As a member of the Board of the Renewal Fellowship Within the Presbyterian Church in Canada, I have come to appreciate more and more the importance of prayer in our day and time. The prayer initiative for the last few years has been based …( read more )

A story passed down from 1916 in our family is of my grandfather yelling to my grandmother, in a frantic moment when their farm house was on fire with no hope of it being saved, "If you go into that house one more time, I'll not go in. Our …( read more )

Last summer, many parts of North America were plagued by wildfires. One of my friends was personally affected. Although his hay was burnt, his home was spared, but at the back of his property, a neighbour's ranch with cabins for tourist …( read more )

At two degrees north of the Arctic Circle, in Inuvik, Canada, the sun sets for the last time below the horizon in early December. After nearly 30 days of darkness, the return of the sun is celebrated around January 6th at the annual Inuvik …( read more )

With curiosity, I watched an interesting video showing the work of a street evangelist. Most people walked right by him, paying no attention at all. He was asking the question, "Are we good people?" There were a few who stopped to listen. …( read more )

For as long as I remember, I've heard people make New Year's resolutions about something they are going to change in their lives. Then later, I observe that they are back doing the very thing that they committed not to do. Year after …( read more )

The robins proclaim both their own and spring's arrival through song, ending the winter's silence with their robust and distinctive singing: a cheery, rolling trill. It was a robin's loud, persistent, and forceful chirp that caught my ear …( read more )

Ten days ago, for the first time in more than a century, both the United States and Canada allowed a man to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. The event was televised during prime time, and as people tuned … (read more)

We spent too much time teaching our kids to believe in Santa Claus. We'd take them to the mall for the yearly Santa picture, the one where they scream and Santa cringes. We told them to be good or they … (read more)

There's an old folk song called "The Wayfaring Stranger". Most people assume it's an Appalachian song, a Melungeon ballad, or an old African-American spiritual. There's even some speculation that it was first sung in Britain and brought over to North … (read more)

Our sons are getting older now and seem to require more space. Their latest takeover was a move from the office that they were using upstairs to a total occupation of the basement. During this move downstairs, I was amazed … (read more)

I was watching an old movie the other night, in which one fellow was giving another fellow a wedding present. The gift was a box of colourful, hand-tied fishing lures, which brought back memories for me. My dad was an … (read more)

Today was a dreary day. It looked like we are going to be blessed with rain again. We've had quite a bit of rain lately, and I am sure that the plants and trees and farmers are very thankful. As … (read more)

I grew up in a slum area. When I entered grade seven, I was a bad kid. I hung around with a rowdy bunch of kids, and I am sure my parents wondered what would become of me. My father … (read more)

I had something out of my mouth before I thought! In a recent conversation on the telephone, I asked about a new espresso machine that my husband had purchased, wondering how much he should have spent to have something half … (read more)

For our summer holiday, my wife and I spent some time in the Waternish Peninsula, on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. The roads were single track, with passing spaces at regular intervals. Every passing space has a post aside the … (read more)

In high school, I was editor of the school newspaper. This was the position that gave purpose to my life. One day, a classmate and I had a disagreement. I can't remember what prompted it, but she attacked me in … (read more)

Some years ago, when speaking about the responsibility of a Christian, someone coined the phrase, "Talk the talk and walk the walk." In other words, we are to live our Christianity in every walk of life. I am confronted almost … (read more)

We don't get a lot of fog in the area where we live, but we have been experiencing quite a bit lately. Recently, I had an appointment booked in a city sixty miles south, and so I left with lots … (read more)

Perhaps you have been guilty, as I have been, of discreetly packing away photographs of married couples when one of the spouses has changed their partner. When my husband Ron and I divorced, I often wondered if my name was … (read more)

My mother loved words. She delved deeply into dictionaries to discover their meanings. I have no doubt my mother could have had an excellent career. Unfortunately, she lost many of her teenage school years caring for her sick mother. Regardless, … (read more)

"If only I were beautiful, then I would be loved," the young woman said to her mother. "If only my wife still looked like that, life would be sweet," the man remarked to his co-worker. What a sad commentary it … (read more)

In light of recent events, I have wanted to think about where I am before God, and what He expects of me. So I went down the imaginary stairs of my consciousness, to the inner store-cupboard of my being. I … (read more)

I remember as a young child asking my dad why there were designated hitters in the game of baseball. Why was it that normally pitchers do not bat, but must have a designated hitter to take their place in the … (read more)