Years ago, I used to watch a show called "My world and welcome to it", starring William Windom, one of my favourite American actors. Windom played a cartoonist called John Monroe, and the storylines of each show were crafted around … Read more

Recently, my husband and I travelled to Washington, D.C., U.S.A., to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Although I have seen documentaries about the horrific events which took place in Nazi Germany over sixty years ago, they cannot compare to seeing … Read more

I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder — SAD. I am a different person on a sunny day than I am on a dull dreary day. I never cease to be amazed at how I can change so quickly on a … Read more

As I lay awake savouring the quiet cloak of darkness, listening to the beauty of silence, my eye was drawn to the luminous numbers of my alarm clock. I had set it earlier knowing that in order to arise and … Read more

Two years after we were married, my husband took a second job as a social worker. His main duty was to supervise teens and plan activities at a teen centre. Despite well-meaning programs, the teens still got into trouble. Sometimes, … Read more

Periodically, believers are challenged by some sceptic who claims that the Christian hope of life eternal is just "pie in the sky by and by". Today's Scripture does talk about "the hope of glory", and people might think that such … Read more

The human body is made for the eyes, and the eyes are made for the body. One without the other would not function fully. My old body is feeling its age. The ribs and hips and joints are having an … Read more

Ants scurry along their pathways, busy working, collecting, and storing. They're so tiny as to be insignificant to us, and yet beyond the frantic busyness that we human beings see, we tend to overlook that their one main purpose in … Read more

Fireflies showed up around here in mid-June. A friend from Texas calls them lightning bugs. The insects possess light-emitting organs. The nocturnal winged adult beetles emit a soft intermittent light from the abdomen to aid in mate selection. The larval … Read more

"We're emancipated; we're liberated; we're in control, don't worry." These confident utterances are arising from young adolescent girls trying to console worried adults, according to a Maclean's magazine article, "Outraged Moms, Trashy Daughters" (August 16, 2010). The article expresses a … Read more

Shortcuts are not always the best course. My brother, children, and I were day hiking in Panthertown Valley near Brevard, North Carolina. The map of the area, while perhaps legible to an experienced map reader, left a lot to be … Read more

My almost-two-year-old great-nephew, Levi, is a curious tot. Knowing that, it was only natural for him to reach for a slice of the lemons that the waitress had put on the table. Immediately, several adult hands reached out to stop … Read more

"Don't be judgmental!" "Only God can judge!" "You Christians are always judging others." If I had a dollar for every time that I've heard or read that somewhere, then I'd be a rich person today. People want to live their … Read more

For most of my life, I have found the subject of languages a fascinating field of study. So, as a hobby, I try to learn a few new words in various languages. I also recently joined an online stenography class … Read more

I am part of a group of men at my church studying the entertaining yet profound fictional Christian classic, The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis. These "letters" are those of a senior devil, Screwtape, instructing a junior demon, Wormwood, … Read more

Last fall, I failed to see a tool left on the ground by a workman. Why had I missed seeing that tool? Some time before, I had noticed straight lines becoming wavy. Before long, when I looked at a person, … Read more

I spend my physical time in two different worlds: home and work; and my friends and neighbours know at a whiff which world I have just come from. Why? Because when I am working at home out in the barn … Read more

I often hear from Christians that they are satisfied to be just a silent witness. But is that enough? Let's listen in on a court case involving the questioning of a witness. Clerk: Mr. Jones, please take the Bible in … Read more

I enjoy housework, a clean house, and orderly cupboards. Then I know where things are. Long ago someone needed my help when moving into a smaller apartment. I bagged fifteen large garbage bags full of trash before even starting the … Read more

It was a beautiful morning. Indeed, it was the first warm and sunny day of the year — March 18, 2003, unlike the March we had this year. It was also my day off, so after dropping my son and … Read more

I began my day, as I always do, reading my Bible, praying for family and friends, enjoying the view from my sunroom, and watching the birds at the feeders. All of a sudden, my eye caught a bright flash of … Read more

"I cherish the sacred place of solitude … an abyss opening up in the center of my soul." – Peter Feldmeier Have you ever found yourself utterly alone — perhaps through rejection or exclusion, or simply through exhaustion from doing … Read more

"Random" is a trend term. Middle school-age students use it for a level of cool. Random is out of our control — we're unable to manage, manipulate, or direct it. Random is unrelated to the thought process of a conversation. … Read more

Yeast rolls are a sumptuous delight when served piping hot. In fact, when served at a restaurant, I could make my meal on them and would almost choose them instead of a high-quality steak. There is just something about the … Read more

We have a Fellowship Team at our church, which has sometimes jovially been called "the Ministry of Parties" because of all the social events that the team organizes. To some people, it may appear that way, but I know the … Read more

Several months ago, I developed a state of extreme fatigue. No matter how many naps I took, I was always tired. It turned out that I had pneumonia. This fact was a blessing in disguise, since it led to the … Read more

According to Wikipedia, the expression "normalcy bias" refers to a mental state in which people underestimate or ignore the obvious signs of a coming crisis simply because it has never happened before. This reasoning can be applied to the attitudes … Read more

In the winter, the cold and snow cause the attendance at our small church to dwindle to a handful, but in the summer, when the "snowbirds" return, so does our attendance. Nevertheless, our Congregational Life Committee has been searching for … Read more

Not too long ago, I wrote about my husband having a mini-stroke during surgery on his carotid artery. I was overwhelmed at the e-mail responses I received. To see such tremendous support from writers and readers alike brought a thankful … Read more

Every eye in the congregation was transfixed by the light. The altar's peace candle had melted down, igniting the puddle of wax at its base, instantaneously transforming the flickering flame into a leaping, dancing passion. How timely, I mused, as … Read more

My old car is acting its age. I never know if it will start. The trips to the licensed mechanic have been helpful. I find my own old life is also in need of continued service — in God's Word. … Read more