I just finished reading a wonderful manuscript about whether animals are in heaven, which reminded me of pets I have loved over the years. The first dog of my memory was Dusty, a German Shepherd. She lived heart-leashed to my brother (and sometimes to me). My brother loved to explore the neighborhood. One day he …
Christmas has been different for the last two years. We spent the first alone and the second with one of our adult children and his family, two others having moved across the country. Where once people crossed a continent to get to the “Eureka!” state, many now are leaving for better opportunities and lower cost …
Each year, over the last ten, I’ve prayed for words on which to meditate. This year Psalm 77:11 stood out. “I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate on all Thy work, and muse on Thy deeds.” The word “remember” and its variations is …
Do you ever feel that you have nothing to offer God, that He can’t use you? If so, take a look at this list written by “anonymous” that I tucked in my quote collection. These are all people God used in mighty ways: Noah planted a vineyard and got drunk from the wine Abraham lied …
Bald eagles have been on my mind lately. They are magnificent creatures with many admirable traits. Eagles wait until they are between four and five years old before seeking a mate. In areas where there are more eagles, they wait up to seven years of age to seek a mate. When they find one, they …
What’s Mine is Yours and Yours is Mine I’ve heard and read about the “new” trend of couples who keep their individual earnings separate. In my opinion, money can be all about control, and when you start off a marriage keeping things separate (“What’s mine is mine!”), the “togetherness” of a relationship is already in …
People are complex and there are always challenges when two people become one. Rick and I have been married for 55 years and believe we have some worthwhile advice to give those who are contemplating the adventure of marriage – or who are already married but going through some rocky times. We certainly did and …
Don’t let fear stop you! For many, starting a life group in your home can feel intimidating. You may have all kinds of questions buzzing in your head. What should we study? Who is going to lead the group? Am I qualified to teach? What if nobody shows up? What if a big group shows …
Over forty years ago, Rick and I were struggling in our marriage and close to divorce. We knew we needed to do something to change the road we were on. Moving and starting a business seemed to be a good idea. (Talk about stress!!) Only one house was up for rent in the small town …
I’ve been told most high school graduating classes get together every decade or so. Some never get together. They “move on”. We were blessed to live in a small town (Pleasanton) and had a small class that doubled overnight when San Ramon/Dublin was added to the school district. A lot of us grew up together. …