When I was a girl, we always celebrated the Fourth of July at my grandmother and grandfather’s home in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. They had a beautiful piece of property on the edge of the woods with shade trees, a small pond, and a spring-fed stream that meandered through it. The brook was stocked with fat, brown trout and was cold enough to keep our soft-drinks chilled on the hottest … [Read more...]

Last time I wrote about some transitions in the Klassen household. Now that our eldest’s graduation is behind us, and the boys are busy with their summer jobs, here are the latest steps we’re taking this summer: Tap Dance Class—I'm literally taking (and learning) new steps with this one. Seven friends from church ages 35-65 signed up together for a beginning adult tap class. Here we are, trying … [Read more...]

A collection of oatmeal tins and boxes sits atop the cupboards in our kitchen. I love the look of the old round Quaker Oats and Irish Oats packages, but that's not why I collect them. There's a story behind those colorful boxes, and every time I tell it, I'm reminded all over again of God's loving care for His children. The story begins in 1975 when my husband of barely four months "dragged" me … [Read more...]