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Our family's life in New Zealand

Fox Glacier Anniversary Getaway

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Gayle and I have been married for 29 years, and this year we decided to get away by ourselves for two nights. We chose to go to Fox Glacier, about a three hour drive south of here, because we haven’t spent much time there. I was able to find a motel room for a very economical price (looking now, I think we must have squeaked in at the end of the “off” season, because prices next month are a lot more!), and it was a really nice room. We enjoyed a lot of walking, soaking in the spectacular mountain scenery and glimpses of the glacier, even though we couldn’t get close to it. Best of all, we had two days together without distractions, which is rare. We were both quite ready to get home by last evening, though. No matter how nice it is to get away, it’s even better to get home–and I overslept this morning! This first picture shows the view from our motel room, and the second is a pair of Paradise Ducks we saw on the lawn.

Peak View is about a 10-minute drive from our motel. It’s simply a place in open farmland from which there is an amazing view of the mountains.

This is Fox Glacier, viewed from Peak View.

Next, we went to Lake Matheson and walked around it.

The large mountain on the left is Mount Tasman; the slightly taller one to the right is Mount Cook.

When Gayle stopped to admire these ferns, he was thinking of you, Mom.

Our next destination was the walk up the Fox River valley to view the glacier. Notice the white glacial water in the river?

We took a side track that looped back to the main track, which went over a moraine. It has been ice-free for over 400 years, so there is old-growth forest on a lot of it. The moss all over everything made it feel enchanted!

This was a stump or rock completely covered with these tiny ferns. They were about two inches in diameter. So vibrant!

This was the closest we were allowed to get to the glacier. In 2014 when we were there, there was a track on the other side of the river which let us walk all the way to the base of the glacier.

After a rest back at our room, we drove the half hour to Gillespie’s Beach, a historic gold-mining area. We had a spectacular view of the mountains from there, too!

On the beach, we found this hollow log, and Gayle couldn’t resist crawling inside!

After dinner, we took our dessert back to Peak View to watch the sunset reflected off the mountains. It wasn’t as spectacular as it had been the night before as we drove down there (light clouds had diffused the light, making everything glow), but was still beautiful.

More next week….

Book Review–Bible Companion Book 10

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About the Book:

Book: The Bible Companion Book 10 Matthew–John The Gospels

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study

Release Date: May 29, 2026

What do you think about Jesus?

The Bible Companion Book 10 Matthew–John explores the gaps between our view of Christ and who Bible says He is. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

After four hundred years of silence, when Israel has nearly given up hope of a messiah, God sends Jesus. The four Gospels introduce us to this long-awaited Savior but also chronicle the profound disappointment Jews feel when they realize He has not come to restore their nation. Jesus refuses to be boxed in by our limited view of Him. As Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John reveal a Savior who redefines power and love, we discover that our expectations are not too great but too small.

My Thoughts:

As always, I appreciated the thoughts about each chapter of the Gospels. There are also many tables throughout the book, organizing information; I find those very helpful. There were many little gems of wisdom that I liked. One, in a discussion about the Sermon on the Mount, stated, “…we aren’t to obey as rule keepers but God lovers.” Another quote I appreciated was, “We bump up against God thousands of times every day. He is with us in the sunrise, the air we breathe, the work we do, and the smiles of our loved ones, yet we seldom “touch” Him.” As with all of these books, I like that the author encourages reading an entire chapter from the Bible at a time, and then offers some thoughts about it.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen:

Bread is a big deal in the Gospels. After feeding thousands with just a few barley loaves and two fish Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). The night of His arrest He takes a loaf of bread and says to His disciples, “Take and eat. This is my body” (Matt. 26:26). Bread. Jesus makes this simple food a symbol of Himself because it represents what we must have to live. I think about this often now that I’ve started baking my own bread.

Bread-making is the next logical step in my quest for a healthier lifestyle. Years ago, I cut out fast foods. Sodas. Processed foods (except for Fritos which I still enjoy with a sandwich on occasion J). But despite the many health gurus who say we should cut bread out of our diets my family has bread every day.

