrong a long time. But this message, meaningfully sculpted and masterfully delivered in a podcast (A Counter-Culture of Grace: James 4:

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-77309696218408010392022-01-25T09:52:00.002-06:002022-01-26T17:59:17.594-06:00

After three years of pouring my soul onto the pages and rearranging, my hard work has finally emerged as a living book! Because traveling has been such a love in my life, I chose a traveling theme. The book starts off with a few travel tips and some fun travel stories, both with my sweetheart and since our last goodbye in 2013.The theme then continues with traveling through the unexpected

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-58567634660224955242022-01-18T11:07:00.001-06:002022-01-19T10:13:28.324-06:00

In the new year, I have challenged myself to look at social media in a new way. I had become overly attached to connecting to the world through my digital devices. A good variety of work and events fill my every day, but in the idle moments I was grabbing my phone to check my feeds to see what I was missing. The photos, the feedback, the availability, and ease of use became addictive.

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-91446430008527529902021-08-10T12:02:00.004-05:002021-08-10T12:12:35.895-05:00

Today I was reminded of the old parable of the blind men and the elephant. As the story goes, some blind men came upon an elephant, a creature they had never before encountered. Each began to describe the elephant from his own point of "view" -- what he felt and experienced. The man by the trunk said that an elephant must be like a snake. The man feeling its broad side said that it surely is

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-39154548200924289292021-02-20T17:27:00.002-06:002021-02-20T17:37:56.992-06:00

On the last day of just about every vacation, I ask myself: “What do I need to do more of and what do I need to do less of when I go home?” It’s a running conversation. Some ideas have been there awhile and are still being worked on. Some are new, influenced by the location, culture, or my travel buddies. I sift and refine a list in my mind each time. This time I have written them down: I need

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-79410748661423032572021-02-03T12:36:00.002-06:002021-02-03T15:48:51.331-06:00

I know where my help comes from… I can call on His mighty name and the powerful presence of God. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He knows every sparrow that falls, He spoke every creature into existence. He knows every stream that flows and every one that is currently frozen. He counts the grains of sand on the beach, the drops in a waterfall, and the hairs on our heads. He knows

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-79803904253766023352020-12-07T13:17:00.001-06:002020-12-29T13:01:40.598-06:00

No doubt, this has been a most unusual year! But amidst pain and confusion, sickness and sacrifice, a stronger and wiser spirit emerges. Let this not be wasted, but let us grow from our experiences rather than lock a rough year behind us forever. Here are some observations about what we might learn from 2020:1. My greatest angst has been my dad's isolation from family as he remains locked down in

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-86985596280210893872020-05-11T11:15:00.000-05:002020-05-11T11:15:06.384-05:00

It's Day 60 and this is what I see: We’re learning to let go of what we can’t control – which is most of it! I do what I can and leave the rest to God. We are learning to communicate more, maybe better, with those most dear in our lives. Whether through Zoom, Skype, video call, visiting through a closed glass door, on a porch or in a driveway, we are adapting – using new technologies and

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-31379458374992282922020-03-19T10:41:00.000-05:002020-03-19T10:47:22.976-05:00

A virus sweeping its way around the globe? A few weeks ago could we have imagined what was coming, along with its many impacts? Do we have any idea of what is ahead? It can be unsettling… until we turn our eyes back to God. Then it becomes very encouraging. He is sovereign and in control of all. His Word is full of promises to His believers. We can have peace, hope, and even joy – in the midst

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-40089558196034180992019-07-24T10:56:00.002-05:002019-07-24T20:12:40.588-05:00

After 15 months, Dad still wonders where Mom is, when he can go home to the farm and why he is in "the hospital." Dad suffers from dementia. When Mom passed suddenly last year, it was quickly evident Dad would need a new solution to the daily care she so lovingly provided. The four of us siblings searched together to find the best assisted living home for Dad. Each day one (or more) of us

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-85451978524830882232019-01-28T11:19:00.002-06:002019-01-28T11:19:36.934-06:00

Her words stung, even though she probably meant no harm. Still, I couldn’t help but feel defensive. What should I have said to better explain? I couldn’t think of the right words, so I stayed silent. Now, that conversation kept replaying in my head. As I shoveled the snow from my deck, the stinging words came back to me again and again, like the repetitive motion of shoveling and dumping

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-86415313121235362272018-10-26T12:55:00.000-05:002018-10-26T12:55:14.337-05:00

Harnessing my brain activity can be a difficult thing. If my mind is not slotting tasks or activities into every available moment, it might be mulling over a perplexing situation. If I’m not careful, my concern can soon be turned to anxiety. Sometimes it takes only a spark and fear can flare up.Whenever these thoughts threaten to hijack my solid pathway of thinking, I work on turning my focus

