The air was fresh. The leaves on the giant cottonwood trees were rustling with the breeze. My sister, brother and I were sitting at a picnic table at the botanic garden. We had fresh apple cider and hamburgers. We enjoyed our lunch as we absorbed the joy of nature. We…
Apples, fresh from the orchard, are one of the blessings in September. I enjoy making applesauce for the grandchildren. Each year I get a little more efficient. Two appliances have simplified the process of making applesauce for me: a crock pot and a victorio strainer. What is a victorio strainer?…
If you watch very much TV you will notice that a great proportion of advertisements are for medications. A medical problem is presented with the solution—a pill. Then a long list of side effects and risks are recited. Every medication and medical intervention has side effects and risks.…
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8: 19 ESV All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit…
We just returned from a trip to the Keweenaw peninsula of northern Michigan. Calumet (the town where my father grew up) is now a part of the Keweenaw National Historic Park. Copper World is on the main street of Calumet. The shop still sells my novel. The Rosetta Cafe is…
If you look up fear in a Bible concordance you will find hundreds of entries. Mentions of fear can be divided into two categories: things we should not fear and the instruction to fear God. Recently the zika virus has been in the news. Photos of babies born…
This week is World Breastfeeding Week. Since 1992 the benefits of breastfeeding, for women and their infants, have been promoted during the first week of August. I admit that I was fortunate. My mother breastfed all of her babies, even though formula feeding had become popular by the 1950s. So,…
Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are familiar. We see them in the grocery store. God has created a multitude of other berries. I feel blessed to have elderberry bushes in my backyard. After reading about the benefits of elderberries I ordered bushes from nursery catalogues. Now I have four bushes and…
The traffic on the expressway was light and I was enjoying the book on tape. Suddenly a road sign for a town that was past my destination appeared. I had missed my exit. I had to keep driving until another exit came up. Then I pulled over to…
Why are so many people choosing to eat gluten-free? What is the problem with gluten? People with celiac disease experience a change in the intestinal lining as their body tries to digest gluten. Other people have a gluten sensitivity. A number of theories suggest the reason for the increasing number…