This Life by Kara O'Neal

At night, when I pray, I start by thanking God for all the good things in my life. 

He's blessed me so many times over -- my family is in good health, we have what we need, my children are happy, my husband and I have stable jobs, we have wonderful friends...

But over the last several years, I've also thanked Him for the peace He has given us. And that would not have been possible if others hadn't made the ultimate sacrifice. There are even soldiers out there right now keeping us safe. Even the Ukrainian men and women who are fighting daily are doing it for more than just their own kin.

And here I sit, peaceful, writing this post to share with y'all.

I'm glad we have this day where we can remember and honor those who have fallen. It grounds us, makes us acknowledge that there are things more important than the next television series or Marvel movie. (Although, my cousin who is a veteran would scold me and say, "Kara, we fight for your ability to enjoy your life without fear. So enjoy it and don't feel guilty.")

He's right. I know it.

So...yes. I will spend time with my family. We will play cards, and we will eat good food and be silly together. And we will give thanks to the soldiers.

And....I will make Apple Butter today! (For those of you who don't know, it's a kind of jelly.)

Now, it's not apple pie -- and I do make a glorious apple pie -- but it's the next best thing. Apple Butter is a staple in my father's family. My grandpa loved it and always had butter and jelly on the table at EVERY meal. 

So, today I will be up to my elbows in apple peelings, sugar, maple syrup and a few other ingredients. And I will be singing this lovely poem I made up many, many, many years ago...

Oh, apple butter. 

Oh, how I love you.
Your apple cinnamony sweetness gives happiness so true.

The way you melt with peanut butter is so fine,
I cannot wait until you get in that mouth of mine.

When I see you sittin' on my grandma's table,
my stomach growls and is unstable.

Until I can spread you on a biscuit so fluffy,
my temperament is terrible and I'm a little huffy.

Oh, apple butter.
Oh, how I love you.

Thank you for the sweetness that always rings true.

Visit Kara O'Neal at www.karaoneal.com

Does God Use Roses to Deliver His Messages? -- Laurean Brooks

Revised from Original post on April 14, 2012

Roses seem to be harbingers in my life. Let me explain: My in-law’s rose bush flourished every summer. Fragrant pink blooms had covered it. After the blooming season in 1994, my mother-in-law passed away.

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The following summer, 1995, a single rose appeared. This was the only bloom the entire summer. Was God giving us a sign? Did this solitary rose represent my sweet mother-in-law who had joined Him in heaven?

The next summer, 1996, a solitary rose appeared again, in May, soon after my father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer. I couldn't help wondering what it meant.

Less than two months later, on July 1, my father-in-law passed. After the funeral, I thought about the rose bush. When I checked it, I could hardly believe my eyes! Another pink rose flaunted itself next to the other bloom. Two people who dearly loved one another were reunited forever.

My husband and I now live one hill over from his parents' home place. Our yard is also graced with a rose bush. It conveniently blooms the week before Mother's Day. I can pick my mom a bouquet for the occasion. 

This year a strange thing occurred. During the second week of April, one beautiful rose appeared high on the bush.

I contemplated what the early rose meant. Was someone dear to me about to pass? I checked the bush the following day. Still, the one rose remained

Two days later I read the news online that my sweet soul sister and author,  Sharon Donovan had passed away. I was heartbroken. Sharon was a treasure and an inspiration to all who knew her. We instantly bonded, sharing our joys and tears.

Legally blind by the age of 25 from complications of diabetes, Sharon did not let her disability stop her. She pursued her dream of becoming an author by tackling and utilizing a special computer program that read the typed words back to her. Within five years, Sharon had several published romance novels to her credit.

The week following Sharon’s April 13th passing, my rosebush stood in full bloom, the once solitary bloom now surrounded by many others. I believe God sent the solitary rose to comfort me and to let me know Sharon had joined Him in heaven
But, what did the surrounding roses signify? Did these new blooms represent Sharon's friends--the ones her sweetness and generosity touched while she dwelt among us? Through encouragement and love, she blessed so many.


Sharon Donovan, after all these years, I still miss you. But I can't quench the thrill you when I imagine you with perfect eyesight exploring the awesome wonders of heaven. You loved roses. I can visualize your eyes opening wide at the sight of gorgeous flowers, streets of gold, and the crystal sea. Beauty beyond compare. A place no sickness, no pain, and no tears can dwell. Where only love, pure joy, and laughter exist until eternity.

April 18, 2020 Note: The rose bush still blooms the week before Mother’s Day. My mother received her last bouquet from it in 2018, four months before she passed. I wonder if Mama and Sharon are enjoying one another’s company in heaven. I believe, if they've met, they have become fast friends.

I’m not sure why God uses roses to relay messages to me. But it’s past mid-April again, and I am keeping a wary eye on that rose bush.

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Looking for a sweet summer romance? Severed Hearts will take you back to 1970 when sweethearts were separated by war, although it was never labeled a war. Many soldiers returned home alive, but others did not.

https://www.amazon.com/Severed-Hearts-Laurean-Brooks-ebook/dp/B07BFLSQVK/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=Laurean+Brooks&qid=1587261348&s=books&sr=1-7