Another cold day featuring a beautiful overcast sky. When I walked Penelope the melted vanilla ice cream sky canvas was covered in cigar smoke clouds, rolled up like a foggy morning’s ocean waves slapping a sandy beach. So pretty. I looked for the supermoon after dark but he was hidden from sight, his large luminous self laughing at all of us hoping to see him behind his curtains of vanilla clouds. He’s a supermoon tonight, the last one of 2025, so he could push the clouds away if he wanted to. Maybe he’s shy or embarrassed by his full self. Who knows.

Never thought about God as a moon in our lives but the Lord does bring us light in the darkness, lighting our way with his steady presence, guiding us as we travel on our journey of life. The moon reflects the sun’s light just as we can reflect God’s light by being witnesses for our faith. Psalm 89:37 reads, “It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven.” The moon changes phases but its presence is always constant, a reminder we are to share God’s words and holy light with others.

I’m sitting in the lady den drinking a cup of hot chocolate from a pretty red cardinal mug, four marshmallows floating on the top, a peppermint stick to stir, listening to Andrea Bocelli singing Christmas music, enjoying the Christmas tree. Penelope is napping by the heater. I’ve had a good day and I searched for a quote that’s just right for today. “Never regret a day in your life: good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and the best days give memories.” That’s a great quote but it’s unknown in origin. I think being content is what makes us appreciate the moments of great joy and happiness. We can’t be happy all the time. We choose paths in our lives that lead to happy moments. The experiences we go through during the difficult moments of our lives help us to grow and learn from past mistakes. We are molded into the person we are through the ups and downs of our lives. Life is not stagnant, change is constant.

Been thinking about what I would say has been the worst day of my life that I’ve experienced during my 69 years and I’d have to say it was the phone call on a Sunday morning 23 years ago informing me Rosie had died in a car accident. But I know without God’s grace and our faith, Chief and I could not have navigated through the nightmare of her death. It strengthened our faith and our marriage and brought us closer as our faith was tested and strengthened.

I had so much anger at God. It really briefly shattered my faith. How could God let her just run off the road, causing the car to flip three times, a fence post breaking through the windshield, killing her instantly, blunt force trauma to the chest. She wasn’t speeding and according to the state troopers, she was wearing her seat belt. She just jerked the car back on the road too quickly when she ran off the edge on a horseshoe curve. I kept trying to figure out why God was punishing me. I racked my brain for months asking myself what could I have done in my life that was so sinful God felt the need to punish me by taking my child. Chief finally told me one night as I sat quietly weeping, “Mama, God didn’t push the car off the road, it was just an accident.” Just an accident, that statement started me back on the road to restoring my faith in God. I am so thankful my faith is strong enough now to know I’ll be reunited with her and Chief again. I wear Chief’s wedding ring on my thumb and I’m putting it back on his finger when I see him in heaven. I’ve buried a child and my beloved husband. I have no fears of death, why should I?

Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” I truly believe if we turn our worries over to God he will help us. If we can’t control things or change things, we need to put these worries in God’s hands through prayer. He will carry the load and give us grace and peace.

God’s grace is a gift on our good and bad days. “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace,” writes Scott Smith. The sun will rise tomorrow and give us a day to be thankful for all our blessings and another day to be grateful for enjoying this beautiful world we live in.

“God’s grace is the oil that fills the lamp of our soul, allowing us to shine brightly in a world that desperately needs light.” — Graciousquotes.com