Year: 2004

When I was a child, I lived in what was known locally as "the forks of the river". In order to go into town, we had to travel a dirt road and cross the river over an iron bridge. … Read more

Four or five years ago, I planted a row of gardenia bushes along the property line in my backyard. When I first planted them, they looked like a few twigs sticking up out of the ground. I didn't have much … Read more

I belong to a church that would rather give to missions than repair our church buildings. In this they are not unique. Recently, though, our buildings have begun to show the need for some attention. So, over the last year, … Read more

I'm looking out my window at my neighbour's fence. It's different than some fences I've seen dividing properties — well, perhaps not all that different in appearance. The logs run from front to back in a long line to mark … Read more

For the last ten days, while people went about their business in our local mall, some 450 people read the Bible into their lives. With the support of the Canadian Bible Society, several churches organized and carried out Proclamation Barrie, … Read more

The other day, I attempted to shorten a screw using a small hacksaw. However, after I had used the hacksaw for about twenty seconds, it seemed that my efforts had ceased to make any meaningful impact. Before the commencement of … Read more

All young children like to play the game of "peek-a-boo". Then as they get older, they graduate to games of "hide and seek". In the latter game, we used to hide our eyes, usually against a large oak or maple … Read more

My friend, Connie, shared how lonely she was when she first moved to a new town, and how she had a special neighbour who cultivated a warm friendship over the first few months after she arrived. Connie went on to … Read more

As a Sunday School teacher and Missions Education Coordinator in my church for many years, I've often thought about today's Scripture, wondering if I have just been teaching the Word rather than applying the Word. There were others who gave … Read more

Yesterday, I decided to take Monet, my dog, down to Mundy Pond for a walk around the pond. He loves his walks. Well, I only had to say, "Walk?" once for him to perk up and jump to his feet, … Read more