This morning in church we sang the hymn All Creatures of Our God and King. The words, originally by Francis of Assisi, were paraphrased by Thomas Ken (1637 – 1711) and translated by William H. Draper (1855 -1 933). Here are verses 1 & 3. All creatures of our God and…
-
-
Book Review: The Mitford Affair
The years between World War I and World War II offer thought provoking events and perspectives. Marie Benedict has written a historical novel, The Mitford Affair, published in 2023. The book looks at one family’s views and alignments during a confusing political time period. The Mitford family had six daughters…
-
Beautiful U.P. and Wild Thimbleberries
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a place of refreshment for me. I have lots of family memories. When I was a child, my family made a trip to the U.P. every summer, to visit my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. During a couple of these vacation trips, my Dad…
-
Sunshine and Sunset
Recently my husband and I drove through the rolling hills of western Illinois. The sunshine fell softly on the farms and the cattle grazing on the green hills. It was a beautiful day, and we were on our way to a retreat with our church family. We had two and…
-
Miners, Pasties and Books
My grandfather was a copper miner in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He worked in the mines until he retired. Copper hidden deep in the earth was contained in rock that was blasted, brought to the surface and then processed to remove the copper concentrate. What was it like for…
-
Joy and Thanksgiving in June
The crocuses and tulips and lilacs have bloomed. Now the irises, lily of the valley and peonies are blooming in my yard. The roses have buds. Springtime and summer teem with new plant life and flowers, created by God. I have brought some inside to enjoy. Wednesday evening, I listened to…
-
Public, Private or Home School?
Throughout the past year I have thought about our education system. We pay taxes for public schools. What is the return for the money? I am grateful for the education that I received in the public school system in the 1950s and 60s. I had classes in art and music…
-
Eternal Perspective
Tragic events happen. Yesterday I went to the funeral for a young man, just 31 years old. There were unanswered questions about his death, but the service provided a message of hope. Thirty-four years ago, my son passed away after a two year battle with leukemia. The pain of his…
-
Gardens and Families
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12 The hyacinths are blooming and I notice their scent when I walk outside. The…
-
The Next Generation: the Children
A couple weeks ago I went on a road trip with my sisters. We drove to Kansas to visit my daughter and her family. My grandchildren were on spring break, giving us time together. We visited the Wichita Art Museum because the museum had a children’s program for the week…