A a child my mother often timed her baking so she would be pulling hot Irish bread out of the oven as we rushed in from school on a cold, blustery day. My children also rejoiced coming home as I pulled four loveas of honey of a whole wheat bread from the oven. They quickly got drinks, plates, hony, butter, and sat down to our feast. We’d talk and laugh. Jesus called himself the Bread of Life. Proverbs 30:4 asks the question: Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established...read more

When my children were younger, they loved what I called banana rounds. We’d slice the bananas, dip them in milk or non-dairy milk, and then into curshed nuts, grahma craker cumbs, and other bowls of crushed treats. They took their time dipping and eating as we talked. Snacks they make as they eat take more time and that turns it into a community activity where we share and chat. They opened up more about their day as they relaxed.   Children need healthy snacks and ones that engage them, add fun, and...read more

  Consider reading a sample of Growing a Joyful Heart   It’s filled with devotions to increase your joy and help you choose joy in hard times. Written by Pam Farrel and myself, we start with inner joy and relationships and then move on to choosing joy in all circumstances and spreading joy to others. Each one is accompanied by a tip to choose joy.      I’ve experienced my share of difficulties including a dozen disasters (cat 4 hurricanes, lightning stirkes, earthquake and...read more