Dusty Roads to the Heart

This morning I reached for the roast beef, and lifted it out of its package, and placed it in the hot electric skillet. As it sizzled away, I noticed my finger tips. They were sticky. I looked down at them and they were red with the blood from that roast. I stood there at the kitchen counter, squeezing them together. Opening them, then shutting them together. As I worked them back and forth, my mind traveled to two special words in the English vocabulary.  Heart and Love. When I stood there at the kitchen sink, looking at my finger tips, covered with that blood, I thought of sacrifice. Then I thought of the heart. Then of that beautiful word love. To me blood specks of sacrifice. When I think of sacrifice I think of pure love flowing from the heart. But this morning I thought of something else. As I looked at MY finger tips. covered with blood, I started to remember some very special personal sacrifices given just for me.  I thought that to make those sacrifices, there had to be

Dear Dad, Yesterday Stan and I drove up to see you.  You didn't know we were there. You were just sleeping away. We sat beside you for awhile, holding your tiny hands, and whispering that we loved you into your ears. But you just laid there sleeping. It was time for us to go home, but we had to eat some ice cream together in that little ice cream parlor down the hall that you would go to every evening. I asked if it would be ok if I stayed with you for just a little while. For some reason I just wanted to sit beside you, alone, for just a little while. I pulled my chair up beside the bed and took hold of your wrinkled hand. I just sat there, quietly looking into your face.  I began to hum softly to you, and a complete peace came over my mind, my heart, my very being. You just laid there asleep. I just sat there humming softly to myself. It felt so peaceful. It was as if your spirit deep within you was reaching out to mine, and you were giving me your last gift. It was as

"Where shall I flee for refuge, Hiding when storms are near? Where find a place of safety Dwelling without a fear?" "Jesus alone can save me, All of my joys increase; From every storm He'll shield me, Giving my soul sweet peace." Early this morning I got up and took a walk. The sun wasn't even awake yet. I wanted to start before the eastern sky turned to its pinks, yellows, and golds.  I wanted to watch as God woke up His brand new day. The new day He gave to me. I walked up the road for a little bit, then turned in at the pasture gate. I wanted to get as far away from "life" as I could. I didn't want to hear the rooster crow, or the cars on the highway, or the noise of the oil well. I didn't want to see the machinery that would remind me that there is work to be done. I didn't want to hear or see anything. I wanted to just be alone. Alone among the tall pasture grasses, the old barb wire fence, the hedge post, leaning to th