As those of you who now live, have lived, or have travelled in Europe will know, there are many castles and fortresses there, having been built many centuries ago. Some are well maintained and open to the public, while others are in ruins. … Read more

In the midst of mundane happenings and basic, routine, everyday tasks, some days turn out to be extraordinary. So it was when I walked to a nearby store and the only thing occupying my mind was the item that I needed from that particular … Read more

For many years, I have taken a prescription drug for a minor health problem. As long as I follow the instructions on the label, reading and doing what it says, the medication keeps me active and healthy. Likewise as Christians, in … Read more

It is truly amazing how inspiration comes along in order to create a story or, in my case, a devotional. My friend, Ann, called me the other day to share with me the behaviour of a confused bumblebee. She told me that she was watching a … Read more

I recently received a copy of a picture taken by a photographer when I was presented with my Developmental Service Worker diploma. I placed the picture on the mantel of the fireplace until I got a frame. From where I usually sit, I can … Read more

His nickname was "Double T", but I knew him better by what snuggled in his pocket each Sunday morning: a single dollar bill. Double T was a kind man, well-known in the community, well-liked in the area, a faithful church attendee, and a … Read more

Last summer, I read an interesting Bible study based on the book of Jeremiah. The article mentioned a fascinating 1986 archaeological find: four artifacts known as bullae, small lumps of hardened clay that were once used as seals on … Read more

Every year during the months of December and January, the circus used to put on their winter performances in my hometown of Glasgow, Scotland. It was a great treat, and although our family could not afford it every year, we usually went … Read more

How do you ever get them all to behave so well? This is a question which we are frequently asked when others see us travelling with our dogs. Having nine does make for some interesting moments and conversation, that's for sure. The key to … Read more

Have you ever thought of God as our heavenly beekeeper? I never did — until I had a visit with a beekeeper. I'll never forget that day, sitting with the beekeeper in his home and hearing him talk about his bees. He owns a few hundred … Read more

A number of years ago, my wife's mother, in her eighties, was hospitalized for observation for a variety of concerns. While she was there, a retired pastor she was related to, but whom she detested, came to visit her. I heard her say under … Read more

The city of Muscat, in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, was still a very biblical-looking place when I lived and worked there in 1965-1966. On the east side is the Gulf of Oman, and in all other directions is the vast Arabian desert. The … Read more

One Saturday morning, a group of like-minded friends decided to attend a session with a colour analyst to "get our colours done". The most well-known approach to analyzing personal colouring is "seasonal" colour analysis, which places … Read more

Soft music was playing in the background as I was writing in my journal. It had been a while since my last entry. Again, my writing had been put on the back burner, and I found myself wanting to get back into writing and meditation again. … Read more

It all started with a prayer. In the quiet of the night, he prayed, "Lord, please use me in some way to reach out to my new friends and neighbours." Little did he know that God had already begun to answer his prayer one and a half months … Read more

As I was walking along the trail with my dog, I was deep in thought. For a long time, I had been praying about speaking to a close friend of mine about the need to accept Jesus in her life. I knew that it would be tricky because she was … Read more

On a sunny spring afternoon a few years ago, I took a drive around my new neighbourhood, on roads unfamiliar to a newcomer. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my outing in the farm country where more fields opened to the view, with farm houses a … Read more

I had often read and been told that as we get older, we need less sleep. I did not find this to be true. What I did discover is that though I was sleeping less, I was no less tired. And when I am tired, I struggle with feeling cross, … Read more

Waiting can be exhausting! I've been doing what feels like an endless amount of waiting. Maybe you have as well. My waiting has been due to a time of extended recovery as a result of a near-fatal motorcycle accident two and half years … Read more

A part of me was like any other normal teenager — I wanted to fit in. Clothing brand was important. Levis. Children with parents who cared at all about their child's reputation made sure that they wore them. Cut back on the groceries and … Read more

My husband works for himself doing renovations. He loves his work as it gives him great pleasure to see the happy faces of the people whose homes he works in. He also has an amazing ability to speak Jesus into their lives. Sometimes, it is … Read more

One of my favourite pastimes is playing a game of cards called euchre. My husband and I try to play every week with two other ladies. There are times when we lose, and then there are times when we win. One night recently, I lost a few … Read more

Our garden is not nearly as big as it used to be. We used to grow all our vegetables, as well as a variety of different fruits and foodstuffs. I was never a fanatic gardener, but I did look after it, and we enjoyed the fruits of our … Read more

Occasionally, my daughter volunteers her time at a particular nursing home in our area. She enjoys interacting with some of the residents and getting to know a little about their lives. One man likes putting together large jigsaw puzzles … Read more

The summer season always produces the most delicious varieties of fruit. There are so many kinds that I often find it hard to make a choice as I walk up and down the aisles filled with their enticing scents and vibrant colours. I simply … Read more

How often do we experience this "abiding" that Jesus referred to in today's Scripture? Surely at some time, we would have felt that we and the Lord God were in close fellowship — a wonderful, sacred moment. We believe that the Lord set … Read more

I have a Shi-Tzu dog named Daisy Mae who is also a therapy dog for St. John's Ambulance. We go into the local nursing home every Thursday and visit with the residents there. She just loves to bring joy to these older folks. They also seem … Read more

I am now the proud owner of a rocket stove: a high-efficiency, wood-burning, outdoor cooking stove designed to be used for camping or emergencies. I never really wanted a rocket stove. In fact, I had never even heard of one. The day … Read more

When my career in education (now in its fifty-first year) began to move towards administration, I enrolled in a course called "In the Vice-Principal's Chair". It was an event on Thursday evening and all day Friday. On Thursday evening, … Read more

It was a dreary, windy, and cloudy day as some of us went for a long walk to "Gerry's Point". Gerry was one of the friends with whom we had gone camping on Manitoulin Island and who had passed away. One day a few years before, as he went … Read more

In the early fall, one thing that I always notice as I'm delivering the community newspaper on my route is the abundance of spider webs. It seems that the tiny creatures sense the onset of winter and prepare by working assiduously to … Read more