My little seven-year-old granddaughter spent the night with me. She has a stuffed character from Dr. Seuss that always joins us for games. When she was very little we bought this character for her. I named him Willie, gave him a voice and she began interacting with him. As time has passed Willie has become […]
I love the old Christmas carols that I grew up singing and listening to on the radio and at church. But a couple of trees ago a new carol was written. To me, it is one of the best conveyors of the Christmas story. Hope Has a Name. Hope you enjoy it!
My granddaughter turned eight years old this month. In her eight years she has kept me laughing with her wisdom. One of the funniest memories is when she was four years old and was trying to get her Papa to make a decision about whether he would take her to one of her favorite places […]
In the book of Genesis we are told of the story of Hagar, the maid of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. When Sarah was not able to conceive, she gave her maid to Abraham in hopes that she would be able to bear a son who would then be considered Abraham and Sarah’s legal offspring. This was […]
Today the church remembers the death of Jesus on the cross. As we read the story we often denigrate the Roman soldiers, the Jewish religious leaders, Pilate and even the followers of Jesus. How could they not know that this was the Son of God we ask? How could they mock Him as He hung […]
Every year the small town where I live has a Chalk Art Event. Local business owners sponsor an artist who designs a chalk drawing on the sidewalk in front of their stores. The small downtown turns into a great combination of chalk art, live music, food vendors and community engagement. It’s a great way to […]
Christmas! What a magical time! We decorate our homes with trees, candles, wreaths. We put out a nativity set and hang up an angel or two. We plan gatherings with family and friends where there will be presents and lots of delicious food to eat. Everything is so neat and tidy – so beautiful. It’s […]
I’m having waffles in the morning made by my husband. I know that because our little granddaughter is spending the night with us and she always wants Papa’s waffles for breakfast. When we go to bed she gives Papa her “cutie” smile and in her “cutie” voice she asks: Papa, will you fix waffles in […]
Most of us have heard of Ellis Island. Many of us who have traced our ancestry can lay claim to having descended from someone who came through Ellis Island on their journey to becoming an American citizen. Prior to 1892 immigration was controlled by individual states. On January 1, 1892 the Federal government opened an […]
Moving from an area with a population of over 380,000 to a small town of less than 8,000 is quite a change. Last month my husband and I said goodbye to the Quad Cities. Goodbye Quad Cities We have spent this last month learning all about our new home in the middle part of […]
Feeling overwhelmed? Stressed out? Facing a flood of sorrow, pain, economic problems? We all have those times in life. Times when we may even question if God cares. If God even exists. When we are struggling through a difficult time we do not need a “Pollyanna” quoting scripture or telling us “it will be alright.” […]
While visiting the St Croix River Valley we found the site of the first commercial sawmill in what became the state of Minnesota. Two lumbermen from Marine Illinois, David Hone and Lewis Judd, finding the area’s abundant white pine, decided to build a sawmill here. They named the spot Marine after their hometown in Illinois. […]
When I was in second grade the vaccine for poliomyelitis was declared effective and safe, and a nationwide inoculation campaign began. Children were the first to get the vaccine because the disease was known as “infant paralysis” mainly affecting children. This disease attacks the nerve cells and sometimes the central nervous system, often causing muscle wasting and […]
In our continuing exploration of Michigan, today my husband and I visited Old Town in Lansing, Michigan. In 1825 a surveying crew stopped along the Grand River next to what is now Lansing and plotted land that would someday be called Old Town. James Seymour and Jacob Cooley from New York purchased the land from […]
