Planning is my favourite pastime. I plan for days, weeks, even months, and such planning brings me the onset of expectations to anticipate results. On a good day, I might do more in a day than all week. I call … Read more

We have a multi-cord dryer that hangs over our bath in the bathroom. It has seen better days, and it is now obsolete and fragile. It holds the towels, though, so I am forced to make do and mend it. … Read more

On a Christian programme, Bruce Marchiano, a Christian speaker and a Hollywood actor, stressed the importance of prayer for the entertainment world. "This starry world, which has a strong influence on our children and society, goes unmentioned in our prayers," … Read more

"Grandma, this isn't good," my seven-year-old grandson complained at breakfast during a recent visit. Before I could answer him, or discover why he was complaining, I overheard his older sister say, "Eat it and stop complaining." Then, with a sigh, … Read more

When I began driving the school bus, I did not realize the support that I would receive from the other bus drivers. The two-way radio gives the bus drivers a tool for instant communication with each other. Not only are … Read more

I don't know of anyone who doesn't like receiving gifts. I certainly do. For me, the best kinds of presents are the ones that I'm not expecting, and the ones that I'm not expected to pay back. Let me describe … Read more

When my contract with the church came to an end, and I couldn't see any other job opportunities within the church, I knew that I had to look outside the church for work. This was the first time that I … Read more

The hand-painted sign had been leaning against the tree for months: Clean Fill Wanted! Today, in the tree above it, children lined the branches, perched several to a limb, like so many giant-sized birds. As I looked at the sign … Read more

Recently I forgot where my resting place was. When Sunday came, my husband asked if I was going to church. As I had not been well all week, I felt more like staying in bed. I did get up, and … Read more

Living in British Columbia, Canada, we now have a graduated system for driver licensing. When someone wants to learn to drive a car, they must first pass their written test to get their "L", which is their learner's permit. Their … Read more

Among the words in his song, "Beautiful Boy", John Lennon sings, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." To us hospice volunteers, "life" is what has happened to those with whom we share the journey, … Read more

As a child, I never really went to church. It's not so much that my family didn't believe in God, it's more that we just never found church all that necessary. Because of this, my knowledge of Bible stories was … Read more

My husband was travelling with his sister in Scotland, and it is the norm in that fair country to provide accommodation by the method called "Bed and Breakfast", which is available without making any reservations. My husband and his sister … Read more

Frequently, I have to go out late at night. When I am returning home, as I pass the local doughnut shop, I sometimes succumb to the temptation to stop for a delicious cruller (a sinful indulgence) to munch on, as … Read more

Tonya Butler, place kicker for the University of West Alabama Tigers football team, accomplished a feat one recent weekend. On the opening play of the game, Butler made a twenty-seven yard field goal. She became the first female to convert … Read more

I am not an athlete. I don't play one on television. I do enjoy sports, especially watching football. I have been a real fan of football ever since I was seven years old. We used to gather on Sunday afternoons … Read more

I remember sitting on the grass at football practice at Middle Georgia College, watching the Warriors go through their daily runs and drills. They were preparing for their next game. I watched as the coaches worked with their specific positions. … Read more

Football has been a favourite sport of mine to watch ever since I was a wee thing, at the age of 6, watching the Dallas Cowboys of the 1970s. Sunday afternoons in the fall would be dedicated, after church, of … Read more

Our son spent six years earning a master's degree in architecture from one of the very excellent schools in the USA. It was a real struggle for him, partly because he came from a small high school, and lacked the … Read more

Cressman Lake, named after my mom's brother, the late Charles H. (Herb) Cressman (R.C.A.F.), is located at latitude 59 degrees 59 minutes north and longitude 109 degrees 8 minutes. It is one of many lakes in Saskatchewan, Canada, which are … Read more

Those among us, who have ever put on weight to the point of popping that which keeps our clothes together, know we can do one of three things: a) keep trying to pour ourselves into our clothes hoping they'll stretch … Read more

On a recent trip, the voices, which have been attacking me for so long, were clamouring again for my attention, though I was trying my best to ignore them. Yet, as I journeyed along the now less-travelled but more scenic … Read more

Recently, while on my daily walk, I passed by a new housing development in the rocky terrain of Muskoka. I took the time to observe a workman who was putting the cribbing in place to pour a foundation for a … Read more

As a child, I was tucked into bed for the night, and, some time later, I would wake up, and I would listen. Hearing nothing, I would slip out of bed, and, very softly, I would quietly creep toward the … Read more

My brother and I didn't have the opportunity to go to a cottage very often, so it was a real treat when my parents' friend offered to take my parents and the two of us in his truck to a … Read more

As I have continued to work as a clinical therapist with women who have drug and alcohol problems, some things have been revealed to me through the Holy Spirit's intervention and the truth of God's Word. Not long ago, I … Read more

We were vacationing as a family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, and attended church. It was there that I saw an amazing portrayal of the gift of discernment. When it came time for the offering, my mother and I were … Read more

When browsing the Internet, I discovered that November was designated "Family Stories Month." What stories would I be willing to tell about my family? I know that one of the ones my brother and I shared the last time we … Read more

In mid-October, 2002, I was travelling by bus between Edmonton, Alberta, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where I was to meet my brother, who was picking me up there to travel on to Regina, Saskatchewan. I think we were about halfway between … Read more

Living in Brockville, Ontario, Canada, our city lot is not as large as what we were used to in the country. My wife, however, planted fast-growing trees, shrubs, and a variety of flowers, so that our backyard was transformed into … Read more