Articles from Jackie
Here you’ll find encouragement, sage advice, and godly counsel I wish I’d had while going through the difficult seasons of life.
Sticks and Stones
I love September! As a student and then an educator, this month has always meant new beginnings loaded with possibilities. Every August, my mother bought me new shoes and a new start-of-school outfit. I proudly carried a new box of crayons and a handful of brand-new...
Hope For The Grieving Heart
Recently, a dear friend died—very suddenly, completely unexpectedly. Only days before, we had rambled through her flower beds, rich in lush color, while we enjoyed the sounds of life on her farm – birds chirping, horses running, donkeys braying, tractors chugging,...
City On The Hill
Recently I visited a third-grade classroom and watched the students recite, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” Do they know the...
What is your legacy?
Five years ago, the woman who brought me into the world left this world. Five years ago, our last words were, “Love you, Mom.” “Love you too, Jackie. Keep your prayer life up.” Mom always—always—always ended our conversations with those words, “Keep your prayer life...
9-1-1 What’s Your Emergency?
We teach children at a very early age to dial 9-1-1 to get help in an emergency. And emergencies come when least expected throughout our lives. So, the question is: Who do we turn to for help? What—or who—is your first line of defense for the demands you face? I...
Grow Where You’re Planted
Spring never fails to bring me surprises: every year, a random flower blooms in an unexpected spot. My daddy always said the squirrels and chipmunks were his landscape designer. They’re mine, too. I can always count on four-footed helpers to dig up and replant bulbs....
The Lord’s Prayer
Music is a universal language. When words fail, music speaks, as I have learned repeatedly. Once vibrant and deliberate in her demeanor and actions, the frail woman lay still on the bed that seemed to swallow her up. Her eyes were closed. I paused at the doorway and...
Caring For Those Who Care For Others — Even When The Caregiver Is You!
I’m a fixer. I take care of people, places, and things. Just give me a list of what needs to be done, and it’s DONE. Ask me to organize a woman’s tea reception, coordinate and facilitate a training program for a crowd, serve as room mother, bake dozens of cookies for...
Book Giveaway- January 2023
Friends, I love to share; that’s what I do best...and that's why I wanted to host this giveaway. The giveaway includes three excellent books written by some friends that have encouraged me on my grief journey. Lisa Appelo, author of LIFE CAN BE GOOD AGAIN, PUTTING...
What Would You Like For Christmas?
Ask any child that question, and you will get a long list of things they think they can’t live without. When my sons were growing up, they anxiously waited for the Sears & Roebuck Christmas Catalog, pored over each and every page, and circled their wishes. As they...
December On The Farm
The snowy fields glisten as the sunlight dances on the hillside. Winter’s blasts will soon be here. And, as I anticipate them while sitting alone in my warm living room, I remember other chilly nights around this fireplace, roasting marshmallows with my growing boys....
November On The Farm
As the blustery November winds blow across our fields, they sweep the last of the vibrant-colored leaves away. What remains are gnarly brown branches and tree stumps void of color. The harvested fields, too, appear bereft. Squirrels don’t linger; they scurry to bury...
October On The Farm
A Bountiful Harvest Here on the farm, the maple trees are ablaze with glorious red leaves. Hay season has ended, but the harvest is still underway, with soybeans and corn ready for gathering. Harvest generally begins in mid-September and can run as late as...
