Month: January 2026

An Angel Strengthened His Spirit

I never really “saw” this scripture before, it is what happened when my Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. It happened when he surrendered to the Father’s will. When he said, not my will but yours. He did that for you and me.

“And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit.”
‭‭Luke 22‬:‭43‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

I believe the Holy Spirit brought this verse to my attention now, so that I will remember that even when things are hard, to choose His will. Then I can rest in his care and be strengthened in my spirit — whether by an angel, the Word of God, a “faith friend, “ or by his precious Holy Spirit, who is always with me.

It feels especially real right now, as I am sitting by my Daddy’s bedside as he transitions to heaven. I am here to help keep him comfortable, to tell him I love him. And to care for his wife, comfort her, hold her close during a time which is so difficult.

As I sit here today, I am also thinking of these scriptures, and praying that my dad and all of his loved ones feel His presence, and the angels around them.

“The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers. [Ps. 18:1; 145:20.]”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭34‬:‭7‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

“God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go, defending you from all harm. If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you and keep you from stumbling.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭TPT‬‬

“Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Think of this, and ask the Lord to help you understand it more: He loves all of us! We were the joy set before him when he gave his life for us on the cross. But the story didn’t end there… he was resurrected in 3 days and ever lives, interceding on our behalf at his Father’s throne.

P.S. I am so glad to know my Dad will be in heaven, and our future reunion will be so very sweet.

If you don’t know Jesus, ask him to come into your heart, to become your Lord and Savior. Oh how He loves you.

A Little Brown Dog’s Winter Pheasant Hunt

Jackson is 2 1/2 now. He is both quite content as a family dog and a very driven bird hunter.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to do a pheasant hunt at Muzzy Pheasant Farm with two other Boykins and a few other people. I walked behind with those not hunting and took a few pictures which I am sharing here.

Jackson, waiting for us to get ready for the 1+ hour trip to Muzzy Pheasant Farm.
It was cold — 20 degrees, but felt like 7 with the wind. I stayed warm under 3 layers of clothes with an ice fishing parka and an orange bird vest as the outside layers.
Start of the hunt.
The dogs range several yards in front of the hunters, working side to side to flush the birds, and check back in when promoted by their humans.
Jackson doing the Boykin bounce as he goes after a downed bird. When the grass is tall they do this at times, to get a look around. He looks like a bobber. 😊
Jon receiving the pheasant. The hunters got 7 out of 10 birds, and Jackson was excited to retrieve several.
After retrieving the bird, Jackson had a roll in the snow. The cold weather didn’t seem to bother him a bit!
By the end of the hunt, snow balls had been removed from his paws several times, and his rear had several icy chunks to be removed.

I wish I had taken a video so you could see just how fast and how often Jackson’s butt and tail were wiggling!

It was good to get outdoors, and fun to watch Jackson and the two other Boykins (Cove and Dot) and the hunters do what they enjoy.

As we begin 2026, I am grateful for life and health, and to know that God loves me. I pray that you will know him and experience his blessings in this coming year. As the Apostle John says:

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.”
‭‭3 John‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭AMPC‬‬