During this holiday season, so many among us struggle with difficulties and losses. They seem to make the holidays harder to face as we perhaps miss the joy once shared with loved ones, struggle with losses from devastating storms, or were given a difficult health diagnosis. Yet, we don’t have to face life’s turmoil alone. There is one who will be at our side - Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He’s the very reason we celebrate Christmas. He brings love to our heart, guides our path, and gives us
I’ve shared this essay previously, part of a speech given at a local women-of-faith retreat. Yet, there are times my heart is lifted up by re-reading words from another time and place… reminding me anew of God’s unfailing love in difficult circumstances. As I wrote in my Christmas letter a year ago, I have felt so blessed by God in so many ways since Ed’s passing.
I’ve also been blessed over the years by visions, words or nudges from God, including after our daughter Jenn passed with a visi
I had a big disappointment as a kid one Christmas, but kept it a secret for decades. I’ve never forgotten that Christmas when I was 5-1/2 years old. We’d left a favorite Marion, NY farm to live in Clifton, NJ, again, the city where I was born. I was a big girl though, walking all by myself several blocks to kindergarten - PS#15 overlooking scenic Weasel Brook Park. My sister and I with our toddler brother loved to visit Grammy and PopPop (our Dad’s parents), and that Christmas was especially
Thanks-Giving Day… a time of reflection, appreciation, gratitude… recalling blessings even among the difficulties of a most unusual year… and memories shared from years past as we recall what touched our hearts deeply… remembering our loved ones who are no longer here among us… recalling extended family gatherings with delicious food and lots of it… endless football games (sorry, not my favorite)… hunting (let’s go!), especially if there’s fresh snow for tracking… all felt with grateful hearts!
I love to sing, always have, since I was a kidlet. In my childhood, it was the old Hymns of Faith whether in Christian elementary school, church, choirs, in the backseat of the car singing with my sister as our family went for a drive, or as she and I sang an occasional duet in church. As a teen, I sang along with old country/western and then rock songs of the early ‘70s on 99.1, the WAAL. Yet, I’ve always enjoyed the old hymns, simply for the truth of the words and the joy of singing, though
I suspect we’ve all heard, “There but for the grace of God go I.” Truth be told, I think we all know how true those words are. This world has so much to offer with its many enticements… and how easy it is for any one of us to be swayed aside… but for the grace and wisdom of God.
I’m thankful to God for preserving me from being enticed to follow a path that seemed so good, so right when young… which, in reality, would lead to destruction. Studying the book of Proverbs is an eye opener.
Life isn’t fair… or so we think. We see nothing but tragedies all around us… wars without end, killing of the innocents and young innocence... while evil seems to freely flourish. We struggle to converse with respect and an understanding of opposing points of view. We sow words of hate and distrust among friends for thinking or believing differently. Disease and death stalk our loved ones. What was once considered morally wrong is readily accepted as right. And we wonder where a loving God
As some of my readers know, yesterday would have been my 50th wedding anniversary. Wanting to do something special to carry the memory forward, I invited another widowed friend to share a few hours at Wayne Myers’ Gardens in North Spencer. (Look them up online.) But Wayne's tour and knowledge is utterly impressive of the ways of our ancestors. He has built numerous buildings including a sluiceway for a waterwheel in a grist mill, a covered bridge, and several other old-appearing outbuildings
Change… whether visible on the exterior or inside and unseen, can be a hard adjustment to make. I don’t like change. Those who know me, know that aspect of me well. Change has not always been kind to me. But, once I wrap my brain around it, understand and accept said change, I roll with it and move forward. Because, as I’ve grown older, and wiser with the years, I’ve learned change is inevitable, has value for the lessons it teaches, and I’ve learned not to fear change. Perhaps some of you
Since October 15th is always National White Cane Safety Day, I thought it might be fitting to again share Ed and my journey with his blindness. (Written in 2016 with his wise input and approval.)
Unless you’ve experienced what someone else has dealt with, you cannot make a valid judgment against them. We take so much in life for granted… especially in what we can see and do. But reflect with me for just a few minutes on what it would be like without one, or more, of your senses. What if
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. This poem and reflection were written in 2014 when I had cancer and pondered the various aspects of my diagnosis. I urge you not to neglect your own self-screening and medical exams… because, if it wasn’t for Ed’s insistence that I take care of myself, I planned to cancel that mammogram… because he was in the midst of several new health crises with procedures and surgery. I just didn’t think I had time in my hectic schedule of working full time and ru
Sitting in my East Garden a while ago, I absorbed the warm sunny rays while viewing the garden’s fading beauty, enjoying the colorful zinnias now more beautiful with recent cooler days and refreshing rain, gazing out beyond the garden proper to encompass the yard, our house, and the road beyond… listening to the golfers’ chatter and excited shouts of joy... spying birds flutter among the hidden branches above, hearing their gentle twitters – tuhweet, tuhweet… watching a gentle breeze stir the br
We often find peace in a quiet place of rest whether it be our church Sanctuary or outdoors in nature. There, alone, unencumbered by life’s trappings, we can meditate on and seek our Lord in prayer. Away from the hustle and bustle of life’s busyness and grueling schedules, we can focus our thoughts and attention as we pray for God’s wisdom and for blessings upon our family and friends. Because we are so like those sheep that David settled down to rest in peaceful green pastures, we can meet o
With school either having started for some, or about to start for others, I pondered the realization that there was so much I thought I knew when younger, but really didn’t… for education isn’t only that which is gained in a classroom. Over the years, I’ve learned I can’t turn the clock back to undo or redo what’s been done. Life doesn’t have a rewind button for our editing... so we inevitably move forward in a relentless flow of time.
