Holidays Remembered

A friend of ours had an unsettled and difficult childhood.  She only ever got one Christmas gift from her father, a cherished doll that was later lost in one of many moves after her parents separated.  Her mother lived with one man after another, moving often.  Yet our friend who had so little as a…

Happy Giving

It was my birthday recently.  I enjoyed several special days with family and friends.  People who love me took time to come over and just be with Husband and me on our patio.  We ate and talked.  Our adult kids and grandchildren, and special friends made time to be together.  One daughter and her daughter…

Living Generously

I’m quite sure babysitting a youngster wasn’t on her bucket list when she was in her eighties.  Yet she took on the responsibility with grace and during those years she instilled in me things that have shaped me ever since. She gave me what she had- time and attention.   During the Lenten season giving…

Hari Paskah

It was Passover/Easter in the Spring of 1982 in Bandung, Java, Indonesia.  We had been living in this bustling Asian city of 6 million since the first of the year in order to attend language and culture training.  Now it was a holiday and we decided to celebrate with some of our new friends.  We…

How to Be Happier in 2018 Part 1

Every human being wants to be happy. It’s no coincidence that our holiday greeting are, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! We desire happiness because that’s how we’re made. Our Creator made us to mirror himself. He is happy and has placed that longing for happiness in us. He goes so far as to promise…

Advent Giving

  I came across this genius idea to help children learn to share and learn to declutter at the same time.  Such a simple idea, but I think you’ll agree it has merit.  Every day, put a donation item in a box which you deliver to a local charity before Christmas.  Your children can choose…