The first thing that those who visit me remark on is all the sirens! The "Get out of the way, quick!" shrieks of fire engines headed for my neighbourhood's under-repaired housing. The life-or-death screams of ambulances attending victims …( read more )

Imagine the scene that day: Jesus, the Man who did miracles and spoke powerfully — unlike any other — was making His way down the street, surrounded by His disciples and a noisy, jostling crowd. Everyone was trying to get close to Him, …( read more )

I'm not proud to say it, but I can identify with the apostle Paul in this statement. Before I was saved at the age of thirty, I was well acquainted with sin. But then, a prerequisite for salvation is that we must know and admit that we …( read more )

God has chosen ordinary people — you and me — to help others. Occasionally, it is for something very significant, but usually, it is for something small. However, in every case, we have to be willing to try in order for God to use us. …( read more )

To be honest, sometimes, I feel like the work that I do for the Christian church is too much for me to handle. Quite often, there are too many things to do and not enough time to do them. There are church services to prepare for; there …( read more )

One of my devotionals was published not long ago, and something wonderful happened: I got feedback! Yes, I got feedback, and not just from one person, but from a number of readers. How great is that? Well, in my books, it's pretty great. …( read more )

Have you noticed lately a growing trend among store clerks to drop those "three little magic words": "please" and "thank you"? The cashier simply states what we owe, with no eye contact and no smile. If she were a child, we'd prompt her …( read more )

Lucy, our old goat, and Mama, our old horse, have one thing in common: they suffer from arthritis. What they don't have in common is their attitude about their medication. Lucy accepts the apples dipped in the powdered medication with …( read more )

Have you ever seen a double rainbow? I have. I have seen many rainbows in my lifetime, but only two double rainbows on two separate occasions. There are seven separate colours in a rainbow. Although it can be difficult to always see all …( read more )

Cutting, hauling and stacking wood is a large part of our lifestyle in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is simply a fact of life. If we want to stay warm in the winter, we must work hard in the summer and get the wood in. As much as …( read more )

An elderly friend of mine, who was once a very vital and successful woman, lived her life as a committed Christian both as a business owner and in her dedication to her beloved church for over fifty years. Her attributes … (read more)

A few years ago, I was having one of those days when I was feeling very sorry for myself. Working full-time as an elementary teacher was taking a lot out of me. After a long day, I'd start my second … (read more)

I have a paper route — so that I will get outside and get some exercise and fresh air five days a week. Some of my grandchildren have paper routes as well: two children in a family of four. The … (read more)

When I was young, we visited the village often with my parents, siblings, and other members of the extended family. Every village would have a round kitchen or mud hut with a grass thatched roof. The village kitchen was the … (read more)

A mother dog and eight puppies! You've got to be kidding! That's all we need: nine more dogs to look after. Penny had been discovered in a junk yard under an abandoned vehicle. Workers from the Humane Society had to … (read more)

There's a family in town that our church has been helping for years. They always seem to get hit with a crisis, illness, or injury that makes it difficult for them to keep up with house payments, utility bills, and … (read more)

As always, I started walking when the sun first lightened the horizon. This daily routine provides time to meditate and to recite poetry. A favourite quotation from Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin In The Sun, came to mind: Child, when … (read more)

My wife died in April, and I found myself alone in a two-bedroom apartment, trying to recover from prostate surgery, with my only child working overseas. The third day after the operation, I was a complete jelly and found myself … (read more)

One day recently, enclosed with my Chatelaine magazine, I received a brochure from the Royal Canadian Mint with the title, "Rejoice, in the spirit of giving", in fairly bold letters. Then, in smaller letters, the following wording appeared: "Distinctive holiday … (read more)

There are some things in my life that are consistent — going to bed at night, rising in the morning, brushing my teeth, and performing other routine acts that prepare me for the day. Five days each week have always … (read more)

My wife and I have a bird feeder hanging just outside our kitchen window, and we enjoy watching the various kinds of birds that come to eat. Throughout one summer, two blue jays, in all probability mates who must have … (read more)

When my youngest daughter left home a few years ago, she packed her large assortment of stuffed toys to take with her. But as she left her room, she hesitated in the doorway and said, "Mom, the room looks too … (read more)

One of my clients has a couple of finches. They are such tiny little birds. I had never seen such little birds up close before. But there was something even smaller in the cage. There were about six teeny little … (read more)

I have joined a gym recently. There are a few extra pounds that I need to get rid of. The gym has thirteen different machines on which to exercise. They are all in a circle. In between each of these … (read more)

Among my possessions is a picture that I took years ago while hiking on the southern side of the island where I was born, Grand Manan. It isn't a spectacular picture. To another onlooker it is just a pile of … (read more)

Several years ago, I became a palliative care volunteer in our local area. At first, I wasn't sure about all that this would entail, or how I could help the dying, but I did know what it was like to … (read more)

Of late, I have come to this place to write, and I have started several messages that came to nothing. I paused today and asked God to inspire me, that I may be used of Him to give you a … (read more)

Once the kettle has come to a full boil and we take it away from the heat, the steam ceases to come from the kettle. But if we leave the kettle to boil, the water inside will eventually boil dry. … (read more)

Pray without ceasing … bear one another's burdens … Ask and it shall be given unto you … Today's verses from scripture are about prayer and helping others through prayer. When asked to take the devotional for a church breakfast … (read more)

Recently, as my daughter was driving to work, she came across three baby Canada geese on the road. Their mother had been hit by a car. She, being the animal lover she is, didn't have the heart to leave them … (read more)

It was a gorgeous summer raspberry-picking day! My daughter and I packed up our containers and motored away. Disappointment awaited, however, as the patch had been almost picked out. Still, we had travelled a fair distance to our destination, so … (read more)

Around my neck I wear a small plain gold cross. Most of the time I don't display it. I wear it to remind myself of the sacrifice Christ made for me. The cross is plain because Christ is not there. … (read more)

I never get tired of reminding myself what life is all about. I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, … (read more)