October 31st is "Reformation Day", the day when, in 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 statements on the Castle Church doors in Wittenberg, Germany. In preparation for a church service in which this fact was to be mentioned, I studied … (read more)

Years ago, this Scripture was quoted to me by a dear friend and family doctor as being the epitaph on a simple stone marking the grave of the famous American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist, Charles Lindbergh, on … (read more)

Many years ago, I attended a church where the organist was deaf. Throughout the singing of the hymns, she would be actively tickling the keyboard while at the same time vigilantly watching the music conductor, through a mirror, in order … (read more)

I like bread. I like it a lot. Whether it's the bread that I toast in the morning, the sandwich that I eat for lunch, or the roll that I may have with dinner, my conclusion is the same: Bread … (read more)

"Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was heeee …" I can remember singing this song in Sunday School. I loved that song because I was a little girl, and I knew what it felt like … (read more)

"Respect your elders." How many times I heard that growing up! I knew I should, but I didn't always want to. My parents put forth great effort to teach me respect for them, family members, teachers, and other significant adults. … (read more)

I was invited to join a family for a birthday supper. When we were all seated, a little toddler in his highchair stretched out his chubby arm to the centre of the table and stuck his fingers into the frothy … (read more)

Every morning when I take my dog for a walk, I stroll down a street that is lined on both sides with a variety of tall maple trees. Their top branches bend gracefully over from each side to touch one … (read more)

I joined my husband on a run to the dump to dispose of some spring cleaning from the yard. As we were driving into the dump, I said to him, "Remember that day you saw the doctor at the dump?" … (read more)

It was a difficult time for me. I was 62 years old when I had major back surgery, which led me to an early retirement from a forty-year career in nursing. What was I going to do with myself? For … (read more)

When I was a boy, most churches still had two services on Sunday. An hour before the evening service, which was usually of an evangelistic nature, the members of the Open Air Band would gather in one of their designated … (read more)

Over the past several weeks, my husband and I have been watching movies from the "Bible Collection" series. They present wonderful, true-to-life portrayals of many characters from the Old and New Testaments. Moreover, these productions provide a great basis for … (read more)

I needed a black skirt for a concert, so I googled the word "skirt", hoping to find fashion ideas. To my surprise, I got fishing sites and discovered that a skirt is a kind of fishing lure. This is not … (read more)

Years ago, we were giving a large party in our home in Scotland. My wife had put a great deal of effort into preparation, wanting the party to be a big success (which it was). Halfway through the evening, our … (read more)

Have you noticed our human tendency to become more alert to news stories and weather reports about an unfamiliar place after someone close to us visits or moves there? I first noticed greater attention to news like that about ten … (read more)

In yesterday's devotional, I wrote about being disconnected from the Internet and waiting for a new power cord for my modem to be shipped to me. "I am finally back online, since last Thursday!" This was the beginning sentence in … (read more)

The other day, I turned on my computer as usual, and routinely tried to connect to the Internet to check my e-mail. The following message greeted me on the monitor: Server not found. Check the address for typing errors. If … (read more)

Every day, I walk my dog, Sparky, down a long trail with woods on both sides. It's good exercise for both of us. He loves to sniff around and run back and forth while I just sort of plod along, … (read more)

How many of us remember Sunday dinner as it once was? The savour of a roast of beef simmering in the oven, the fresh vegetables, and oh! those mashed potatoes all smothered in homemade gravy. Then for dessert, there was … (read more)

In Old Testament times, the servant who was loved by his master and who loved his master in turn was marked for life. Wherever he appeared, he was known, by the mark of the awl, to be bonded by love … (read more)

There is a small, non-descript fountain at the entrance to our city park. The fountain itself is not very impressive as fountains go. It has just seven streams of water rising to a height of about ten feet, and a … (read more)

Archie was a great preacher, and many of the young people in Glasgow, Scotland, whom I knew in the late 1970s, were drawn to Jesus through his straightforward, no-nonsense style of preaching. He was a heating engineer by trade and … (read more)

I wish that I were the kind of grace channeller that he was. Like most people, I'd rather get it than give it. It's easier. He had big dreams and didn't mind sharing them with his family: dreams of ruling … (read more)

Every fall, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, a day set aside to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives. But do people actually do this, or is it just another day off? For a number of reasons, through time … (read more)

Just a little while ago, springtime — a season of rebirth and awakening — brought new life, leading to the bounty of summer. But summer is over, and another season has followed. Walking hand-in-hand with joy and hope have come … (read more)

We have horses and goats, and horses and goats are good at many things, but one of the things they're best at is making a lot of slippery, stinky mess in the corral. Morning, noon, and night they just like … (read more)

I had put off cleaning out the shed behind the house for the whole summer. Recently, my son and I remedied the situation. In so doing, we found no less than four mouse nests. One mousy, brown rodent, with a … (read more)

Not only do we all love to get gifts, but we also want to be givers of gifts. Gifts come in many forms: cards, flowers, and packages wrapped and unwrapped. Random acts of kindness are also forms of gifts. When … (read more)

Think with me what it's like to ride with someone who knows all the back roads — the "easy" roads, the "secret" way to get places. Yet we also know the truth — they're not really "secret". They're just not … (read more)

An elderly friend of mine, who was once a very vital and successful woman, lived her life as a committed Christian both as a business owner and in her dedication to her beloved church for over fifty years. Her attributes … (read more)

There is hope … There is hope! Years ago, I was misdiagnosed with having Lou Gehrig's disease. At that moment, I saw my life flash before my eyes. My husband threw his arms around me, holding me tight. After a … (read more)