I’m from Texas. My grandparents had biscuits for breakfast, cornbread for dinner (noon meal) and yeast rolls for supper. If my grandmother didn’t have time to make rolls (which happened more often as she aged), she served Wonder Bread stacked high on a plate. In those days, we all bought the hype—“Wonder Bread builds strong bodies 12 ways!” We sometimes commented on the wonder of it all—no pun intended—that science had improved on a staple mankind has eaten for centuries. Only it didn’t. Our taste buds told us that the bread my grandmother made was infinitely better but other voices won out.

I make my own bread now to assure that what I take into my body is as clean as I can make it. I use flour without glyphosate and the best organic ingredients I can find. But do I succeed in making a bread that is free of all contaminants? No. There’s not a plot of ground or a man-made product on earth that is 100% pure. But every loaf of bread I bake is a revolution of sorts—a rejection of a system I don’t think has my best interest at heart. My efforts are imperfect but they’re a sign I see the problem and want to address it.

Spiritually, the path is similar. We’re hungry. We want and need to eat. We crave bread. But God’s Word warns us that what the world offers is not good. Whatever nutrition it offers can be saturated with things not easily seen—a distorted view of Christ, a subtle twisting of the truth, a self-focused gospel that appeals to our pride and greed. If we are spiritually discerning, we will recognize that these things can hurt us. But once we know it, what do we do? The danger is that our response is to “make our own bread” thinking that our improved spiritual resources and knowledge can create a life-giving loaf. But our best intentions and efforts to live like Jesus will always fall short. Just as we cannot eliminate all contamination from our food, we cannot eliminate sin’s influence in our lives. But wanting to be holy—to be like Jesus—is a step forward. It’s like me deciding that I don’t want to eat the bread found on the grocer’s shelf and choosing to do something about it. But that’s where the analogy ends. I can make better bread, but not perfect bread. I can make bread that satisfies my physical body for a time but not one that fills my deepest needs or gives me eternal life.

Sometimes when I make bread, I fail massively. The bread doesn’t rise. It’s too dense. Too doughy. Too dry. Other times, it is delicious, crusty, and fragrant. But every time I make it, I think of Jesus’s words, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51). I use my bread-making time to think on the One who is Himself the bread of life. If that sounds good to you, try making one of my favorite recipes and enjoy both the bread and your time with the Lord.

1 Hour Yeast Rolls  – 2 Dozen

To Begin:

Turn oven onto lowest temp (around 170 degrees)

Crack 1 egg in a bowl (to reach room temperature)

Set out a 9” x 13”plus an 8” x 8” pans. Grease or line with parchment paper

You can substitute a cookie sheet OR (2) 12-cup muffin pans.

In a stand mixer bowl:

Whisk together

3 ¾ to 4 cups BREAD FLOUR

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 pkg rapid rise/ yeast (4 ½ tsp)

1 tsp salt

In microwave-proof glass measuring cup:

    Heat to 100–115 degrees (90 sec.)

1 ½ cups whole milk

2 TBS unsalted butter

    Add (whisk) into warm milk mixture

1 egg (room temperature)

2 TBS olive oil

Place dough hook on mixer.

     Slowly add warm milk mixture to dry ingredients on low speed. 

(Confirm temp is still at 100–115 degrees)

Increase speed slightly and knead for 6-8 minutes.

Dough will be smooth and sticky.

If too sticky, add 1 tsp flour at a time and knead until dough holds together.

COVER tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for 5–10 minutes.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.

Flour hands and using a scraper, divide the dough in two.

Shape one portion into a log and divide into 12 equal pieces.

Close the ends of each piece together at the top then turn it over and roll into a smooth ball on the counter.

Place pinched side down into the greased dish or muffin pans

Repeat with the second log.

Cover bread with a clean kitchen towel. You should have 24 rolls total.

TURN OFF THE OVEN you’ve preheated to 170 degrees and place bread in oven.

Let dough rise until double in size (approx. 20 minutes).

REMOVE ROLLS FROM OVEN

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Just before placing in oven a second time, brush tops of rolls with an egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water).

BAKE 16–18 minutes.

Brush baked rolls with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.

To purchase your copy, click here.

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Painting

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I spent most of July painting. It all started one day in late June when I decided to clean behind a cabinet in the entryway. I pulled it out and found this behind it. I decided it was time to do more than try to clean old wallpaper.

Next step: peel off the wallpaper.

