“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Proverbs 15:13 (KJV) After I read John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley in Search of America, I knew my next dog would be a French poodle. I researched quality breeders, drove three states west, and picked up a black, curly-headed standard poodle I affectionately …
How to Edit Your Novel: Practical Tips for Strengthening Your Story helped me as a writer. I particularly appreciated Chapter Five, “Your Story’s Structure,” where Karin Berry broke down the three-act plot structure into six parts. Throughout her book, Berry employed several novels as structural models for new and established writers to understand the art of structuring a novel in …
Psalm 139:9-10, “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” (KJV) When my husband, Arlin, and I visited Fort Worth, Texas, we signed up to fly inside the Douglas C-49J “Southern Cross.” I was thrilled to …
Up in the Air: The Real Story of Life Aboard the World’s Most Glamorous Airline by Betty Riegel Riegel is an adventurous and historical journey aboard Pan American World Airways. I purchased the book and the audiobook. I loved hearing Riegel’s voice recount her glamorous life as a Pan Am Stewardess. Her lively stories kept me laughing, particularly Chapter Thirteen, …
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (KJV) Animals find me—horses, cows, dogs, cats, and birds. For some reason, they see me as a refuge. It’s a privilege to provide shelter, comfort, and presence for animals needing help in hard times and trouble. The baby red-tailed hawk, featured in the photo above, …
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) On April 7, 2024, my husband, Arlin, and I traveled to Frisco, Texas and attended the early service at Stonebriar Community Church. If only we could …
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;” Ephesians 5:1 (KJV) I didn’t expect a three-and-a-half-year-old to teach me a lesson about following Christ, caring tenderly, and showing kindness to a neighbor. Nor did I believe his actions would inspire me to write a blog post. But a toddler, a plastic van, and a grasshopper demonstrated how to love …
I finished Jerry B. Jenkins’ “Though None Go with Me” and enjoyed the complexities of Elisabeth’s romance with Will. She was “a fool for Christ and a fool for Will.” Elisabeth dedicates her life to God and obedience to Christ. I could not read or listen to this heart-wrenching story in one sitting. Yet Elisabeth’s hardship, pain, and sorrow …
“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.” Proverbs 4:1 (KJV) November 2023, I had the pleasure of visiting Colorado Springs and Focus on the Family—a name I learned when I attended a Larry Burkett Crown Financial Ministries seminar at a local church. I drove around Colorado Springs enthralled by the number of worship centers, …
I loved the lively banter between lawyer Linda Barrett and pilot Jake Stevens in Terri Blackstock’s “Evidence of Mercy.” I appreciate how Linda doesn’t want to sell her Piper Arrow PA 28 and reluctantly takes her beloved airplane on a test run with Jake at the controls. Blackstock masterfully captures tense moments in the air and on the ground, and …
