Dear Friends,

“This is the Day the Lord Has Made and I Rejoice In It!”

In my morning journal writing, I love to start off with an affirmation found from the Bible or other spiritual material. It grounds me in the Now moment and throughout the day.

The above quote is one I use often. I love the word REJOICE. JOY is inherent in it and what a wonderful way to start the day with JOY. JOY can be found in anything, the good life and the struggles in life. Last week I wrote about our experience with Steve’s phone, where if we had taken it on the plane it might have exploded or started a fire. Where is the JOY in that? The JOY is I am writing to you now. I AM here. Steve is here. God protected us so we can continue to JOYFULLY live out our lives and be of service.

Cylvia Hayes says, “Joy is the ability to demonstrate Hallelujah anyway, and to see the beauty and goodness beyond the darkness”

I have been praying for a family member for over a year. She is experiencing colon cancer and has gone through chemo, radiation with the possibility of surgery. Through out all that, she has remained undaunted and strong. Her doctor discovered through his research the cancer she has cannot be cured, however he found the right medication to enclose the cancer cells so they cannot spread. She has many more years to live. I call that JOY in the midst of darkness!!!

She has decided to go back to being a teacher’s assistant in the school district and live her life with joy, purpose and service. She is Rejoicing each day and finding JOY in her life with her husband and children and grandchildren.

FIND JOY TODAY in whatever you do. There are unseen blessings inherent in both the good and the challenges. The more you look for them, the more there will be.

Loving the JOY in life,

Abigail and Steve

RING OF PROTECTION

October 13. 2026

Dear Friends,

Steve and I flew to Omaha to be with our sister and brother in law for their 50th Wedding Anniversary and Renewal of Vows. What a wonderful celebration of a long and loving marriage.

Before the day begins in my morning meditation I always ask God for a Ring of Protection around everyone in our family, me and all around me. I ask for the Ring of Protection before I drive anywhere. I absolutely asked for the Ring of Protection around Steve and me on our trip to Omaha, there and back. I always know God is my help in every need and surrounds me in Divine Protection.

My friend Rev. Suzette Weyhunt said, “We weren’t made for lives without difficulty. We were made to awaken through difficulty. Every obstacle becomes an opportunity to remember who we really are. We are Spiritual beings remembering our true nature.”

Before the trip began I started to have some fear thoughts about not going. I wasn’t sure if it was a premonition or just travel anxiety. I almost cancelled at the last minute. Our Uber driver was 20 minutes late taking us to San Diego airport. As I was about to cancel, the Uber driver showed up.

The Southwest flight was fine and we got an Enterprise rental car. The Enterprise man put the GPS on the car to get us to the hotel 2 1/2 hours away.

I was so grateful for that because Steve and I still use KEYS to start the car! 🙂 and do not have a GPS in our cars. We don’t know the new technology. What was interesting is both going to the hotel and driving back to the airport the car’s GPS went down several times. We kept tapping the screen and finally it came back on. My phone kept fading out and I had to keep tapping it to bring up the GPS. It also got very warm. When I tapped too hard, it left the app and I had to restart it all over again.Needless to say the drive both ways was stressful and my anxiety was high. I had to remember GOD is my HELP in Every Need, guiding me, directing me, loving me through this stressful drive.

When we returned to the Omaha airport to come home I said THANK YOU GOD! We got our boarding passes and went to the gate.

When we finally sat in our seats, Steve discovered he DID NOT HAVE HIS CELL PHONE. It must have fallen out of his pocket. He told the flight attendant and she got help. She told us they found it and will bring it to him. Whew!!!  Short relief! Two Southwest Supervisors came on board and told us they could not let Steve have his phone back. Apparently the lithium battery was causing the phone to expand. They said the battery could explode and cause a fire . OMG!!!  We gladly gave up the phone. John, the Supervisor said he would try to get the battery out and just send the phone back to us.

Two days later he called. Apparently a HAZMAT Team got the battery out to destroy. The phone is now back with us to be repaired.

The RING OF PROTECTION was around Steve, me and everyone on that airplane. If Steve’s phone had not fallen out of his pocket and it was with him on the plane, this scenario may have had a different ending. Sometimes a series of events HAS to happen for our protection. I had to say YES to going on the trip, regardless of my fear, anxiety, intuition, and allow God to protect Steve, me and all of the people on the plane. If we did get back to San Diego, there is no telling when the cell phone would explode. GOD was truly looking out for us and 100’s of people by the slipping of Steve’s phone out of his pocket.

Was my anxiety a premonition? Probably. However I KNEW I needed to PRAY and GO by putting us in God’s Hands every step of the way!

“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me….”

Thank you God for the RING of Protection Around All of Us, All the Time

And So It Is. Amen

Dear Friends,

I look forward to this wonderful month of October. Cooler days, brighter Autumn colors, warmth of a favorite sweater. I enjoy the change. As the season begins to change, it reminds me how our lives are like seasons constantly changing. I notice changes in people, places, organizations more readily now.

Chris Norman writes and sings the song “Nothing Stays the Same.”                             Nothing stays the same ‘cos everything must change                                                  And everybody learns that life is very strange                                                                Aah, aah and though it breaks my heart                                                                            Nothing stays the same everything must pass                                                                  And though it isn’t fair it’s over much too fast                                                                     Aah, aah but still it breaks my heart                                                                               Nothing stays the same, nothing stays the same

If we focus on the change only, and wish things were the same last month when we went to the beach, or last Spring when tulips began to bloom, we will miss the blessings of the new season coming upon us. The leaves change color gloriously, the pumpkins grow and we can make fresh pumpkin pie or carve funny faces for Halloween.

Every season is a blessing when we stop in the silence and appreciate the past, the present and the future.

Every change is a blessing because God intends for us to always evolve into something greater and better!!!

Change in life is an inevitable and cyclical journey, mirroring the four distinct seasons of nature as popularized by thinkers like Jim Rohn.“Autumn (Reflection and Letting Go): A transitional phase to harvest what you planted, release old habits, and prepare for the chill ahead.”

Thank you God for all the changes, all the ups, downs, blessings and heartaches as I reflect and let go of the past and allow the future, the new, the change and the evolution in my life.

Nothing ever stays the same. Put your FAITH and TRUST in the All Good, the All God to create a path that is bigger, better, brighter and BEST for you in the here and now and future.