When James got home, he decided that the whole area needed to be skim-coated with plaster before I repainted.

Then, I decided to do the rest of the room. On the opposite side, in an area set off from the rest of the room, this is what I found. When we moved her, there was a water heater in the corner where there are slits in the wall. A couple of years later, it started to leak, and obviously, all that water went up into the wall. James pulled all the old gib board off, since it was so moldy.

This is what we found behind the gib board! This corner must have been outside the house at one time. I like the shade of blue! He filled the walls in with new gib left over from jobs, and then plastered the seams when he skim coated the rest of the room.

While I was waiting for that to be done, I decided to tackle the kitchen. The paint job in there has been bothering me for a year or two already, and there were a lot of holes that needed to be filled in. James ended up spending several evenings plastering those holes. The ceiling used to be the same blue as the walls; I decided to change it to white, but keep the blue for the walls.

I really like the way it turned out. It feels a lot brighter, and much, much cleaner now.

Finally, this past week we finished what we wanted to do in the entryway. We moved the fridge and cabinet to a different wall, and swapped the coats to the opposite wall from where they had been. James built a shelf for the coffee machine, and another boy built shelves for shoes. I got to paint both of those. We’re loving the new look and layout!

New in the Library! September 2026

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This month’s post is not as long as next month’s will be. There is a box of over 100 books waiting to finish being added to the library, and the annual Bookarama is happening this week. There are some real gems in here, though!

Our read-aloud time included a variety of books. The Red Pencil is a new one I got this year from Sonlight’s clearance sale in January. It turns out to be a free-verse novel about a girl in Sudan; her life was changed forever when her village was attacked. Heartwood Hotel: A True Home is a much gentler story about animals in the forest. I read it to my youngest, and even though she has heard it before, she loved it as much as my older children did the last time I read it aloud several years ago. She also enjoyed The Very First Americans, a beautiful picture book featuring a few different tribes of Native Americans from various parts of the United States.

I had never read New Kid, so I was glad when it was scheduled in one of our literature courses. It will never make my top favorites list, but is a good choice for people who like graphic novels. This was my second time to read The Missing Mummy. It’s a fun, easy-reading mystery; we keep it on the Independent Readers shelf for those who are ready to move on past Easy Readers. We’re currently learning about the earliest English settlers in North America, so I chose Captain John Smith as a read-aloud. What a story! His life reads like an adventure novel.

I brought a few books by Jean Fritz home in luggage when we went to American last year. I like her way of writing about a person’s life. She has a way of finding funny stories and of making the person come alive. I knew a lot of the story of Harriet Beecher Stowe and the Beecher Preachers already, but Make Way for Sam Houston and You Want Women to Vote, Lizzie Stanton? were new stories to me.

Early in the month, Esther and James returned home from a few weeks in America. They didn’t bring many books back with them, compared to last year’s trip, but these are among the ones they did bring. I had gotten This Promised Land and Ladies of the Lake for review a few years ago, and because I liked them so much Esther listened to the audiobooks–and fell in love with the author! We also both read The Bitter End Birding Society last year when it was published and loved it.

I also had Esther bring these books home. The biographies are very interesting reprints from the 1950s and 1960s, written for early readers. They fit with our Independent Readers, just up from the Easy Readers. The same people are reprinting the Cowboy Sam books. We have four of the original hardcovers of these, and they have been so much loved that I got all the ones that we didn’t have. My youngest has already read all of these Cowboy Sam books to me. One of them (and two of the Discovery Biographies) are printed with the Dyslexia Font (see the last picture in the sequence), and she is sure that one was much easier to read. (I have only reviewed Henry Hudson of these books.)

The Farm is a very early reader. It only has a few words on a page, with quite large type, and my little girl noticed, much to her delight, that it is a counting book! Birds of a Feather is all about feathers of all types. It’s beautiful! Animals at War describes what animals, mostly dogs but also pigeons, horses, and even a cat, did to help soldiers in the two World Wars.

The church a friend of mine has been going to is closing, and she asked if we wanted to take any of the books from their library. I offered to try to sell the books, in exchange for keeping the ones we wanted. My youngest badly wanted some books, so I told her she could choose three from the stack of picture books that I didn’t think were in good enough shape to sell. She chose these three.

