One of the elements of my life that I miss here in Portugal is the choir at my church. I do love the congregational singing at the church we are attending, but, for me, nothing beats the harmony of different voices singing together, united in their joy for the Lord, bringing the whole church to... Continue Reading →
Being a Californian, I have traveled a variety of times through the Gold Country. When John Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill, it set off the 1849 gold rush. There ensued a huge influx of mostly poor people seeking a fortune in the gold fields. At first, people panned for gold, but as the good... Continue Reading →
We have moved to the beautiful city of Quarteira in Portugal, with its wonderful beaches and colorful houses and apartment buildings. We met our host's parents, and it was one of the highlights of this visit. His mother could not speak any English, but she managed to show me all that I needed to know... Continue Reading →
The family was camped by a High Sierra lake for a week, with some friends. The next day, the friends were going home and we were embarking on a long trek. The trek entailed a long hike down one trail and another up a second trail to a point just ten miles from us. Since... Continue Reading →
We came to Portugal hoping that the dry and sunny weather of summer would have started. Instead, our plans were disrupted by rain and cold. There were sunny days where we attained our hopes of outdoor activities. Unfortunately, our return was not to a cozy abode. We shivered in our warmest clothes. Desperately, we... Continue Reading →
Often in life, plans have to change, and though change can be uncomfortable, it is almost always necessary. That is the case for us. The problem with the heat could not be resolved, and the wonderful woman we are renting from agreed to let us cancel our agreement to stay for two months. We will... Continue Reading →
The sun poured its beams upon our basking bodies. Suddenly the grating voice of our dad erupted into our heat slumbering brains, “you better put on the foul weather gear.” We erupted into frothy talk, “He doesn’t know what he is talking about.” “It is so nice, how could it get wet.” We should have... Continue Reading →
We all need a safe space, a place of refuge from the difficulties and challenges of life. It is important to choose a safe space that has the power to strengthen and keep us in times of trouble and upheaval in our lives. In the psalm for this week, Psalm 46, one of the descendants... Continue Reading →
We took our faithful, neglected, Ping Pong table and painted the white lines in phosphorescent paint. Then we did the same for the net, the balls, and the paddles. Now we were ready for Halloween. Every Halloween, the staid Doctors and their proper wives came to our house for our Halloween party. We tried to... Continue Reading →
Some years ago, I went backpacking with friends, one Jewish and the other Agnostic. One day, high in the Canadian Rockies, we decided to visit a glacier. The trail only took us part way. The rest of the way, we meandered cross country. Part way there, we spied a moose and approached as close as... Continue Reading →
Help from Heaven 