One of the earliest carols written in North America is a song we never sing. Most of us have probably never even heard of it. It was written by John de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary to the Huron Indians. Brebeuf, along with a group of Jesuits, lived with the Hurons in what is now modern-day […]
Sticks and stones may break my bones But words can never harm me Growing up I heard this little rhyme many times. It was said to encourage those who were being bullied or harassed by others. However, this message is simply not true. Words have such power. Power to encourage, power to put down. Power […]
We have lived in Michigan for eleven months and I am surprised at how many of the towns in this state we have visited. Each one has only added to my love of this state. The latest town we visited was Manistee. Located between Ludington and Frankfort Michigan we made this our base as we […]
On our recent trip north to the tip of the mitten to see the beautiful fall trees, we also found some great art galleries. Just south of Charlevoix is the Bier Art Gallery housed in a beautifully restored school house. The gallery is owned by Ray and Tami Bier. The Biers were both artists when […]
I just finished reading (for the second time) the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor during the time of Hitler and World War II. As the Nazis came to power and took control of the church, he faced a real dilemma. He could not continue to stand with the church hierarchy who […]
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 […]
Edgewood, Illinois. Just the mention of that town brings back bad memories. About three months into my sixth grade school year, we moved from Mason to Edgewood (both small towns about 10 miles apart). For me, they were opposite sides of the universe. Mason Grade School was one of my happiest times in school. I […]
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 church has been doing a series on dangerous prayers – and it has given me much thought. I have to admit that most of my prayers are for me and mine. While there is certainly nothing wrong with praying for my family, my friends, my needs, taking a look at some of the prayers […]
I love to write. For years I have kept a journal. My entries range from routine, boring comments about the weather to reflections of my feelings during a battle with cancer. A few years ago I entered the world of blogging. Really having no idea how to have a successful blog, I have read other […]
Although it has been years ago, I still remember the day when I heard I was going to be a mother. What excitement as my husband and I began planning for this addition to our family. I read books on child care. We began shopping for a crib, a baby bed, and tried to decide […]
It’s that time of year again! Time for making cookies, shopping for gifts, decorating the Christmas tree and all our house inside and out. Time for family gatherings, parties at friends, watching Hallmark Christmas movies. The list goes on and on. As I listen to people talk about the holiday, it almost seems at times […]
Today most of us think of Christmas carols as something we hear on the radio, or we sing at church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services. However, singing carols in many places used to be more than just singing a song at church. It was a time to connect with neighbors as people would […]
Today most of us think of Christmas carols as something we hear on the radio, or we sing at church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services. However, singing carols in many places used to be more than just singing a song at church. It was a time to connect with neighbors as people would […]