We kept these for our library. I have always liked the Lion Story Bible, and we didn’t yet have Ruth’s New Family. We also like My Bible Friends, and I hadn’t known there were more than the five we had. This is #10, though. They are pretty easy readers. The Rescue Squad and Why God Sent Jesus are by the author of the Jungle Doctor books. They are delightful fables. I kept The Christ Child because of the illustrations. They are by Maud and Miska Petersheim, and are gorgeous! The text is quoted directly from the Bible.

We also kept Well With My Soul, the stories of four famous hymn-writers. Both Esther and I had read and enjoyed this. We were excited to find Exodus to a Hidden Valley among the church library books. I read it as a child, and then read it to my family a few years ago. It is an amazing story of a missionary family going with the people they ministered to, through the jungle to find a safe place to live. I kept Sergei to replace my tattered copy of The Persecutor, which is the same book published in a different country. I’ve been considering buying D is for Dinosaur for 30-odd years, ever since it was published. Finally, it is in our hands! One of my sons wanted The Genesis Flood. Finally, I have stuck a photo of My Heart is Home in here because I needed one more to fill out the section! See my review of it from last week.

I read a few memoirs this month that got added to the shelves. Rabbit Stew and a Penny or Two turns out to be the story of the life of a Romany, or Gypsy, woman. Most of it is about her childhood during the 1950s when her family still traveled around England, but she also tells what her life was like as an adult when she had to settle down, and how she helped her people. I really enjoyed this book. Any Fool Can Be a Dairy Farmer is the account of the author’s attempt at farming, and all the things he did wrong. It was interesting to compare dairy farming in England with the way it is done here. A friend gave me Last Horse Standing awhile back, and when I started reading it I knew why she recommended it–this is an incredible story of survival in one of the most inhospitable regions of Australia! I know a book is good if I talk about it a lot, and this is one I keep telling people about.

I also read these books, which likely came from the 2026 Bookarama. Attack at Shark Bay is an exciting adventure story set in a fictitious place in New Zealand. It’s a rather unlikely scenario, but kept me reading to find out how the children would get out of the fix they found themselves in. The Growing Summer tells about four children whose parents had to be away, so the children were packed off (from England) to a great-aunt they had never met, in Ireland, and she expected them to care for themselves. Edith Herself is the story of a little girl who developed epilepsy soon after her only living parent died, leaving her in the care of an older sister who had an overbearing husband.

A Distant Prospect turned out to be, probably, one of my top reads of the year–if not my very favorite. I loved the story, but even more, I loved the author’s way of using language. Her descriptions are so much fun to read! I kept reading excerpts to Esther. It is a very long book, but held my attention to the very end. I was able to add The Bible Companion Book 9 to the library; it arrived here in luggage. I really like this series. I found Tamales 101 at a secondhand shop. I have eaten tamales a few times, and want to learn how to make them. Maybe next summer when we have corn husks!

We replaced a few books that were not in the best shape. The Little House set I bought before I got married has been falling apart for years. I am watching for hardcover copies, but took this paperback in the meantime. I covered it with plastic to help it stay nice for a little while. We already had these two Jungle Doctor books, too, but when I found ones with dust jackets I grabbed them. They would have been destroyed if I hadn’t taken them; I went to a bookstore that was closing down, and filled a box with nearly 100 books that were slated for destruction if not taken that day. You’ll see more of them next month, after they have been processed into the library.

To borrow any of these books or others, please go to our catalog. Find out how we loan books on this page.

Book Review–My Heart is Home

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About the Book:

Book: My Heart Is Home

Author: Natasha R. Minier-Robinson

Genre: Nonfiction- Memoir

Release Date: May, 2026

When the world grew loud, and grief weighed heavy on her, Natasha’s heart cried out, and God met her in the quiet.

Born out of a season marked by miscarriage and the ache that lingered after, My Heart Is Home gathers the moments where Natasha began to acknowledge the pain grief brought with it, to name it, to question it, and to face the reflection it revealed, as her heart found somewhere safe to reside.

For the woman grieving quietly.
For the one loving deeply but hurting silently.
For the heart that feels empty yet still longs for comfort and truth.

These reflections offer companionship, softness, and the reminder that God meets us gently in the places we struggle to name.

