Historical Fiction That Grabs Your Heart and Feeds Your Soul
It was a simple excerpt from my family’s genealogy book that grabbed my attention: “Mr. Prince at fifteen years of age entered the Armory at Springfield, Mass., as an apprentice, and worked his way up to the position of inspector.”
The Armory at Springfield? What is that?
Thus began my journey to uncover part of my family’s history that eventually unfolded to become my novel, The Legacy of Deer Run. [Read more…] about The Legacy of Family
My love of gardening began early in life when a sweet neighbor lady cultivated my passion for plants. She lived a bicycle-distance away and my nine-year-old self would visit the tiers of plant beds behind her house on Winchester Road. [Read more…] about Life is a Garden—Weeds and All
“I think your plant is finally growing.” My husband grinned with the declaration since he knew I’d been watching this spot in my garden for weeks now.
Although my perennial garden was filled with flowers of numerous varieties, this particular one was special to me: A transplanted cutting from a historian friend in Massachusetts, near the home of my ancestors.
After a long winter, I feared the small vine had not survived. But in late spring my patience was rewarded with small green leaves that looked unlike any other in my garden. I took a photo and sent it to my historian friend. “Is this the trumpet vine?” I asked. He assured me that it certainly looked like it was.
Daily, I watched its progress. I removed a nearby plant that I thought might hinder the vine’s growth. But the most amazing thing occurred when the vine began to lean toward the arbor, which is exactly where I wanted it to grow.
How does it know which direction to grow, I mused? It was a mere eight inches from a picket fence yet a full foot away from the arbor. Yet it pointed in a straight—seemingly determined—path toward the trellis that would allow it to grow upward and reach its full potential.
So what drew it toward the arbor? It was reaching toward the southern sunlight—the sustenance it needed to thrive.
As so often happens in my garden, God spoke spiritual lessons to me as I recalled finally leaning toward His light when I first confessed my need for Him. Leaning towards His word and wisdom, He has helped me grow, his Light ever guiding me to the arbor of His strength.
When Jesus spoke again to the people He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)
On a trip to Los Angeles, I was excited to visit a museum I had not been to in many years: the Museum of Natural History. Eagerly anticipating huge displays of dinosaur bones, I was not disappointed. Remnants of large lizards from long ago filled the large halls and display cases, reminding me anew of the incredible variation in God’s creation. [Read more…] about Beauty Within the Rock