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Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln
Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. James 5:11 Hiram and I saw the Lincoln movie before Christmas. We left the theater profoundly impressed by Lincoln’s steadfast determination to end slavery, no matter the cost. The film motivated me to check...
Crock Pot Beef Pot Roast
This week's recipe comes from the old-as-the-hills category of the family cook book. I remember Mom making this in a dutch oven before crock pots came into vogue...which happened around the time we got married in 1977. One of our wedding presents was a crock pot, so...
Top Ten Differences Between Iowa and Texas
What's the difference between Iowa and Texas? Here are my top ten answers based on a few days in Corpus Christi last week. 10. Bilingual signs are no big deal in Texas. In Iowa, some people view them with suspicion. 9. Corpus Christi, population 307,953, is...
Tips for Eating Dairy-Free in Texas
My internal thermostat, which had no trouble adjusting to 70+ degree and sunny weather in Corpus Christi last Wednesday, is still rebelling against the 12° temps that greeted me Saturday upon my return to Iowa. On the other hand, I was able to avoid dairy products,...
Tom Balm: An Extraordinary Man
Tom Balm was an extraordinary man. He laughed more than a minister should, at least by 1967 standards, when he came to our small town Iowa church. He spent too much time visiting the poor and needy, too many hours sitting with those too infirm to come to church on...
In Honor of National Pie Day
The National Pie Association (I'm not making this up. The National Pie Association really does exist.) says today is National Pie Day. In honor of that auspicious occasion, I invite you to download the PDF of our family's favorite pie recipes. The document has every...