When we first moved into our last house, I noticed that the hedge down the side of the front lawn looked like it was on its last legs. I remembered someone telling me that cutting back a bush can rejuvenate … Read more

Two ideas found at different times while reading have helped me to understand and use the peace that Christ Jesus left for me as an inheritance. I read the account of a Bible translator who came to a roadblock in … Read more

A career change for my husband took us to another city where we quickly found a church of our choice. Here, my husband found a great admirer, a very elderly man with the mind of a little child. His vocabulary … Read more

One day recently, I drank too much caffeine, so I ended up being wide awake in the wee small hours of the morning. You would think that I would know better by now, but I like my tea and my … Read more

During a trip to the outer banks of North Carolina, I had an opportunity to visit the Wright Brothers National Museum. It was interesting to see the actual spot where the brothers launched the very first successful flying machine in … Read more

Hang gliding behind a power boat is an exciting, relatively new sport whereby a powerboat tows a twenty-foot kite with two people harnessed into it and pulls them to dizzying heights. A few years ago, I tried this sport over … Read more

I have always had a problem. Long before the skinny-girl look was popular, there was me. I just don't seem to have a waist or hips; I'm just sort of all up and down in a straight line. Though this … Read more

Recently, a beagle wandered into our neighbourhood behaving like a lost dog. Doubtless, in his doggy mind, he was having an adventure. Trailing a chewed-off leash behind him, he was having the time of his doggy life. He saw absolutely … Read more

Many years ago, I heard a preacher present a riveting sermon on the sufferings of Jesus Christ, beginning with His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, through His trial, scourging, and ultimate suffering and death on the cross by crucifixion. … Read more

Periodically, I receive lovely postcards from a cousin and his wife who enjoy nature walks in one country or another in Europe. A card in colour opens a view of mountains and valleys, or a bird in its habitat. The … Read more

I love science fiction. I enjoy reading someone's sometimes-unbelievable concept of a futuristic society. I remember watching episodes of "Star Trek" and "Lost in Space" in the late 1960s and 1970s. Captain James T. Kirk, the commander of the Starship … Read more

We have two really large poplar trees in our backyard. Apparently, they are twenty-five years old. They are not particularly attractive trees, as they are constantly pruning themselves — shedding boughs, twigs, and leaves with the slightest breeze. Messy trees, … Read more

In the last year and a half, I have had a more difficult time dealing with my anger. They say — and I'm still trying to figure out who "they" are — that it's probably due to changes in my … Read more

When the prophet Isaiah spoke of a people walking in darkness, in Isaiah 9:2, he was speaking of the spiritual and moral condition of human hearts. In Scripture, "the heart" refers the centre and source of the whole inner life, … Read more

Twice each day, my dog Gabby will come to me with bated breath, wanting her walk around the community. However because of her breed, (part Australian Shepherd and part Beagle), she requires a harness. This is because cattle dogs are … Read more

Have you met parents who don't believe in corporal punishment? I wasn't fortunate enough to be born to parents with that philosophy of child rearing. I still remember the framed set of rules hanging in my room as a nine-year-old … Read more

As I walked along the lakefront very early on one particular morning, I noticed that a crew was very busy. People were watering the large gardens of flowers. Another person had a tractor, and he was raking the beach sand. … Read more

There's an old folk song called "The Wayfaring Stranger". Most people assume it's an Appalachian song, a Melungeon ballad, or an old African-American spiritual. There's even some speculation that it was first sung in Britain and brought over to North … Read more

My late husband was a chaplain attached to the local Royal Canadian Legion, and when one of the members was near death, his two nephews approached my husband to conduct their uncle's funeral service. My husband readily agreed, although he … Read more

Several months from now will mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. A new book entitled, "The Band That Played On", caught my attention of the Titanic's tragic story once again — this time out of … Read more

As I gazed out the window of the aircraft, I could see the snow-covered landscape below. Mountains robed in splendour stretched for miles on end. Suddenly, though, I realized that I was seeing not one but two scenes. The snowy … Read more

I love living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, but I think that my heart will always be in Muskoka, Ontario, where my grandfather's cottage, nicknamed "Birch Haven" has stood since 1933. For as long as I can remember, as soon … Read more

This year, watching the antics of the birds at the feeders in my yard has enthralled me. Birds swooped down to a branch, then hopped onto the feeder to peck away at succulent seeds. As the little birds darted to … Read more

This morning, I awoke with a song ringing through my head, and it is still ringing in my ears. It is speaking to me with force, as in a few weeks, my friend and I will actually be walking where … Read more

Medical appointments have been regular happenings for me, and every effort has been made to check my condition. Appropriate tests with interesting names have been taken to bring balance to the system of my bodily functions. Medications might be changed … Read more

My grandmother passed away in September 2008. She was 95 years old and had an incredible life. She lived through both World Wars I and II, she had seven children, and when the youngest two were still at home, she … Read more

We had chickadees nesting at the side of our home, making use of a nesting box in a small stand of evergreens, protected from attack and the elements. It was delightful to hear and watch their comings and goings during … Read more

"Everything was meaningless!" These cynical words in Ecclesiastes erupted from an aging man as he reflected on the tragic mistakes he had made earlier in life. He had determined to find meaning somewhere "under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:3) — somewhere … Read more

I know that you are just as busy as I am. Do you ever not get to your prayer time or your time to be with the Lord daily? Although I know that if I start my day with my … Read more

I was extremely anxious. I had a family to support, but felt God's call into ministry. It was an appeal I had run from for some time. I finally gave in, knowing that it would mean uprooting my family and … Read more