Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas to all the readers of my blog! Thank you so much for coming by and sharing a few minutes with me almost weekly. I wish you all the blessings of the season--safety, health, the company of family and friends, good food, and maybe a break in the weather to wear off… Continue reading Merry Christmas!
Guided When confluence in the heavensshone brighter than any illuminated textthey high-fived, then headedto the mall for myrrh and frankincensestopped by the bank for gold. Whenever, on that dusty trekneedles of sand attackedcamels were crabbythighs chafed, tailbones achedeyes rose again to blue-white beamwhich drew them like a magnet. In Jerusalem when no one knewabout an… Continue reading Guided
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric MetaxasMy rating: 5 of 5 starsRaiding the Biography section of our church library has recently led me to some great reads. The latest is Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. This biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a 39-year-old German theologian, executed just two weeks before the Allies liberated the camp where… Continue reading Bonhoeffer – book review
My Mother the Man Eater by Tracy KraussMy rating: 4 of 5 stars MA host of issues resurface when Joleen Allen’s ex-husband Harold—newly out of prison—sues her for a bundle of money. Does he even have a case? What (besides the money) is his motive? Joleen suspects a main one is to turn their five… Continue reading My Mother the Man-Eater – review
Last summer the community outreach coordinator at our church had the idea to build and plant a community garden right on church property. It was a lovely spot, which I couldn’t resist painting. In the fall, I entered my painting in an art and poetry contest sponsored by the Christian Courier magazine. The contest, called… Continue reading Pandemic response–through art and poetry
Christmas lights in Douglas Park this year, photographed after a snowfall a few weeks ago. On this day before Christmas Eve, I wish all who read here a Christmas filled with love, warmth, light, family, friendship, and health. Let Christmas Come Let strings of rainbows ringing patios,and radiant pearls outlining roofsblink into the twilight. Let… Continue reading Let Christmas Come
Welcome to December! In this month’s blogs, I’ll be sharing poems with you—mostly reflections on Christmas. In this first poem, I write about what I’ve spent most of yesterday and today doing: decorating my home for Christmas. At our house that’s a pretty predictable process. But not all Christmas preparations are as easy to list.… Continue reading Advent Preparations
Did you know that Katharina was the one who proposed marriage to Martin Luther, that Charles and John Wesley met with scandal and opposition in America, and that John Newton was a bad-tempered, rebellious alcoholic. Ed and Janice Hird reveal these historical bits and many more in their recently released book God’s Firestarters—Preparing Our Families… Continue reading God’s Firestarters – review
Rich Mullins: A Devotional Biography: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan SmithMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Streaming services make it easy to connect with musical memories and artists of many eras. I used to listen to Rich Mullins—had several CDs of his back in the day—but he had slipped my mind. However,… Continue reading An Arrow Pointing to Heaven – review
Powerful Thinking by Joyce Meyer My rating: 4 of 5 starsIn Powerful Thinking, popular Christian author and speaker Joyce Meyer challenges readers to take a deep look at twelve mindsets. Each mindset titles a chapter and is expressed as an affirmation (e.g. ”Mindset One: Because I Am in Christ I Can Do Everything I Need… Continue reading Powerful Thinking – review
Violet Nesdoly 