The Prayer of Jabez–Oh, that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me! (I Chronicles 4:10). The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi–Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where […]

Everything I Needed to Know, I Learned in a Cozy Mystery
·Cozy mysteries are fun to read and fun to write. If they were not, who would read or write them? As well as being fun, they are instructive. They’ve taught me several life lessons. Storms come in every life. There is no problem than cannot be solved. Perseverance wins the day. Home’s hearth fires burn […]

A Frog, a Toad, and Life
·A frog and a toad have inspired generations of children and adults. Although they existed only on the pages of books by Arnold Lobel, these small amphibians taught real life lessons. Frog and Toad were friends and never a day went by that one didn’t go visit the other and, over a piece of cake […]

When Things Go Wrong
·It had been a hard day, for some reason. No earthquakes or tornadoes or devastating news, but it seemed as if a spirit of evil or a spiteful sprite had been present. A prickling word here, a worrisome conversation there, an unsettled, fearful feeling of something just out of sight, something left un-done, something […]

Refrigerator Love
·Your refrigerator may be a shining white or stainless steel beauty. It probably is not a bulletin board, like mine. My refrigerator holds perishable food items on the inside and dear-to-my heart items on the outside. Pictures, quotes, Bible verses, more pictures, children’s handprints, priceless works of art, all together in happy, carefree abandon adorn that […]

Thoughts, Words, Actions
·Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but every day should be a day for expressing love and concern. Sometimes, in the rush and responsibilities of every day living, the small touches are forgotten. But, they don’t have to be. It takes only a moment to make a phone call, to help someone with a burden, […]