My Blog
Unforgivable is Out!
Soon after the publication of Brave Face: The Inspiring WWII Memoir of a Dutch/German Child, my mother, Meta, and I heard an outcry. “We want more!” I wanted to provide that by writing about my father, Frits’s, life, but it seemed unlikely I could. After...
The Nature and Necessity of Beauty
Not so long ago, one of my granddaughters brought her little face up close to mine and inspected me carefully. “Grammy, you’re really old!” At another time, another one asked me why I don’t just let my hair be gray, seeing as I am ancient anyway. And just recently,...
Seasons Change
Who of us remembers that song, “Turn Turn, Turn” with music by the Byrds and lyrics by King Solomon? I certainly listened to, and even memorized, it many years ago, when I was a child growing up in Iowa. If you want to hear it again, this is the link. From...
Blessed are Those Who are the Kingdom of God
based on notes from teachings by Rev. David Pileggi Imagine… Imagine you are sitting on this hillside by Lake Tiberias (we know it as the Sea of Galilee). The sun is warm but the breeze from the lake keeps you from feeling too hot. You are seated with your friends, up...
Lessons from a Baby Bird
Recently, I noticed that our dog, Clemmy, was very interested in something in the backyard. Going out to investigate, I saw she’d discovered a baby bird. It was very much alive but evidently had fallen out of the nest while it was too young to fly. I gently picked...
Alternative Medicine and the Christian
I recently heard a preacher challenge the congregation about idolatry—using their checkbook as an example. Totally valid. After all, we do tend to trust our money will keep us safe, buy us happiness, and more. Interestingly enough, nobody got up and stormed out;...