Priceless

Around the turn of the 20th century, my great uncle bought an exquisite necklace with a small watch on it in Paris.  The chain was embedded with amethyst and the watch was delicate.  He gave it to his beloved wife, my mother’s aunt.  Somehow my mother came to own it and much later it came…

I Want to Be Like Lyka

A certain grandmother had fourteen grandchildren to buy Christmas presents for.  She had a very modest budget but tried hard to buy meaningful gifts that aligned with each child’s interests.  Many gifts had to be sent across the miles, but a few were able to be given in person.  The day came for the grandparents…

Like Trees

Prosper, be productive, be consistent, live above hard circumstances, and grow.  Does this sound like your goal list for 2023?  Want to know where I found this lofty list?  It all started this week when I came across some photos I took three years of the little fir trees we see from our windows every…

Joseph

The splendor and wealth of their foreign visitors had made his head spin.  Lying there in the dark after their departure, Joseph calmed his thoughts by reciting a prayerful Psalm.  But after all that excitement, it was hard to fall asleep.  With a prayer of thanks on his lips, he finally drifted into sleep.  But…

Mary

She could never have imagined that she was about to be plunged into a life of challenge, change, conflict, misunderstanding, and danger.  Like any young woman her age, she was looking forward to her wedding.  It would be a lovely occasion and just the beginning of a happy, contented life with a kind and thoughtful…

Why the Manger?

Why would the Creator of the universe lower himself to the lowest human status?  If God planned the entrance of his own Son into the human realm, couldn’t he have done better than an animal feeding trough for a makeshift crib?!  Why would the Babe enter as a displaced person with nowhere to sleep?  Wasn’t…