Easy Hospitality
Easy Hospitality “There’s somebody pounding on the door,” Sandy told me. Two o’clock in the morning?! Who could that be?! The night seemed foreboding. Could this be a ploy? Looking through the window I saw only her, crying, “Please help me. I’ve been raped.” Cold, wet, and trembling, she rushed inside when I opened the […]
Just Come Home
This is the story I was told: A young man had made some poor choices. He was at the end of his rope and knew he had failed himself, his parents, and the commitment he made to his God years before. Sure, he’d had good intentions and he had been sincere. Life happened; he made […]
Chicken Alfredo with Homemade Sauce
This recipe is an easy do-ahead. You can cook your noodles and make the sauce a day ahead, then combine and heat to serve. It’s also an easy one to do for a quick dinner – in thirty minutes or less. For the chicken, I’ve used my home-canned chicken. [Clicking on this link takes you to […]
On Air Travel – and Boarding Airplanes
The Missing Airline I am still waiting to find the airline that allows passengers to board in order of their seating, beginning with those who will be seated in the rear of the plane instead of beginning with those who will be seated in the front. Every time I fly, I wonder why no airline […]
Being Real in a Shadowbox World – Friendships
It was a hectic day in the ICU as I hurried to the medicine closet. The order for STAT potassium chloride (KCL) was urgent, and I grabbed the vial of KCL, withdrawing the correct amount. Squirting the medication in the buretrol, I added IV fluid and started the infusion. Hurriedly, I threw the vial into […]
Porcupine Balls
Porcupine balls are one of my husband’s favorite dishes. I got the recipe from his mom, who probably got it from The Mennonite Community Cookbook or from someone else. When it came to me, it was hand-written, so who really knows where she found the recipe? This recipe can be mixed ahead of time and shaped […]
Sharing the Gift That’s Inside the Present
Sharing the Gift that’s Inside the Present The young man wheeled his vehicle into our driveway and bounded up the steps. I knew him at once. It’s been fifteen years, but I’d recognize that build and that face anywhere. Tucked into our son’s 5th grade photos is a picture of our kids with Terrance* on […]
When God Means Business – a Model for Parents
God Used Creativity in Dealing out Consequences God had some creative ways of punishing His people. Sometimes entire families were buried alive because of the sins of the fathers. Sometimes He allowed captivity to come as well as diseases because of the sins of individuals. He also used people to carry out punishments. King Darius […]
Casselman Special Sandwich
The Casselman Special sandwich is a favorite of mine. I grew up in the Casselman Valley of western Maryland and Pennsylvania. This geographic area consists mainly of the corridor of the Casselman River stretching from the river’s headwaters near Bittinger, Maryland, to Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. The Casselman River is a winding river. As kids, we swam […]
Training and Equipping Our Children for Battle
Training Children Begins with Prayer One of my constant prayers for our children comes from the heart of Jesus: “I pray not that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep them from the evil that is in the world.” (John 17:15) We recognize that our children will be […]
