Blog Archives - Patsy Clairmont

I Tried to Resist, But Fall Decor is a Weakness

I tried to resist. Honest, I did. But the next thing I knew I had dragged boxes, bags, and tangles of vines and dried fruit into my living room. It was Fall in my mind, which meant pumpkins, sunflowers, & bittersweet for starters. Someone should have alerted the weather station as to my intentions. They…

From Panic to Peace

If you are a panic-attack sufferer, you will need to roll up your sleeves and commit to the task of your own well-being. Others can offer advice, comfort, and medication, which can all be helpful. But until you take an active role in your own restoration, dramatic change will be unlikely. I wanted the Lord…

Blame is Easier.

Good Morning! Oh, wait, it’s already past noon. Well, anyway, happy Monday! No, no, that’s not right either it’s Friday the 7th of July. Nope, try again Patsy, it’s AUGUST. August? That means the last month of summer, and I was waiting for vacation to start. You know, trips to Disneyland, neighborhood barbecues, beaches, concerts,…

July? It’s July??

How can the days feel so long and yet the months scurry? Covid-19 has certainly been jarring to our world. It’s changed our plans, highlighted our loneliness, increased our anxiety, impacted our economy, exposed our frailty… In and through this journey Jesus remains who He has always been. Savior, Shepherd, Counselor, Healer, Companion, etc. Remember…

Morning Devotion-Genesis

I must confess I am smitten with the Genesis creation account. It fills me with wonder and awe. I close my eyes and try to imagine the holy dynamics of those first birth pangs as darkness and disorder are called into form and light. To help my finite brain wrap around that moment… I think…

Carry On: A Second Wind for Daily Life

“Second Wind; A Fresh Run at Life” by Charles Swindoll. It’s a slim volume with a massive message that I still remember today, over 35 years later. Of course, I do, since I read it over and over because it fed my spirit. The best attributes of its content is Charles Swindoll’s way with words…

Envy

Some people wake up happy. No reason, just happy. For y-e-a-r-s those saccharin souls annoyed me. Or at least when I was young and unaccustomed and uneducated in accurately naming my emotions, but I would learn differently as an adult. Turns out that the more accurate word for my annoyance was and is envy. Eek……

JoyFULL Jumpstarts

Hello Jumpers, Would you like to add some joy to the upcoming festive season? And perhaps several dashes of fun? We are all for that I’m sure. Then good golly why is it hard for many of us to maintain our jolly throughout the holidays as we head toward a New Year? Hmm, wait, perhaps……

Boundaries: A New Thanksgiving Tradition

Last year I put up our 12-foot Christmas tree on the 1st of November and then awaited the oohs and ahs from my family. To my chagrin, my teenage grandsons, who I thought would be full of confetti praise, were not happy. And since we live in the same house, when it’s possible, we try…

Kin

From my earliest years, Aunt Pearl was my favorite kinfolk. Her Southern-country upbringing spiced her conversation with unexpected surprises that delighted the heart and often startled you into laughter. Her wit was quick, but so was her temper. Even though she was my favorite, I knew better than to sass her. When I stayed at…