I sit here with incredulity, having read the latest world news. I could say "with disbelief", but currently, the news is totally believable. On the world stage today, there is a move by some to let the aggressor win. The weak have no … Read more
Our church is a liturgical church, which means that our congregation follows an outlined service in a Book of Worship. We always say the Lord's Prayer at one point or another, and it seems that on this one particular Sunday, the words of … Read more
How do others know that we believe in Christ? Here are three clues that I have thought about recently: dust, sparkles, and aroma. As these bits of thoughts came together in my memory since the recent holidays, I was struck with how … Read more
I had quite a scare at a recent optometrist appointment. The glasses I was wearing had been giving me problems, so I wasn't surprised when she told me my prescription had changed. But when I put my left eye in front of that device with all … Read more
Our son plays Spuds basketball (co-ed ages 6-9). Two weeks ago, at a basketball game, my son's team was playing against opposition which had only six players. It was obvious that the other team was at a disadvantage. By half time, they … Read more
A few short weeks after his double bypass, my husband Matthew deteriorated. He was sent to the hospital in Faial, Azores, because Pico is not equipped for heart problems. The next day, I took the boat to go and see him. The doctor took me … Read more
When our second grandson, Zachary, was in school, we grandparents always bought the coupon books the students would sell as a fundraiser. I would carefully comb through the thick book to find useful reductions on various items, services, … Read more
It didn't look like a tree, more like a giant white thimble that had been abandoned by some fantasy giant in the forest where I was skiing. All the other trees had shed their covering of snow and were standing upright and strong in the … Read more
I am a seventy-one-year-old Black man living off a small pension in a small apartment in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Few people would consider me to have been a successful criminal defence attorney. I'm not married. I don't have any children, … Read more
In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy wrote an essay the first day back at school. She wrote, "Vacations are nice, but it's good to get back to school. There is nothing more satisfying or challenging than education, and I look forward to a year of … Read more
When I was very small, my mother taught me these words as a bedtime prayer: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Pretty heavy words for a … Read more
A friend of mine collects Coca-Cola memorabilia, but it must be vintage, not a reproduction. Many people shop carefully for the products of designer manufacturers, because having a designer handbag or luggage is a status symbol. For … Read more
You may be familiar with the exercise of filling a jar to the half-way mark with water, putting it in a prominent place, and, upon rising, seeing if you view it as "half-full" or "half-empty". Some may even check on it throughout the day, … Read more
My kitchen was a catastrophe. Christmas baking had left detritus on every visible surface. The sink was full of dirty dishes, and every countertop was covered with cookie sheets, flour siftings, eggshells, butter wrappers, and dirty mixing … Read more
At almost every meal, it sat on the table. I remember many things about my paternal grandparents — probably because I stayed with them most of the time when I was small. My grandmother served as my first babysitter, and I gladly … Read more
A couple of years ago, I was at a conference. One of the people there was a long-established and well-respected medical doctor who had a busy, downtown practice, full of corporate executives. One of the lines I heard during a break was … Read more
At a YWAM (Youth with a Mission) Base in Belize, where my husband, Terry, and I volunteered in 2016, I had several responsibilities: baking, preparing a cabin for the weekly guest speaker, washing and drying the kitchen cloths and towels … Read more
The saying in my city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, is that there are two seasons: winter and construction. But now, whether it be road repair, maintenance, or construction, it continues year-round. The sight of police officers guiding … Read more
Calving season is upon us once again, and we're all praying for cows and calves in our Cariboo House Churches prayer times. I must have been 12 or 13 the first time I saw a calf being born. The strange … Read more
I have just heard once again those words that I have heard nearly every day for forty-two years: "What's for supper?" Sound familiar? When we were first married, Larry went out and bought two weeks' worth of frozen meals right off the … Read more