God has not forgotten you.

My Thoughts:

I found this book a bit challenging to read. It is a mother’s grief and questions to God after going through a miscarriage. Because I have experienced several miscarriages, her words touched a chord within me. Of course, our experiences were quite different, and because my last one was nearly five years ago the feelings aren’t nearly as raw now. However, her free verse poetry puts into words all the feelings, the grief and fear and struggles to understand with that I remember going through. I found this a beautiful reminder of how Jesus hold us up when we are going through grief and uncertainty.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

Natasha R. Minier-Robinson is a Christian author, poet, and speaker whose writing explores faith, grief, healing, hope, and the beauty that can emerge from broken places. Through honest reflections, poetry, and memoir-style storytelling, she invites readers into conversations about loss, resilience, and finding God’s presence in life’s most difficult seasons. Her work encourages others to embrace their stories, hold onto hope, and discover that even in the midst of pain, they are never alone.

When she is not writing, Natasha enjoys creating spoken word content, encouraging others through social media and her blog, and sharing messages of faith and perseverance with readers around the world. She is the author of Words Are Art, Beautiful Disaster, Colorless Love, and My Heart Is Home, and other works that inspire readers to find hope, healing, and purpose in every season of life.

More from Natasha:

The My Heart Is Home series was written during a season of deep loss, hurt, uncertainty, confusion, and anger. Broken. Wounded. Heart bleeding. End of story, right?

Grief and loss equals the end, right?

No.

God used grief to birth something Natasha never could have imagined.

It was summed up beautifully by Amanda Lentz, the podcast host of Who We Become — Life Beyond Change! During Natasha’s interview with Amanda, she said something Natasha found so profound…

She said, “Grief is not the end of the story… it’s often somehow inexplicably, the beginning of a deeper one.”

As Natasha reflected on this quote weeks later, she realized grief was not the end. It was the beginning.

The My Heart Is Home series was birthed.

Even now, grief seemed like it was the whole story, but it is still unraveling. God has used the miscarriage Natasha went through and turned it into something she never would have imagined… something to help others feel seen, loved, understood, and, most of all, to help them see hope.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review–The Bible Companion Book 9 Hosea-Malachi

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About the Book:

Book: The Bible Companion Book 9 Hosea–Malachi The Minor Prophets

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Non-fiction, Bible Study

Release Date: February 19, 2026

Are you overwhelmed by the evil and suffering around you?

In the time of the Minor Prophets, evil seduces and overpowers God’s people. The Bible Companion Book 9 Hosea–Malachi tracks what happens and why. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

As God’s disobedient people race toward destruction, the prophets do all they can to stop them. The sins and problems they address still plague us today. But their visions of a day when God deals with Satan and makes all things new gives us hope. Evil is a reality we cannot escape apart from God’s grace. If we have drifted, the prophets show us the way back. If we are holding to the Lord, they show us how to endure dark times with optimism and purpose.

My Thoughts:

This book is very encouraging, and informative. I appreciate the way information about the prophets is presented in frequent tables. Some of those tables correlate the prophets with the kings, and with the nations around them. I find that information quite helpful. 

One line that stood out to me was in the entry for Habbakuk 2: “If the wicked do not turn to the Lord, they will harden against Him. Difficult times either embitter us or strengthen our faith.” That reminded me of the discussion we had nearly ten years ago, right after our teenage son suddenly died. We discussed that we could let this experience make us better—or bitter, and our family decided to allow God to make us better through it. Another quote that stood out was from Malachi 1: “If we give Him the dregs of our time, efforts and resources, … we insult Him.” Rather convicting!

I have come to really appreciate this series. They help me to think more deeply about the passages I read. I have been reading 1-3 chapters of the Bible a day, and the accompanying commentary from this series.

I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it. Links may be affiliate links, which will benefit Esther’s website if purchases are made through them.

About the Author:

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen:

Throwing Jonah Overboard

Jonah is a minor prophet with a big story. The tale of a runaway prophet who is swallowed by a big fish is the perfect analogy for many of life’s upsetting circumstances like the one my minister friend is experiencing.

