Our pastor has begun a series of messages from the book of Exodus and he pointed out the strong women mentioned in the first two chapters of this book. When the Egyptian King decreed that the Hebrew midwives should kill all Hebrew male babies Shiprah and Puah did not obey…
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The Blessing of Family
The Bible often mentions the importance of family. The second chapter of Genesis refers to the beginning of a family. Therefore a man shall leaves father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 ESV Frequently throughout scripture the genealogy of a…
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Extending Hospitality at Home and With the Church
During WWII children were being evacuated from France and Paris. I just finished reading Until We Find Home, a historical novel by Cathy Gohlke. It is a story of unexpected hospitality. When Claire arrives at her aunt’s home in Windemere England with five French Jewish children she completely surprises her…
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Rhythm of Life
The mint in my backyard has flowered; tiny white flowers make a wreath around the stem. I pause to wonder at the delicate loveliness. The phlox are a bright spot of color. I can see them from my kitchen window. The elderberries are getting ripe. I will make elderberry juice/syrup…
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Children Are A Gift from God
Kate’s prompt for Five Minute Friday is: FIVE. Once inspired, we write for five minutes (more or less). At first I considered writing about my five favorite herbs, or maybe five summer recipes. And then I made another connection. I have three grandchildren that are five years old. Children are…
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An Honest Prayer
They arrive in the middle of the summer . . . For the past several years the leaves on my cherry tree and raspberry bushes have been devoured by beetles. Only the veins of the leaf remain after Japanese beetles have had their feast. So I have been devising strategies…
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Mulling Over a Verse from Proverbs on the 4th of July
The Scripture of the Day (from I-Bible) is: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. I mulled over this verse as I spent time in the garden, thinking about the 4th of July. A history book mentioned that one of the founding fathers of our…
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Around the World with Prayer
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Acts 12:5 Do you know the rest of the story? An angel led Peter out of prison and he went to the house where people were praying. When he knocked on the…
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Soccer Games and a Town in Kansas
This week I watched some of the FIFA Women’s World Cup while I was sorting papers, clearing up clutter. The athletes ran back and forth across the field. They were bumped and kicked, falling on the ground in pain. Then they would get up and run again in the relentless…
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Living Well, Reflecting on the Psalms
Every morning my husband and I read a Psalm together before we begin the day. Today we are on Psalm 115. We have read psalms of praise, lament and remembrance. Memories of crossing the Red Sea and the years in the Wilderness are recorded. God’s power over the Red Sea…