Micah 6:8
“He (God) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
Sex Trafficking Awareness
Rick and I attended the International Conference on Missions not long ago, and sat in on every session to do with sex trafficking. A friend in ministry told me the crime is increasing in Northern California, and we wanted to find out what we can do to stop it. Frankly, we were shocked to find …
Good Books
I read 43 books this year. I keep a list and even note whether the book is fiction, non-fiction, a devotional, youth novel or manuscript. I tend not to recommend books because each book I read offers something special that comes through the eyes of another human being. I learn something from everything I read. …
A New Beginning
December 26 always finds me in the throes of post-Christmas blues. I don’t want to put away the ornaments and take down the tree. I don’t want to put away the Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas books. It’ll be another year before I can bring out the bright red Swedish candlesticks, the Russian nesting dolls, …
Hard Times
This is a hard time of year for many of us. I know I’m not alone when I share that someone we love very much has crashed and burned again. One drink is all it takes. Fear grabs hold of me and I worry. I wake up in the middle of the night and feel …
Our Anniversary
Rick and I were married on December 21, 1969. Looking back now, I wonder how we could have done such a thing to my parents. A Christmas wedding? Within months after they resettled (in a trailer) and started building (by their own hands) their retirement home in the Applegate Valley of Oregon? I did most …
Ben Hur
Shortly after Rick returned from Vietnam, he and I, with his parents, went to a Christmas cinematic presentation of “Ben Hur” in San Francisco. The theater was magnificent, red velvet seats, an enormous screen, all the gilt and glamor of what movie theaters used to be. It was the first time Rick held my hand. …
Light
I love Christmas lights. Lights are everywhere, up and down main streets now cascading Christmas decorations, in Mall displays, to private homes with strings of lights hanging from the eaves. Every color reminds me of the Lord; white for illumination, green for new life, yellow for gold – one of the gifts of the magi …
Pearl Harbor
Today is the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. It marks America’s entering a war that already raged in Europe. We thought we could be at peace, but war came at us from both sides. Millions died because of the evil intent of a few who wanted to have power over all. Where are they …
Anticipation
Some years ago, I went to a small, one-day retreat about simplifying Christmas, based on Unplugging the Christmas Machine by Jean Coppock Staeheli. The teacher applied her own expertise as a family counselor in practical exercises throughout the day to take a good hard look at what we’ve allowed Christmas to become and what we …