Current Conditions

Posted on February 23, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 104 Comments

What’s your current condition? There’s a high probability I’ve experienced it (my empathy is 100% regardless). Greater odds than the forecast. The blizzard didn’t dump as much as predicted, but enough to keep kids happy at home.

Currently, I’ll continue training videos for the school district. It requires time, attention, and successful assessment. Topics like bullying, suicide prevention, harassment, bloodborne pathogens, and technology are covered. These aren’t new topics after several decades. Changing conditions in me make these NEW again.

My faith walk is similar. The studies, devotions, and books I’m reading align with what I KNEW years ago. It’s better now. NEWER. Despite current conditions, My 2025 Makeover continues. Walking alongside Jesus, allowing grace, love, and mercy to repair the brokenness; surrendering to the complete indwelling of the Spirit—that’s the NEWEST and ONLY way for me to live.

Are your current conditions cold, calm, cloudy, or clear?

The current conditions of snow, family changes, and health are no match for a peace that passes ALL understanding. You don’t have to take my word for it. Take HIS. Is this new for you?

I’ll cozy up in my old flannel, cling to old-fashioned things I love, and live in the NEW that never gets old.

Conditions change day by day–state to state.

Do you know how loved you are?❣️

Have you heard of NET, yet? 🦓

Conditions can overwhelm. Another cancer survivor and I shared our survivor’s guilt. Isn’t that how the enemy tries to ruin us? Then…walls came crashing down like the temperatures. A beautiful fellow cancer friend shared about the hope and support she received from palliative care. This wasn’t NEW to me. A week prior I had reached out for help hope.

Palliative Care is NOT hospice. Anyone with a serious illness can seek support if needed. LACNETS, it’s amazing leadership and members, has enhanced my life. Now, with additional support, I’ll be more aware of how “current conditions” impact my day to day.

Updates

From March 2nd-5th I’ll return to the NCI/NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. Scans, bloodwork, and clinical visits will determine my current condition. I’m expecting great results and amazing NEW learning, support, and experiences. It’s much easier to update everyone here versus text and email. Thank you for your understanding!
Jarrod, Brooke, A & A landed safely in Fairbanks, Alaska for their 2nd move here. Jay, Cierra, and W are settled in their new house near K.C. My sweet parents and family continue walking by faith–despite any current conditions. Thank you for lifting us in prayers, good wishes, blessings, vibes, and all the above. My heart always feels for those suffering and injured. Please know that WE lift and pray for YOU, too.

Friends, spring is around the corner. There are signs of hope all around. If current conditions keep you from feeling or finding it, reach out; you’re not alone. You’re such a blessing. Thank you for taking time to support my journey.

Love, Karla & Finn❣️🐾

Audio reading

Embracing imperfection with faith, flannel, & fresh air

K.L. Hale

Life Sentence

Posted on January 27, 2025January 27, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 108 Comments

If faith were a felony, I’d be imprisoned for life.

Lock me up, Lord.

My cancer isn’t a death sentence. It’s a …

life sentence. 🩵

Cover of “Goodness of God”

Do you know how loved you are? No matter what.

Have faith 🩵

Purposeful Plan

Posted on January 8, 2025January 8, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 82 Comments

Friends, I began this article several days ago. The news of the the devastating fires in California, storms in other parts of the U.S., and other life-altering events, hurt my heart! I pray for relief, assistance, resources, healing, and hope.

Snow, temperatures, and my energy fell. The morning light greeted me with new hope and joy-an epiphany. “God, thank you for another day.”

A friend and I were sharing the other night about the “busyness” in Christianity. We even giggled saying, “Hurry, look busy, Jesus is coming!” I spent many years in church, yet, was taught very little about a relationship with Jesus. Traditions, doctrine, and religiosity didn’t direct me when I felt lost. And when I failed. When I hit rock bottom, I MET JESUS. It’s not about denomination or determination of “status” due to doctrine. In a “pop” psychology world that shares, “I am enough!” I can proudly say, without shame, that “I’m nothing without GOD.“

Intentional. Deliberate. Purposeful. Why are we all…here?

…”They talk as if the west wind could really sweep into a human soul; but it can’t. They tell us the ‘beauty born of murmuring sound’ will pass into a human face; but it won’t. Or not yet. For if we take the imagery of Scripture seriously, if we believe that God will one day give us the Morning Star and cause us to put on the splendour of the sun, then we may surmise that both the ancient myths and the modern poetry, so false as history, may be very near the truth as prophecy. At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in.”
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (1942)

There’s nothing like the light filtering in through the trees on the trail. Often I’ve wondered about meeting other believers in nature. I wonder why we all feel more comfortable HERE? Ah, to be reunited with beauty–the return to Eden.

