What Are You Doing There?

A few mornings ago, I awoke to birds chirping outside my bedroom window. With my eyes still closed, I enjoyed the birdsong and sounds of life waking to a new day. When I opened my eyes and looked out the window to view the peaceful pasture behind our house, I noticed something very peculiar. A single white wildflower protruded from the top of the nearest bush. It was the oddest sight.

Dana Rongione 24/08/2022 Dana Rongione 24/08/2022

Are You Ready?

Walking in Wales is—well—unpredictable. One minute the sun is shining, and the next, it’s pouring rain. Sure, you can check the weather forecast, but it’s seldom accurate and of little use. If you’re waiting for the perfect weather to take your daily stroll or do some outdoor activity, you’ll be waiting a while.

Dana Rongione 19/08/2022 Dana Rongione 19/08/2022

Stray Sheep

Now that we’re finally settled and getting into somewhat of a routine, I’ve been able to resume my daily prayer walks. Each morning, I put on my walking shoes and head to one of two roads to begin my stroll. Both roads are quiet and offer me beautiful mountain views, lots of ups and downs, and sheep pastures as far as the eye can see. I meander along--deep in prayer--for anywhere from three to five miles, depending on the weather, my current health, and how much I have to say to the Lord. It’s a wonderful time to improve my physical and spiritual health (not to mention it does a lot for my emotions).

Dana Rongione 17/08/2022 Dana Rongione 17/08/2022

Mismatched Pieces

A few days ago, Jason pulled a pair of socks out of his drawer. As he unrolled the socks, he immediately noticed an issue—they weren’t the same. I know we’ve all mismatched a blue and black sock or two socks of the same color, but that was not the case here. No, these two socks were as different as could be. One was a medium-weight black crew sock; the other was a heavy-weight tan, tall sock. They weren’t the same color, length, style, or weight. Yet, somehow, I had paired the two together and placed them in his drawer. Wow! Just wow!

Dana Rongione 16/08/2022 Dana Rongione 16/08/2022

Picture Perfect

For the past few weeks, I’ve been in the process of building my new website and updating our mission website to reflect our new “on the field” status. The task requires hours of tedious work, from deciding on colors to choosing a layout. While there are parts of the designing I enjoy, a lot of it is time-consuming work.

Dana Rongione 12/08/2022 Dana Rongione 12/08/2022

Worth the Journey

On our days off, Jason and I have been exploring this wonderful country and seeing what new hiking opportunities we can discover. Recently, on one such excursion, we found a real gem. This series of trails has a little bit of everything: logging roads, gravel, forest bed, rock, asphalt, and dirt. At times the trails meander through the woods. Other times, they lead across pasture land. There are waterfalls to see and a wild assortment of bridges to cross (some of which are a bit “iffy” for my taste). As if all of that weren’t enough, the trails offer fantastic mountain and valley views, creepy caves, and even a majestic stone archway. Seriously, this area of hiking has it all!

Dana Rongione 10/08/2022 Dana Rongione 10/08/2022

No Sign of Hurt

Over the weekend, Jason and a couple of friends tackled the much-needed yard work at our house. They cut the grass, trimmed the weeds, and cut back the hedges. We have a long line of hedges that run the length of our house and are filled with nasty briers. Taming them was no easy task. When they were done, Jason came inside, and I immediately noticed the many scratches and scrapes all over his arms, legs, and stomach. In just a few hours, my poor hubby looked like he'd gone head-to-head with a porcupine in a cactus. . .and lost.

Dana Rongione 08/08/2022 Dana Rongione 08/08/2022

Camping Out With the Giant

Picture the scene, if you will. Two great armies. Israel on one hill; the Philistines on the other. In the valley between stands a giant. Mean. Tough. And, ugly, I would assume, but the Bible doesn’t say one way or another. What the Scriptures do make evident, however, is that Goliath was a bully. He was bigger than everyone else, and he knew it. So, acting on behalf of his nation, he sets forth a challenge: Israel could send out their best champion to fight Goliath. If Israel’s champion won, they would be the victors and vice versa. Challenge extended.

Dana Rongione 05/08/2022 Dana Rongione 05/08/2022

If You Only Knew

I’m reading a book for teens and pre-teens called The Camelot Code. Being fascinated with Arthurian myths, I’m drawn to anything about that topic, and this book was no exception.

In the story, young Arthur—who has no idea he is the rightful heir to Camelot—falls into the magical Well of Dreams and is transported to the future—our time. Despite his peculiar dress and behavior, he quickly becomes Mr. Popular at the local school and even joins the football team. Before long, the young boy, who had only known loneliness and servitude, vows he’ll never return to the past.

Dana Rongione 03/08/2022 Dana Rongione 03/08/2022

Crying Over Broken Walls

Lately, I’ve been drawn to the book of Nehemiah again. There’s something about it that calls to me, and each time I study it, I see something I didn’t notice before. This time was no different.

Looking for a particular post or topic? Search here:

Devotions, Anyone?

Thank you!

Don't Forget to Subscribe!

Thank you!

Dana Rongione