He had to report his boss for ongoing unethical behavior. The church leaders listened and are now verifying facts, a process that could take weeks. In the meantime, the board asked my friend to stay in his role and submit to his boss with kindness and respect while they decide how to proceed. Because he loves the Lord, the church, and its leaders, he wants to comply. Yet he feels like he’s been thrown overboard. How can he maintain a good attitude while working daily under someone who has hurt him and the ministry so deeply?

I immediately thought of Jonah. God commanded him to go Nineveh and warn people of coming judgment. Jonah did not want to go. For good reason. The Ninevites had raped, pillaged, and burned their way through his home territory multiple times. So, instead of obeying, Jonah boards a ship heading the opposite direction. But the Lord sends a violent storm that threatens to sink the ship. When the crew cast lots to see who brought this calamity on them, the lot falls on Jonah. He tells them to throw him overboard and they will be saved. Not wanting to take a life, the sailors delay but ultimately toss him into the sea.

We may identify with Jonah if our choices have put others at risk. Or perhaps we’ve felt like the sailors, caught in the consequences of someone else’s action. In my friend’s case, his courageous decision to speak up intensified a storm already brewing. Now he bears the brunt of it.

Storms take us to the depths. The discomfort of tense relationships can feel as confining and foul as the belly of a whale. But Jonah’s story gives us a needed perspective. The crisis was never just about the prophet. As the pagan crew wrestled with fear and guilt, God was working in their hearts. After He calmed the sea, they offered sacrifices and made vows to Him. Jonah’s crisis led to their salvation and proved a major theme of Scripture—God is in control.

In the book of Jonah, God doesn’t reveal truth through the words of the prophet but through the man’s pitiful example. His life is a mirror. We see his rebellion, his anger, his submission (of sorts), his obedience (of sorts), and see ourselves. The contrast between us and Jesus couldn’t be sharper. The Father sent His Son into enemy territory too, but Jesus didn’t run. He loved us. Died for us. Saved us. And now He calls us—just as he called Jonah—to rescue others.

We are God’s messengers and He will reveal Himself through us one way or another. So we should not be surprised to find ourselves in situations where our survival depends on Him. Being thrown overboard does not mean abandonment. It’s the opposite. Whether we jump or are tossed in by others, we fall into the hands of the living God. Jonah 1:17 says, “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah.” That fish—as scary as he must’ve been to Jonah—saved him from drowning. It’s often the same for us. The dark place looming before us can be our deliverance.

Jesus used the story of Jonah to describe His death and resurrection: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40). Unlike Christ, Jonah was guilty. Bad choices got him to the point where sacrificing himself was the only way to save his shipmates. To his credit, he went willingly. And at that moment, Jonah became Christ-like—choosing death so others could live.

God’s plan always includes others. In the vortex, they too will make choices that affect their character and eternal destiny. But whether we or those in the boat with us act out of honor, necessity, or maliciousness, God remains Lord of the storm.

As it rages, God may call us to return to the very ones who hurt us and show them the mercy Christ showed us. We may sit in the belly of the whale for a season engulfed in grief or confusion. Yet even that dark space has its blessings. Jonah used his “time out” to confess his need, express gratitude, and commit to obeying the Lord. We can do the same.

One of the many lessons in Jonah is this: God never gives up on us. He will track us to the end of the earth—not only to restores us to Himself but to make us effective messengers. He wants everyone around us to know that Jesus saves, that He is sovereign, and that there is no cause for fear. “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Ps. 135:6). Even if life throws us overboard, we are never abandoned. Never adrift. God is in control and our lives are in His hands.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

August 2026 Photos

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I think this happens every year–we take so many pictures early in the year that I get way behind with posting them, and then in the winter we nearly hibernate and I get all caught up. One of the younger girls took this picture one sunny day, and I loved it. Notice Princess, to the far left? She is convinced that all cats are terrible–even though those other two are her daughters. Grizzly, the one to the far right, is the fattest cat I’ve ever had. She weighs 7 kilograms.

This was a wedding the girls held one day. It took a lot of ingenuity to make the audience sit up.

Toothpick arrows to go with a miniature bow.

We played Code Names one day, and this boy decided to model the spy look.

The girls decorated a bicycle one day.

Reepicheep loves wet lettuce. First he bathes himself by rubbing all over it, and then eats it. Usually he gets it in his cage, but someone gave him some in the window one day.

