Welcome Back

Hi, If you’ve come here from Lysa Blog, my recipe for “Lip Smacking Key Lime Pie” will be at the end of my post.


I’ve been suffering from a bad case of writers block. The last thing I posted was on February 15th and since that time its been down hill.

For the last few weeks I have been anxiously waiting to begin a month’s vacation in Naples, Florida and perhaps that’s what’s been clogging the airways of my mind.


Finally, last Saturday, March 1 at 11:30 a.m., I drove thru the gates of Naples Heritage and breathed in the warm salt water air and whispered to myself “I’m home”.

You see 4 years ago this was my home for one very special year. God invited me to come and spend some time getting to know him in a way I had never before experienced.

He spoke to me through my friend Jackie. We’d gone to the same grade school and had been cheerleaders together in high school, and when our kids went to school and played sports we became bleacher butt buddies and the friendship began to grow along with our backsides from all the sitting.

In Naples, Jackie not only became my downstairs neighbor but also a spiritual role model.

The things I thought and felt about God and religion, paled in comparison to the things God would teach me during my year long stay. Naples became a plush playground for my faith.



At the same time that God was luring me closer to him, the many shopping centers in town called out my name and beckoned me to come and worship them. Naples was quickly becoming my Babylon.

There was a constant tug of war to see whether good girl or bad girl would win out. Most of the time in the early part of my sabbatical, bad girl emerged. I not only had too much time on my hands, but right before I left Michigan, the man I had fallen head over heels for, had decided he wasn’t ready for a long distance relationship, and if I stayed he wasn’t sure he was ready for a long term relationship either.

So shopping became my vice to curb the pain. I shopped for items to cutesy up the condo, I shopped for clothes because I was losing weight and I liked being able to buy smaller sizes. I shopped and I shopped and I shopped, and couldn’t seem to get my fill. In between the shopping jaunts, I turned to the Lord to find contentment.

Every day I found new meaning surrounded by the sand and the surf, and every day I grew more in love with the people God had brought into my life.

Each thing that filled my heart with joy created a longing to share them with my family back home. My heart while joyful , was being torn in two worrying what would happen when the year was over. God helped to convince me to take each day at a time.

On December 12, 2004 my journal entry read:

Lord, so many lessons this week have sent the same message. And by George, for the first time I think I have it. I have wondered how I go about being satisfied with what I have. How does one block out what they want and make you all they need?

Only by your grace am I finally feeling contentment in my life. Yesterday morning as I worked on my bible study, I looked up as I read the words of the 23rd Psalm.

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures”. I looked out at the green grass of the golf course in front of me and realized how rested I have become since coming to Florida. Even in my stressful times I could feel a peace.

“He leads me beside still waters”. Again I looked up and saw the pond of water before me and thought how walking along the still water and walking along the beach the last few weeks has relieved so much stress. “

He restores my soul” Ah yes this is where I really feel the connection. You have taught me so much in the last year, more than in the last 55 years of my life put together. How I will ever be able to leave this “plush playground for my faith” remains to be seen.

I only know that I am content being in this place at this time and I am going to enjoy every second I have left to continue to grow and serve you and to praise you for this tropical blessing I am living in. The words of praise in my heart and the songs of praise I sing will never do justice to the thankfulness and love I have for you.

Thank you, Lord, for the memories that have been made. Thank you for the chance to build my character; and for the ability to walk with you and talk with you on a deeper level. Help me to take one day at a time and savor the blessings.

My year came to a close, and God sent me back home with a heart full of love and a head full of knowledge.

He sent me home to put into action everything he had been teaching.

He sent me home to spend my dad’s last year with him, helping my sister with his care in ways we never imagined we would have to do.

God’s words helped me endure the sleepless nights we would spend by his side in order to keep him in his home and not a hospital. Over and over when I thought I couldn’t do it any longer, I heard God say "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

God’s words got me thru the last days, and just as dad was taking his final breaths my sister whispered, “Let’s pray” and together we began ...“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. …..”.

Those words had special meaning to me again this week.

I awoke the first morning just as the sun was rising. Quietly I took my bible and my bible study book out onto the lanai and opened to the daily lesson. “Read the 23rd Psalm” the directions said. And as I opened my Bible and began to read I heard God speaking all over again.

“Welcome back Child, he whispered, Welcome Back!”

Now, here is the recipe for Lysa's Blog Readers

Lip Smacking Key Lime Pie (sorry I don't photograph food well. Its prettier than it looks)

1 - 8 oz block of cream cheese

1 can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1/2 to 3/4 cup of Key Lime Juice (must be Key Lime)

1 tsp of vanilla

1 Graham cracker pie crust

Beat cream cheese until smooth and add Eagle Brand milk. Mix together and then add the key lime juice and vanilla. When thoroughly mixed, pour into pie shell and refrigerate. For decorative look Top with whip cream and a small wedge of lime. Sprinkle sliced almonds on whip cream topping. (Can be made with reduced fat cream cheese and the reduced fat Eagle brand milk but does not set up as well as the regular.) Bon ape'tit