Dear Reader:

Sometimes we just need to sit back and let life surprise us…because it always does! For me…the most recent example appeared Wednesday afternoon on the white bench on my front porch.

This card was actually in a white envelope sitting beside my reading angel…but I took some artistic license to make it “pop”…so to speak.

I knew who it was from…I had talked to this person shortly before leaving for a medical appointment and she had said she had something to drop off and asked where the best place to do that would be and I told her…beside the angel….on the bench.

What I didn’t realize was… it would be the “deliverer” who was the angel in the unveiling story.

Before I reveal the surprise in the message inside this card…let me share with you an analogy that began to take shape (in my mind) between the sunflower on the card and the surprise waiting inside.

We have talked several times now about the amazing sunflower’s path…how it  follows the rays of the sun each day. The Greeks, upon observing ancient sunflowers performing this act of wonder….used their imagination to write a story explaining this strange phenomenon.

“Greek mythology celebrates a sunflower’s apparent dedication to the sun in the tale of a water nymph (named Clytie) who fell in love with the Sun god-Apollo.

In her adoration and infatuation of this god she would sit on the earth (a large rock in her garden by a pond) and gaze at the Sun god (Apollo) day after day. But Apollo (too self-infatuated with himself and supposedly in love with Daphne) took no notice of the love-struck water nymph.

The other gods began to feel pity and compassion for the lonely water nymph and decided to turn her into a sunflower. This myth explain why sunflower buds always follow the sun.”

……………………………

Today the sunflower symbolizes healing, constancy, and loyalty. Spiritually it represents the quest we should follow each day in our devotion to seek the light of truth…the one true Light.

Now let me reveal my secret, surprise, special guardian angel…Janet Bender!

Many of you (locally) probably know Janet through teaching, educational organizations ( She was a counselor in Dorchester District Two School District) or church -and since her retirement- as a representative for Juice Plus…an all-natural health supplement.

I have known of Janet for many years but didn’t really get to “know” her until my retirement. She appeared in my life in so many different phases…first as a mentor (successful author, herself) to my fledgling attempts to start writing children’s stories during my early retirement years.)

Then, after my initial cancer diagnosis…she was right there helping me fight  “little c” with Juice Plus (vegetable supplements/dark fruit antioxidants) as she explained to me how these all natural juice powders could boost my immune system while I was under-going chemo, radiation, and surgical procedures.

Reflecting back on those critical days…I know, without a fact, that these supplements pulled me through by providing my body with the right kinds of foods when many times I was just existing on crackers and “junk foods.” Just trying to get something in my stomach that would help me tolerate all the different medications I was on.

So, as you see, Janet has been my guardian angel for a long time…but yesterday…well…yesterday was special.

The message, inside the beautiful sunflower card, will be one that will remain in my heart forever… long after the  beautiful card, itself, has faded from memory.

It is very personal… so I am only sharing a few excerpts with you from it-enough for you to understand how special it was, is, and will always be.

As you know we talk a lot about God Winks in this blog…well Janet heard a “God’s Whisper.”

From the book she authored over 16 years ago…she still receives intermittent royalty checks …. As with all published writings…over the years the check have declined in frequency and amount.

But last week…to her surprise and delight…when she received her “little check” it turned out to be really BIG! As she was deciding on how to prioritize the money for bills and other needs while retaining some to build up savings…out of nowhere a thought came to mind. And now here’s the “rest of the story.”

Dear Becky

Surprise! You are the recipient of a God whisper!

…Reading your recent blog entries, I know that you’ve had some unexpected, “Oh my” moments with cars and appliances. I thought, “What if I got a small gift card and anonymously mailed it to Becky?”

Then later, as I was reading my morning devotion about answering our own prayers from Proverbs 31 Ministries, God whispered, “Write Becky a letter.”

So here I am, trying to compose something for a story-teller that conveys the purpose of this gift. The check will only be a “drop in the bucket” when it comes to helping with any car repair expenses you may have…but for me, it is an act of loving obedience to God’s Whisper…

...So for today, let this “thank you” gift from one writer to another, help make your day better in some small way. My prayer is that your wonderful writings and story telling will continue to bless us readers for many years to come. 

Much love and high regard,

Janet Bender

………………………

It took me almost half an hour to compose myself enough to call Janet and even then it was hard to talk…because (for once) I was speechless. How do you thank someone for a God’s Whisper? How do you thank someone who purposely adds your name to her priorities and needs categories?

 Last night I lay in bed and talked to God for a long time…thanking him for sending a guardian angel into my life to show me, once again, that He is in charge and always provides for His children.

I have made one promise to God and that is to pay this “whisper” forward when my moment arrives to be a guardian angel for someone else. I already know where it will go and will share the recipients’ names as the time approaches closer.

So until tomorrow…as the sunflower card quotes from Psalm 28:7 – “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

* The other day…when Mollie brought the boys to Boo Boo’s to visit…Rutledge and I pulled several old Hess trucks of Uncle Tommy’s out of the “magic closet” ….Rutledge’s favorite was a Hess truck that carried a racing car inside of it.

Rutledge didn’t spot the racing car until he was walking outside to play in the garden and then the look of delight and surprise spread across his face… I was lucky enough to capture that special moment.

Janet…put that expression on my face…and that is what I looked like upon reading your heartfelt message…except for the tears streaming down my face!

* Eva Cate has been at Princess Camp this week and yesterday was “CORONATION DAY!” She has had a ball…every little girl should feel like a princess every single day. *( And Janet…that is what you made me feel like… a princess!)

Mandy made a collage of her primping around before leaving for “coronation”….Work it girl!

* Hot off the Press: Eva Cate won the “coveted” Most Artistic Camper Award…a chip off the old block with mom as an art teacher!

* More good news!!! Betsy had her best night/day combo yesterday and is starting to feel “human” again…she even “washed all the bad mojo right out of her hair”…great news from the surgeon yesterday that all the reports coming back are “clean”…just like her hair!!!

*… And Brookie’s son (Riley and daughter-in-law Veronica) are having a little….a little…BOY! Let the fun begin! All the Ya aunties are ready and willing to jump right in as needed….too much excitement! So happy for you Brookie…the Ya’s love you!

* I don’t have sunflowers ( per se) in my garden but something that kind of looks like a wild sunflower….this is an old-fashioned plant  you can still see on back country roads today… Doodle said one name for it is the narrow leaf sunflower.

* Happy Four Months Birthday Lachlan…Love the pictures Mollie…you and Lachlan make a good-looking couple!