Nancy and I were fortunate to enjoy a recent trip to Hawaii. It was great to finally get away from the frantic pace of normal life and relax a little in a tropical paradise. I thank God for the brief respite and a bit of recharge. Before we left on…
For many in Shenandoah County, next week is crunch week. Young people who are planning to show their livestock at the Fair are making their final preparations, gardeners are selecting their best produce and flowers, and homemakers are baking their best recipes. County fairs are special times in our valley…
Praise God for the abundant rains this summer that have produced beautiful corn and soybean fields, bountiful gardens, and lawns that are still green in mid-August! Although the temperatures have been hot, moisture has remained high and we have yet to see the gaping cracks in our clay soils. Along…
It’s hard to believe that children will be back in school in less than two weeks. Their lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are swiftly drawing to an end even as they already have for many teachers and administrators. While many students are eagerly awaiting the beginning of school, others…
I have shared before about the incredible work God is doing through Michael and Holly Cooley in Sierra Leone and it is time for an update. This couple from Woodstock continues to travel to and from as schedules and finances permit and God is richly blessing these efforts. On a…
Most of us take foundations for granted. These bases for our homes are largely constructed of concrete and/or cinderblocks and rest on top of cement footers poured into the soil. They may develop occasional cracks due to house settling and soil shifting or they may need to be treated to…
We live in a very confusing time. While many complain about disinformation, others blatantly declare there is no absolute truth. What’s true for one person may not be true for another. Is this true? Even though some pedal this teaching of relativism, it quickly wilts when exposed to rational thinking.…
One of the supreme advantages of summer is the beauty of blooming flowers. Although spring blossoms have long since disappeared, geraniums, hibiscuses, roses, gladiolas, petunias, daisies, hydrangeas, and a host of other showy plants decorate the July landscape. Daylilies are also displaying in all their gorgeous variety of colors and…
On Monday, our nation will celebrate its 246th birthday. This milestone should be honored by all Americans who today enjoy liberty and freedom largely unprecedented in human history. We all owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our Heavenly Father as well as to those brave colonists who fought for…
It is with great anguish that we watch the destruction of Ukraine. This once vibrant nation is being mercifully bombarded and each Russian bullet and bomb exacts additional suffering and pain. Our prayers continue for the return of peace and prosperity for these beleaguered people. It’s hard to imagine, but…