A pretty girl stood in the doorway of the mall. As I passed by, she unleased a string of angry obscenities toward her companion. Her lovely face twisted into an ugly mask that matched her rant of hate filled words. Suddenly vitriol replaced beauty. Anger and hate damage our inside physical state as well as

Most children enjoy coloring with crayons or colored pencils. All children are exposed to many opportunities to color because this activity provides so many different aspects of learning.  They learn about different colors and eventually about shades of colors.  Coloring improves coordination. They learn how to make their hands move in response to the brain’s

Red Bud trees are a beautiful treat for the eyes when they bloom in early spring. Their blossoms make a strikingly attractive contrast when they grow beside the lovely, white-blooming Bradford Pear trees. But wait. Why are they called red bud trees? They aren’t red. When they are up against red bricks it’s easy to

Life is full of things people anticipate with eagerness. A birth, graduations, weddings, parties, visits, anniversaries are some of the things which we anticipate with eagerness. Not so much for some other experiences such as academic tests, physical endurance situations, medical procedures, criticism of our efforts. These things may give us a sense of dread. 

Broad smiles and welcoming hugs abounded when the seven lady friends gathered for a face-to-face time of fellowship and prayer. Joy was the ruling emotion. Long-time friendships offer warm, gratifying relationships. Sharing the cares that weigh on one another and taking those concerns to God lightens the burdens. Friends welcome the opportunity of gathering for

The unusual arrangement of chairs puzzled us when we entered a room in our church used for many kinds of gatherings. Different in color and shape, why was this tall, black leather chair placed, of all places, in the midst of the front row of standard, matching blue, cushiony chairs? If it was for a

“We can see you in four months.” That response is becoming commonplace to a request for an appointment with a specialist. Doctor’s schedules are filled up way into the future. “I’ll make that appointment if I’m still alive,” isn’t always a joke answer if a patient is feeling miserable. How did we get to this

A recent request to write about something I treasure got me thinking. I wrote about a scrapbook. Another person wrote about a piece of jewelry. Another person selected a piece of artwork. In every case, the item was valued because it represented a person in our lives who mattered and was loved a lot. Because

My children went together to give me a marvelous gift—a digital picture frame. With great grandchildren scattered from a western state to the mid-west as well as the deep south and coastal Mid Atlantic, I love the pleasure of seeing their dear faces and activities.  From baby coos to tricycle antics and horseback lessons, I

Practically every family who has pets has had the experience of discovering one is missing.  A traumatic experience especially if the pet “belongs” to one of the children. Little Jingle Bells, a loving little black and brown kitty, was missing for two and a half days from a home where a camera had recorded pictures