• Country Life,  Encouragement

    If it Rains on Easter…

    Old Country Saying #1 – If it rains on Easter Sunday, then the next seven straight Sundays will have rain. If someone were to ask me to picture Easter day, my mind would go back to my childhood. I envision a sunny warm day when I would wear my new Easter dress to church. Everyone would be wearing their new clothes and celebrating the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I would not think or remember an Easter day containing rain. In fact, rain and Easter do not seem to go together, or do they? Rain is bad, right? For some reason everyone thinks of rain as a bad thing,…

  • Humorous,  The Doxies

    Dachshund Secret #2: Created as Big Love Bugs

    Mom said we just celebrated Groundhog Day!  We said, “What?”!  How could a varmint like a groundhog have its own holiday?  Yes, they are kind of cute, but what possible contribution could they be making to the human world enough to have their own holiday?  We feel a National Dog Holiday needs to be created! Groundhog Day! What the heck! We asked Mom what this was all about and how it got started.  She said she wasn’t sure, but the groundhog is able to predict the length of the winter!!  Huh? We scoffed.  Have you seen the size of their brains?  We are not buying that lie. We told Mom,…

  • The Doxies

    Halloweiner

    At our house, we don’t really celebrate Halloween the way most “people” do . We prefer to call the celebration “Halloweiner”. And no, we do not believe it is a self absorbed reference to us. It is just that over the years we’ve chosen to celebrate our version in different ways with a variety of costumes. With October being the month that Halloweiner is typically celebrated, we thought we would take this time to share some of the ways we have participated over the years. Getting Started Our big brother Ty, was the first to celebrate Halloweiner. His mom thought it would be funny to dress him in a bun…

  • Country Life,  Encouragement

    Avoid the mistake of “Doing Nothing”

    Grandma wrote about those “old time country sayings” but she would more often give “pearls of wisdom”.  These thoughts at the end of her columns would leave readers encouraged to do and be better persons. “Doing nothing to avoid making mistakes is probably the worst one you can make.” – Medina 1976 Good Bye Summer – Hello Labor Day This is the time of year everyone starts gearing back up with their routines.  Students of all ages are heading back to school.  Churches are beginning their Bible studies and youth programs.  And summer trips and vacations are coming to an end.  In fact, Labor Day is just around the corner,…

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  • Humorous,  The Doxies

    Going to the drive-in

    Mom asked if we wanted to go to the movies.  Of course, we love going places and we really like the movies.  What’s playing at the drive-in Mom?  The Secret Life of Pets 2 What’s She Up To? Now this causes us to be a little leery with Mom.  She took us to see the first one a few years ago and quite frankly, Tobie and I felt there was too much information about pet lives disclosed.  Things like talking with the neighbor dogs when no one is home, which is why we are so friendly to them when we meet them on walks.  Or how we even speak with…

  • Humorous,  The Doxies

    Take Me Out To The Ballgame

    Mom: Do you guys want to go to a baseball game; it’s Bark in the Park night?   Tobie: Is that the game that moves really slow? The game that you just watch everyone standing around? I don’t know, what do you think Mickey? Mickey: Well, if we get to sit with mom, eat and watch a lot of people throwing balls, it could be really fun. Tobie: Ok, we are up for it. Mom’s grandpa and grandma loved baseball. In fact, the Cincinnati Reds were their favorite team. Maybe they will tell you more about that in a later post. Mom said they would have really gotten a chuckle…

  • Recipe

    Waffles, Waffles, Waffles…Liege Belgian

    Some of you remember Sherrie and I served on a mission’s trip to Belgium.  It was really fun and exciting to see how The Lord was working in Europe at that time.  We really enjoyed making new friends and helping the church to evangelize in the village of Huy.  But of course, we were excited about going to Europe and experiencing the culture as well.  If you haven’t read our raincoat adventure while in Huy, “Belgian Blessings: When it Rains, it Pours” don’t forget to check that out real soon. I’m grinning and snickering just thinking about it. Great for the Holidays Ok, with the Easter holiday approaching we thought…

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  • Country Life,  Encouragement

    March – Lion & Lamb?

    Old Country Saying #2   If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.orIf March comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion. Welcome March! As February comes to a close, the Lord has ways to remind us that He will usher in spring bringing the promise of warmer weather. In the mist of the cold windy winter, occasionally the Lord will grant us a warm day. I like to believe it is a reminder that just as He orchestrates the seasons, so our lives can have hope in cold dark times of better days ahead. If we are sensitive to…

  • Country Life,  Encouragement

    The First 3 Days of December

    Don’t look now but December is almost upon us and Grandma would always say, “The first 3 days of December rule the winter.” In other words, whatever the weather is like the first 3 days of December so goes the weather for the rest of winter. So, if the first 3 days bring weather that is mild and dry or very cold and snowy or very cold and dry, the first of December gives you a glimpse into the future of the winter’s weather. Winter and Curiosity Winter in West Virginia, the non-mountainous parts anyway, is always a little unpredictable. Some years have brought blizzards, ice, lots of snow and…

  • Encouragement

    Today

    If I could encourage you right now with one thing, that would be not to worry and enjoy today.  I believe Grandma wanted to remind her readers of that important fact with this poem. Today I cannot change the past But I can waste the present By worrying about troubles The future may not bring – I have no yesterdays Time took them away Tomorrow may not be – But I have today! ~Author Unknown Why Do We Worry? Did you know experts tell us that 95% of everything that we worry about never comes to pass? This statistic really has me thinking. We can spend so much time and…