While working in a large technical library, I so often felt great satisfaction when admiring full library shelves after checking in books and filling the shelves with the returned books. The appearance was so satisfying! Looking so neat …( read more )

As I have written elsewhere , I have a yearly dialogue with the tax department. Year-on-year, they seem unable to join up the dots between our income and their rules. This year was no different. In COVID-19 times, it was more troublesome …( read more )

Historic Molly Butler Lodge and Restaurant is in Greer, Arizona, USA. At 8,356 feet in elevation, it's a refreshing retreat from the ferocious Arizona heat. Established in 1910 by pioneer Molly Butler in the wilds of the White Mountains, …( read more )

When I met my first Amish family, I discovered that they take seriously Paul's message: They deliberately focus on the way that they live. They are concerned to keep their children safe from the influences of modern society, so they …( read more )

According to Wikipedia , "The pandemic … caused the largest and worst civil unrest in the United States history since King assassination riots in 1968." Protests in Canada have also been widespread. Besides activities that "bite and …( read more )

Everything that we say or do communicates what we want others to know about us. Sometimes, we do this by the clothes that we wear. When I wear a bright green shirt, the comments that I receive indicate that I am bringing happiness to my …( read more )

A dear friend once told me that a butterfly can still take to the air even if it had lost 75 percent of its wingspan. What a miracle, and yet society would most likely categorize such a disfigured insect as being disabled. Surely, our …( read more )

Whenever I pray, for the times when I remember, I always say, "Lord, help me to bridle my tongue today," because words are powerful and are incapable of being retracted after they are said. I also discovered that presidents and other …( read more )

We had just finally found a place to rent, a former karate studio over a downtown business with a beat-up wreck of a kitchen that looked unusable. Moving in that night, I fed the children and put them to bed before retiring ourselves. …( read more )

My brother lives in the Ottawa Valley, by a lake nicknamed the Lake of Storms. Often choppy, the wind can whip the water into high waves and whitecaps quickly. All wise boaters know when to go ashore! This pales, though, in comparison to …( read more )

One Christmas in my youth, I received an artist's easel, a pad of large newsprint paper the exact size needed for the easel, and water colours, complete with brushes. This gift was likely expensive and would have given me hours of …( read more )

"Consider it pure joy…" "And what's this?" asked my husband, as I handed him a platter of apple slices. He wasn't pointing to the fruit, but to the wiggly creature which had obviously escaped from it. The poor thing looked lost and …( read more )

In 1894, the United States mint in San Francisco made twenty-four coins. That's not many. The superintendent, John Dagget, knew how valuable that they would be some day. So, he gave three of the dimes to his daughter, Hallie. "Hold on to …( read more )

I have lived in Canada for fifty years, and I still don't enjoy winter. It seems like a waste of time to me because I don't like going outside. I find snow not just dangerous but boring. There it is, every day for months — dismal and …( read more )

My son was banned from every hospital in our area for bribing orderlies to bring in street drugs for him as a patient. "What do we do now?" I asked our family doctor. "Try another town where they don't know him," he said. We drove many …( read more )

Of the multitude of quilts that I've made, only a few have been large: three queen-sized bed quilts for me and one each for my daughter and my son. I'd much rather make a lap quilt or a wall hanging that I can finish in a week or less. …( read more )

I have a good friend, someone whom I can call in the middle of the night, but someone whom I was giving up on, due to her habit of interrupting me when I was trying to talk and talking far too much about herself. I thought about following …( read more )

Sadly, I did it again. I unleashed my tongue when I should have bitten it. As my husband was leaving the house this morning, I made a remark to him that I was immediately sorry for, the moment after I had said it. His remark back to me …( read more )

"Many car owners just don't listen to their cars. If they did, they could prevent a lot of damage." This was said by an experienced mechanic. He's convinced that if owners paid more attention to their vehicle sounds, they'd be quicker to …( read more )

How many of us know couples who always did holidays together or got together for fun nights? Then the unthinkable happens: one of them passes away. We find ourselves feeling awkward when it comes to planning that next holiday or getting …( 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 )

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 )

My daughter bought me an iPad for Christmas two years ago, and I love its convenience. I use it all the time and keep it close by so that I can text her or respond to emails as necessary. My cat, Duffy, however, seems to get annoyed when …( read more )

My family bought me a personal video recorder, a PVR, for Christmas. I find that I am using it a great deal. The PVR allows me to record television programs and watch them at a later date. It's really great if something I want to watch is …( read more )

My parents were very close, in love all their married lives, and it showed. They also had great faith, and that showed as well. At age 65, my dad was killed. A few weeks after his funeral, I asked my mum how she could keep going. With …( read more )

There is nothing much more relaxing than watching a group of young lambs frolicking around in the sun on a warm spring day. Sheep are mentioned many times in Scripture, and they can provide us with many spiritual applications. When we …( read more )

One day, back from my grocery shopping in the nearby mall, I checked the change that I had received from the cash that I had paid for the groceries. My first look was a sure thing: I had received less change than I was owed. This left me …( read more )

We have all heard of temptation, but have you ever heard of Temptations® cat treats? Recently, I sent away for two of their "Snacky Mice" treat holders as a promotional, one for my cat Sweetheart, and one for her friend. I filled up both …( read more )

One of the places that we visited on our cruise last February and March did not have a large enough harbour to accommodate our ship. So we dropped anchor offshore, and then, people were taken to the shore in small boats. We stayed on …( read more )

My friend attended a gospel convention in the United States and stood in line afterwards to have a word with one of the speakers. As she waited, she noticed a young man approaching her. He was a stranger to her, but he was making eye …( read more )

One Sunday last month, I decided to watch a televised church service that I tune in to occasionally. I enjoy this particular pastor's sermons because they always deal with the challenges of everyday living. What made me listen that …( read more )

Do you feel it? It seems that there is a new wave of the Holy Spirit blowing through our churches. There is a restlessness growing within our pews, an uneasiness, a feeling of excitement stirring from within. The Christian community today …( read more )

Quite a few years ago, a bulletin from our church had a picture of a graphite illustration by Gerald Folkerts, entitled "Self Portrait". The picture so intrigued me that I kept the bulletin all these years; it was dated Good Friday, March …( read more )