I am not a runner. Never have been, never will be. My husband however likes to run. A few months ago, I accompanied him to a race. I stood on the town levee, and from that view, I could see the beginning of the race, as well as the finish line.  As the shot fired, the runners began. It was intriguing to see the wide variety of participants. Some appeared to be as old as 75 while others were so young they were pushed in a stroller by a running parent. I saw male and female, thin and heavy, athletic and nonathletic.  I thought about Hebrews 12:1. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by ..read more

My, how our world has changed. But, it is comforting to know some things have stayed the same and have become classics: making cookies around the holidays and decorating my tree with my girls. Some things are more than classics. They are truths, holding greater meaning than any holiday tradition. Much joy and hope is chronicled in the Christmas story found in the Bible. The actions of the people involved serve as examples all these years later. Mary Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Being pregnant at this time in her life was dangerous. She must have been so nervous telling Joseph and filled doub ..read more

Of the four sisters, Lynn and I drew the shortest straws–receiving less coordination than our other two sisters. To be fair to myself, I have more coordination than Lynn, but she is not as directionally challenged as I am. There are numerous comical stories my family enjoys telling. Just ask them! They are happy to share. Accepting the correct guidance and following through with the directions can be challenging. The Peace River–Not! In the summer of 1981, my oldest sister Lynn was 18, and I was turning 14. With our family on vacation in Arcadia, Florida, a trip down the Peace River seemed lik ..read more

Are you one of those people who always feel like you are forgetting something? Recently, I got in the car to go to work. I had that nagging feeling I’d left something behind. I did a check. Lunchbox, cell phone, teaching bag, and keys. All is good, I thought, until I put my foot on the pedal. I instantly knew what was missing…my shoes.  National Go Barefoot Day Today, June 1st, is National Go Barefoot Day. That is right up my alley. I don’t care for shoes. The day I got in the car without them, I realized I might be turning into my Aunt Anna. She is always barefoot. In fact, many of our ..read more

Photo by Mike B on Pexels.com As a toddler, my oldest loved trying out new words. I remember her sitting at the table, eating her breakfast. The microwave buzzer signaled; my hot tea was ready for its daily job, to wake me. She tried to pronounce the word, and while I do not remember her exact attempt, I vividly remember the next few seconds.  “Honey, the word is microwave. Say micro.” She repeated successfully. Then I added the word, “wave”. She smiled so big, picked up her little arm and waved with great vigor! That memory has been precious to me for almost 30 years! I can still see h ..read more

We are easy targets, tempted by Satan. How ignorant we are to simply sit stagnant. God’s Holy Word states no one is immune to the temptations of Satan, and yet, we often sit still, like a duck waiting for the hunter to take his shot.  Sitting Duck Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.co Will you sit like a dumb duck, or will you take action and protect yourself? Take a page from Dobson’s Book Ever read a line that sticks with you forever? I gleaned one such thought that has resonated with me for over twenty years. In James Dobson’s book, Coming Home: Timeless Wisdom, he creates the image of a coupl ..read more

Biblical Fiction is a genre that I rarely read. Something about taking scripture and making stories from it has never intrigued me. However, I give this book 4.8 stars. Jill Eileen Smith did a wonderful job of taking the first few chapters of the Bible and turning them into a 302 page book. I found myself going to Genesis to compare and I was pleased with how accurate the Biblical information is. I was also delighted with the way she added fiction to the story, but kept God’s truth throughout the story.  Jill Eileen Smith did an excellent job projecting the thoughts that might have been ..read more

Elizabeth Goddard’s Cold Light of Day is an action-packed discovery of who done-it. Her Christian character Autumn Long, a police chief in a small, uneventful Alaskan town, enjoys the calm life, until strangers appear.  While I am personally more a fan of character-development novels, Goddard’s snapshot during these few weeks in Autumn’s  life, is a good read. Autumn and her family’s pasts hold secrets that kept me turning the  pages of her novel.  Grier, who has recently found his way into the small town, continues to show up when a crime has occurred. As an attractive an ..read more

By -Karla Jimmy, the only boy cousin among seven girls, lay on his new weight bench, pumping iron. In 1980, the apparatus was simple in style, but that fact did not diminish the excitement we both had for his new toy. The two of us are the same age and are always messing with each other. Cheetos were used as his favorite tool of torture in our youth. Time after time, he would sneak those gross fake-cheese crunches or putrid puffs in my spaghetti, beef stew, or sandwich every chance he could get. I Can Do Anything You Can Do Better That day, while Jimmy imagined building his muscles, I started ..read more

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, I sat, drinking my coffee and reflecting on the past year. So many changes have occurred in my life. Many changes were small, like getting a cat, while others were huge, liking getting a husband. As always, some were wanted, like a new house, and some less desirable, like my best friend moving further away. Many blessings were a surprise, while others were answered prayers.  God Answers Prayers God answers all prayers. He may not give the answer we wanted or He might take a while. Of all my prayers answered in 2022, two really stood out to me. One being m ..read more