It is with a heavy heart that I write this post to share that my nephew, Shawn, passed away from this world on Monday, 8/24/2026. The heaviness is lessened only by the knowledge that he made his peace with God, and he is now with Jesus, Mom, Dad, Papaw, Mimmie, and so many other loved ones who have gone before him to that beautiful land.
Please pray for his mom/my sister, Sharon, all of Shawn's family members, and all who are grieving his passing.
The family has set up a GoFundMe account to cover Shawn's final expenses and for his children, three of whom are under the age of 18 and still lived at home with him. If anyone feels led to contribute, please click here. The family is most grateful for any support.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4
Please pray for my nephew, Shawn Baird, who is going through more pain and suffering than I can even imagine right now. Shawn and I have always had a special bond because Mom and my sister, Sharon, were expecting us at the same time.
My deepest apologies for being a day late on announcing the winner of the giveaway of a package of all three of my dear friend Marilyn Moseley's books, along with one of her beautiful calendars!
I would say that, out of all the country singers I grew up listening to with Mom and Dad and later with Kevin, there are about 10 to 15 who rise to the top as my favorites. One of those is Dan Seals. I absolutely love singing harmony with his voice, and one of my favorite songs by him is a deeply sad ballad called "All That Glitters," written by Dan Seals and Bob McDill.
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.' And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, 'Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.' And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." Luke 2:1-20
I pray all is well with each one of you and your loved ones this Christmas! For those who are suffering from physical afflictions, who have lost loved ones and are missing their presence this year, and who are bearing up under heavy loads of sorrow and heartache—I want you to know I am praying for you. May the healing balm of Gilead wash over your hurting hearts and send the healing you so desperately need. May the Lord bless and be with you, meet your every need, and send special reminders of His great love for you.
Here is a follow-up video I recorded on prayer. I hope it will be a blessing!
And here are two very FUN videos Zach and I recorded this Christmas season. We had so much fun making cookies and special memories!
I am so deeply grateful for every second God gives me with my dear husband and son. Every moment with them is beyond precious to me. As the year winds down, I am counting my every blessing. God has been far better to me than I will ever deserve, and today, I have never loved Him more. My family and I deeply appreciate having you in our lives and are so very grateful for your support and prayers.
Several months ago, the Lord began to lay it on my heart to start sharing the thoughts He gives me in video form on our rarely used Homespun Ministries channel. Today, I uploaded a video that corresponds with this recent blog post on prayer, and I wanted to share it with anyone who may be interested in watching.
As some of you may have already heard, my dear longtime friend, Marilyn Moseley's husband, Dan, recently suffered a massive heart attack. You can read the details on Marilyn's blog by clicking here.
