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Swing Low, Sweet Slug
Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione

Swing Low, Sweet Slug

As the summer weather continues, I find myself spending more and more time outside on my swing. It's the perfect spot to enjoy the fresh air, soak up some rare Welsh sunshine, and spend time with my furry companion, Tess. I love to use this time to read my Bible, pray, or do some writing. It's my little slice of heaven here on earth.

But recently, my peaceful swing time was interrupted in a most unexpected way. As I sat there, enjoying the gentle rocking motion and the sound of birds chirping, something fell from above and landed in my lap. To my horror, I discovered it was a ginormous slug! Evidently, the slimy creature had crawled up to the top of the swing and either lost its grip or deliberately decided to pay me a visit.

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Beyond the Mirror
The Word of God, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione The Word of God, Spiritual Growth Dana Rongione

Beyond the Mirror

The other day, my husband Jason came into the bedroom where I was working on my latest book. I immediately noticed a long smear of grease on his face. When I pointed it out, he chuckled and told me he had been working on a project in the kitchen and had gotten a bit dirty.

A few hours later, while I was writing in my office, he left with Tess to take her for a walk and run a few errands in town. When they returned, he walked through the door to my office, and I couldn’t help but smile. He still had the long streak of grease running down his face, and he had walked all around town that way!

The situation reminded me of the passage in James about looking in a mirror, seeing our flaws, and then walking away without doing anything about them. The mirror in James represents the Word of God.

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Rest, Run, Repeat
Spiritual Growth, Life's Journey Dana Rongione Spiritual Growth, Life's Journey Dana Rongione

Rest, Run, Repeat

I'm happy to say that my back is improving, and I'm having fewer episodes of intense pain and restriction. It's a relief, let me tell you! However, according to my osteopath, I still have a lot of healing to do. Oddly enough, his instructions to me at the end of each visit are the same: "Move more and get more rest."

Is it just me, or do those two instructions contradict each other? If I move more, I'm not resting, and if I rest more, I'm not moving. It's like telling someone to eat more cake and lose weight simultaneously! (FYI, that doesn't work.  I've tried it…multiple times.)

I'll be honest, it's maddening trying to find the right balance of moving and resting. My mind races endlessly: Should I be up and about now? Am I pushing too hard? Is this pain a sign to stop or a hurdle to push through?

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On Guard!
Rise Up and Build, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare Dana Rongione Rise Up and Build, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Warfare Dana Rongione

On Guard!

Have you ever ordered something online only to receive a product that was completely different from what you expected? Well, that recently happened to me.

I had ordered a supplement from eBay, a product I've purchased many times before from various sellers. But when the order arrived, I was immediately concerned. None of the bottles were sealed, which I knew was odd because I’ve always received sealed bottles.

Looking at the product more closely, I began to notice many strange things. The logo was a bit off, and there were typos on the label. The pills themselves were a different size and much less full than usual. Feeling unsure about what was actually in these supplements, I contacted the seller for a refund.

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Swatting Away the Easy
Compassion, love, Reaching Out To Others Dana Rongione Compassion, love, Reaching Out To Others Dana Rongione

Swatting Away the Easy

Oh, the joys of living in the countryside! The fresh air, the rolling hills, the peace and quiet...and the flies. Yes, you read that right. Flies. Those pesky little critters that seem to appear out of nowhere and invade your personal space without an invitation.

Oddly enough, we typically have very few issues with bugs in our area, but with the recent warm weather and fertilizing of the nearby fields, our home has become a fly paradise. They buzz around our heads, land on our food, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. And with no screens on the windows, they have free reign to come and go as they please.

Now, I’m not one to shy away from a good fly-swatting session. In fact, I have several fly swatters on hand at all times, ready to do battle with those little pests. But there's one problem: Tess.

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