President Reagan commissioned the Statue of Liberty to be refurbished in 1986 for the Centennial celebration of our country’s founding. Lee Iacocca headed up the project. George and I were honored to join Iacocca and others as we cruised into New York Harbor to celebrate the Fourth of July, with a stunning view of the Statue of Liberty. All day, we watched processions of military ships, large sailboats, and yachts proudly displaying the American flag. On the decks of the ships, men dressed sharply in their military uniforms saluted us. I felt so proud to be an American.

He sat at my feet, leaning against me. His eyes, black like coal, looked up at me and my heart melted as I touched his soft curly hair.  He was sweet and innocent, only one year old. The kind woman who brought him to me said he was only given love a few times a day when fed and to potty. Tears welled up in my eyes at hearing this. Our new puppy greeted our children and grandchildren with enthusiasm and followed me from room to room, never wanting to be left alone. I shared with him my secrets, my fears, and my joy. He watched me as I prayed and shed tears.

When my grandson was six years old, I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. He sat up confidently and answered, “I want to be like Chad Hennings and play in the NFL. During the week, I will be a spy like James Bond.” Chad is a retired football player from the Dallas Cowboys and has a strong faith in God.

When our family first moved to the area we now live in, we built a home on a one-acre lot. We landscaped most of it, except for one side that no one could see. Our landscaping took a lot of work to maintain, so we rarely mowed the abandoned side. Why do it if no one sees it? I thought.

In order to live a full, authentic life marked by love, we have to sacrifice ourselves for others. We can open our homes to the needy, give financially, and invest our talent and energy for people who need what we have. Recently I read about a man who was on his way to a garage sale when he heard Christian music. He followed the sound of the music and found himself in a church where the choir was rehearsing with the pastor.

The movie “Love Story” starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal debuted in 1970. There is a line in this movie that was voted by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 most quoted lines in film. In the scene, Ryan O’Neal loses his temper and becomes angry at MacGraw, which devastates her. She tells him, “Love is never having to say you’re sorry,” a line he repeats at the end of the film. At the time, it sounds so sweet, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

I sat in my chair watching as the rain cleared. The drops on the leaves were glistening from the sun. A beautiful rainbow appeared. Peace settled in my spirit, as I breathed in the crisp air. Out of the corner of my eye a beautiful butterfly fluttered to a leaf, spreading its bright blue wings. The golden-brown outline of its wings glistened in the light. It fluttered for a few minutes then flew away. Once again, I looked up at the rainbow as great peace engulfed me. Sitting quietly, I heard in my spirit, “This is what I want for My children and you. To rest in Me and take these moments of pleasure to calm your mind.”

We celebrate this season of Jesus’ birth by giving. God gave His Son to us as the greatest of all gifts. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). When we are scurrying around buying gifts for loved ones, do we stop long enough to remember we are co-heirs with Christ, inheriting every good gift He gives us?

She sat regally propped up with pillows, waiting for me. She knew it was rest time and I would soon appear. I opened the door slowly and peered around it, seeing her big smile and open arms. As fast as my four-year-old legs could cross a room, I crawled up into her bed, and felt her warm hug envelope me. I snuggled into her as she stroked my white-blond hair. We talked about things I thought were important, and she told me Bible stories. I shortly fell asleep with my head tucked into her side.

Satan is the great deceiver. He makes evil things look attractive.

At a recent women’s retreat, my small group leader asked the women, “What are your spiritual stories?” My first thought was, “Goodness! You have just asked a bunch of women who don’t know each other to tell stories! This will take all day!”

Life seemed much simpler when I was a child. Our neighborhood bustled with children. We felt comfortable going from home to home during the day, checking in sporadically with our parents. Parents knew everyone in the neighborhood and on summer nights they sat in lawn chairs on the neighbor’s lawn, watching the children play hide-and-seek or catch fireflies. As the time drew closer to bath time, my parents folded their chairs and made their way into the house, calling out to me. I never felt ready to end the evening but in obedience I waved goodbye to my friends and headed into the house.

We have a tradition in our family. When a grandchild becomes a teenager, they are allowed to choose somewhere in the United States they want to go with my husband and me. This past summer we were blessed to take two of our grandboys to Washington, DC. There was lots of planning and excitement over this trip because of all the sites we anticipated seeing.

Father’s Day will soon be upon us and there are lessons we can all learn from good fathers like I was blessed with. My father, Jack Wilson, was a man of few words and one of the humblest men I’ve ever known. His life taught me an important lesson on humility and I think it will speak to you too.

Some days, we wake up and are not clearheaded. We drag ourselves from the bed. On days like this, I grumble all the way to the treadmill. I am not a coffee drinker, so it takes me awhile to get started. As I work out and stretch, I listen to Christian shows that awaken my mind and help me seize the day.

As I walked out the door dressed for an event, I took one more glance in the mirror to make sure I was ready to go. I wore a new dress and shoes, ornamented with jewelry my husband had bought for me. I felt so special.

George and I recently watch a movie set in World War II called “Greyhound.” In the movie, Tom Hanks plays Commander Ernest Krause, who leads his first wartime mission on a battleship named the “Greyhound.” While escorting 37 merchant ships across the Atlantic Ocean to Liverpool, England, he also commands British, Polish, and Canadian destroyers.

When George and I married, it was his last year of college and I had started a new job. As newlyweds, we counted every penny and stayed within our means. The phrase “we didn’t have two pennies to rub together” was meant for us. Money was so scarce we accepted a used 1949 Chevrolet painted Baylor green with gold hub caps from my parents—the same car my mother drove when she attended Baylor University! We fondly called that car “Claude.” Every time we turned right, Claude honked, and every time we pushed on the gas pedal, the windshield wipers stopped, so we would let up on the gas, get the windshield wiped, and then go again.

How many of you have said the words, “I am drawing the line right now”? Did you stick with it? I used these words with my children many times, but when it comes to Godly principles, there is no moving the line.

‘Tis the season for Christmas. I love to Christmas decorate, bake, and entertain this time of year. I begin decorating the day after Thanksgiving once all the Thanksgiving decorations are stored. I awaken early to the excitement of decorating by pulling out all the containers of Christmas decorations. I do not like containers sitting around, therefore, I unpack and replace them back to storage, leaving decorations out of place everywhere. Image this, most every room in the house has unpacked decorations.