The Illusion of Greener Pastures

Have you ever driven by a sheep farm and seen those silly sheep with their heads stuck through the fence, munching away at the grass on the other side? I see it all the time here in Wales, and it always makes me chuckle. I mean, come on, sheep! The grass is the same on your side of the fence. But for some reason, the stuff just out of reach always seems greener, doesn't it?

As humans, we're not that different from those woolly creatures, are we? We've got this bad habit of ignoring the blessings right in front of us and instead reaching for things that are out of our grasp. We're never quite satisfied with what we have.

Dana Rongione 22/06/2023 Dana Rongione 22/06/2023

From Music to Mayhem

Today, I'd like to take a lighthearted yet serious journey into the antics of our feathered friends in the yard. As spring arrived, we eagerly welcomed the melodious songs of grateful birds, who flocked to our yard to enjoy the birdseed and fat balls we provided. However, as time passed, their behavior took a turn for the worse.

Initially, the birds' sweet songs filled the air with joy. Their gratitude was evident as they relished the abundance of food we offered. They sang in harmony, creating a beautiful symphony all day long that brought smiles to our faces and joy to our hearts. We felt blessed to be able to provide for them and to witness their appreciation for that provision.

Dana Rongione 11/04/2023 Dana Rongione 11/04/2023

What Were You Thinking?

During my devotion time this morning, I had an “aha” moment while reading another familiar passage. I’ve been making it a practice to stop and think about every word in each verse instead of just getting the gist of the verse. This has opened my eyes to many things, and this morning was no different.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: - Philippians 2:14

In the past, when I read this verse, I summed it up like this: do everything without complaining—a command which is far more difficult to obey than it appears at first glance. However, as I broke the verse down into individual words this morning, I had to ask, What’s the difference between murmuring and disputing?

Dana Rongione 04/01/2023 Dana Rongione 04/01/2023

Be Careful What You Ask For

One of the things I love about where we live is that it’s a very safe place. We live in a small community where there is little crime. Wales, as a whole, has very few dangerous animals, so I don’t have to worry about being attacked by a bear or bitten by a snake while out on my daily walks. In short, I feel very comfortable being out and about or even staying home alone.

The only danger I have discovered is living only 45 minutes from the book town of Hay-on-Wye. Yes, a book town is precisely as its name suggests—an entire town dedicated to books.

Dana Rongione 07/12/2022 Dana Rongione 07/12/2022

Praying Through Discontentment

Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year. Unfortunately, it can also be a breeding ground for greed, commercialism, and discontentment. Yes, there’s something about the Christmas season that can cause us to look at our surroundings or circumstances and feel lacking. We find ourselves thinking, If only I had ______, I’d be happy.

This morning, in my devotion time, I read a rather convicting statement about how we often attempt to deal with discontentment. The author questioned our methods for coming to grips with our dissatisfaction and remarked that we often don’t ask God to help us with our attitude but rather to “fix” the situation so we’ll be more content. Ouch!

Dana Rongione 12/10/2022 Dana Rongione 12/10/2022

Oh, Oh, Oh, Green Giant

As part of my devotional time this morning, I read an inspiring blog post about how to stop comparing ourselves with others and live the life God designed us to live. This is an area I struggle with regularly as I always feel I’m falling behind or missing the mark in various areas of my life.

Evidently, my battle with envy is even more severe than I thought because as I read this dear Christian woman’s blog, I felt myself turning green.