Love for a Lifetime
My husband never sends me flowers. Not even on Valentine’s Day. The reason? I’m allergic! But it hasn’t always been that way. There was a time when I could enjoy a bouquet of fragrant roses sitting on my dining room table. But the good news is that I can still enjoy those beautiful heart-shaped boxes…
Read More >Letters from Louise: Marvelous Mentors
I am a lucky woman! Besides having a wonderful mother, an older sister and two grandmothers as excellent role models while growing up, I had mentors – godly women who cared about me and shared their knowledge, time and skills. Betty Keeton was a pastor’s wife at the church I attended during high school. She…
Read More >The Emotion of a Photograph
Mark Nault Captures Weather, Landscapes and ArchitectureWhen thunder rumbles and storm clouds roll across the skies, Mark Nault grabs his camera. However, he is quick to say he is not a storm chaser. “I am a photographer who enjoys documenting weather events,” he said. He has gotten some magnificent pictures of all types of weather,…
Read More >Parenting: 101
A new month and a new holiday—one of my favorites—St. Patrick’s Day. Why do I like it? Well, there is my Irish heritage, the “wearin’ of the green,” and did I mention it is my first-born’s birthday? Certainly, it wasn’t planned that way. In fact, my little bundle came a week early. His name, Aaron,…
Read More >Home & Garden: Frugal Fairy Tales
Keri Yanchick’s enthusiasm is contagious as she spills out one creative idea after another on how to have a beautiful wedding on a limited budget. Founder of Frugal Fairy Tales, a website that has averaged 75 new members a month in the short time it has been in operation, Keri shares tips and do-it-yourself videos…
Read More >Okie “A” Model A Club
If there is anything you want to know about Model A cars, just ask Don Burnett. Not only can he tell you every detail about the antique cars and their history, he can also repair them. The designated mechanic for the Okie “A” Model A Club, Don has a reputation for fixing most anything placed…
Read More >Wishes & Dreams
When I was 30 years old I gave birth to my youngest child, James Ryan Jones. “Jay” was quickly diagnosed with Down syndrome and soon after with congenital heart disease. My little bundle of joy was a very sick baby. His immune system just didn’t kick in and he struggled to take even a two-ounce…
Read More >Which Car Would Jesus Drive?
Recently, I had a difficult decision to make. My faithful 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan finally sputtered its last, making it necessary to replace the car. I am not a fan of change. I like the familiar, the ordinary and the comfort of routine. Now, here I was checking newspaper ads and making multiple trips to…
Read More >Power Lifter Chris Paynter
Christopher Paynter lifts a lot of weights, but recently that weight turned to “gold.” As a power lifter for Oklahoma Special Olympics, Paynter recently competed in the first National Special Olympics games in Ames, Iowa, and brought home one gold and three silver medals. The 31-year-old athlete captured first place with a bench press of…
Read More >7 Minutes of Terror
What part of your daily routine takes only seven minutes? Is it your morning shower? Breakfast at home? A quick stop at Starbucks? Seven minutes sounds short-quick-fast, but sometimes it can feel like an eternity. On April 20, 1999, sixteen-year-old Crystal Woodman Miller spent seven minutes of terror, crouched under a library table at Columbine…
Read More >Letters from Louise
My youngest son, Jay, was born on a late April night in 1976. After the initial shock of learning he had Down syndrome, our pediatrician informed us that he also had a heart murmur and referred us to a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. So at six weeks old, Jay had his…
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