April 22, 2019
Scrappy and I had lunch in our screened porch amid birds singing, a gentle breeze, blue skies viewed between leaf filled branches and the wonderful sound I love to hear – the sound of a saw cuttng wood! The sound and smell is life giving to me and perfume to my soul! Daddy was so skilled at EVERYTHING since if he didn’t know, he self-taught and worked with perfection. Sadly the last 15 years of his life were spent sedentary due to Parkinsons. Lord, heal me and or show me the way to shine and to make my parents proud for the 3 of us! We love you and hunger to serve with the treasure you bestowed!

Like this:
Like Loading...
Comments Off on WE ARE FAMILY! |
inspirational | Tagged: experiences, family, family life, gifts, Inspiration, inspire, love, memories, peace, prayer, scents, service, sharing, Spirituality |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
March 15, 2019
missed but never forgotten and always loved.

Like this:
Like Loading...
2 Comments |
inspirational | Tagged: heaven, love, memories, mom |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
March 12, 2019
Mom, dressed for her first date with Dad!

When someone so close to us and whom we love so much is near the end, we feel their pain as they age and we would do whatever we could to see the Mom (or other loved one) as we remember them . . . even one more time. This week marks another anniversary of her passing. She felt no pain in passing while asleep and just didn’t awaken this side of heaven. She died holding hands with Jesus with a big smile on her face, just like my Grampy did. If your morning quiet place seems to have a larger angel choir, that’s Mom. No matter how many things she could no longer do toward the end, she was always singing and I am sure she still is! Likely, the angels in your life are singing with her!
The last thing she and I said to each other was to smile and say “I love you!” it was a sunny spring afternoon and the birds were singing!
Like this:
Like Loading...
1 Comment |
inspirational | Tagged: angel, death, heaven, Jesus, memories, mom, photo, rest, Risen, sing to Jesus, singing, smiling |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
January 28, 2019
This image was taken by me in the home I used to live in. Winter was steadily providing snow and I was stronger then and loved to go out in the middle of the night to shovel as I was a banker then and needed to get to my office. The moonlight reflected on the new fallen snow glowed so my yard lookedlike midday. There were always neighbors out doing the saame thing as me. We often had PJs on with storm wear. I can still feel the warmth of those times in my life!
Warmth In Winter

Though it’s still winter,
with you always in my heart
i celebrate spring!
by Martha L Shaw – Copyright 2016
Like this:
Like Loading...
3 Comments |
inspirational | Tagged: FRIENDSHIP, joy, love thy neighbor, memories, nature, neighbors, peace, photography, poetry, snowstorms, Spirituality, WARMTH, winter |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
January 9, 2019
The sun is shining
on old dusty memories
while the birds sing praise
By Martha L Shaw – ©2015 Words and picture

Like this:
Like Loading...
Comments Off on The Singing Heart |
inspirational | Tagged: gifts, haiku, joy, memories, poetry, share, simplicity, Spirituality, treasures, whispers |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
August 4, 2018
My thoughts just drifted back to my childhood and to how much I loved sitting on the floor at Nana’s feet, feeling unconditional love and listening to her stories, memories, advice, and so much more. Time was meaningless as I knew such love and acceptance and encouragement and lost all sense of time.

How fitting to immediately find this before me! “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” – Jeremiah 33:2-3
Can I have an
AMEN?
Like this:
Like Loading...
Comments Off on Sitting At Your Feet |
inspirational | Tagged: acceptance, advice, Bible, Bible quotes, encouagement, faith, Inspiration, inspirational, life, love, memories, quotes, relationship, relationships, Religion, Spirituality, stories, teaching, truth |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
December 12, 2017
The old quilt . . .
Its softness is enhanced
By age and use.
Its colors faded by the light of many days,
And its fibers show wear
Yet its beauty is all I see,
All I feel,
And all I know.
Its story is one of patience
And of time and effort.
It contains both pain and pleasure.
The fabrics of many lives intertwined
To become one . . .
It is not one story,
But rather generations of stories
Shared by the fire,
Told over tea,
Revealed as fine thread
Wove scraps of many lives
Into something too beautiful not to share.
By Martha L Shaw – © 2013

Like this:
Like Loading...
1 Comment |
inspirational | Tagged: culture, family, generations, hand crafted, heirloom, history, love, memories, quilting, sewing, Spirituality, stories, story, YOYO |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
August 11, 2017
Old Books . . . Old Friends
For lots of reasons, I find myself reading most books these days by ereader, yet still I adore old books and stores which feature them! I love the sight, smell and feel of them, but there is something more! I hear the voices of each soul who held, read, and loved the book before me. Old books, old friends!

The tattered pages
Speak of those who’ve gone before
Can you hear the whispers?
By Martha L Shaw ©2015
Like this:
Like Loading...
6 Comments |
inspirational, lifestyle, light, love, PHOTOGRAPHS, poetry | Tagged: antiques, FIRE PLACE, memories, old books, PAST, poetry, SECOND HAND, short story, story telling |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
July 7, 2017
I dare say
of quill and quilt,
they both tell a beautiful story.
Ah, but when you nest with the quilt
and her many cozy chapters
do settle down for a long
fascinating read!
By Martha L Shaw ©2017

Four generations of tales . . . and love
shared from my family to you!
-MLSHAW
Like this:
Like Loading...
3 Comments |
inspirational | Tagged: antiques, daily post, generations, heirlooms, memories, poem, poetry, quill, quilting, stories, yoyoquilt |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw
June 13, 2017
Tapers on the sofa table
Gently lit the room
For it was night.
While mother slept,
Father and I enjoyed the gentle candle light
And stories from another time and place.
We needed no warmth
From those candles, though.
That came from father’s heart.
He knew I’d be waiing.
I knew he’d come.
Sleep didn’t come easily to him.
We spent hours together
He shared so many stories
Oa life as a boy,family,the farm…
Tales of many generations
Retold in the gently lit room
Well into the night.
Tears come as I share this
But not of sadness,
All of joy!
As we retired for the night,
I waited for his sounds of sleep
Before taking to my bed.
He is gone now,
But my memories still bring
Love, peace, and rest!
By Martha L Shaw – © 2017

Like this:
Like Loading...
Comments Off on DADDY’S LOVE – ABBA’S SERVANT |
inspirational | Tagged: childhood, daily post, faith, family, family life, father, generations, love, memories, parenthood, peace, poems, poetry, rest, sharing, Spirituality, story telling, taper, tribute, trust |
Permalink
Posted by Martha L Shaw