And in that flow, learning becomes an emotional
Recently, I’ve seen several memes quoting, “History is not there for you to like or dislike; it is there for you to learn from it. And if it offends you, even better, because then you are less likely to repeat it. History is not yours to erase or destroy. Teach that to your children.”
In an editorial, Dianna Greenwood penned, “that doesn’t mean we tear the monument down or run around crying about how it victimizes us. Instead use them as teaching tools, to tell the current and next gene
Even those of us blessed to grow up in a church may go through a time of searching, especially in our younger days. We search for fun, happiness, joy, peace and love in many places and in many ways… and sometimes we search in vain… for what we don’t know. Been there… done that, right?! But did you know that our hearts are born to seek? All the while we grow up and mature, we’re seeking and learning, trying to find our place and priorities in this great big world.
We wonder if our life m
Some of us know the depths of depression and despondency. Some of us know the lack of physical healing or the pain of incurable disease. Some of us know the sorrow and grief of losing a precious loved one. Some of us know family dysfunction. Some of us know abuse that no one else can see or fathom. And we question how this could be…
How could a loving God leave us in pain by not healing us, even after much prayer? How could a loving God allow so much evil to go on all around us?
I grew up in a great church full of my “own kind” – i.e. Dutch immigrants and their first- and second-generation families born in the U.S., the Christian Reformed Church. I felt a bond and a love for my family and friends from both communities in Clifton, N.J. and East Palmyra, N.Y. As my family moved back and forth between the two church and Christian school communities, friendships were made with some lasting a lifetime.
I treasure the churches of my earliest memories. I treasure ha
What is our worth, our value? How do we even measure such an entity? Have we been so downtrodden that we feel like a failure… like we’re unworthy of the love of others? Or do we hold our head up knowing we have inherent worth among the rest?
Feeling unworthy is not new to any of us. We’ve all been there at times throughout our life. Haven’t we at one time or another made a simple mistake, yet were left feeling so ashamed we just wanted to disappear? I have. Frequently belittled in th
Somewhere deep down inside, each one of us has regrets… for something we said… something we did… something we did not do or say… and we long to go back to do it all over again… only better this time.
But we can’t go back. What’s done is done. It’s marked in indelible ink on the pages of time. Yet, there is One who offers forgiveness and peace when we bare our soul to Him of hurts and pains… as we take responsibility and ownership of our mistakes and sins. For years, my errors festered
I was as shocked as anyone else at last night’s happenings where our former President Trump was shot in an assassination attempt. And I thank God that his life was spared by a fraction of measurement. My heart and prayers go out to Donald Trump and his family, to the family of the innocent gentleman in the crowd who was killed, and to the two who were critically injured. We need to get back to respecting everyone, regardless of who they are.
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“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Unequivoc
Oh, the countless blessings of God! He is so good to all of us in so many ways! And my heart sings in praise and thanksgiving for all that He has done in my life!
Recently, I flew out to visit my daughter and her family. And I gotta tell you, they were so good to me! I don’t like flying, but the flight from ELM to DET left way more than a bit to be desired. Taking generic Dramamine, I learned the hard way it is not as effective as the real deal. So, gripping that little white bag kindly
The old red barn stood tall on an open flat, alone against the gray sky, testament to a long life. It had weathered countless storms, looking a tad bit worn… another great photo by my childhood friend's husband. And once again, the picture painted a thousand words that raced through my thoughts.
For some time now, I’ve felt like writer’s block has taken away my ability to write reflections, never mind the poems where words used to flow through my fingers almost faster than I could write o
Father’s Day… a time to remember the dads we treasure. They’ve taught us well in the ways of life. I remember a lot about my dad. In fact, it would be fair to say that I had put him on a pedestal while growing up… not a wise placement for anyone. But it seems he could do anything and everything, a jack-of-all-trades, almost perfect in my little girl eyes. Though none of us can measure up all the time, there is One who is perfect… who forgives all our failings… our heavenly Father.
But,
Beauty – we all admire the aesthetic and beautiful in both people and nature, though beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say. Often, as our young girls strive to look beautiful, they imitate the actresses and models they admire on the “silver screen” or magazine covers. But youthfulness fails to realize the images are a façade, made more beautiful and glamorous by makeup and the air brush. It’s not a true beauty. And a pretty face may not always have a heart of love and compassion. Fo
