tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-351935022024-03-13T00:43:27.968-07:00Blog by Bonnie LeonThe official Blog of Oregon Author Bonnie LeonBonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.comBlogger733125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-40362057634873627292023-06-14T19:55:00.000-07:002023-06-14T19:55:03.385-07:00A Writing Sister I've discovered a writer who, in many ways, is like a sister to me. She writes historical romance, like me. She has books that take place in Oregon during the nineteenth century, like me. And she writes for the same publisher, WhiteFire Publishing, like me. I decided to interview her and introduce her to you, my readers.Welcome Cara Grandle, fellow writer. I'm looking forward to Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-29726979741982726532023-03-19T19:00:00.003-07:002023-03-19T19:00:53.252-07:00For Such A Time As This So much in life takes us by surprise. I'm grateful most of the surprises are good ones like when my husband and I heard about a new movie that recently released. We were told it was good and that we should see it. And so, we did. I had no idea how deeply it would affect me.As of this writing I've now seen Jesus Revolution twice. My husband and I both loved it and will certainly see it againBonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-26932102529260824912023-02-25T03:46:00.001-08:002023-02-25T03:46:21.306-08:00The Adventure When driving home from town a few days ago, I stopped and took the above photo. I later posted it on FB, expressing my thankfulness over living in such a beautiful place. I got to thinking about how truly blessed my husband, Greg, and I are.God has been good to us. But some of our happiness has to do with the two young people who were willing to take a risk. In 1979 my husband and I Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-37318146266125851612023-02-08T22:12:00.001-08:002023-02-08T22:12:51.952-08:00With a Thankful HeartWhere we are now.I came across a blog draft from August 2020. I never completed it, but I want to share it now. I am two and a half years late, but I always say, "Better late, than never."Many times, I've mentioned how much I admired my mother's thankful heart. She is gone now, but I think of her every day. When I consider her wealth of gratitude it's easy to see that I do not possess the Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-22756795321750608452023-01-22T17:48:00.000-08:002023-01-22T17:48:29.053-08:00Renewal Have you ever been in a place where you longed to be who you once were? The present day you isn't who you envisioned yourself to be. The world with its woes, darkness, and injustice has dragged you into what feels like a hopeless vortex you can't escape, and you wonder what happened to the child who had once bounded out of bed each morning exited for the day and all its adventures.I know Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-813925274739510552022-12-31T20:54:00.000-08:002022-12-31T20:54:16.309-08:00Courage For 2023. A very wise and Godly man once told me, "There is only one correct interpretation of scripture. If you and I disagree on the meaning of a portion of God's Word it can mean that I am right and you are wrong, or that you are right and I am wrong, or we are both wrong." Those insightful words inspired me to always search for truth not confirmation of something I already believe.In these Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-17095653929465686422022-12-12T21:49:00.000-08:002022-12-12T21:49:07.792-08:00Too Scared to Move?Eek! I could barely look at the photos as I searched to find just the right one. I really do not like heights, and I can assure you I will never find myself on a cliff like this. But I wanted to give you the idea ... you're frozen, are afraid to move, even an inch. But God says, "Go. You've got this."What do we do? Will we let our fear cripple us? Will we remain immovable, or will we trust and Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-2670783583147154922022-11-17T15:59:00.000-08:002022-11-17T15:59:29.978-08:00Pick Up The Stone Recently I spoke at a women's retreat where the topic for the weekend was the "All Consuming Fire of God". There were four speakers and we each presented a different niche on the topic. I spoke about God's way of using ordinary people to carry out His will. It is because of the "All Consuming Fire" that we are able. A Biblical example I used was David, the son of Jesse and the eventualBonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-44929298070412753512022-10-28T23:34:00.000-07:002022-10-28T23:34:41.358-07:00Love One AnotherJohn 13:35 "Your love for one another will prove you are my disciples."Would you say this accurately describes your experience in the Christian family?My answer is that it "mostly" does. Through the years I have shared my life with many lovely, remarkable people. I am thankful for my Christian family. However, some of my most painful experiences have been at the hands of other Christians. Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-22322060958720670892022-10-03T20:32:00.002-07:002022-10-03T20:32:54.657-07:00OOPHOoph seems like a silly title for a blog, but it's what I feel right now. It is day ten since my surgery. I am grateful for a competent, dedicated surgeon and all the medical professionals who helped care for me before and after surgery. But ... I have to admit to hoping I'd be a little further along at this point. Still, I am glad to say that I am moving forward and getting a little better each Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-24824770459044702692022-09-20T22:08:00.000-07:002022-09-20T22:08:01.552-07:00Remember Today was another one of those days I dread. My nephew, Daniel Leon, passed away. He went suddenly, without warning. We were not ready to say farewell. Daniel was an intelligent, fun and entertaining young man. He could make a party out of the simplest gathering. He always had a good story to tell or an intriguing idea to toss into a conversation. He was a great cook and at most of ourBonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-73297213662443180322022-09-09T16:13:00.000-07:002022-09-09T16:13:41.551-07:00New Beginnings An important anniversary passed yesterday. It has been two years since the Archie Creek Fire hit our little town, eating up 72,000 acres in twelve hours, destroying 109 homes, and a total of 856 buildings. It then went on to gobble up 131,542 acres in all. When the fire came through, people in this community were devastated, shell-shocked and struggling to get their feet under them. Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-18853135221157004222022-08-08T20:43:00.001-07:002022-08-08T20:43:14.918-07:00A Bright Light While in Las Vegas a few weeks ago I had an interesting encounter. At the end of a long day of therapy, I walked out into the evening heat. I was looking forward to a quick meal and a visit with my husband. A man I'd never met was waiting for AAA to help him with a flat tire. He and the doctor were standing in the parking lot visiting. The doctor introduced us and then went on his way. Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-67184741397372128002022-07-26T21:58:00.000-07:002022-07-26T21:58:48.388-07:00LEAPLife is interesting, isn't it? Sometimes challenges come up that require a leap of faith. I've had to do that a few times over the years, but it's never easy. It kind of feels like I'm launching myself into space without a guide wire to hang onto. One of those leaps confronted me a few weeks ago. And because I decided to leap, I ended up in Las Vegas for more than a week where I received healing Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-88696959934438458282022-07-02T22:51:00.002-07:002022-07-02T22:51:38.321-07:00You Can Do It! We all have challenges. Granted, some are more difficult than others, but through our lives we're going to experience some tough stuff. Gardening is a big part of my life right now. See my smile in the photo. I'm loving it. I grew up in a family that gardened. My mother had a gorgeous dahlia garden. People driving by our place would sometimes stop to admire the profusion of Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-2345946693771542752022-06-17T16:46:00.000-07:002022-06-17T16:46:25.316-07:00For The Children If anyone asked you if you love your child, almost certainly you would say, "Yes. Of course I love my child." And we do. Yet, we sometimes we let them down. We can't be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. It's an impossibility. So I want to say right up front please do not beat yourself up for what you may see as failures. Failure is part of life. It helps us to learn and to Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-59452771359827480872022-06-12T16:30:00.002-07:002022-06-12T16:30:39.632-07:00Brothers A few weeks ago, a band of men in our church headed out into the foothills of the Southern Oregon Coast. They spent four days together at a remote campground.In the weeks preceding the retreat there was a lot of talk about shooting guns, sleeping in, and kicking back around a campfire while eating roasted meat. All that sounds fun, but I was curious about the real reason most of the men Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-70355192886399191172022-05-28T12:52:00.001-07:002022-05-28T13:01:58.534-07:00Seek Truth As a child, one night I was awakened by our barking dog. No one shushed him. I listened and heard sounds coming from the kitchen. At first, I thought I must be imagining it, maybe it was a remnant of a dream. But the sounds continued, the dog growled, and the rest of the house remained silent. I waited, hoping someone would wake up and check it out, but no one stirred except my sister in Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-68325281242753483902022-05-21T13:13:00.004-07:002022-05-21T13:13:47.361-07:00A Word to the Church I decided it is time for me to reread the book of Revelation. Right off, God set me on a personal evaluation. Revelation 3:22 says, "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches."This is the last line of the first four chapters in the book of Revelation. It is repeated seven times in those four chapters.Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-22724352202031303372022-05-14T14:34:00.002-07:002022-05-14T14:34:24.746-07:00Are We Called? Recently I connected with a Christian who felt it was her responsibility to make sure I understood what it looks like to obey Christ ... to follow through with what God had asked of me. Interesting thing is that God hadn't spoken to me about this, at least not in the way this person expressed. It's possible I might not have been listening, I'm an imperfect Christian. But when considering Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-680306079334166682022-05-06T20:29:00.003-07:002022-05-06T20:29:56.593-07:00A Powerful Weapon Study the picture above for a few moments. Look at each face, each smile. Did anything happen?No. Really. Did you feel anything? Did you find yourself smiling? I did. I felt happier inside and, without even trying, a smile settled on my lips. Isn't it amazing how wonderfully made we are?For many months our smiles have been hidden behind masks and in some places they still are. I Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-25696752522647125002022-04-29T22:50:00.000-07:002022-04-29T22:50:11.785-07:00The Holy Huddle I once heard Sunday church referred to as the "Holy Huddle". The pastor explained that Christian brothers and sisters get together on Sundays for the huddle. Just like in football, we go through the plan, get the instructions, maybe even slap a few butts (give lots of hugs), and then execute the plan by going out into the world to share the hope and beauty of God's Word.Hebrews 10:25 says Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-83490677968445956852022-04-22T19:18:00.000-07:002022-04-22T19:18:06.441-07:00In the Details. We often take things like flowers for granted. They are simply a part of the "ordinary" world we move through every day. But let's stop a moment and consider the perplexity and beauty of one single flower and then multiply that by a world full of flowers. Who did that? How is it that each is special, an intricate design?The wonder is all about God's detailed creation. He is involved in the Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-16384195064501913002022-04-15T22:28:00.003-07:002022-04-19T00:44:04.277-07:00What's Good About Friday? Good Friday is a day to commemorate the death of my Savior, Jesus Christ. It is the day he went willingly to the cross. He was betrayed, beaten and executed. He gave up His life for me ... and for you.This Good Friday is extra special for me. Just five days ago my cell phone rang. It was my son, and he was calling from his car, which had tumbled down a 300-foot cliff. He and my husbandBonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35193502.post-13136502701948443452022-04-08T22:17:00.001-07:002022-04-08T22:17:10.746-07:00Take A Chance In 1979 Greg and I drove through Douglas County Oregon on our way to visit family in California. In May it was breathtakingly beautiful in Oregon. We returned home to Washington State with Oregon in our heats.We lived in a new home in a lovely neighborhood, and Greg had a great job. We were not unhappy, but a longing for change grew in our soul. We knew we belonged in Oregon and couldn't Bonnie Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835257638506792143noreply@blogger.com6