Years ago, I went to a conference in Los Angeles, California. One of the keynote speakers was known nationally as being a pastor to pastors in crisis. He spent over twenty years leading churches, so he experienced first-hand the trials … Read more

One morning recently, I drove by the ambulance service and the fire department on my way into town. Later, at eleven o'clock, I came back down the same street. Both buildings were gone. Behind where they had stood was a … Read more

An anonymous prayer circulating on the Internet goes something like this: "Dear Lord, so far today, I'm doing all right. I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy or nasty, selfish or self-indulgent. I have not whined, complained, cursed, … Read more

I dropped my son off at church so that he could do the PowerPoint for the Sunday services. The worship team was already there, getting ready for the morning services. As they were doing the sound checks and microphone checks, … Read more

Each of us has a personal wish list. Whether the list is filled with things that bug us, or just things we wish we had or didn't have, I believe each of us has such a list. Wishing is much … Read more

When the Monarch butterfly landed on my knee, I let myself pretend that it was the one that I had met the year before. It was charming to think that it had made the very long journey from Mexico, just … Read more

As I was cleaning out a pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern, I realized how much we are like these pumpkins. I had looked over the whole bin of pumpkins, and chose the one that I wanted — the one that … Read more

"Eerie" is how I'd describe my reaction to seeing Stonehenge. Walking around its perimeter in the rain last June was surreal. So many questions came to mind. How did the ancients move these huge stones? How did they raise them … Read more

For many years after peace was declared following World War II, a massive army of men, women, and teenagers in Britain invaded school buildings on weeknights, between the hours of 7:00 and 9:00 p.m., to attend classes defined as Evening … Read more

Our son skidded by the group of relatives gathered over coffee at the family reunion. His older cousin, in hot pursuit, traced his footsteps through the crowd. We scattered for the second time, in every direction. Mothers admonished. Fathers threatened. … Read more

"Miss Fannie always thought I was special," said Jane, as we reminisced about our childhood experiences. "It didn't matter whether others thought so or not. That she thought I was special made a big difference in my life." Jane also … Read more

I remember clearly that I was standing in the bathroom, of all places, and to my thinking, it appeared that my whole world had come crashing down about me. The most valued relationship in my past life and in the … Read more

Sorting through the messages in my inbox, I discovered an e-mail regarding the fifty-year reunion of my high school graduating class. Attached was a list of my former classmates who had registered to attend. I struggled as I read those … Read more

The day came when we decided to replace a window in our home. We had someone come in and give us a price on an aluminium-clad window and framing. (No more painting!) The deal was struck, and we were told … Read more

We were on our way to Calgary, my parents and I. My father was driving my car, and I was sitting beside him, enjoying the very pleasant scenes of Alberta, when my mother, seated in the back, suddenly exclaimed in … Read more

Several weeks ago, my friend, Wendy, a divorced mom with three kids, told me that her microwave had died. She was really sad about this turn of events and wondered how she could possibly afford another one. A week or … Read more

It was a rainy day and the air was rather fresh, when I thought about today's Scripture. I had been talking with several friends who were suffering, in particular, from cancer or from the loss of a loved one by … Read more

For forty-one years of our married life, my husband had worked for a company which had provided us with a good income, good insurance, and, we thought, a good retirement plan. It was a tremendous shock to us the day … Read more

As I did not inherit a green thumb from my parents or have any particular interest in gardening, it did not occur to me that there was a "growing season" for flowers and plants. We were living in Goose Bay, … Read more

In the 1970s, I had a wonderful relationship with George — my 1969 Dodge Dart, a two-door hardtop with a slant six engine. George always started easily and never stalled, yet he wasn't the perfect car. He wasn't dressed with … Read more

Often, I have heard of products for cleaning. It seems that there is nothing that can't be cleaned, so long as one has the right product. Some of these products are known by initials, like CLR, TSP, or WD40. This … Read more

As a small present for Caroline, my wife, I bought some green bamboo stalks. They sit huddled together in a large ceramic pot. It seems they have previously been trained around a pole to have a spiral stalk. One of … Read more

Isn't it just like God to have a plan beyond what we can ever dream is possible? Last Thanksgiving, when most people were with their families, my husband and I decided to go out to lunch after church. Unbeknownst to … Read more

It was Thanksgiving, and our family was travelling to my parents' home, where we were to celebrate with the rest of my family. The trunk was filled with pies and a salad — my contribution to the dinner. About halfway … Read more

I am told that when my older sister started school, she would sit down and teach me the alphabet, how to print, and how to sound the letters. She also taught me the notes on the piano when she started … Read more

The loud pop startled me. I thought a stone had bounced off my windshield. But no. Instead, my rear window had splintered into a million pieces. Thankfully, none of the bits had fallen out of place and hurt someone. The … Read more

I called a medical clinic recently, hoping to refill a prescription for headache medication. The line to the physician's office was busy. I was asked to hold, and was left to listen to loud music while I waited. It was … Read more

Several years ago, I was reminded ever so clearly how God passionately wants us to hear His voice. We had a chapter of a large Christian women's organization in our town. Every month, this organization would have a dinner meeting, … Read more

One recent weekend, a cold front stalled over our portion of east Tennessee, causing rain to fall in amounts not seen in several years. My part of Knoxville received somewhere between five and six inches of rain; other parts to … Read more

Caroline and I have been having tough times recently with things going on in and around our lives. I suspect our problems have a supernatural origin, because of our determination to be vessels of the kingdom. Caroline's birthday was one … Read more

One morning recently, I put on the radio to see if the world was still on its axis — though I knew it had to be, as I was still in place. I listened to a commentary about a Christian … Read more