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-73565582531223471282018-09-08T09:04:00.000-05:002018-09-08T09:04:26.671-05:00

Losing a mom feels like losing an arm or a leg, or more. It feels like losing a whole library of information, like being stripped of your blankets, like missing all your favorite things, at once. It’s having a hole in your heart, a gnawing in your stomach and disorientation in your weary brain. Our mother was an anchor in life’s ocean. She was the serenity that stilled the waves of anxiety

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-4699799659403849472018-05-26T09:33:00.000-05:002018-05-26T09:33:02.744-05:00

by Ev Hendricks, March 1985. To the tune of the Wedding Song... Give honor to the Father And glory to His Son And praise the Holy Spirit And all the things He's done. I'm thankful for the many things God's given me and you. That's why I praise Him every day And want you to know Him, too. And His love, and His love, and His love... He's given us so many things. He's given you to me. He's given

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-48038470489783069822018-05-09T07:38:00.001-05:002018-05-09T07:38:26.882-05:00

Since my dear mother went home to Heaven a month ago,  I've been pulled in a million directions. My heart is drawn, first and foremost, to the needs of my grieving father, as he lost his 24/7 partner of 65 years and his loving and attentive caretaker. With my focus on Dad, I've scarcely had time to grieve the loss of Mom. Of course I am concerned all the others I love...and the

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-43255492974275584602018-03-27T07:30:00.003-05:002018-04-07T08:25:30.415-05:00

If you are struggling under difficult things now, did you know you could be earning a crown? Recently while listening to Billy Graham’s funeral service, I wondered how long it will be before Jesus comes back for us. The thought thrills me and gives me new bursts of energy – it makes me want to dance – and, do all I can to be ready! It inspired me to reread about Heaven and end times. The

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-51534180957201235402018-03-04T12:32:00.000-06:002018-03-04T20:01:32.155-06:00

This antique mantel clock once belonged to Ted's grandfather. It was beautiful and held sentimental value. One day I surprised Ted by having it restored so it would chime again. It is a clock you wind with a key to have it keep time. The beautiful chimes sounded every quarter hour, day and night; it was the music of our home. In spring 2013, my dear husband was hospitalized, fighting the last

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-46572039518596731612018-02-13T20:43:00.001-06:002018-02-13T20:43:31.186-06:00

Ted loved celebrating milestones, and this Feb. 14th would have been our 14th wedding anniversary. So, in a followup to the post about how YOU inspire me, I share 14 ways my husband inspired me with his love. Opening doors, remembering details. He lived each day like it was a date. Reverence for God. He reserved the word “awesome” for God alone. Making eye contact, being present in the moment

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-82782576310835036462018-01-06T16:06:00.002-06:002018-01-06T16:06:15.422-06:00

As we walk our first miles in 2018, I owe a debt of gratitude to YOU -- so many loved ones -- who inspire me in various ways. Each of us has the power to shape and encourage -- or to drift and discourage. It takes a village to raise a child -- and to propel each of us to greater maturity. YOUR influence truly makes me a better person. (See yourself below?) I’m inspired by loyal friends who

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-33483750666484783442017-12-16T09:01:00.000-06:002017-12-16T09:01:25.885-06:00

“The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy…”  I always seem to ignore that and skip right to the abundant life… But as I read John 10:10, the first part jumped out at me. Jesus is warning that the enemy is at work around me, too. If I am aware of that, I can redirect my thoughts accordingly. When I think I am not enough, I need to realize it is the enemy stealing my motivation. The

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-41822219876671439202017-12-09T09:51:00.002-06:002017-12-09T09:51:56.893-06:00

I’ve long been inspired by the Bible stories of Jesus feeding the multitudes (see 2009 post). It greatly impresses me that Jesus can multiply our meager offerings, as long as we are willing to give them.  This message is so important that Jesus performed this miracle twice!  He fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish, and on another occasion fed 4,000 with seven loaves and a

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904959356736185748.post-12865080243520061682017-11-24T08:52:00.000-06:002017-11-24T08:52:28.414-06:00

Praying for wisdom is like praying for patience. Patience comes from being in situations where we need to exercise patience. Wisdom is borne in circumstances necessary to draw it out. Our Bible says if we ask for wisdom, God gives generously to all without finding fault. I’ve been asking – many times – so I’m sure it is there. It is now my responsibility to call on it and use it. The Holy

Marilyn Bazett-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18123683623704869708noreply@blogger.com0