T People often ask me if I have a favorite book among the ones I’ve written. I sometimes tell them that is sort of like picking a favorite child. It’s difficult to do because I feel blessed each time I’m gifted with a story. But if I have to absolutely choose one to be a book of my heart, …
The sky is the daily bread of the eyes. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Is the sky ever bluer than after a winter storm has scrubbed it with snow? Have you ever noticed how blue the sky can be after a winter snow storm has scrubbed it clean? Whenever a snowstorm blows in, the clouds can hang low and dark and keep …
A New Year’s Sunday in Hollyhill Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill. Well, Holly County, actually. I’m not in town. I’m at our house. Alone. On a Sunday morning. It feels really strange to be in the house alone, especially on a Sunday. I have a cold. A sneezing, eye-watering cold. Even Aunt Love said I shouldn’t go to church. …
We were blessed to start another new year. 2020. Babies born in 2000 are young adults now. Anybody born in 1920, the beginning of the Roaring Twenties is looking at turning 100. My mom was born in 1920 and always said she wanted to live to be 100. She didn’t quite make it, but she had a good run toward …
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” That quote is on a refrigerator magnet my daughter brought home years ago. We’ve had a lot of new years and new days since then, but that doesn’t make the saying any less true. Then we might remember that yesterday’s gone, tomorrow’s not here, and all we have is …
Merry Christmas from my house to yours! It’s been a good year since last Christmas when I got the grandkids to pose in front of the Christmas tree. I don’t know about you, but for me the year seemed to speed by until here we are at Christmas 2019 and getting ready to head into a new decade. My sons …
The greatest gift is a portion of yourself.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson At this time of year with Christmas days away instead of weeks, some of us may wonder how we’re going to get everything done with time enough to enjoy the visits and special events. I’ve got a few busy days to get things ready for fun times with my …
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. …Psalm 98:4 (NKJ) Recently in my newsletter, I asked if readers wanted to share about being in Christmas pageants or if they’d been caroling. I also asked about their favorite Christmas songs. As I indicated in a previous post, “Mary Did You Know” was …
It was interesting finding out the story behind “Mary Did You Know” one of the newer Christmas song favorites. Then a reader suggested I look up the story behind the song “O Holy Night.” And what a story that is. It seems that back in 1847 in a small French town, a man named Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was known …
Ho! Ho! Ho! Hello there. Do you like stories? Then let me share a little story with you. I’m a Santa Claus. Not the real guy, but one of his representatives. Some people like to collect Santa representatives. I’m not sure why since they only want us to show up at certain times of the year. The rest of the …