Latest Posts

  • Faith - Family - Grandparents

    Family: A Blessed Purpose

    Family is a gift from God. My husband and I have been blessed with four children—one with the Lord, and three that are adults with their own children. We have nine grandchildren and one more on the way. As I spend time with the grandchildren, I see their individual strengths…

  • Faith - Women

    Notable Women in the Bible

    The last sentence in the book of Judges points to a time of disarray. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. There was no accountability. At critical moments in Israel’s history, women’s faithful prayers and actions made an impact on the future. During the period of the judges, the…

  • Flowers - Gardening - Herbs - Midwifery - Women

    Herbs in a Nosegay

    This summer I have had more time in the garden. The flowers and herbs are flourishing. I picked a nosegay including these herbs with their flowers: calendula, echinacea, feverfew, lavender, mint, lemon balm and marjoram. Some years ago, when I was working as maternity nurse and Lamaze instructor, I came…

  • Book Reviews - Women

    Women Establishing Order in a War Zone

    In 1917 eighteen Smith College graduates went to France to provide relief measures and establish order in war torn villages. Lauren Willig has written a novel based on the reports about this group. The author read a memoir by one of the members of the Smith College Relief Unit and…

  • Faith - Midwifery - Women

    Strong Women: Midwives and Nurses

    As we look back through history, we come across women who demonstrated faith and courage. Their actions were based on convictions. Some are midwives, and some are nurses. The first book of Exodus records the confrontation between Pharoah and two midwives. Shiprah and Puah did not carry out the Pharoah’s…

  • Childbirth - Children - Family

    Seasons and Life: Gifts from God

    Have you heard this nursery rhyme?  Monday’s child is fair of faceTuesday’s child is full of graceWednesday’s child is full of woeThursday’s child has far to goFriday’s child is loving and givingSaturday’s child works hard for his livingAnd the child that is born on the Sabbath dayIs bonny and blithe,…

  • Book Reviews - Children - Midwifery - Women

    Immigrant Women and Midwives

    A couple of books have stirred my thoughts and emotions. I read a lot—sometimes three books in a week.  I don’t review many. These two books have touched me. The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin is historical fiction based on a real event. In 1888 a blizzard came on suddenly in…

  • Book Reviews - Faith - Prayer

    Pause to Pray

    A small group in our church is reading and discussing the book, How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People by Pete Grieg. Grieg introduces the acronym P.R.A.Y. Pause, Rejoice, Ask, Yield. Why do we need to pause? Perhaps that is a silly question when we consider our hectic…