How do we get our names? All of us have a name, usually given to us by our parents, but sometimes changed for various reasons, such as in marriage. Why was I given my names? Vincent is my first name, but I hope my parents weren't … Read more

I am not a very political person. I have never worked for any political party, nor have I ever been to any political rallies or demonstrations. It is therefore so amazing to me that during the last few years, we have seen so many … Read more

Ade, my five-year-old granddaughter, arrived on my doorstep lugging a large package behind her up the snow-covered steps. A parcel had arrived for me, and she was the acting postman. Of course, when I opened the door to receive the … Read more

Today is the beginning of Advent, which is a preparation for our Christmas season. In many churches, candles will be lit to celebrate different themes: hope, love, joy, and peace. Today, my mind went to the hope that we have as Christians. … Read more

I spend a lot of time with my toddler grandson these days. His way of being in the world got me thinking about why Jesus commended little children to us as our role model for entering the kingdom of heaven. What is so endearing about … Read more

Open sesame! A part of my childhood welcomed the wonderful world of fairy tales. I wished that I could have Aladdin's magic lamp. If I'd had it, I would have made these three wishes: – First, I wanted to be rich, not poor like Cinderella. … Read more

Many cultures have a tradition of harvest celebration involving a special meal. Remembering the reason for the gathering is what makes it so special. People in the USA celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of November. At this time of year my … Read more

A short while ago, a person who is very dear to me said that she sometimes questions the adequacy of her faith. Amidst all the busyness of life, all the many struggles and issues that she and we all have to face, her faith sometimes gets … Read more

Some years ago, one of the churches in our area was without a minister for a couple of years. I was one of the people who went there on a regular basis to lead worship services. When the new pastor was about to take up residence in that … Read more

I consider myself to be an avid reader. Though I like to read for information and enrichment, I also enjoy fiction and novels in good taste. So, when I recently came across a list of "must-read" literary classics, I decided to intersperse … Read more

Kayley, one of my collies, is three years old now and is still a barker. She barks at anything and everything, despite my training, discipline, and frustration with her and this noisy bad habit. Collies do tend to bark, since they are … Read more

One beautiful fall day, as I peered over the railing of a small bridge, an interesting sight met my eyes — bright red fish with green heads: spawning salmon. By an inborn instinct, they were all heading the same way — upstream. If you … Read more

She longed for their presence. The military had called her husband and her son to fight a Middle Eastern war. She worried night and day — never totally focused on anything that she did. What if both were killed? Or suppose that they … Read more

There is a couple in my church who appear to have the perfect life. Their most common expression is a smile. They both teach Sunday School, and they share their Christian witness often. Their Facebook posts feature happy events and their … Read more

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't travel light. I go nowhere without bags of clothes, reading material, art supplies, and crafts to make. My motto is "Let your bags be heavy and your heart be light." Now, if I were to travel far … Read more

From the ease of my recliner, my mind wanders to my childhood farm days and that exhilarating feeling of skipping through a wide-open green pasture on a summer day. I am reminded of that endless overhead expanse of sky, where I saw eagles … Read more

In 1920, when Grandma was beginning her family, she bought an improved homestead of 160 acres, with a home, a barn, and a large orchard. The orchard had already seen its prime, but was still producing apples from what had once been … Read more

As winter approaches each year, many residents of Atlin enjoy playing the waiting game: putting off as many chores to prepare for winter as possible, in exchange for taking advantage of every good weather day that we still have left, so … Read more

The nightstand clock confirmed that it was 2 a.m., yet sleep was nowhere in sight. Completely exhausted, I found myself resorting to counting imaginary sheep. One, two, … ninety-eight, ninety-nine. Then, just before reaching one … Read more

My parents assisted me with burdens for the first eighteen years of my life. From tending to my basic needs to teaching me responsibility and getting me jobs, they helped me to carry the burdens that accompany growing up. Since then, … Read more

"Awesome," the young server responded as we gave our restaurant order. It made us wonder how our simple order could be that "awesome". Sometimes, it seems like good words are so overused that they lose their impact or meaning. The … Read more

Many families have a heraldic device and motto. The heraldry shield of Moulton is a red and gold crest, with three stars and the Latin motto Regi fidelis (faithful to king and country). One of my relatives has the family name Kelly, the … Read more

My nose was blocked with mucus, and it was so serious that I had to breathe from my mouth. I know that it sounds absurd, but I was afraid that when I would sleep at night, I might forget to breathe through my mouth, and I would die. The … Read more

A few years ago, when my husband first took our young grandsons to the tennis court to begin teaching them how to play tennis, their balls flew all over the place. The boys didn't know how to direct their swing so that the balls would … Read more

The goats love to chew the bark of the aspen trees in the corral — and when they do, the trees die. Then, I have to either cut the trees down or pull the smaller ones out of the ground, which I have discovered is not an easy thing to do. … Read more

There's something heavy that has been weighing on my heart for several years. It sometimes causes me to wake up in the middle of the night and sadly reflect on how some people that I dearly love are being misled by what is untrue, unjust, … Read more

Riding roller coasters is not my forte. I recall getting on Thunder Road at Carowinds Theme Park once — and only then to please a girlfriend. I clung to my seat — and my girlfriend — as the row of cars inched its way to the top of the … Read more

During my teaching career, I worked with many children, from the cognitively impaired to the most nimble-minded of students. As God allowed, the entire range of children had strengths and weaknesses. I am familiar and comfortable with … Read more

In grade school, I attended the Day School Gospel League (DSGL), a meeting for children held weekly after school by Christian ladies of the community to teach gospel stories, lead hymns and songs, and encourage Bible memorization. In … Read more

According to the experts, hummingbirds are expected to leave the part of central Texas where I live on October 10th. As I write this on October 22nd, the hummingbirds have already been gone from our ranch for about three weeks. That means … Read more