Things come. Things go. Life changes. Often these changes, even in keeping with the times, can throw a person for a loop. Such was the case when Rev. Robin Ross called to inform me that March 31, 2025, would be the last day of publishing … Read more
I first learned about this charming Scandinavian custom of fika through Norwegian missionary friends in Madagascar. Fika is deemed so important to Scandinavian daily life that it can be observed at any time of day. Our Norwegian friends … Read more
Recently, I saw a story in the newspaper from one of the southern United States. This particular place apparently has some type of "Social Register", a large book listing the socially in people in this community. If you were not listed, … Read more
"God gave me that gift, but I guess now I can't use it anymore." I heard the discouragement in Mom's voice as she spilled her despair into my lap. I had taken her for her weekly hair-fixing appointment. As we sat in the driveway, she … Read more
Although I am by no means accomplished in playing the guitar, I can actually bring pleasant sounds out of it. I am getting better at it. There is a true sense of accomplishment in bringing a tune out of that instrument. I'm proud and … Read more
To keep my brain ticking, I use a free language learning program. The app reports that I've been successful in completing the lessons for 730 days in a row. As a result of my competitive nature, maintaining a really long streak actually … Read more
What I love most about being a mom is my children's forgetfulness. I remember many days when, as a mom with small children, I would want to run screaming down the street. You know those days when the bickering never stops, the spilled … Read more
In the book of Ecclesiastes, the preacher wrote about time — how there is a time for everything. I thought about how we often measure our lives by time. We beat time; we are pressed for time; we make up for lost time; we tell time; we … Read more
In California, USA, mid-February is the beginning of blossom season in the Central Valley, the area between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the coastal foothills, almost exactly in the centre of the state. For about a month between … Read more
I had to spend a day with some people of different beliefs and lifestyles than mine. A lot of bawdy jokes were made and several ungodly things were said, and I found that I couldn't help laughing at them. I usually want to stand out for … Read more
In the last couple of years, our family has been observing fish, and we have been learning a great deal. It all started a couple of years ago when we gave our (then) seven-year-old a small five-gallon fish aquarium with a couple of … Read more
When I was younger, I felt invisible, like no one noticed or cared about me. My grandmother would come to visit and she would rave about how beautiful my younger sister was. She would look at me and say, "Well, you're still fat." I felt … Read more
Our friends showed my husband and me a wooden game they had just bought. Two marbles rolled around on either side of a slope, enclosed in plexiglass, that looked like a miniature half pipe for skateboarding. They were separated from each … Read more
I thank God that I have always had a good relationship with my family, both immediate and extended. As a minister, I often speak with single parent families, and with those caught up in abusive family relationships. It wasn't until this … Read more
When we were children, we often played the simple game, "hide and seek". We hid under the kitchen sink, under the bed, or in a closet. As adults, our avoidance strategies become more complex. We let the answering machine record the phone … Read more
It was baptismal Sunday in our church. I belong to a traditional church where infant baptism is the practice, and there were three children of varying stages of infancy brought to the Lord that day. Following the celebration of baptism, … Read more
They had a plan, but God's better plan overruled. Three boys in tow. That seemed enough to them. Not to God. On the day our son-in-law was to undergo a surgical procedure in Arkansas, USA, to ensure no more little ones came along, the … Read more
I had an astounding and touching thing happen to me. I arrived at school at lunch and ended up talking to Sandy. I don't know why, but I decided to share my innermost thoughts and feelings with her. This is what I told her. Last year … Read more
I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't need or call on Jesus. Many years ago, I fell backwards in my kitchen and had a very bad fall. Hours later, I lay on my hospital bed and received the diagnosis that I had broken my neck. … Read more
Now and then, I like to visit one of the old Anglo-Irish stately homes — a big house with spacious walled-in parkland. There's a sense of ease and contentment just walking about, admiring the scenery, wondering at the wealth. Some … Read more