Category Archives: Gifts

Santa and the True Spirit of Christmas…by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

Note: This article was originally written in 1994, published in The Annals of Saint Anne and later in Active Christian News. A portly man with a white beard, wearing a flannel shirt and suspender-supported blue jeans, pumped gas into … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday, Jesus, Santa | Tagged Christmas, family stories, St. Nicholas, traditions | Leave a comment

Diamond Ring and Christmas by Betty Mason Arthurs

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Betty Mason Arthurs

Diamond Ring and Christmas by Betty Mason Arthurs Christmas time brings both happy and painful memories. Today, I share one of a father’s love and his gift. A father kept a memorable gift tucked away in the top drawer of … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Christmas music, Doing Life Together, Faith, Family Life, Family Stories, Fathers, Gifts, Greatest love ever, Grief, Jesus, loneliness on holidays, Love, Parenting, Uncategorized, When life seems too much | Tagged car accident, Christmas love, Christmas story, Diamond ring, father's love, grandchildren, neighbors | 7 Comments

Review of My Rhyme-Time Bible for Little Ones by Donna Clark Goodrich

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Andrea R Huelsenbeck

It’s the day after Thanksgiving–only one more month before Christmas! But if someone on your Christmas list is between three and six years old, may I suggest a beautiful Bible storybook–in rhyme? My Rhyme-Time Bible for Little Ones is gorgeously illustrated. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Book reviews, Books, Christian Living, Christmas, Gifts | Tagged Children's books, Christmas gifts | 1 Comment

Today I am Sad…But Not Without Hope

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Carol Boley

I am very sad. I know it will not always be so, but today, I am very sad. My mother died one month ago. I miss her. She lived with us the last 20 years of her life. I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Alzheimer's, Bible, Caregiving, Christian Living, Death and Dying, Faith, Family Life, Family Stories, Forgivness, Gifts, Grace, Grief, Hope, Jesus, Kindness, Legacy, Life, Life Transitions, Love, Mom, Parenting, Regrets, rest, Teaching, Trust in God's promises | Tagged children, faith, family stories, forgiveness, grief, Jesus, Life Transitions, love, memoir, thankfulness | 22 Comments

When You Long to Escape

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Carol Boley

Some days I dream about escaping. I picture myself at the Hotel del Coronado (“the Del”) on the southern California coast for three days. By myself. The dream is most vivid seconds before I open the door for the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Alzheimer's, Being still before God, Bible, Caregiving, Christian Living, Confession, Dreams, facial, Faith, Family Life, Finding solutions, Frustrations, Gifts, Grace, Grief, Health and Beauty, Honor, Hope, Jesus, Kindness, Life Transitions, Love, massage, Mom, ocean, peace, Perserverance, Prayer, Remembering, rest, spa treatments, Trust in God's promises, When life seems too much | Tagged despair, Doing Life Together, faith, family stories, grief, Jesus, Life Transitions, love, Prayer, sharing life | 12 Comments

Santa and Me

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Linda Carlblom

Though I titled this post Santa and me, I’m not sure we’re actually in a relationship. Sorry. Santa and I have had an on again, off again relationship most of my life. More off than on, really. I don’t have any … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Hope, Jesus, Santa, Uncategorized | Tagged believing in Santa, Christmas, gift giving, Jesus' birthday, Santa | 2 Comments

Nursing Home Christmas and Matilda by Betty Mason Arthurs

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Betty Mason Arthurs

Nursing Home Christmas and Matilda…by Betty Mason Arthurs “Mrs. Arthurs, Matilda escaped during lunch, but she’s back safe and sound.” A nurse’s aide, Anne, breathlessly told me the latest escapade of one of our nursing home patients when I arrived … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Christmas, Gifts, Grandparenting, Greatest love ever, loneliness on holidays, Love, nursing, Uncategorized | Tagged Christmas in a Nursing Home | 8 Comments

She Did What She Could

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Linda Carlblom

I attended our Tuesday’s Children’s writers retreat in the tall pines of Pine, AZ earlier this month with my critique group that I do life (and this blog) with. One of our members, Judy, has a house there she opens … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christian Living, Doing Life Together, Faith, Faithfulness, Gifts, Jesus, Ministry, Service, Uncategorized | Tagged communion, doing what you can, Jimmy Carter, Mark 14:1-26, retreat, serving, writing | 5 Comments

A True Thank You Note

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Carol Boley

I love my Southern roots. Everything about them. The food, the hospitality, the magnolia trees, the drawl. All of it. But most especially, the gracious way of living. I think back often to the way I saw it modeled by … Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrations, Gifts, Holiday, Hospitality, Life, Thank you notes | Tagged good manners, hospitality, Thank you notes, the South | 5 Comments

Showing Teachers Appreciation…by Linda Carlblom

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Linda Carlblom

Author’s Note: This post first appeared on the Christian Children’s Authors blog. But since it’s still the end of the school year for many, I thought it appropriate to repost it for our readers here, too. Here we are at … Continue reading →