As a boy, I worked summers on my aunt and uncle's pig farm. Every week, I pumped out the sewage pit running the length of the pig barn with the "honey wagon". One particular day, I backed up to the … (read more)

The sun is shining brightly. Soft, gentle winds are blowing through the trees. Tulips are popping out in brilliant reds and yellows. I drive down a street near our house where there are dozens of pear trees all adorned in … (read more)

We live in a small city that is growing rapidly. There didn't use to be a rush hour in the morning and afternoon. It was kind of a sleepy little city. As it has grown, though, there are rush hours … (read more)

I hope to reach the terminus of my Bible journey as I read from the book of Genesis towards Revelation. In the past, it has been a familiar task. If I am honest, though, it is perhaps not now as … (read more)

Before my husband retired, he had occasion to attend several meetings at the company's head office in Europe. After the children were grown, I often travelled with him, taking a few days to do some sightseeing either before or after … (read more)

I never owned a bicycle when I was of middle school age. I had demolished one when I was seven years old, so my dad wouldn't buy me a new one. I always envied the freedom that some of my … (read more)

My husband and I spent many fun-filled weekends at a little fishing village in the Florida panhandle on the gentle waters of the gulf. We spent many hours fishing with our poles or rods and reels. We were selective fishermen. … (read more)

My great-aunt Cissie was a prayer warrior. Her family had belonged to a Temperance Society in Scotland called the Rechabites. They were named after the devoted Kenite clan mentioned in Jeremiah, chapter 35. She was born before World War I … (read more)

During the move to our new house, the bathroom scales were broken inside. Now they tell me that I weigh a little over one hundred and fifty pounds. This is so untrue that I cannot swallow their declaration. My body … (read more)

Recently, I took a trip with my daughter and her two little ones. They aren't used to travelling long distances, and so became very restless on the way there. They slept most of the way home. I was sitting beside … (read more)

"Aw! Do I have to? I'm playing a game right now." Unfortunately, when I was a child, all too often this was my response to my parents' call reminding me that it was time for family devotions. These gathering times … (read more)

My dad loved to take photographs in and around the city of Glasgow, where our family grew up in Scotland. Practically every Saturday morning, he would catch a bus to go downtown and walk around the city streets with his … (read more)

Before going to church, I prepared some potatoes for boiling. I thought it might speed the process of lunch on our return, in the event of a delay. Until the day before, these potatoes had been left out — because … (read more)

One day I was peeling an onion. This must have been a very strong onion, because tears were just streaming down my face. Always when I am peeling an onion, I wonder why I am doing so. It is not … (read more)

My husband took our ten-year-old granddaughter, Mary Kathryn, fishing one morning. It was a beautiful summer day. The temperature was in the upper 70s and the humidity was way down — quite a contrast to recent days. The lake at … (read more)

The one sure thing about Paul was that he never minced his words. He was in jail, isolated from the Christian community, and he was facing execution. He knew that his number was up, but it didn't stop him from … (read more)

When my grandson, Cory, was little, he loved to be sung to, so, as many grandmothers do, I sang as I rocked him. By the time he was a two-year-old, he wanted more activity. "Rock-a-bye Baby" was a favourite because, … (read more)

The other day, I walked into a room in our new home and was struck by the delicate scent of my wife's perfume lingering in the atmosphere. It made for a pleasant change from the smell of electric motor and … (read more)

I am a pretty independent person. I have seen this so many times in my life. How I've noticed this recently is in playing the piano at church. Years ago in many churches, the piano was the only instrument. For … (read more)

A recent visit of a friend from Central America provided an opportunity to look at photos of shared experiences. Although each of us remembered things in the same photo differently, we agreed it was like a trip back in time … (read more)

Years before she was married, my mom used to work on a farm which, strangely enough, was in the heart of the parish where I later ministered for nine years. She usually worked alongside the shepherd and learned many of … (read more)

I have always loved the mountains. Precious memories still linger from the two years my family lived near the peak of a mountain many years ago. I have loved the various trips we have taken across our nation when we … (read more)

I love playing the piano. I started taking lessons when I was ten years old. In a few short years, I was playing all over the keyboard. It was so much fun. During this time, I played the old hymns … (read more)

We have moved house this year. This included a trip on the motorway up north in a van to collect some furniture. As we went on our way, I noticed trains of articulated lorries (semi-trailers) nose-to-tail. Business was busy delivering. … (read more)

It's been over a year since our daughter had surgery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, for a serious form of cancer. More surgeries, biopsies, and treatments have followed, but when the anniversary date rolled around, I bowed my head in thanksgiving … (read more)

I can remember riding my first bike in the local park. It was a shiny red Tri-ang bicycle with a Mickey Mouse bell and a fourteen-inch front wheel. It had a wee satchel on the back of it, and when … (read more)

I'm always amazed how God can take a seeming disaster and make it work out for the good, with a much better outcome than could have been imagined. Here's my "lost coin" story with a twist. From the beginning in … (read more)

On Easter Sunday last week, we were all handed a flower at the entrance into the sanctuary. This was to be placed on the plain black cross, left there from Good Friday. One by one, the flowers made the cross … (read more)

The trees were still barren from their winter dormancy. Leaves that had drifted down in the fall were scattered across the lawn. Some had embedded themselves between rocks and logs that encircled flower beds. Then one morning, we looked out … (read more)

It's sad to see Pope John Paul II suffering. He means a lot to his people, and for almost three decades, we have all been blessed with his prayers for peace and his personal visitations in many countries throughout the … (read more)