This weekend we celebrate Independence Day or the Fourth of July in America. Whichever name you call it, here are a few fun facts about the holiday. In 1958 Robert G. Heft, a 16-year-old student designed the 50-star flag as an assignment in his history class. The teacher gave him a B-, but when he […]
What Do You Know about Pigeons?
Pigeons get the limelight in a few scenes in my novel, Tangled Promises. According to the Pigeon Control Resource Center, “Perception of the pigeon through the centuries has changed from God to devil and from hero to zero!” Pigeons and doves hail from the same bird family. Doves in the Bible receive two significant mentions. […]
When Promises and Lies Tangle
What image does the word tangled bring to mind? Tangled hair? Tangled yarn? A spider’s web? Electrical cords? Or maybe a pack of lies? This kitten is in a tangle of branches. I hope she escapes without too many scratches. After breaking my novel into three manageable volumes, I’ve nearly completed the first one. I […]
Let’s Talk Charades
An author researches many topics along their writing journey. With my current work-in-progress set in the second half of the nineteenth century, my curiosity was stirred about children’s party games (and adult parlor games, too). Alice in Wonderland was written in 1865. An outdoor party game was croquet. You can learn about its history here. Many games […]
Tell the World What God Does!
My best laid plans and goals this week went up in smoke. They didn’t literally burn, but derailed. I’m headed to the Scrivenings Press Authors’ Retreat for the weekend. My manuscript is so close to complete. Having my edits and polishes finished was the goal, but I drove this donkey (me) so hard […]
Writer’s Voice: Music from the Soul
“Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head.” How many times have you said that? I’ve never said it. You heard that correctly. Any tune I attempt ends up a river of nonsense notes spilled out on the rocks. Sunday morning during worship I lamented once again my total lack of a voice, as […]
Heavenly New Clothes — Dressed by and for The King of Kings
Looking past many items in my closet in 2020 and into 2021, I reached for the super-comfy leggings and tunics time and again. My obsession with clothes quite obvious. I knew that already. I love nice things and the put together look. With few places to go the joy of shopping evaporated quickly. Uncertainty of […]
You Are God’s Precious Valentine
Valentine’s Day — for hearts and love First thought — “God is Love” ~1 John 4:8 His love so all encompassing there is no where for us to go to out-distance its reach. Whatever escape the driver of this pretty pink classic intends to make, the heart’s tied on. Might just be glued to the […]
Listen for the Pearls
When we hold a conch shell to our ear, we listen and delight to hear the ocean waves. Pearls are found in oysters and clams, not conchs. They do represent wisdom and are of great value when mentioned in the Bible. The above image spoke to me, and I pray I listened well, because I […]
Let Your God-Colors Shine
Add Black Spritz Cookies to the list of weird for 2020. Our granddaughters join me to bake and decorate cookies every year. 2020 would be no exception. Except in an effort to be sure we had green dough for the Christmas trees, I added an extra dash of green food color. The result: We have […]