Who am I? So many labels can be applied to any of our lives. I'm a born-again follower of Jesus Christ, a pastor's wife, an author, mother, grandmother, musician, and blogger, and podcaster. "Beyond Common Sense" is a place where I share "Lessons Learned While Walking with Jesus." I have found that not only is God everywhere, but He teaches us through our experiences and common, ordinary examples from His world. From the inchworm to the tragedy of my husband's fall, all of these hold timeless truths handed to us by our heavenly Father to draw us closer to Him. How wonderful! What a privilege to share some of those lessons... with you!
We’ve all done it–saved a few dollars only to find that the product wasn’t what we really wanted. The boots were a great buy, but the first time you wore them in rainy weather your feet got wet! Disappointment and frustration come on the scene, and we’re angry with ourselves for being a penny wise and … More Did You Get What You Paid For?
Pepper, our eleven-year-old black Cocker Spaniel is my walking partner. In any other season, she is also my protector. It’s a comfort to have her along as I walk back our country road when bears are lurking about. I’m not sure how I think she would protect me, but it’s a mental mirage that I … More Tracks in the Snow
The shepherds play an important role in the Christmas story. Of all the people near Bethlehem on the night Christ was born, it was the shepherds who received the heavenly proclamation. Recently, our son brought out an interesting perspective on their visit to see Jesus on His birthday: To this point, how much encouragement had … More A Shepherd’s Tale
The prayer of salvation is as simple as the words ‘I do’ spoken on your wedding day. Those two simple words are spoken in response to the reciting of the traditional wedding vows: “I, ___, take you, ___, for my lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, … More Simple Salvation
People often ask if a physical heart transplant will change a person’s personality. You’ll have to look elsewhere for that answer. Recently, we watched a show about a man who was a hired killer for a mob family. He was ruthless; so much so, that people said that he had no heart. After being in … More Zombies – The Walking Dead
Do you have one of these in your life—you know, the child that knows just what to say to get your blood boiling? I’ve been teaching children for forty years in various capacities: piano teacher, public and Christian school teacher, homeschool teacher, junior church and Sunday school teacher, Children’s Club and now Master Club teacher. … More Button-pushing Cherub
I have to admit, there are times while I’m subbing for music teachers, that an old ache fills my heart. I love teaching music, and I would have enjoyed making that my career. I believe I would have been successful. I just finished a very hectic day for an awesome teacher. She’s great and has … More Don’t Question Your Call
Ready, Set, Wait! Well, the last job is done for the winter—tilling the garden. Dear old Tilly is out there now, purring away until the gas is gone. A good wash and she gets to rest for the season. The garden is ready, but for what? It’s ready to rest; however, any seeds that are … More Ready, Set, Wait
This past week, we visited our son and his wife AND our youngest grandson, Caleb—our Christmas baby! While there, I began working on a little booklet which is a compilation of Matthew Henry’s notes on Proverbs 31. As I was reading and copying and pasting and organizing the information into a booklet, my daughter-in-law … More My Daughters, My Treasures
Sunday morning, as I was checking our weather, I noticed the little red warning triangle. Strange? What could be coming our way? I had seen the sign while checking the weather at Myrtle Beach, obviously listing warnings about hurricane Matthew. But I live in Pennsylvania? Our warning was for a frost tomorrow morning, cautioning gardeners … More WARNING! Frost or hurricane!
