Celebrate the positive
When it nears the end of the year, most of my focus goes towards Christmas. It’s an exciting and larger-than-life kind of event. But there’s also the aspect of December b... »
Personal Accounts
Christmas peace
I’ve been blessed with nearly 50 Christmases. It’s fun to reminisce over my Christmases, celebrated in different houses, in a variety of countries, with different people,... »
Finding joy again
The year was 1992. Everything was going great; our youngest daughter arrived in February and we moved to a better house. My husband’s small silkscreen business was going... »
Welcome back
Whenever I return home from a work or mission trip, my family makes little “Welcome Back” signs, which are hung on the gates, doors, walls, and pretty much all over the h... »
Childlike joy
Recently my young son was ecstatic to receive a new school pencil—just a regular, old-fashioned, orange, made-in-China pencil. He beamed as he proudly showed it to me and... »
Count your blessings
A few days ago, I was in a hurry and passed by a middle-aged man sitting on the sidewalk between a church and a hot dog stand. I heard a voice in my conscience say: Stop!... »
Be a true friend
I was listening to a podcast this morning on the topic of friendship. The speaker was talking about when he was going through a difficult time, and when he received some... »
Movin’ and groovin’ with the conductor
Do you ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere? Consider this: We are hurtling through space at a fantastic speed and don’t even realize it because w... »
Darcy and Grace
When I was a teenager, I learned an important lesson on gratitude and positiveness. It came while working in a home for the elderly, where I was helping to take care of t... »
Never say never
I’ve had to eat my words so many times that I’ve finally stopped saying the word “never.” Almost every time I vowed, “I’m never going to do that!” I ended up doing just w... »
Waiting on the Lord
Remember back when waiting was a thing? When strawberries were only available during strawberry season. When letters took weeks to arrive at their destination. When we tr... »
The faith jump
“Look, Auntie Amy, look!” My niece had climbed to the top of a platform at the playground, and she stood waving at me excitedly. “Wow! Good for you!” I came closer until... »
I am not alone
When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life; it was just the next logical step. At the time I was dabbling in the hippy lifestyle and drugs. My... »