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The hot cocoa do-over
BY DAWN REED Very early Sunday morning, I burned the hot chocolate. Two cups of sugar, one cup of cocoa, four dashes of salt, one cup of water, and 3 teaspoons of vanilla came to a boil and, before I knew it, began to smoke. Burnt cocoa is the worst. The stench filled the kitchen.
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Learning from the wise men
BY DAWN REED Jan. 6 was the 12th day of Christmas, Three Kings Day, Epiphany, and Old Christmas all rolled into one. This special day celebrates the arrival of the wise men in the Christmas story (Matthew 2). I’m glad to have a specific time to appreciate those sages who traveled a great distance to
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Crying out to the God of Heaven
BY DAWN REED Tuesday morning brought scary headlines about Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old football player for the Buffalo Bills. During the much-anticipated faceoff between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night, in a regular play, after a regular tackle, Damar stood, staggered, then fell to the ground. The unthinkable had happened: he suffered a
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The gift of baby Jesus
BY DAWN REED The Christmas play was ready to begin. Angels and shepherds milled about. Evie, 3-years-old and dressed in white with gold trim, stood at the manger. She tapped the wood as she stared longingly at baby Jesus. We watched her as she watched the baby, wondering if she would grab him and run.
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Good news for the shepherds
BY DAWN REED “And there were shepherds…” (Luke 2:8-20). How fitting. Moses had been one for many years and then became a shepherd to the people of Israel in the desert. David had been a shepherd as a boy. He penned our most favored Psalm. Often seen on cards or shared at funerals, Psalm 23
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Christmas study at the jail
BY DAWN REED At the jail Sunday, female inmates sat on the floor as we studied the first part of the Christmas story. Due to the number incarcerated, we were squeezed into the visitation room. No one complained. We always begin by telling them why we’re there. We want to remind them that God sees
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How can this be?
BY DAWN REED That day, it was only a poor teenage girl and the angel of the Lord (Luke 1:26-38). There was a lot to take in. An angel. Good news. A baby on the way. The Son of God. Mary listened. Then she had a fair question: “How can this be?” Gabriel gave a
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Asking for eggstra help
BY DAWN REED The deviled eggs nearly ruined the Thanksgiving feast before it began. The apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh. I believe I’ve found mine: peeling boiled eggs. I grew up in a family of delicious meals, holiday or not. Almost every one of them featured a crystal tray filled with beautiful
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Not being scared
BY DAWN REED It is my great privilege to be a dental assistant at a pediatric practice. I didn’t find out what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was 44. (Late bloomer.) Most people despise going to the dentist. They hate it like, well, a toothache. Despite that, helping kids and
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Relishing Thanksgiving
BY DAWN REED The difference between a Northern cook and a Southern one is often revealed during the holidays. I married a man from the South. He was living in Sidney at the time, but he had roots in Georgia and Florida. He came from a place of black-eyed peas, savory ham, and cornbread dressing
