Our town of Santa Rosa has many small, and a few large, churches. When I say large, I’m not talking Mid-west or Texas-in-the-thousands-large, but hundreds. Our area has been called “faith unfriendly” by movie distributors, and few Christian movies make it to our town. Churches stand alone. With a few exceptions, they don’t get together. …
Crossing the Jordan is a local non profit in Santa Rosa. We are boots on the ground, receiving and distributing donations directly to the fire victims and preparing for the aftermath. Tens of thousands of donations have come in and we are in need of cash donations for additional truck rentals and gas. Please consider assisting …
Rick and I have spent the last two weeks with close friends on a road trip through six states. Our route: Dallas, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Biloxi, Montgomery, Birmingham, Nashville, Memphis, Fort Smith, Oklahoma City and back to Dallas. We covered 2500 miles, saw numerous National Parks, landmarks and museums, and enjoyed perfect weather. All the …
The thistle and weed patch that was our “lawn” has been roto-tilled, the top layer of thistles with roots cleared away, gopher mesh installed, and several inches of top soil added. Sod now lies like an Irish green field. Gorgeous! So pristine! A few days later, I spotted a mound of dirt on the edge …
On a recent, regular check-up for Sarge, our German Shepherd, the vet found an enlarged spleen. An X-ray and sonogram showed how enlarged, and the danger of a rupture that could cause massive internal bleeding and death. We didn’t think twice. Take out that spleen! As Sarge was prepped for surgery and his belly shaved, …
When I grew up, I heard mixed messages. A girl who has sex before marriage is considered promiscuous. A ruined reputation means a ruined life. And then, the warning: Boys will be boys. With all the social advances and new laws, one would think the messages have changed. I’m not so sure. We still see …
Last words carry weight and are remembered. My mother’s last words to me before she died of cancer were “I’ll be with your dad soon.” Dad died at home in his own bed, Mom tending him. On his last night, she sat behind him so he could lean back against her. She held him in …
I grew up believing all fires destroy and need to be snuffed out. Smokey the Bear posters and billboards were everywhere. A campfire left burning, a cigarette tossed carelessly from a car window could destroy acres of woodlands, or hillside of grass, leaving nothing but ash and devastation. Fire fighters work hard to eradicate every …
The eclipse has come and gone and I missed out. All through the day, I received posts from jubilant friends wearing their eclipse glasses while sitting on lawn chairs and gazing up at a cloudless sky for the event of the century. Meanwhile, I stood outside on our deck and looked out at the foggy …
God made a vast variety of beautiful and interesting birds. One is the Whydah from South Africa. During mating season, the male grows long black feathers two to three times longer than his body. Eager to mate, he hovers in front of a female, flapping his wings while his tail feathers dangle. Oooo-wee, look at …