My grandfather was a florist and a gardener. As a child, I spent many hours with him in his garden, which was in our backyard. I recall fondly how he would talk about being in partnership with God. He said … Read more

The beautiful little old church, where we hold our weekly Contemplative Prayer meetings, has quite an intricate configuration of halls and stairs to get from the sanctuary to the washrooms. Awhile back, I found out that the doors along that … Read more

Some time ago I sent out a prayer request on this devotional page. What I was really doing, I realized later, was sending out a cry for help. My wife and I were very discouraged, and we needed encouragement and … Read more

Sometimes my mind comes to a screeching halt, and I spend time thinking about a word or two. It never fails that God shows me volumes just through a word. For instance, I believe God reveals Himself and His love … Read more

Kindness takes only a moment. Often, kindness does not involve work, or money, or even a huge commitment to bettering the world. So why do we not engage in this simple act of beauty more often? I don't know. Kindness … Read more

We have a six-month-old puppy, named Sandi, who is just learning to heel and stay close to me as I walk along. Unfortunately, there are many distractions along the path, like "p-mail", you know, what other dogs leave as their … Read more

I have long known that eagles are held in reverence by many who consider that it is a blessing or a sign of "good luck" if they see an eagle at important moments in their life. Indeed, a very beautiful … Read more

College basketball is really big in the United States, and, in September 2000, the college basketball world was shaken when Bobby Knight, the long-time head coach of Indiana University was fired. To some, his firing was unconscionable, but to others, … Read more

My dachshund, Toby, is very clever. Sometimes, however, he does not want to listen to me, or he forgets to do what I ask him. One day, Toby went to work with me at the church. In my office, he … Read more

This past summer, while we were on holidays, my children challenged me to climb up a forty-foot climbing wall. Wall climbing is not normally an activity that I would choose, but I did not want to disappoint my children, so … Read more

Last fall, my parents went to a cranberry festival in the Muskoka district of central Ontario, Canada. Along with all the cranberry-related activities, they could purchase "fresh-from-the-farm" berries. They bought some for the whole family, and, since then, I have … Read more

A little nine-year-old, whom I shall call "Michelle", has been having a hard time since the tragedy of September 11th, 2001. Her dad's job takes him away from home most weeks, and he must travel by air. Although the family … Read more

I ruptured my right Achilles tendon playing in a game for the church softball team. After surgery to repair it, a blood clot formed in my leg while it was healing. As a result, my leg swells when it isn't … Read more

Back in the late 1980s, a friend had a pair of eyeglasses, which turned a rose colour when she went out into the sun. This, in turn, made everything she looked at the same colour. I tried on those "rose-coloured … Read more

Golf may well be, as Mark Twain described it, "a pleasant walk, spoiled". The last time I played, I was so pleased with myself, as my shot from the tee, on the ninth hole at Quail Meadows, appeared to land … Read more

Not too long after the terrorist attack at the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, I decided that it was time to return to my home church. It had been a long time since I had sat in a … Read more

I had finally resolved to pull out all the faded flowers, trim back the roses, and generally prepare the flowerbeds for the winter that lay ahead. It was a cold day, and my feet were freezing. I quietly chastised myself … Read more

My friend Henry was an old saint with a special touch for babes in Christ. One particular day stands out in my mind, when Henry, our pastor, and I were having a chat in the church foyer. Pastor asked Henry … Read more

As we study Jesus' words in the Parable of the Sower, and reflect on their meaning, we usually focus on our particular fertility. We recognize when we are like the path or rocky ground, or when we are choked out … Read more

In a recent English class, where we were learning reading and writing skills, we were exploring the meaning behind different words. Our instructor listed a variety of words, and we were asked to choose one word and come up with … Read more

On the week before Labour Day my wife and I took a short vacation to southern British Columbia. We spent several days in the Okanagan Valley, where the fruit was ripening on the trees, and we were able to pick … Read more

I met her quite by chance, or maybe not. I'm walking down Church Street in a blistering noontime heat in Georgetown, Guyana. Passing a vendor's stall that appears quite empty, I suddenly hear a faint voice, but I can't tell … Read more

Six years ago, we moved into a new manse. Along the west side of the house is a row of fir trees that have grown quite tall and need to be topped. We decided that we would top one tree … Read more

I believe that a chainsaw can be useful in the right hands. The other day I was up in a tree at my parents' house cutting down a branch with my dad's chainsaw. It was a bit scary because I … Read more

In the course of my work, I regularly come across little snippets about life in years gone by which are totally useless, except perhaps as bits of party trivia. However, I recently discovered something that I found quite interesting. Apparently … Read more

While clearing out my father-in-law's home following his death, we came upon a set of six old tire chains — four for the tires plus two spares, for sometimes something might snap and an extra one would be needed. They … Read more

In light of recent events, I have wanted to think about where I am before God, and what He expects of me. So I went down the imaginary stairs of my consciousness, to the inner store-cupboard of my being. I … Read more

While on holiday last summer, we visited Yellowstone National Park in the United States. This is an amazing area, filled with hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and various other forms of natural phenomena. We spent two-and-a-half days there, exploring as … Read more

I was trying to cram my possessions into the one suitcase that my husband was certain would hold everything I needed while I was on vacation. It was then that I thought of another journey, the journey of life. Some … Read more

Yet another year has flown by. It seems each passing year goes more quickly than the year before! And so now, we are faced with the beginning of another brand new year with: – new opportunities – new challenges – … Read more

These two Scripture verses hold great truths for each of us as we enter a new year. Each New Year's Day, people around the world resolve to change certain aspects of their lives, like getting back in shape, giving up … Read more