Grandma was a woman of many roles and responsibilities—a real-life Proverbs 31 woman. She was a thrifty cook and a meticulous housekeeper. A skilled nurse and industrious businesswoman. An avid photographer and a careful historian. She was a voracious reader and a frequent letter writer. A faithful wife, loving mother, precious grandmother, and doting great-grandmother….
I was born in a valley known for its production of peppermint. We named our first dog Minta as we sat on our front porch swing and watched the mint trucks drive by. When I was eight, we moved across a few fields to twenty acres planted in peppermint. My brother and I loved to…
We sat around the table the other day swapping book titles with cousins we hadn’t seen in years. Our children share a love of many of the same series and authors, but my oldest still filled both sides of a sheet of paper with hastily scribbled titles for them to check out. That conversation got…
An annual Christmas letter and family photo has been a tradition in my family since I was born, but really it goes back even further than that: my parents started the tradition in 1982 as their version of the annual Christmas card photo that my paternal grandparents began in 1957, the year their first child…
Dear Family and Friends, 2023 has held triumphs and tears, but even in the grief we’ve been held in the grip of God’s grace. In January, we attended the award banquet for the 2022 Veterans of Foreign Wars “Voice of Democracy” audio essay youth scholarship program where Ruth tied for second place in Washington state….
Papa was a humble man with a hidden sense of humor.
One of his favorite sayings was, “Eat dessert first in case of the rapture.”
Papa was a man of few words, but when he spoke, it was worth listening. He taught us so many memorable lessons—in both word and in deed.
Many who recognize the name of Elbert Hubbard would rightly associate his name with the Roycrofters and the arts and crafts movement. But a few years ago, my husband and I heard two stories about Elbert Hubbard’s writing which we will never forget. Hubbard was a well-known writer and philosopher in his day, many of…
With a more specific book rating system in place last year, it wasn’t hard to skim my highest rated books and find my top ten from 2022. My children decided to join in the fun (one couldn’t keep it to ten favorites, while others were more selective).
So here we present the favorite books read and listened to in our house in 2022…
2022 brought sweet family reunions, many medical appointments and procedures, a lot of sweat and tears, and so many opportunities to rely on the Lord.
Authentically, Izzy is absolutely, positively, unequivocally delightful. Another five-star read from Pepper Basham that’s going straight to my top ten list for the year. A partially epistolary tale, featuring both a library and a bookshop. What could be more perfect?!
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip is a book about dying that inspires you to live.
This debut novel from Sara Brunsvold, published by Revell, won’t leave you the same after you’ve read it. A unique split-time approach, with the modern timeline covering the space of just a few weeks, the reader walks through intense emotions with Kansas City Star cub reporter Aidyn Kelley.
“Mom, I want to pre-order this so I have my own copy!” It’s the highest praise that my daughter can give a book. That and reading it over and over again. Ruth Anne has been raving about The Star That Always Stays since the first time she read it. So I decided to find out…
The End.
The End.