Susan Perelka

I went for a walk in the woods the other day. Most of the leaves had fallen from the trees and with the many trees, beautiful leaves created a golden layer on the ground. In fact, there were so many leaves, often the path was completely covered. A tree root would poke above the surface…

I love Christmas. Aside from Scrooge and the Grinch, I am sure I am not alone in this, although both characters saw the joy of Christmas by the end of their stories. I love the festivities, the decorations, and the baking, but not until after Thanksgiving Day! Yes, my preparations for Christmas do not begin until the…

Needs vs. Wants – try explaining that one to your kids! So often they beg for something they need, when in actuality what they are asking for is something they could live without. What they want is not a basic need. Mankind has been created with certain basic needs – food, water, air, and shelter…

My brother, Ned, was born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is an inherited disorder causing severe damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs in the body. It causes problems with breathing and digestion. My parents discovered he suffered with CF after he became a part of their family. Though the diagnosis changed their…

I write these notes a week in advance, and last week I had another post prepared. As I was driving to work, God laid another matter on my heart, which is more relevant for today. I was praying for the new babies our church family have been or would soon be blessed with. I prayed…

In our day, COVID caused us to stay away from others, to avoid contact to prevent the spread of this dangerous illness. Long ago, a dangerous illness forcing people to keep at a distance was leprosy. While cases of leprosy still exist today, it is rare and treatable through medications. Back in the time of…

What a Friend we have in Jesus! There is so much truth to that. As I think about the life of Jesus and learn more of Him, I am reminded He truly understands everything about me, about you, about what we all face in the daily experience of life. Jesus can understand every danger, every…

I love the change of the seasons. I look for different signs as each season makes its way toward us. In the fall, I watch the leaves change in color. I evaluate the body of the woolly bear trying to determine if his fatness is an indicator of a rough winter. I watch squirrels recklessly…

Another wave, I feel like that is how it comes. It seems like everyone is doing well for a while, but then all of a sudden, so many around me are going through incredibly hard situations. They deal with the unknown, the unfair, the incredibly difficult. Around them, we seek ways to help. We want…

My daughter was adopted when she was very little. She was learning a new language, a new country and getting used to a new family. When I was teaching her obedience, I would often take more time to explain to her why I was asking her to obey than I did with my boys. I…