Lessons From the Birds, Part One

I'm always fascinated by the birds that visit our backyard feeder. They're a lively bunch, full of personality and quirks. This morning, as I sat sipping my hot tea and watching them flutter about, I couldn't help but chuckle at their antics.

One particularly stubborn sparrow refused to share the last remaining suet ball. He perched on the feeder, puffing out his chest and squawking at any bird who dared to come near. The other birds would try to sneak in for a quick bite, but the sparrow was having none of it. He was determined to guard his prize.

As I watched this little drama unfold, I found myself thanking God for His wonderful qualities, which are never in limited supply.

Dana Rongione 16/11/2023 Dana Rongione 16/11/2023

How Good Is Good Enough? (A Repost)

Today, I want to do something a little different. While this devotion applies to anyone in any stage or area of life, I want to specifically talk to those who suffer from chronic illness. Perhaps, like me, it's a joint disorder, arthritis, bursitis, or other pain-related situations. Or maybe you suffer from an autoimmune disease like lupus, celiac disease, or type 1 diabetes. It could even be you're many months into cancer and the various treatments related to that. Whatever the disease or illness, I want to speak to your hurting hearts.

Dana Rongione 07/06/2023 Dana Rongione 07/06/2023

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

Tess is undeniably adorable, but she's got a bit of a disobedience problem. She can't resist the urge to find a way out of our yard and into the sheep pasture behind us. Despite our best efforts to contain her, our mutt just can't help herself. Sound familiar? Observing Tess's behavior can give us valuable insights and lessons from a biblical perspective.

First and foremost, Tess's antics remind me of our human tendencies to wander from God's plan for our lives. Just like my pup can't resist the allure of exploring beyond her boundaries, we often find ourselves tempted by worldly distractions that lead us astray from God's intended path.

Dana Rongione 07/04/2023 Dana Rongione 07/04/2023

One Last Day

As I strolled with Tess on our daily walk, I pondered the inquiry. It’s a question that’s been asked more times than any of us could ever count: if you knew you only had one day left to live, how would you spend that day?

What would I do? For starters, I would throw the words “diet” and “exercise” out the window and pig out on all my favorite foods. After all, if it’s my last day on earth, I don’t have to worry about weight gain, right? I’d also want to spend as much time as possible with the ones I love.

Dana Rongione 06/02/2023 Dana Rongione 06/02/2023

Too Much of a Good Thing

I absolutely love my office in our Welsh home. Unlike my workspace in our house in Greenville, SC, this room is entirely dedicated to office work. No bed, closet, piano, or anything else. Just desks, filing cabinets, and bookcases. And don’t let me forget the beautiful view of the Welsh hills beyond the sliding glass doors that occupy the entire front wall of my office. Breathtaking!

The one thing I noticed about this room is that it gets chilly in the winter. Because of the wall of glass, it can be a tad drafty, especially on windy days. That being the case, I have a small electric heater I can turn on whenever the need arises. And it didn’t take long to discover Tess’s favorite spot in my office is snuggled up right in front of the heater.

Dana Rongione 11/01/2023 Dana Rongione 11/01/2023

The Tess Tea Party

Tess, our precious terrier, loves people and does not appreciate being left alone. We’ve had a few occasions where she’s gotten into things around the house while we were away at the chapel, but most of the time, she’s an angel. Last Sunday, however, was not one of those times.

As we entered the house Sunday afternoon after our morning church service, we immediately spotted the debris covering the foyer carpet. Destroyed plastic containers dotted the area. Tea bags—some intact, many not—littered the floor. Loose-leaf tea covered the room like fallen leaves on an autumn day. Yes, for some strange reason, our pooch decided to ransack my tea collection. Bad dog! Nobody messes with Mama’s tea!!!

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