This clown makes funny faces! He thought he turned it off before I took a picture…

The little girls fixed a tea party for Esther and I one sunny afternoon. They had great fun!

For her birthday meal, Miss Joy wanted Ambrosia.

This is the time of year for rainbows!

New in the Library! August 2026

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Welcome back for this month’s spotlight on books! To begin, I came across a blog post that had some wonderful thoughts about choosing books for our children to read. It is written by a Christian mother whose children attend public school. She has several simple lists of things to look for in choosing books and discussing them. Have a look for some inspiration!

The same friend from whom we acquired a lot of easy readers last month found more books to give away. This time, I chose a number of beautiful picture books. Aren’t they gorgeous? We’re enjoying exploring them, and I hope other families will borrow them and also enjoy them.

This first book is another from my friend. One day, we went secondhand shopping locally, and found several craft books. My little girls are really into this kind of projects right now. We have quite an extensive collection of such books, if anyone else needs activities for their children.

In the secondhand shops, I also found these two books for the New Zealand Picture Books shelf. The Naughtiest Puppy is a delightful story about a sheepdog, and Sam’s First Swim is set in Kaikoura. That place feels like home to us, since we went there for church for eight years.

I loved the pictures in these books about spiders and desert animals. I’ve always been fascinated by the Berlin Wall, ever since learning about it when I was in third grade. The title is a bit of a misnomer, though; the book is about the building of the wall and its history, rather than its end.

My friend also gave us some more early readers. The two about cooking are a lot of fun for my little girls! I found Plenty of Penguins at one of the op shops.

Some of our read-alouds this month included the old favorite The Hundred Dresses. I’ve probably read this one aloud four or five times, and never get tired of it. It’s a wonderful story about two girls learning how their actions affected another girl. This copy is on the verge of falling apart, and has a tunnel through it where an unknown insect attacked it decades ago before we got it, but the story is still fresh and alive. The Nine Lives of Montezuma is the first Michael Morpurgo book I’ve read aloud, although I have read a few myself. We all enjoyed this story of a farm cat who well and truly used up his nine lives. The Llama Who Had No Pajama is one of my favorite children’s poetry books. It contains a large variety of types of poem, mostly about animals, and the pictures are fun, too.

Little Britches is such a joy to read aloud. I was trying to remember how many times I’ve read this book. I believe I read it aloud four times now, and to myself at least once. I love this book–and the whole series. Return of the White Book is also wonderful. It’s a completely different setting and theme; this one describes how the Karen People of Burma learned about Jesus, and then took God’s Word to other people groups near them. And then, there is The Shakespeare Stealer. What a fun adventure/mystery story set in and around the Globe Theater! We enjoy it every time we read it. (News flash–I think I just bought the other two books in the trilogy! I’m waiting for the purchase to be confirmed.)

I have been reading Egermeier’s Bible Story Book to my youngest daughter for a little over a year, and we finally reached the end. I have read this with almost all of my children when they were 5-6 years old. It’s a great introduction to the entire Bible. I also read her Johnny Appleseed (in one sitting). This is a gorgeous picture book biography. I love the story and the illustrations. In our trip through world history, we have reached the early 1600s, so I read Peter and the Pilgrims to the children. It’s a good peek into the voyage of the Mayflower.

It’s been many years since I read any George MacDonald books, but in reading Sir Gibbie I remembered why I like them. It’s a slow read, but very good. And isn’t this a beautiful edition! What Money Can’t Buy is a very personal glimpse into the Great Depression and how individual farm families were affected. I really liked this one. I read A Boys and Girls Life of Christ to the children for our morning reading time. I liked the way it told the life of Christ as a continuous narrative. There were two places where we noted some doctrinal differences to our beliefs, and I mentioned them in my review.

Yours, Anne provides a good introduction to The Diary of Anne Frank. It describes Anne’s life before, during, and after her years of hiding in a house in Amsterdam. Not I, But Christ was one of last year’s Bookarama finds. It is a collection of short (2-3 pages) radio talks that Corrie gave. I found them encouraging and sometimes convicting. Farm Boy came from the Bookarama last year, too. It is a sequel to War Horse, which I also enjoyed.

