2024
We’ve watched loved ones walk through diagnoses, treatments, and life challenges this year. But in the midst of the grief, the Lord gave us reminders of His faithfulness.
Blog
the tradition of an annual family photo & letter
It’s been a tradition in my family for three generations… Grandpa Marvin and Grandma Mary started sending out a annual Christmas card picture the year their first child was born. I’ve heard that Grandma often included handwritten notes in each, until she finally began sending the same photocopied letter to everyone sometime in the 1980’s….
The Hymns My Grandma Loved
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….
the fields out my kitchen window
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…
2023
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….
a humble man of God
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.
An Old Man in a Cowboy Hat
When evening on the ranch was grey
His footsteps on the path were heard.
Before the dawn he would awake,
And work until the evening came.
a legacy of love, loyalty, and calm courage
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…
a gentleman in the truest sense of the word
In honor of Grandpa Mann’s birthday, I’m sharing a tribute I wrote after he went home to Heaven this summer…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Everyone wanted their own chance to say hello this year, so we’re each sharing a few paragraphs (some with more help than others).
The End.
The End.