Author Archives: joyocala

In my previous, first church as a pastor, a parishioner said, “don’t change my church”. I cringed. Steam came out of my ears. My lip got swollen from biting it so hard. My current caIl is full of JOY! The … Continue reading →

Psalm 91:1  “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”  What does it mean to rest in His shadow?  Here in Florida the summer sun is harsh.  Walking under the … Continue reading →

        My favorite season…ah, Spring.  Why?  I absolutely LOVE Easter, it is my favorite holiday/Holy Day, and it happens in the Spring.  New growth, gentle breezes, soft rains, nature awakening, butterflies and rebirth.  I do not believe the Lord’s Resurrection was intended to only be renewed or … Continue reading →

Here is a post I received on Facebook recently and it has a message we should all hear as we go through our day-to-day-living. I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse.  He had a rough first … Continue reading →

I bought a new broom the other day; not an ordinary broom, but an extraordinary broom.  The bristles are natural material: very soft, very fine and very flexible.  It is a Vietnamese broom.  I bought it at the local Asian … Continue reading →

I’ve been reading a poem and pondering. The poem is called “Little Girls in Church” by Kathleen Norris.* She had observed two girls, one in a Presbyterian church, one in an Orthodox church. Norris writes: I worry for the girlsI … Continue reading →

Have you ever woken up in the morning and wanted to pull the covers over your head and hoped all your troubles would disappear?   When I  do this, I seem to allow a malaise to overtake me.  Then, after … Continue reading →

Fifty-four years ago today, my second son was born.  I remember it so well.  We’ll call him Steven, I responded to the doctor.   The smallest of my three, he weighed in at 8 lbs. 3 oz., but a happier baby … Continue reading →

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in harmony!” Psalm 133:1         As I searched, exploring the word HARMONY, I was delighted to find a thesaurus loaded with synonyms: balance, cooperation, kinship, accord and so many more. I sing … Continue reading →

I was especially touched by Pastor Art’s recent sermon on prayer, specifically, The Lord’s Prayer. He also included Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing”.  This can be a confusing statement as it is not possible to … Continue reading →