A short while ago, a person who is very dear to me said that she sometimes questions the adequacy of her faith. Amidst all the busyness of life, all the many struggles and issues that she and we all have to face, her faith sometimes gets … Read more

Some years ago, one of the churches in our area was without a minister for a couple of years. I was one of the people who went there on a regular basis to lead worship services. When the new pastor was about to take up residence in that … Read more

I consider myself to be an avid reader. Though I like to read for information and enrichment, I also enjoy fiction and novels in good taste. So, when I recently came across a list of "must-read" literary classics, I decided to intersperse … Read more

Kayley, one of my collies, is three years old now and is still a barker. She barks at anything and everything, despite my training, discipline, and frustration with her and this noisy bad habit. Collies do tend to bark, since they are … Read more

One beautiful fall day, as I peered over the railing of a small bridge, an interesting sight met my eyes — bright red fish with green heads: spawning salmon. By an inborn instinct, they were all heading the same way — upstream. If you … Read more

She longed for their presence. The military had called her husband and her son to fight a Middle Eastern war. She worried night and day — never totally focused on anything that she did. What if both were killed? Or suppose that they … Read more

There is a couple in my church who appear to have the perfect life. Their most common expression is a smile. They both teach Sunday School, and they share their Christian witness often. Their Facebook posts feature happy events and their … Read more

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't travel light. I go nowhere without bags of clothes, reading material, art supplies, and crafts to make. My motto is "Let your bags be heavy and your heart be light." Now, if I were to travel far … Read more

From the ease of my recliner, my mind wanders to my childhood farm days and that exhilarating feeling of skipping through a wide-open green pasture on a summer day. I am reminded of that endless overhead expanse of sky, where I saw eagles … Read more

In 1920, when Grandma was beginning her family, she bought an improved homestead of 160 acres, with a home, a barn, and a large orchard. The orchard had already seen its prime, but was still producing apples from what had once been … Read more