Finding extraordinary treasures in ordinary and challenging days.
Welcome! I’m Marilyn.
I’m Marilyn and so glad you stopped by.
My grandmother had a beautiful lilac tree in her yard. Occasionally, she would snip a few stems, place them in a jar of water, and set it on her kitchen counter. Even now, if I close my eyes and inhale, I smell the sweet fragrance.
Lilacs are a treasure and a trademark of my hometown, Rochester, New York. Colonists brought small slips of these beauties to the new world and later, varieties were developed by horticulturists. Today, thousands of people from around the world, visit Highland Park, where over five hundred breathtaking and colorful lilac varieties cover twenty-two acres. As a child, I went there to see an array of trees on Lilac Sunday in May.
A canning jar filled with lilac cuttings on the kitchen counter, the tenancy of horticulturists, and acres of varieties of lilac trees on display for the world to see. Each in its own rite is an extraordinary treasure.
Isn’t life like that, too? Small moments and big ones, ordinary and challenging times, personal and shared experiences? In each, we can find extraordinary treasures.
The simplicity of growing up in an Italian family that honors tradition, moving several times in my married life, raising three daughters, and the greatest challenge of my husband’s sudden fatal heart attack, have shown me the treasure of God’s faithfulness in all seasons. You can read more on my About page.
If you’re looking for encouragement and extraordinary treasures, you’re at the right place. Together, we can find peace during pain, wisdom for a decision, learning through waiting, compassion when grieved, and even joy when circumstances say otherwise. I invite you to meet me at my blog and join the conversation each week.
Looking for treasures with you,
Marilyn
The Treasure of Christmas Baking
Christmas treasures. One, for me, is listening to a recording or watching a performance of Handel’s Messiah during December. At the other end of the continuum is watching the wonder and excitement of children as they smile at the sight of decorations and lights. And one of my traditional treasures is Christmas baking. I shared a story about...
Christmas Living
The scene at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha wasn’t a holiday party or Christmas dinner, but describes what happens in many homes during the holiday season. In Luke 10: 38-41, we read Martha was busy preparing dinner and fussing in the kitchen. I’m sure she looked at her “To Do” list, checked the bread in the oven, determined what time...
Interview with LaTan Roland Murphy: Courageous Women
My guest this week is LaTan Roland Murphy, author of Courageous Women of the Bible. I met LaTan at a writers’ conference two years ago. She is also a gifted speaker, vocalist, and decorator. What I love most about her, is her love for Jesus. In a time when we need courage to live out the life God has called us to, LaTan gives us Biblical...
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“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:11 (NIV)
