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20/12/2022 20/12/2022

Sometimes We Need the Rain (Repost)

We had a pretty decent winter storm come through last weekend. It started off as a wintry mix, then turned to snow, and then back to a wintry mix. Needless to say, it was quite treacherous outside.

By Sunday afternoon, most of the snow and ice had melted off the roads, but our side yard was still a big sheet of white ice. It was fun slip-sliding my way to the truck so we could go to church Sunday evening. (I looked like Bambi on ice, only in a skirt and boots.) On Monday, the sun came out, and it was a beautiful day with highs in the mid-50s. Still, the snow and ice on the grass in the sideyard didn't melt. By Monday night, we could still skate across the yard.

Dana Rongione 17/12/2022 Dana Rongione 17/12/2022

When the Enemy Won’t Quit

Yesterday was our weekly hike date, but it was a bit unusual. We had a couple of light snowfalls over the previous weekend, and the temperatures had remained sub-freezing all week. That being the case, there was still some snow and ice dotting the landscape around us, but we knew the surrounding areas weren’t bad at all.

Unfortunately, the area we had planned to hike had gotten considerably more snow than we had. The winding roads were white and icy, and when we arrived at our destination, we discovered the trails were buried under at least three inches of snow.

Dana Rongione 14/12/2022 Dana Rongione 14/12/2022

Leaky Buckets

I apologize for missing several posts last week. No matter where I am, the Christmas season is a busy time. I spent much of last week preparing our house for the holidays and practicing for our carol service at our chapel last Sunday. Now, with all that done, I can focus on my writing more. . .hopefully.

Friday night, we braved the frigid, snowy weather and attended a concert in town hosted by a local choir. We have several friends in the choir, so we wanted to show our support and enjoy an evening of Christmas songs.

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 05/12/2022 Dana Rongione 05/12/2022

Looking for Something?

While on our daily walk yesterday, Tess and I came across a couple working diligently in the ditch on the side of the road. As usual, Tess wanted to stop and greet the people, so we chatted for several minutes.

I learned they were trying to uncover the water main to their house, which had become buried under a year’s growth of brush and bramble. They knew the approximate location of the main, but with all the thorns, grass, and weeds, they couldn’t find it. I didn’t envy them. The day was frigid and damp, and the ditch stretched on quite a ways. The brush was thick, and despite the abundance of rain, the ground was hard.

Dana Rongione 02/12/2022 Dana Rongione 02/12/2022

Just Be

I hope you don’t grow weary of devotions about our dog, Tess, but my dogs always have so much to teach me. Or, should I say, the Lord has much to teach me through my dogs?

This morning, Jason and I were discussing our precious pup, who, at that moment, was snuggled between us on the bed in utter contentment. We contemplated which she enjoyed more—eating or sleeping. Then, we realized walking, hiking, and going on a card ride all topped the list of Tess’ favorite things. Ultimately, we agreed that she didn’t care what she was doing as long as she was with her people. Her favorite thing in life is just to be with us.

Dana Rongione 30/11/2022 Dana Rongione 30/11/2022

I’ll Make It Work

A few days ago, I was posting an update to our ministry website, and the process involved embedding a video. This is something I’ve done a hundred times or more on this particular website platform, but for some reason, it was giving me grief. I tried refreshing the page. No joy. I thought maybe a complete computer reboot would fix the issue, but it didn’t. I even attempted the process on my laptop, but nothing I did seemed to help.

Finally, frustrated over all the time I had spent on a task that should have taken less than a minute, I employed a workaround and embedded the video directly by using up some of the limited storage space on my website.

Dana Rongione 23/11/2022 Dana Rongione 23/11/2022

What’s Your Perspective on Prayer?

I’ve had a devotion on my mind this morning, which I’ve contemplated before, but honestly, I can’t remember if I’ve ever shared it with you. Either way, I feel it’s what I need to write about this morning, so here goes.

I begin each morning with my quiet time, which includes Bible study, prayer, and journaling. One of the sections in my journal is labeled “Gratitude,” and each day, I list something I’m grateful for. Some days, it’s family. On other days, I’m thankful for my beautiful home. But today, as I contemplated what I wanted to list, I noticed the music playing in the background and tuned in enough to recognize the tune of Sweet Hour of Prayer. Suddenly, I knew exactly what I wanted to write in my journal.

Dana Rongione 21/11/2022 Dana Rongione 21/11/2022

I’ll Go But Only If You Go With Me

Even though Tess was five years old when we got her, she wasn’t house-trained. She had spent much of her life in a kennel, so it took some training to help her realize the house was not a toilet.

All in all, she’s done well, and to make things easier, we installed a doggie door, so she could let herself out when she needed to go. We were hopeful there would be no more incidents in the house, but one thing we failed to consider is how much our pup hates inclement weather.

18/11/2022 18/11/2022

While You Were Sleeping

Have you ever fallen asleep in the middle of your prayer time? Come on, be honest. We get still, close our eyes, begin to petition the Father, and the next thing we know, we're waking up a half hour later with a crick in the neck and a guilty conscience. It happens. In fact, it happens far more often than it should. It even happened to three of Jesus' closest friends here on earth.

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Dana Rongione