This morning as I prepared to take another handful of pills to control nausea and pain, I stopped briefly to consider the question posed when I open my Facebook page: "What's on your mind?" Although I'm dealing with the knowledge that I … Read more

My dad was smiling when I went to visit him recently at the nursing home. "What are you thinking about?" I asked. "Well, it's funny the things that come into your mind when you have a lot of time on your hands and not much to do," he … Read more

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand. One of my many memories of that beautiful country was the number of sheep that roamed the countryside. When preparing for my trip, I read one statistic that sheep … Read more

Are you looking for a book to read, one that contains history and mystery, interesting facts and inspirational stories, as well as an occasional romance? If so, I would like to recommend one that I have read a number of times. The book is … Read more

Due to caring for elderly parents and dealing with family health issues, some days have felt especially dark and heavy, and I haven't been writing lately. But recently, today's verses challenged me to look for joy in the Valley of … Read more

A few years ago, my daughter spent many hours training to run in the New York Marathon. The act of running and completing the run symbolized to her a great personal victory in that she had set a goal, put … Read more

I think I was blessed with a great piano teacher, for she always tried to make my lessons interesting. One of the ways she did this was by telling me a fascinating fact about the composer of the piece. Once … Read more

I enjoy discovering stories of our history, and while I was writing the book "Historic Sussex", I found the following story that reminded me of what God has done for His children. The date was September 15, 1944, and the … Read more

"I can't, Dad," I cried. "I'm scared." I'm not exactly sure how old I was when I uttered these words, but I do remember the circumstances with certainty. I was standing on the breakwater at Ingalls Head. On a post … Read more

Some of my close friends found it difficult to celebrate Christmas this year. Last year, I, too, found myself dreading the season. Normally, I really enjoy seeing the coloured lights, attending the various carol concerts, and tasting the mouth-watering treats … Read more

My first notice of spring's coming happened while looking at a sunset through my office window. The beauty of the moment quickly disappeared in the light of the sun's golden rays, for it revealed the need to start some spring … Read more

Recently while doing some research for a history book, I ran across an interesting story that caused me to stop and ponder. In 1824, Patrick Bergren, an 18-year-old teenager, entered his master's place of business at night and took "one … Read more

Recently, I was invited to speak to a group of people. While preparing my speech, I picked up a book that promised to give some interesting tips on how to capture the audience's attention. The author said something like, "Remember … Read more

A few days ago, I jotted a note in my journal about a gift I was offered when a new store opened its doors and welcomed the local population to come and shop. As soon as I stepped inside the … Read more

When my husband retired and we moved to the area where we now live, it wasn't long before we found a group of people who enjoyed playing games together. And when I'm seated around the table, surrounded by friends, my … Read more

Twice, I've had the privilege of visiting a small stone church in the middle of what one would call "nowhere". As I sat in the front pew, I found myself wanting to know more about the people who had the … Read more

Is it spring in your area yet? At the end of March, I made a visit to the north of New Brunswick here in Canada to speak at a Christian Women's Club. The washboard potholes on the road to Bathurst … Read more

Spring cleaning! I pulled every piece of furniture away from the walls, washed them down, cleaned the stove of its winter ashes, and picked out a brass frame, clock, and lamp I wanted to put on the little table when … Read more

A few years ago, I read The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson. In the book, the author introduces the reader to Ordinary, who lives in the Land of Familiar and feels he is a Nobody. The story in a nutshell … Read more

On a trip to Britain to visit family, my husband and I decided to spend a few days in London. There, among the pageantry and history, I discovered an interesting story. In 1670, Thomas Blood, disguised as a parson and … Read more

To some, seeing a little boy waving wouldn't add up to being listed as the highlight of your week. But to me it was. "I saw you," he said, as I drew closer to where the nine-year-old was standing in … Read more

Running up the church steps, I stopped abruptly, partly because my way was blocked and partly because of the intense emotion I experienced when I saw what was happening in front of me. A well-dressed woman huddled over an elderly … Read more

A couple of times recently, I've heard a make-believe story about a pig and a chicken. According to the yarn, the two animals were travelling down the road together, when they saw a sign out in front of the local … Read more

Not long ago, I read the novel, No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod, with interest, perhaps because his characters were so much like some of the people I had met while I lived in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. The … Read more

"Is it wrong to sin ten percent of the time?" The question recently came to my mind after I overheard a conversation where two Christians were discussing the limitations of the posted speed along the highway. "I always drive within … Read more

Occasionally, I'll be reading a less familiar passage in my Bible, and a name will arouse my curiosity. Such was the case when I ran across the name "Mephibosheth". As I read, I learned that the young man had a … Read more

Have you ever opened the Bible at random and taken as your verse for the day whatever verse your eyes went to? I have done this, and sometimes it has worked, but more often than not, the verse by itself, … Read more

Most of my life, I've been a person who accepted the opinion of others when they said something couldn't be done. That was before a couple of weeks ago. On Thursday, November 9th, I was standing in a gift shop … Read more

"A giant. I want a story about a giant. The tallest giant in the world, please." These were the requests of a small boy when I offered to read a bedtime story. "Okay. I'll try," I said, and I told … Read more

"'Ingalls!' Where did you get that name?" a gruff voice intoned. In response to the question, I looked up to see a tall, elderly gentleman looking down at the name on the cover of my first book. At first, I … Read more

My children's eyes widened as they looked at the array of sandwiches, sweets, and cakes on the table. I read the questioning looks as each of the girls searched my face to see how many cookies they were allowed to … Read more

Isn't it just like God to have a plan beyond what we can ever dream is possible? Last Thanksgiving, when most people were with their families, my husband and I decided to go out to lunch after church. Unbeknownst to … Read more

Days after our visit to a friend's new home, I kept remembering the ways the couple had made us feel welcome. When we arrived, besides the hugs and warm greetings, we noted, cooling on the counter, freshly baked bread, which … Read more