After a Sunday lunch of baked salmon, it fell to me to wash up. Imagine my surprise when our non-stick silicone baking mat was no longer as originally intended. Years of baking had left a layer of brown residue to which the salmon skin …( read more )

As Heraclitus is purported to have once said, "The only constant in life is change." So it is that I have had to face up to the fact that I have been writing devotionals for myself and the PresbyCan Daily since May, 2001. Like many, I …( read more )

One of the highlights of life in my residence is the annual Christmas party for the children of the staff. Everything is geared for fun and laughter. To see the youngsters enjoying themselves is a great tonic for the residents, all of whom …( read more )

My son and I recently went to northern Arizona for my birthday. The scenery was incredible. One morning, we ventured a few miles into Utah and took a side road labelled "Paria Canyon Movie Set". It turned into a five-mile downhill journey …( read more )

Sometimes, I find myself thinking that God has no more for me to do, as I am old. Then, I remember that the apostle Paul said that he was old, too, a vulnerable thing to admit. But lately, when people ask how I am, I say, "Elderly", …( read more )

I'm a quilter — some would say an obsessive one. I make dozens of charity quilts each year. If I've learned anything in all that sewing, it's that the needle follows the eye. When I'm sewing two pieces of a quilt together, accurate …( read more )

"Want to know my worst day driving a bus?" a driver asked me one summer day. "There was a woman on the very back seat with groceries in a couple paper bags. In one of them was a big watermelon. She was busy talking, not payin' much …( read more )

I have a problem with joy. It's supposed to be a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and since I have believed in Jesus Christ, I have the Holy Spirit within me. So, I should feel His joy, right? You guessed it: I don't. Or do I? Maybe I'm …( read more )

Recently, some of my family participated in a run to raise funds for breast cancer research. This type of run is not to prove who is fastest. Some take part in wheelchairs, some walk supported by another. The prize is that each person …( read more )

One of the big news stories of the past summer was of the wildfires that plagued British Columbia, Canada. Two months without rain made the forests tinder-dry. Lightning storms lit new fires day after day, and high winds spread them …( read more )

I'll never forget the "Holy Room" in my childhood house. We didn't call it that, but that's how it got treated. Although holy means sacred and consecrated, it also means set apart and separate from common use. This is the definition that …( read more )

Once, I watched a drama unfold on the diving tower of an indoor swimming pool. A group of children were on the high tower taking turns trying to outdo one another. You name it, they tried it! These young buddies were performing for each …( read more )

A friend shared how she had once asked God to stop sending trials because she couldn't handle any more. She confessed, "God did grant me a trial-free year; but it was a spiritually dry year." She missed the warm presence of the Lord. She …( read more )

Springtime is usually the time when I replant my indoor plants into fresh new potting soil. As I was transplanting the plants into bigger pots, I noticed that one plant had grown so much that it almost touched the ceiling. It was long and …( read more )

O Canada! our home and native land, True patriot love in all thy sons command. With glowing hearts we see thee rise, The true north, strong and free, From far and wide O Canada, We stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and …( read more )

We are amazed at all of the technology that has come into use in the past fifteen years, and we wonder what might be discovered, developed, and revealed within the next very few years. God created the cosmos with all of the possibilities …( read more )

A few nights ago, a young neighbour boy came over to play. He was hanging out in the sitting room, colouring quietly. After some time, he began playing with a decorative pillow, tossing it up in the air and back down again. But soon, he …( read more )

I don't remember ever writing a devotional on pain and suffering before, but now, I am suffering pain, so I have thought and prayed about it and looked up certain verses in the Bible. There are very few verses that speak about pain — just …( read more )

Have you noticed how often the apostle Paul opens his letters with expressions of thanksgiving for people, specifically the believers? – I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. *(1 Corinthians 1:4 NIV …( read more )

It is common knowledge that so many people today don't know about God and Jesus, and that our churches seem to be emptying of those who do, a sad and troubling picture if our gaze is riveted upon it long. It took my thoughts to the first …( read more )

To give something away signifies generosity, or at least that is what we assume. Is it always true? Once, I heard it said, "Don't give away more than you can afford to lose." I pondered this, for it did not make sense. Later, I was …( read more )

For the past few weeks, I have been using my road bike more than my trail bike. Both bikes have a side mirror attached to the left handlebar that allows me to see traffic as it approaches from my left. Due to hand and arm placement on my …( read more )

When I took the course for a private pilot's license many years ago, I remember our instructor warning us to be very careful about pushing it in poor weather. Because we were not trained to fly on instruments only, we needed decent …( read more )

As I walked through my office, dusting every shelf, I realized that life had become too busy. Pictures of deceased and living relatives sit idly on my book shelves. Rocks from places I've visited on mission trips and vacations nestle …( read more )

A good friend of mine — a published author of both fiction and non-fiction — is writing a new suspense novel, and she sent me her manuscript. I'm caught up in the story. Full of tension and expectation, the book has me on the edge of my …( read more )

I had worked very hard seeking to prepare my cart pony, Frank, for the July first Canada Day town parade. We had traversed many miles together along roadways and through forest trails where he was exposed to new sights, sounds, and …( read more )

I have a car with computers in it. When it detects a fault, it has an instructive ding sound to let you know that there is a message. The more serious the fault, the more piercing the tone, and the more persistent and unrelenting the …( read more )

I recently received a copy of a picture taken by a photographer when I was presented with my Developmental Service Worker diploma. I placed the picture on the mantel of the fireplace until I got a frame. From where I usually sit, I can …( read more )

Here is an experiment to try: Fill a cup with water. Estimate its weight. Is it 6 ounces? 10 ounces? That's not very heavy, is it? Now pick up the cup and hold it at arm's length. Hold it there for one minute; now two minutes; now fifteen …( read more )

A landscape architect of my acquaintance envisions outdoor sport and recreation facilities, then draws plans so that others can build what he sees as possible. He supervises construction in the role of project leader while project …( read more )

Let's read again the account of Christ at Gethsemane just before His arrest, but this time, watch the words "nevertheless" and "but". Luke and Mark also recount Christ's "nevertheless … but" prayer. In our English Bibles, two different …( read more )

I recently received a reply regarding a devotional from a fellow writer. In her e-mail, she said that she loved my "out-of-the-box attitude". The response made me contemplate what she said. I wondered what an "out-of-the-box attitude" …( read more )

I like my set of little living-room tables. They are finished in a warm brown walnut. The middle-sized one sits under the largest, and the wee one under both. I bought them tagged as is at the furniture store. The wee table had a …( read more )