It is the season of gift giving. Currently, my tree is bursting with presents beneath it. I love considering just the right gifts for neighbors, friends, and family, especially my husband and children. Each person’s name under the tree is special to me in some way. The part of gift giving I enjoy has little to do with money and everything to do with expression. Each type of gift communicates something from the giver to the receiver. Why We Love Giving Gifts A gift that fulfills a need ... [keep reading]
Help your daughter host a merriment tea for friends and family
Can you recall a Christmas scene from a cherished book or favorite movie that included a big, merry gathering of family and friends? Perhaps you remember the winter reunion of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods. Or you might dream of attending a traditional Christmas ball, like the heroine did in Jane Austen’s Emma. Maybe you’d like to bring the spirit of the season to your neighbors, as the March girls did in Louisa May Alcott’s ... [keep reading]
A different kind of Christmas: grief, grace, and the presence of Christ
As I write this, I know that Christmas will be vastly different this year. My mom’s earthly journey came to an end on October 13. I had traveled to Ohio for a surprise visit at the independent living facility we had moved her into in August and it’s as if her body and spirit said, “Donna’s home. It’s time.” Less than 48 hours later she was with Jesus. That’s not the Christmas I was expecting this year but what a tremendous gift for her! While my parents never decked the house out with lights, ... [keep reading]
Revive Thanksgiving extras with this creative veggie soup
This is the very loose recipe I prefer when I want to use up all the veggies in my crisper and anyveggies left over from my Thanksgiving prep. Vegetable soup is the opposite of a souffle; it is the mostadjustable, forgiving food you will ever create. It’s called Five-Spoon because you will want to keeptasting and adjusting the flavors-I pull out 5 spoons to taste and add more flavors. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes, or simmer longer if you choose Yield: 4 bowls or 8 ... [keep reading]
Why creativity needs humanity to truly shine
The sound of wrapping paper tearing as I guessed at the secret those vibrant colors concealed gave ten-year-old me a unique hit of dopamine that my twitching fingers could hardly handle. In innocent disregard for the TLC that a friend’s parent—probably their mom—had put into making my birthday surprise a work of art, I’d shred that colorful paper to bits to unveil the present hiding underneath. And as thrilling as those presents might have been, I knew the one my parents got me was the ... [keep reading]
Is Halloween a pagan holiday? How its true history may surprise you
In the twentieth century, the claim that Halloween is thoroughly pagan, originating at the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (“sow-en”), has become widely spread and frequently parroted. Advocates of this story purport that Halloween is simply a Christianization of this pagan spiritual practice, that Samhain is the Celtic Lord of Death, and this celebration was in his honor. None of these things are true. First, remember that the feast of All Saints shifts from May 13 to November 1 at the ... [keep reading]
Taste of the sweet life with this unique chocolate chip pie recipe
I am a recovering perfectionist. When I met my husband, Rick, I would make my kitchen spotless every day. Everything had to be in its perfect place. I’m sure he began questioning what he had gotten himself into. After 18 years of marriage, having boys, and building an emPIEr together, I don’t have time for perfection. I’ve had to learn to rise above it, because the Lord has something better for me. Of course, I struggle still, but I see that seeking ... [keep reading]
What milking the family cow taught me about parenting
The morning sun is just peeping over the horizon as I walk to the pasture, stainless steel milk pail in one hand and a cup of cooling coffee in the other. The family milk cow, Brenda, waits patiently for me at the gate, lazily chewing her cud and keeping rhythm to some unknown cow tune with her swishing tail. I relish this time alone in the morning, just me and the cow and the early sounds of the pasture and the woods around us. The routine is so familiar to both of ... [keep reading]
From servitude to global impact: The story of George Liele
When I was growing up I had two Christian heroes: Corrie Ten Boom and Mary Slessor. I loved reading about their daring lives of service to others. Their strong and fearless faith shaped my own from an early age, and I relished every new piece of information about the two of them. As a little girl, when I saw two women being used so mightily by God, it made me feel like I could take on the world. I have no less affection for Ten Boom or Slessor some thirty-odd years ... [keep reading]
Breathing again: God’s grace for every season of recovery
“It’s like I’ve been dropped onto a different plant and I’m learning to breathe new air.” A petite forty-something year-old woman sat across from me, her blue eyes earnest as she described her new life in recovery. We are in a bustling café with a gourmet menu. Debbie ordered a cheeseburger, maybe because she wanted it, or maybe because it was familiar and safe. She seems like a shy teenager, but that’s how old she was when her life went off the rails. That’s when years of childhood trauma ... [keep reading]
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