Faith, nature, and creation. My love for our Creator and nature came natural. How did my faith grow? How does one come to believe? If you’ve read or seen Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Christ”, his name rings a bell. Lee was an atheist and had a career as a legal editor for the Chicago Tribune. When his wife found “faith”, he was determined to poke holes in her belief. He studied at Yale and was used to investigating. Surely, he’d collapse her faith with evidence. Their conversation was captivating (and LONG–I watched it in sessions).

“But real Christianity is considerably different, and those who know it think in totally different ways. They despise all those shadows of Christianity and false imitations of it. They know by experience that true Christianity is a union of the soul with God. It is a real impartation of the divine nature. It is the image of God sketched on the soul. In the words of the apostle, “it is Christ formed within us. In its most complete, precise, and brief definition, it is a divine life in us.”
Henry Scougal

Are your plans based on purpose? Or are you living hour to hour, day to day based solely on circumstance? Christ-in-me gives my plans a whole new purpose!

The media shares about resolutions, styles, and events–another Super Bowl will be held and a President sworn in–gatherings, new wrinkles, and aging skin. I’ll throw on my old flannel and try to hike when I can.

Cling to Christ and love others-my purposeful plan.

My epiphany? The evidence surrounds me.

Have faith💚

Thank you for taking a leap of faith to follow me!

Fickle February

Posted on February 1, 2022February 1, 2022 by K.L. Hale — 49 Comments

It sounded like explosive gun shots. Tree limbs snapping and fiercely falling. The sounds echoed through the valley and the nearly 3 acres surrounding my home. I prayed and peeked out the window. The darkness swallowed by the sounds. Nearly two inches of ice fell. Trees, cars, homes,…more importantly, people,…displaced, somewhat broken, and not functioning properly. This wasn’t just a snow day. This was devastating ice. It was 2007.
K.L. Hale

January of this year seemed jackknifed… at first. BUT, it straightened out with wonderful experiences (seeing one son and family and wishing the other one a happy birthday to end the month!). One year ago today, another warm day, I busily prepared for a forecasted storm. Having barely adjusted to my little “home” I was faced with a water heater issue, heat not working in two units (mini-splits) and the unknowns of what might fail. Everything seemed fickle (including my love/hate relationship with this new dwelling). Fickle happens. You better face it head-on when mingling with Missouri weather. A 35 degree drop here is normal in a 24 hr. period. Currently, it’s 60 degrees and raining. Yet by 6 a.m. freezing rain and a light wintry mix will arrive, turning to snow through Thursday evening. I LOVE SNOW! The thought of having a few days snowed in is perfect and peaceful–but, ICE too? I’ve checked in with my parents, my neighbors, and my loved ones. As I joined MANY others on the road this morning I thought of the desperation in some of the driving! Simply frigid! Food? Check! Shovel? Check! Ice melt? Check! Is there a chance this storm will not be as severe as forecasted? Absolutely. Again, it’s Missouri. It’s starting to feel like groundhog days. January, you tried to get the best out of me and failed. A fallout of faith is not in my forecast!

February, you’ve flown in attempting to flip as fast as an NFL game. Again, groundhog days. I’m praying for cloudy weather tomorrow morning at Gobbler’s Knob (sorry Phil, you’re cute, but I’d prefer you not see your shadow). February, you really try to bring the best-my Dad’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, and other holidays that I didn’t know existed. But not everyone loves the love oozing around-for some, it stings-parties, the prices, and the pressure to get the “best” gift. February, so you know, I’m already counting the days to Spring (47)! My faith must not be fickle-minded like the February forecasts!

Speaking of faith,…I put a lot of faith in things and people around me. Past storms, fickleness, temperature fluctuations, and forecasts sought to flurry my faith. Yet even after the disturbances of difficulties and dialogue, blizzards of blame, frozen frustration, blusters of blatant, and snowfalls of self-doubt, my faith is firm.

My heart goes out to all who are weathering the storms. And to those supporting them–thank you. To the workers, tirelessly, attempting to provide the basics, thank you. Don’t fluctuate or be fickle-minded in showing kindness–it might just melt a frozen heart. You are loved-no matter what. 🤍