We all like Stone Soup, so when I found one, I got it. It’s not our favorite version, but will do till we get a better one. The Cow Who Fell In the Canal is just plain fun. I love the style of pictures in it! Wombat Goes to School was a birthday present from someone for Miss Joy. It joins the other two Wombat books that we have.

Flood and Snowy were also birthday presents for her. Flood describes a flood that happened in Australia, while Snowy is about a little girl who lived on a canal boat in England, and her pet, the horse that pulled the boat. Two Are Better Than One is a lovely story about two friends, age 13, and their last year of school before high school. This is a great story for girls.

These two Popular books were also birthday presents. They are collections of stories for little children, apparently printed in the 1950s. I love the illustrations! The Bears of Blue River is a boy’s adventure story. The main character tangles with one bear after another. It is set in the early 1800s in Indiana.

These two books by Kate DiCamillo are from the same series. They are both rather goofy stories with funny illustrations. Franklin Endicott and the Third Key has a main character who learns how to deal with worries that have taken over his life, and Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon shows a person learning how to conquer fears. I read Made You Look slowly, a couple of pages a day. My children became acutely aware of advertising and how it works on us. This book has sparked many discussions!

I bought three more Life of Fred books this month, to complete the elementary series. These are a fun way to learn math concepts, as well as much more about life.

We’re slowly reading through all the Swallows and Amazons books, and just finished Winter Holiday. One of my little girls asked if we have the whole series, and was delighted when I told her we do. Takashi’s Voyage and Six Little New Zealanders have been on the shelf for a long time, and I finally got around to screening them. Takashi’s Voyage is a delightful story of a sailing voyage from Japan to New Jersey. In Six Little New Zealanders, we get a glimpse at what happens when six children, ages 9-19, suddenly move onto their three bachelor uncles’ farm for a year. What an adventure!

I always enjoy books by Jean Fritz, and the perspective offered in Early Thunder is really interesting. What was life like for people loyal to the king who happened to live in New England in 1774? Most books I read are written from the perspective of those who wanted independence, but there were also a lot of Loyalists. A Fistful of Summer is a series of stories about a child’s life in Christchurch and Wellington during the Great Depression. Horse Stories From the Man Who Played With Sticks is intended for two groups of people–children who love horse stories, and their parents who need to know how to train their children for obedience.

I’m working through a pile of My Story books, deciding which ones merit a place on our shelves and which I don’t want to keep. Sabotage! made the cut; it is the story of the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in the Auckland Harbour, and how Greenpeace gained a foothold in this country. I also liked Journey to Tangiwai and Nowhere to Run.

One day, after meeting some friends for lunch in Reefton, I popped into a secondhand book shop that I’ve been looking at when I passed by for several years. One book I found was one that Esther and I read and enjoyed after borrowing it from a friend. Minka and Margaret is quite an inspiring story.

To borrow any of these books or others, please go to our catalog. Find out how we loan books on this page.

Lemons!

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One thing I loved about this house when we bought it was the big lemon tree beside our side door, the one we use the most. This year it had more lemons on it than I’ve ever seen before. They were starting to rot and fall off last week, so I decided to pick most of them and juice them, then freeze the juice in ice cube containers to use later. Aren’t they gorgeous? I would guess we won’t get very many this next year, though, since the tree has put so much energy into this crop. I’ll prune it, instead. Lemon trees thrive on pruning, but when the branches are laden with fruit I can’t bring myself to cut them off. By the way, what I picked was only about 2/3 of the total–the tree still has a lot on it!

More of Elijah’s Pictures

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Elijah spent a week in Franz Josef for work recently, and this picture was on his phone from that time. He sees some amazing scenery on the job!

This was another day, and close to home. Elijah helped get a round bale for the cattle, and took this picture looking east toward the mountains. When it’s not raining here, it is gorgeous!

For this week’s LandSAR training, he had to start a fire without matches, out in the bush. It was raining, which added to the challenge. He used a plastic tarp he carries in his pack to shield the fire, and ended up with the best fire of anyone in his group.

He also went to a larger course with LandSAR this week, to learn better how to use stretchers and ropes. It was held at Fox Glacier (the town), and the pictures he came home with are amazing! Mount Cook is in the second and third pictures, mostly obscured behind clouds in the center. Fox Glacier (the ice) is in the valley in the center of the first picture.