“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 …
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 …
“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 …
“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, …
Proverbs 3:27, “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” (KJV) In 2005, my husband, Arlin, and I raised American quarter horses: 19 mares and 5 cutting horse foals. We usually raised one hundred percent of our hay for feeding, but winter took a toll …
“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.” Proverbs 3:13 (KJV) One of my kindred spirits is George MacDonald, a Christian teacher. When his words flow into my ears and heart, I visualize the colorful photo on the cover of At The Back of The North Wind and smile. Growing up, MacDonald’s father forbade him …
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 (KJV) One lesson I learned growing up without a dad was how to be self-sufficient. In college, I celebrated and reinforced this philosophy with various classes in women’s studies, feminist literary criticism, and American literature. But reading Proverbs 3:5 and The Wisdom of the …
“That thou mayest walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous.” Proverbs 2:20 (KJV) When my husband Arlin and I hunted elk on Raspberry Island in Alaska, I didn’t worry about rough water in Shelikof or Kupreanof straights because our trustworthy and knowledgeable captain of the Windigo grew up fishing there and knew every …
