By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “May all that you read be uplifting.” Have you seen that line? I use it at the bottom of my email and quarterly newsletters, and I include it at the end of most of my novels. However, it’s more than a poetic parting. Life
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “Automation is on the horizon,” said the checker at my favorite grocery store as he rang up my weekly purchases. “Everything will be done electronically via camera and scanners.” I was stunned. No more friendly conversations, smiles, and small talk during my marketing experience?
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I ask why a lot. Do you? Why did mother die? Why did that guy cut me off in traffic? Why did I lose my job? Why has life not gone as I planned? Maybe I’m asking the wrong why. Maybe I should
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Today is April Fool’s day, observed in many Western nations as an opportune time to play jokes on the gullible and unsuspecting. I’ve played tricks on employers, family members, and students and have had plenty of tricks played on me. It’s a fun day
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer One morning as I hurried around the house, fretting over my ever-growing to-do list, I muttered, “Did time go this fast for the Hebrews who wandered in the wilderness? How about when David was a shepherd boy, giant-killer, and king? Or when Jesus walked
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Laura Jameson Bell was born in the 1870s. She buried two husbands, all her children, and was 104 when she died. Toward the end of her life, she lived with my family since we were the only living relatives she had. My mother was
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Are you a troublemaker? Before you answer that question, let’s talk about what a troublemaker is and why sometimes it’s a good thing. Usually when we think of a troublemaker, we think of that kid in school who was always in the principal’s office.
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Some of you may know that I blog regularly for Heroes, Heroines, & History on the 17th of every month. Yesterday was my day, and I’m sharing the link with you today. I hope you find this little tidbit about Canon City another rich
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I read a lot. No surprise, right? Today I’m sharing some of my favorite reads from 2018. All are what I consider to be uplifting. That doesn’t mean character lives are trouble-free. Far from it! But the end results are redemptive. That’s important to
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “The Wagon Master,” a 1909 oil by CM Russell, is one of my favorite paintings. A print of it hangs in my living room, and every time I consider the story Charles Russell is portraying, I’m reminded of two important choices we make in
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Do you have nightlights in your home? I have several throughout the house. Some are always on, faintly visible, and others pop on automatically when daylight diminishes. These unobtrusive illuminators serve as guides for adult feet making emergency calls in the night, or as
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Thank you for participating in last week’s dog’s-life book giveaway and helping me decide what kind of dog I should get next. I’m always interested in hearing what readers think of my stories and characters, and it seems like almost everyone enjoys a good
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer As an author, I tend to fall in love with some of my characters, including the animal characters. For my inspirational-Western-romance books, this means I’m collecting horses and dogs, metaphorically speaking. However, I may be collecting a real-life hound companion for Blue the Cowdog
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Solar lights mark the junction of my driveway with the main road. On sunny days, they collect enough energy to cast a soft glow after dark, lighting the entrance to our drive. I never have to turn them on and they cost me nothing
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer I don’t like New Year’s resolutions. The distaste has to do with the word “resolution.” It reminds me of my days as a reporter covering government meetings where resolutions were merely formal declarations of opinions and intentions without any formal action. In other words,