What do car washes and love have in common? This isn't a joke; it's to get us thinking. Obviously, both improve life: of vehicles, or of people. But that's not what I had in mind that day when I stood at the carwash mulling over the …( read more )

One of my great pleasures in life is reading, but guilt sneaks in whenever I sit down to imbibe in a gluttony of chapters. "A waste of time," whispers the little voice in my head. "You must vacuum, dust, write something, or cook a meal …( read more )

by Isabel Allison A little lad, loved by kin of mine, looked straight ahead, then in voice sublime — for child philosophers tend to mime — spoke out amid the chatter of Christmas supper time: "This sure has been a good Christmas," …( read more )

The approach of Christmas certainly stirs up memories of yesteryear. Changes are replacing the ways of the old days. It was Advent, which means "coming", and the Finnish Lutheran church that I attended as I grew up was preparing the …( read more )

Not too long ago, I joined a weight loss class. I finally accepted the fact that I needed help, and that I could not lose the weight on my own. To date, I've lost thirty-seven pounds, and I have gone down two dress sizes. I have also lost …( read more )

While I was eating lunch with my sister-in-law and her little lad about three-and-a-half years of age, my sister-in-law's phone rang, and she left the table to answer. Just then, the little lad finished his bowl of spaghetti and cheese, …( read more )

I have an electric cooker (or stove) with a tough, translucent black glass surface to protect the cooker elements from the saucepans. When the electricity is turned off at the switch, the red glow fades, but the heat generated by the …( read more )

Last fall, I worked off and on at installing laminate flooring in two bedrooms and the hallway of our small bungalow. This last week, I finished the second phase in our front hall. All the while, I kept thinking that there must be a …( read more )

Faith is a journey of trust in God. It starts with a walk along a path, and if we follow through, progresses to an ascent on a mountain. It is that important. The goal is to understand exactly what God is asking of us. It is a worthy …( read more )

I remember many, many years ago that every spring, my mother did her spring cleaning. It seems that a lot of people on our street did that on the same day or in the same week, as soon as the weather turned nice. There would be blankets on …( read more )

A news item one night was about parents who lost a child through another teen's weakness and grave error in judgment. The parents, being interviewed a couple of days after their daughter's death, made a public statement that they not only …( read more )

What does this mean? We could use it in many contexts. I was sitting, sipping my tea, and reflecting on an older movie that I have in my entertainment library, starring James Garner and Larry Fishburne, called "Decoration Day". It is the …( read more )

Jesus quoted this prophetic Scripture from Isaiah 56:7 as He went into the temple following His palm-strewn entry into Jerusalem the day before. The religious leaders were alarmed by His show of authority as He forcefully overturned the …( read more )

As I was reading a relatively familiar passage in Matthew, an occasional occurrence happened to me that always amazes me: some of the words seemed to jump right off the page and instantly grab my attention. Perhaps Jesus might have …( read more )

It all started with a prayer. In the quiet of the night, he prayed, "Lord, please use me in some way to reach out to my new friends and neighbours." Little did he know that God had already begun to answer his prayer one and a half months …( read more )

It took much too long for October to get to November. Decorations of horror and death littered neighbourhood lawns, and automated electronic hands moved on the desktops of fellow workers when I passed, reminding me of unseemly things that were … (read more)

In the small town outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, where I grew up, the county ordinance prohibited any kind of livestock on our properties. However, that ordinance did not stop one family from keeping a donkey in their backyard. I … (read more)

My neighbour's face was pale, haggard, and tear-stained as she told me that she hadn't slept all night. She had received very upsetting news; she was worried, afraid, and despairing. "It's hopeless," said Sally, "and there's nothing I can do … (read more)

Every year, our church gives out resilient, green palm branches as a reminder of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We usually receive them as we enter the church. Last year, I hung mine across the top of a painting in … (read more)

What is faith? It comes at various times in our lives easily, and at other times in a wave of doubt. For me, right now, as our sons are becoming young men, I seem to be finding myself in the … (read more)

Advent: a time of waiting, preparing, expectation. Even in the rush of life, a moment of silence and observation enters the heart that is open to the reason for the season. We know that peace comes from God's peace, that … (read more)

I was reading a novel in which the main characters were always saying, "Let's pray about it." That is a wise thing to do, I thought, but during one part in the book, it struck me as rather odd. The … (read more)

One day recently at our church, we had a guest speaker who represented Gospel for Asia Missions. He showed us a video of a young missionary named Joseph who was trying to tell the people about the Lord. The people … (read more)

Why palms before the Lord? That was one of the first questions I wanted to answer when I started reading about the plants of the Bible. How, I wondered, did all those Passover celebrants coming to Jerusalem from near and … (read more)

Ever since our now three-year-old granddaughter could sit up to the table in her high chair, we'd say this simple, age-old grace: Thank You for the world so sweet. Thank You for the food we eat. Thank You for the … (read more)

During my working years, there was a period when I was really down and out. Troubles seemed to flood in from every side. Although I tried to keep my problems to myself, my feelings have always had a way of … (read more)

Often, I go for a walk at lunchtime, allowing my brain to be refreshed from the melee of students and computers, and giving my eyes a rest from the screen. One day, the streets were dirty and slippery in places, … (read more)

That first Palm Sunday crowd was made up of all kinds of people. We do not know exactly who they were, but if we were able to ask them, "Who is that man riding on a donkey?" different persons would … (read more)

Have you ever had a really productive day, a day when you rose up in the morning, clear-headed and alert? You tackled the chores, and those awkward little jobs you had been putting off, and everything seemed to go smoothly? … (read more)

As many of you know, my brother was recently in the hospital. He had fallen into a coma, and things did not look too good. My brother was born blind, and had retarded growth. He has always suffered from seizures … (read more)

It's true prayer changes things and if we don't pray very little if anything will happen. In addition, if we don't pray we will begin to self-destruct physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, … (read more)

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago. One day I saw a sign that read, "Heaven's Grocery Store". As I got a little closer the door came open wide, And when I came to myself I was … (read more)

I remember vividly my glimpse of her majesty and the famous hand wave, directed, I am certain, right at me. I recall my excitement, especially as her car slowed down and she gazed at the enormous trees on our front … (read more)