Commit your way to the Lord:trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3 These verses are true of Fanny Crosby. Some years ago I read her autobiography and was inspired by her life. Fanny Crosby…
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When It Is Time to Speak UP
When should we get involved in the political discussions in our country? Should moms and grandmas be activists? The book of Peter offers instruction: Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s…
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Celebration with Finnish Prune Tarts
There are special holiday treats in the Finnish tradition. One of them is the prune tart or joulutorttu (Christmas tart). My mother and my aunt made these at Christmas time. My Aunt Syl made them for my wedding reception. During the last summer vacation with my Dad (he was 89…
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Mothers, Girls and Flowers
As a nurse and mom I follow news about life and health. I am encouraged because New Jersey has a new campaign, Nurture NJ, to improve the health of mothers and their infants. One of the goals is to reduce unnecessary cesarean sections by employing midwives to attend women throughout…
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It’s Okay to be Different
Currently I am studying the book of Deuteronomy. The nation of Israel was about to enter the promised land and Moses was giving instructions to the people. In the book, the word— fear— appears 29 times. Israel is instructed to fear (revere) God and NOT to fear man. It is…
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A Mother’s Role
It is a blessing to participate in the Five Minute Friday writing community. We write on the prompt that Kate Motaung gives. Visit the site to meet other writers and to read their posts. Today’s prompt is: JUST The dictionary offers these definitions for just: conforming to a standard of…
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When Health Care Becomes Perplexing
Health care was one of the top issues in the midterm elections. According to a letter that I received yesterday from the School of Nursing at the University of Michigan (my alma mater) : We grapple with the knowledge that the United States is the top spending country in health…
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Traditions and Heritage
My mother picked strawberries and wild blueberries with her mother, and so did I. My Finnish heritage has given me a an appreciation for berries, wild and cultivated. Berries are abundant in Finland (37 types of edible wild berries) and an important addition to the diet. Enjoyment of berries is…
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Two Are Better Than One
Today is my wedding anniversary. As I reflect back on 42 years of marriage I am thankful for my husband and the way our relationship has refined us. There have been seasons in our marriage. At first we had to learn to live with each other. Children came early in…
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The Scent of Water: Book Review
Perhaps there is a right time to read a book. I started The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge some years ago, but I didn’t finish it. This time as I read the book I was thoroughly enjoying the writing. I lingered over the descriptions of setting, and the interesting…