One day just before Halloween a young girl and her mentally challenged brother went to the market for their mother. While there, the lad wandered over to the bright orange candy display. Promptly, he began to pull bag after pretty … Read more

At last I've worked my way through all 454 pages of the manuscript and the copy-editing stage is finished. I admit that I did sneak more than one look at the title page to see how it looks with my … Read more

"I told him to stop! It made no difference. He said it was my fault. I must have done something…" The pain was so real you felt you could reach out and touch the jagged edges of the wound. Then … Read more

Picture a boring class in Seminary. Look around and notice that about half the class is sleeping with eyes somehow glued open. Picture a tall, somber professor decked out in Geneva black, labouring over the pros and cons of the … Read more

The summary of the law in Deuteronomy chapter six, which Jesus quoted, is the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with everything you've got. And like the first of the ten, that commandment really begins with an affirmation of … Read more

In many Jewish homes today you will see a little plaque, about thumb size, at the front door. The plaque bears tiny Hebrew letters, which stand for the ten commandments. The residents of the home reach up and touch the … Read more

People often describe the ten commandments as a foundation. They talk about teaching them to children, "so they'll have something to build on." The Ten Commandments are much more than a foundation. They're a whole house to live in. As … Read more

In Hebrew, the first commandment begins with, "I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of slavery." Those words aren't just an introduction to more important things. The ten words of love start with words of relationship. Words … Read more

There's a story that there were originally 600 commandments. When Moses presented God's law to the people, they cried out, "This is too much, Moses! Can't you get God to lighten up a little?" Moses trudged back up the mountain. … Read more

O.K. Why is the Dead Sea called the Dead Sea? Right. It's dead. Nothing lives in it. Now, why doesn't anything live in it? Well, it's so salty everything dies. But why is it so salty? I'm told it is … Read more

When choosing new eyeglass frames I'm always amazed at how many frames look like they will be a perfect match for my face and turn out to be terrible! Then, just when I am beginning to despair, I find that … Read more

We see God in nature and in people. In the sunrise and in a friendly smile. To see God we need to make a choice and have a correct attitude. We choose to see God daily when we follow a … Read more

It happens all the time, especially in that discount department store. "Have a Good Day", they say with eyes already on the next customer, your face and your needs already forgotten. "Right, I'll have a nice day." And we go … Read more

The weeping elm tree was felled. It had once been a beautiful tree with long branches and a leafy canopy that stretched right to the ground. Now it was condemned to be burned to stop the spread of dutch elm … Read more

A wonderful parishioner of mine was telling the tales of the dirty thirties… again – tales I know by heart but love to hear again for what they express of life in another age. And these tales always have a … Read more

One of the greatest gifts given us by God, after the Gift of His Son, is the natural order of His creation. Our world is beautiful and awesome. The existence of "natural laws" (which are God's and we only imperfectly … Read more

One night my mother came to tuck me in. For most this constitutes a casual occurence in childhood. But it stands out as a momentous moment for me. My mother had Multiple Sclerosis and the effort to get up the … Read more

I have a vivid memory of one particular day when I was ministering in Trenton, Ontario. The doorbell rang, and it was Lottie Jones Florist with a big bouquet from a member of the congregation. As if in answer to … Read more

Life with the Peanuts characters is not always a put down. Lucy and Linus are home alone and Lucy is looking out the widow, musing that life is a drag. "I'm completely fed up. I've never felt so low in … Read more

When my nephew underwent major heart surgery at the age of one I found myself wishing that God had made life like a VCR so I could fastforward through the day and see if he survived. If all was well … Read more

"…make my joy complete:" Where did Jesus find true happiness in this life? His disciples saw it in his service and self-sacrifice and so the bible says to us today: "Have this mind in you that was in Christ Jesus" … Read more

Happiness is relational. Jesus takes time in the beatitudes to remind us that the truly happy life, the truly blessed life comes when we find our spirit connection – find it within ourselves find it in relation to the creation … Read more

Dr. Karl Menninger once observed, "Attitudes are more important than facts." And when you are seeking happiness in life this is doubly true. How you perceive life will determine life. How others perceive you will reinforce your happiness or your … Read more

There was a tranquilizer on the market a couple of decades ago that people use to call the "happy pill". Take one of these and forget all your worries and all your cares and simply be happy. The trouble with … Read more

When the waves of grief swell and break upon us like ocean breakers, soaking us with pain, then in that moment, have we felt abandoned and alone? With the Psalmist do we cry, "Do not forsake me, O my God, … Read more

Early in my ministry I was told by an hundred and three year old lady of what it was like, when Custer led his troops into a village populated by women, children and the elderly, to watch as the troops … Read more

We don't know the story of blind old beggarman Bartimaeus because he was healed. Any number of nameless people were healed. No, we know his story because of these few words recorded in scripture: "he followed him on the way." … Read more

A few years ago, I was asked to do an article based on the section in Living Faith on "Mission: The Church Reaches Out", for the Presbyterian Record. The whole series was to be a learning experience for the Church … Read more

A friend has died of cancer and his wife talks of taking her life. A young girl has been sexually molested. Should I forgive her molester? My enemies are in my mind. The enemy is feelings of despair and thoughts … Read more

My mother used to catch hold of me before I went out on a date, or to a party, or before I went off to start something new. "Michael, now you remember who you are." I think you know what … Read more

She walked out on the stage before 40 children, proudly carrying a small child's chair. After twirling in circles she placed the chair centre stage and with great bravissimo announced "I have faith that this chair will hold me." Then, … Read more