I’ve recently discovered Agatha Christie. Oh, I’ve known about her, but Iike a person uninformed I have passed right by her books in the library to go on to something that proved less interesting. Until now. I love mysteries, and if you throw in a couple of aging British mystery-solvers with a flair for language [...]

All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell,
Come ye before Him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His flock, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates [...]

It’s a very crisp 36 degrees this morning in our neck of the woods in Colorado. As the sun came up, its light reflected through the pine trees around our home, casting a gorgeous golden glow all through them as far as I could see to the west. Some of the needles on the trees [...]

Several years ago I worked in a small gift shop at the local mall. The owner is a Christian, and she stocked a large variety of “Christian” merchandise. A fairly popular item was the plastic fish symbol that can be attached to cars to identify oneself as a Christian. There is an enormous evangelical population [...]

“A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips and sympathy in his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever he goes and diffuse happiness around him.
Gracious Spirit dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would Thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek
Would for [...]

The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll Not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul He doth restore again,
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for His own name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill,
For Thou art with me, [...]

If you like granola, you’re gonna be happy to have this recipe for your files. It is healthy, makes a generous amount, and most importantly, tastes great! Try it layered with yogurt and fresh fruit for a delicious breakfast parfait.
Stone Gate Granola
7 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (not quick-cook or instant)
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups almonds, pecans, [...]

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me!
He left His Father’s throne above,
So [...]

He was a born loser,
accident-prone too;
never won a lottery,
married a girl who
couldn’t cook, broke
his leg the day before
the wedding
and forgot the ring.
He was the kind
who ended up behind a post
in almost any
auditorium. Planes
he booked to fly on
were delayed
by engine trouble
with sickening regularity.
His holidays at the beach
were almost always
ruined by rain. All
his apples turned out
wormy. His [...]

Fall is in the air in Colorado. Crisp mornings, chilly evenings, and pinecones are falling like rain. We have bazillions of them on the ground in the wooded acres around our home, and I’m longing to get out and pick baskets of pristine cones to nestle into wooden bowls for my tables.
This is my absolute [...]