Holly Dickson-Ramos's Blog, page 2

Calling All Gardeners!

Are you waiting for spring? It’s raining today, where I am – a beautiful change from snow, snow and more snow. Join me in attending a free (online) gardening workshop on Saturday, March 25th. I come across a lot of programs in my work at a municipal library, but this one I can’t pass up.... Continue Reading →

It’s Not You

I am broken. All of my loved ones are broken. Sometimes I trace backwards through history, finding people and events to blame for the brokenness. Sometimes I blame myself. There. That. If I’d chosen differently, life would not be like this. If I’d been kinder. Wiser. More observant. If I’d only listened instead of being... Continue Reading →

After A Mistake

Do you ever feel like God is mad at you? I do. Every day I mess up. Sometimes I do things I shouldn’t. Other times lethargy or selfishness keep me from doing things I know I should do. Sins of commission and omission, the result of which are guilt, shame, and a vague sense that... Continue Reading →

A Child In The Back Seat

My mother says every time dismay washes over me and worry assails my mind, I should intentionally turn my fears over to God. I’ve heard this before, of course, and you probably have too. I’m clinging to this, some days. It’s advice that could sound easy-to-say-but-impossible-to-do, but coming from my mom, in this moment, it... Continue Reading →

Please Pray

Someone very close to me is struggling. Please pray for her. It’s your turn to minister to me. Everything in me is caught up in concern for my loved one, so I can’t write more than this for you this week. I believe God hears when we call to Him. I believe prayer is powerful.... Continue Reading →

Morning & Evening

Have you noticed how the day drowns out worries that, at night, run rampant? I’m not a worrier by nature, but lately I don’t feel relief when I stand beside my bed at dusk, getting ready to STOP. I feel edgy. Uncertain. What if my mind starts hopping from bad memory to anxious thought to... Continue Reading →

These Walls

Thanks for visiting my blog in 2022. As we move into a new year, we will continue to struggle. Don’t give up! Worship when you suffer. Believe even as you ask hard questions. Here’s a song I just found today – written and sung by a young pastor during dark days.

My Glow

I feel a sense of desperate panic as Christmas approaches and my body struggles to bounce back from a few bad days. Christmas is supposed to be perfect. No one should feel sick, sad or isolated. Do you know the story of Peter Pan? Have you seen Tinker Bell’s light flicker? Some days I feel... Continue Reading →

Thin Spots

Where is heaven? Someone asked me this last week. I had no answer, but he did. With ease he traced mentions of heaven through the scriptures, and after twenty minutes, I was convinced. Heaven is God’s space. It’s not north or south. It’s not a geographical location we can navigate to. It’s more like another... Continue Reading →

In This Place

The night is black outside. Inside, candles are lit. Tealights glow in mason jars and one candle in a circle of tapers flickers. I sit in a hard pew with seven strangers in a tiny, old church. The drive here was harrowing. Country roads. No lights. Gusty wind. Inside, all is quiet. This sanctuary is... Continue Reading →