The story of Acsah, daughter of Caleb, is told word-for-word in Scripture twice, once in Joshua 15, and again in Judges 1. And Caleb said, ‘I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.’ Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.One day …
It Has to be Important
If you’ve been waiting, you’re about to be rewarded. My next book, Prize of War, is set to be released October 20. Prize of War takes place just a few years after the end of the “Journey to Canaan” trilogy. We leave behind the family of Bezalel and Kamose, and this time Caleb’s family takes over. The story of Acsah …
Fight the Good Fight, Finish the Race
There are over 35 million* slaves in the world today. Justice Ventures International is hosting the third annual 5K Walk & Run, open to all ages and athletic levels. Walkers, runners, strollers, and (leashed) dogs are all welcome to participate in this fundraiser to fight human trafficking. Official timing is available for competitive participants, and prizes will be awarded for …
The Wild Waves of My Soul
Doing nothing is hard work. At least for a mom. One of my closest friends and I went to my favorite east-cost beach this weekend for a quick weekend. Ee arrived late Friday night, and slept in Saturday morning. We spent the day on the beach talking and reading and watching the waves. Add in some long walks, fish and …
Learning to Let Go
The last few weeks have been quite busy at our house. My two youngest turned sixteen and are driving (with a permit). Johnny was asked to escort a pretty young classmate to the Navy Ball for NJROTC, and John took him to buy a new suit since he’s grown so much over the last year. Dara signed up to go …
The Year We Missed Easter
Eighteen years ago, we missed Easter. Twice. On Sunday, March 27, 1999, we met Mira in Kazakhstan for the first time. All the next week we came to visit her, driving up a long and curvy, still snowy road from the capital city of Almaty to Esik, a journey of about only 40 miles but over an hour by car. I …
One More Time, Just For Fun
When I decided to take a few weeks’ break in January, I didn’t expect to be gone this long. But a lot of things have happened that kept me away. One of those things was my youngest daughter getting her learner’s permit. In Maryland, you can get that at 15 years and nine months old. You keep that for nine …
Field and Fountain, Moor and Mountain…
Epiphany ends the season of Christmastide. It is celebrated more in the East than in the U.S., and in fact, they consider it more important than Christmas. Epiphany commemorates the revelation of God as human in Jesus Christ, and specifically that revelation to the gentiles through the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child in Bethlehem. The word epiphany comes from a Greek word …
The Twelfth Day of Christmas
The Twelfth Day of Christmas, January 5th, is the Feast of 19th century-St. John Neumann, the first Bishop in America. Since the next day is Epiphany, this night is also known as Twelfth Night. People held large parties on Twelfth Night, during which the roles in society were often reversed, with the servants being served by the rich people. A …
The Eleventh Day of Christmas
The Eleventh Day of Christmas, January 4th, is the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American saint, who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. She established a religious community in Emmitsburg, Maryland, dedicated to the care of the children of the poor. This was the first congregation of sisters founded in the United States. She also began …