Springtime brings warmer weather, more sunshine, blossoms on the trees and the beginning of a parade of flowers. One of my favorite activities is planting seeds and watching them germinate. Only God can package life in a tiny seed! A couple years ago I planted nettle seeds—a herb that I…
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Broken Cisterns
As I read through the Old Testament of the Bible, the words tell me about God’s holiness and justice. He has made a way for us to dwell with Him. God has given us precepts for living; his laws are good. But it is human nature to disobey. The prophet…
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A Little Return to Normalcy
My husband and I will attend a football game at the high school tonight. Each marching band member is permitted two guests at the game. Our grandson and granddaughter will be playing trumpet and flute. It is a bit of a return to normal. The past year has been hard…
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Spring flowers and the Elderberry Bush
The warm weather and spring flowers are so welcome. I am enjoying daffodils, tulips, violets and cherry blossoms as I begin gardening. The elderberry bushes in my backyard have produced well, providing berries for elderberry juice. I can the juice, and throughout the past months I have enjoyed adding a…
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Words of Gentleness
During the years of Jesus ministry on earth there was political turmoil—not so different from our world today. There was division among the Jews: Pharisees, Sadducees, zealots and followers of Jesus. And they were ruled by the Romans. Jesus didn’t offer a political solution. He was focused on turning the…
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The Gospel in Guatemala
After completing a year of employment as a nurse in a Detroit hospital I went on a mission trip. I served as a guest helper for Wycliffe Bible translators in Guatemala. I went to a little village, two hours or more from Guatemala City. The village of Cubulco was surrounded…
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Experiments in Planting and Cooking
The Lord has blessed the earth with an amazing array of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Each produces seed according to its kind. I am thankful! I have begun to start a few tomato plants indoors, and I am looking forward to their fruit. I was happy to see that seed…
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The First Weeks with a Newborn Infant: 10 Recommendations
Childbirth can be exhausting. There are ways to prepare for this time period and ways to reduce stress during the first few weeks after giving birth. In the final weeks of pregnancy stock up on basic household needs and staple items (like we have been doing through the pandemic). During…
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Birth During the Pandemic
Yesterday I listened to a couple take about their birth experience. They had planned to have a home birth. Having had the experience of assisting at home births, I thought their choice was good—especially during the pandemic. Unfortunately, the mom needed to be transferred to the hospital after many hours…
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International Women’s Day
This post was originally posted in 2017. As women in the United States we can give thanks for the progress that has been made in women’s rights and opportunities. My maternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmothers immigrated to Michigan from Finland. With great effort they raised families while managing subsistence farms.…