The Gifts
They come in varied packages
Some in vibrant colors
Others wrapped with tissue
In rainbow colored bags
Yet others come disguised
We hardly know they’re there
Easy to overlook
Unseen by human eyes
Perhaps these are the greatest gifts
For they move our very spirit
These presents come from challenges
From sadness, grief and loss
They take us on a journey
Diving deep into our souls
Showing us the gifts
We could not see before
Helen Fernald
In the snowy silence The deep and snowy still Of this winter morn I listen for your voice That whispers in my ear Melodic notes of joy Our hearts are intertwined In the snowy stillness Sweet harmony of lives A symphony of love You and I are one Your precious heart resides Within the radiant…
March 22, 2026 Dear Mom, I am SO excited. Next weekend we fly to Colorado to visit with Sara and her husband. She is due on March 31 and we cannot wait to meet the new baby. It is hard to believe that nine months have passed. Sara has enjoyed a healthy, calm pregnancy. She…
O Lord, please help me Let go of the pressure Of the outer world The shoulds, the musts The urge to do The busyness Please help me sit To breathe and listen Listen for Your voice Breathe in the silence Just be Not do, just be Only then can I hear Your loving, gentle voice…
December 2025 Dear Mom, It is already December 28. Christmas has come and gone. It was a bit hectic this year, with so much going on, but for the last month I have been thinking about memories growing up with you, Dad and Charlie. Christmas was simpler back then, wasn’t it? Family time, decorations, a…
August, 2026 Dear Mom, I can hardly believe that I got the news about Charlie’s death six years ago. It does not seem possible. I will never forget that last weekend in August. Charlie and I always enjoyed an hour long conversation on Saturday nights. We talked about family and memories and what we were…
Dear Mom, I try to stay positive like you. My heart is filled with gratitude for all of the gifts and opportunities in my life. Yet today is a gray, drizzly, cold November day and I feel sad. My stomach hurts and I know that it is filled with all of the feelings that I…
