​My grandfather loved puzzles. Every Thanksgiving, out came the card table and a puzzle. Whoever stopped by would put a piece or two in the puzzle, and by Christmas the puzzle was complete.

​2020 brought tumultuous times to all of our lives! “2021” seems to be no different. The loud, disorderly, confused, excited noise we hear each day is bombarding our minds and spirits! The last few weeks have found me calling out for God’s peace and mercy.

I love Valentines Day! Sending and receiving a Valentine is a simple way of letting someone know you love and care about them. Ed and I started a Valentine tradition many years ago of sending a $2 bill with each of our grandchildren’s valentines. Many of them have kept the $2 bills as a treasure; others have spent them. For Ed and me, it was a way of us letting them know how special, unique and loved each one of them is.

​I love the joke my husband told recently about the two little boys who were misbehaving and had their mother totally frustrated on how to handle them. One day she was sharing this frustration with her neighbor. Oddly enough, the neighbor had the same problem once with her boys. So she offered some advice: “I took my boys to the pastor for some counseling, and it really helped.”