A few days ago, I was reading 2 Samuel 19:1-8 again. King David was in deep mourning over the death of his son Absalom, so much so that the men in his army, who had been victorious in battle, were not celebrated. Instead, they returned home and tiptoed quietly to their homes so they wouldn't disturb the king. They behaved as if they had been defeated because their leader was inconsolable. David's righthand man Joab saw what happened and summoned the courage to tell David that enough was enough. He had to get a handle on his emotions or else his men would possibly desert him. 2 Samuel 19:5-8 ..read more

I saw those words again today. At the end of an obituary. To suggest a charity or a gesture that would have had significance to the deceased. Rather than having the person desiring to express respect or sympathy spend money on flowers. I don't mean to be morbid. I really don't. But I have another birthday looming in a few weeks. It's not "one of the big numbers," but any year past 70 could be considered a big number. My momma died at 55. Steve's dad died at 73. I've already outlived both of them. It's just natural, I suppose, to have moments of facing one's mortality, especially when confront ..read more

If you're the rowdy, party type, then you might have more fun in the vicinity of Bourbon Street. But, look at me. Do I scream "Party Animal?" I think not. I do, however, enjoy beauty, comfortable accommodations, quirky shops and eateries, and outstanding food. Steve and I found all that during a recent visit to the Garden District of New Orleans. HISTORIC HENRY HOWARD HOTEL Located at 2041 Prytania Street, the Henry Howard Hotel is in the same neighborhood as many stately homes showcasing beautiful gardens, abundant wrought iron, and owners who take pride in their property (and have likely p ..read more

When in Darrow, Louisiana, by all means, have a meal or two at the Carriage House Restaurant on the estate grounds and take advantage of breakfast at Dixie Cafe included in your room rate, but also take time to explore the area within a short drive of Houmas House. By doing so, you can get a better understanding of the importance of the Mississippi River, agriculture, and oil refineries to the local economy. (In case you missed it, here is my post about Houmas House Estate & Gardens). Grapevine Cafe in Donaldsonville, LA Grapevine Cafe is a longstanding favorite among the locals of Donal ..read more

"The Passion of the Christ," a movie written and directed by Mel Gibson, was released in 2004, while Steve and I were living in Ecuador. Pirated versions quickly appeared for sale on street corners for a couple of dollars. I learned from my colleagues that an edit had been made to match the Catholic culture of the country. In that case, instead of Jesus saying, "Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit," the "fixed" version had Him saying, "Mary, into your hands I commit my spirit." I remember seeing advertisements and clips about the movie on television. Those brief scenes were more than I c ..read more

Steve and I spent two nights at The Inn of Houmas House Estate and Gardens in Darrow, Louisiana last week and enjoyed every minute. The azaleas were showing off, and the gardens were stunning. The house and grounds of Houmas House served as a sugarcane plantation in the 1800s, and the house was known as "The Sugar Palace." The massive trees on the property would certainly tell tales if only they could talk. Tours of the mansion are available, and an amazing Great River Road Museum was added a couple of years ago. The 1964 movie "Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte" was filmed there. (A fun sidenote is ..read more

It's Holy Week, the most important week on a Christian's calendar. Easter Sunday and all it means, along with the events leading up to Easter Sunday, are the reasons we can live with the settled assurance that Christ has conquered death and one day we will be with him in heaven for eternity. Today my mind is on the word "holy" and what being holy means in my life. It's important because those are the instructions I find in scripture. 1 Peter 1:15-16 -- "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy." 2 T ..read more

Today is our 53rd wedding anniversary. Never once since I said "I Do" to him on the evening of March 20, 1971, at Oak Park Baptist Church in Decatur have I doubted that Steve Pearson was the one God created to be my husband. (In case you haven't known us very long, I did a series of posts leading up to our 50th anniversary celebration telling the story of how we met, fell in love, got engaged and married, then lived for a half century. You can read those posts here, here, here, here, and here). There were actually quite a few young men (a.k.a. potential marriage candidates) in my life until th ..read more

Two testimonies of faith I read this week impacted me so much that I decided to share them with all of you. Remember last week when I told you about the faith in time of tragedy expressed by Hailey Clark, mother of 4-year-old Beau Clark who was killed by a neighbor's dog? Well, Beau's father Kevin wrote heartfelt, eloquent words when he got home from his son's funeral last Friday. You need to know that BOTH of Beau's parents are trusting God and relying on His strength in these days. Here are Kevin's words: From the bottom of our hearts, we want to say thank you for all of the support and pray ..read more

This past Monday night a horrible tragedy occurred just outside the Hartselle City Limits. A four-year-old boy named Beau got off his bicycle to play with a dog on his street he had played with many times before. Beau had been in this neighbor's yard often. His family and this family are friends. This time, though, the dog was eating, and according to my veterinarian husband, that is a time when a dog can sometimes feel vulnerable, threatened, or overly protective. Even the most amiable and docile dog could have a quick, devastating reaction. Beau didn't know any of that. That dog bit Beau in ..read more