Shortly after we moved to Meaford, Ontario, Canada, in 1948, I was just a young lad. I saw that there was a jewellery store called Huss Jewellery. For some reason, I went in to see the man about, I believe, the repair of a watch which … Read more

When I retired, I made a list of all the things which I could do that would make me still feel useful. Looking back, I have accomplished many of them. The studies that I have been leading and the devotionals that I have been writing are … Read more

It was one of those games. Three-letter words, one after another. My Scrabble tiles were invariably either all vowels or all consonants. What a task trying to discover words that could link with other words already on the board! I was … Read more

During my quiet time with the Lord on the morning of Wednesday, October 22nd, at precisely 10 a.m. (noticing the time because I had to go to an appointment later), the Holy Spirit spoke to me through this Scripture: He urges us to pray … Read more

Have you ever taken the time to watch the clouds roll by as you are lying on your back on the soft green grass or sitting in a comfortable chair? I have. The free encyclopedia, Wikipedia, says that a cloud is a visible mass of liquid … Read more

It was one of those Sunday mornings to wake up sleepy, tinged with disinclination and reluctance to get out of bed. My sleepy head was offering me one excuse after another that it did not matter if I slept in and missed going to church. … Read more

"Aw, shucks, I can't have that cake" doesn't work nearly as well as "I don't want that right now." "I can't" sets us up to feel deprived, while "I don't" makes us feel like we have a choice, which we do, as in all temptations. You see, … Read more

As the fall draws along, road construction is also in high gear to get roads completed before the winter season. For the past few weeks, on the road that I travel twice a day when I'm working, the paving company has been busy putting down … Read more

When I was growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, my dad frequently used to take me and my siblings to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in the heart of the city. It was always a fascinating place to visit, and because my dad was a great city … Read more

Recently, my husband and I received news from a friend that her twenty-year-old grandson, Caleb Ryan Ballentine, had passed away. Caleb was born with a disease known as Duchene's Muscular Dystrophy, yet he lived much longer than the … Read more

I have taken up a new hobby: stained glass mosaics. Mosaics are pictures or patterns made up from small bits of stone or glass. The nice thing about this hobby is that it requires only leftover pieces of glass, which makes it quite … Read more

When I started writing devotionals again last December, I went through emotional agony at the thought of my dysfunctional life hanging out there naked in cyberworld for all to see. I had felt led by God to write these devotionals. When I … Read more

Horsepasture River is an eighteen-mile wild and scenic river that begins in Jackson County, North Carolina, meanders through the Jocassee Gorges, and ends by dumping into Lake Jocassee. The river features several predominant waterfalls in … Read more

For over five years, I hosted a radio program called The Gospel Train. The joy of the Lord was in my heart as I read Scripture and played classic gospel recordings. One of my favourites was from Grammy Award artist, Andraé Crouch, who … Read more

At least thirty years ago, a group of seven of us were finishing a two-year course in becoming Bible teachers. Our assignment that week seemed overly simple: Pick out a chapter or a portion of one, and prepare to read it aloud at the next … Read more

Hubby used to say that I was the queen of tape because I seal every parcel as tightly as possible. The other day, after the clerk weighed my items, I found a couple of areas uncovered. I bought tape and added more to the item. Finally, I … Read more

How often we have prayed for something good, like the salvation of a loved one, firmly believing that our prayers would be answered. Have we not been told that "nothing is impossible for God"? (Luke 1:37 CEV) And yet, like Peter, we, … Read more

As a person of diminutive stature, I have found that I don't tend to overlook things, I underlook them, for I am not looking high enough. At home, I have to remind myself to fetch the stool and check the tops of things like the fridge and … Read more

On occasion, the subject comes up in our family that we were forced to go to church when we were young, and it is, at times, vehemently discussed, some in favour, some against. Some church-going parents allow their children, after they … Read more

Internet habits have stirred many to think about our quality of connectedness. We see that we superficially surf, not only websites, but also people's lives. We don't get to know each other well. Such shallowness has become the norm. Many … Read more

I often take the bus to the other side of the city, and during the hour that it takes to get there and back, I notice some reconstruction taking place. On the roads and streets, there are excavators digging up water mains, machines … Read more

A few years ago, I wrote a devotional entitled " Tiny Running Feet ". The story revolved around a little boy running towards the front of the church with outstretched arms in order to help carry a huge cross to its final destination: a … Read more

When I think like a worm, I'll live like a worm. Metamorphosis is an amazing process whereby a worm is transformed into a beautiful butterfly. Worms don't impress me. They crawl around, they're often slimy to the touch, and they can't … Read more

Life runs along mostly predictably for many of us. Yes, we have things tucked into the far corners of our minds about health and retirement and so on. But when a family has a medical crisis, these thoughts instantly find their way back … Read more

We just bought two baby goats, but before we did so, we inspected the corral very carefully for any loops or holes which a curious little escape artist like a baby goat could take advantage of, as goats are famous for finding a way — any … Read more

Our farmhouse basement had a dirt floor and stone walls. I never thought of it as a cosy spot, and I spent as little time there as possible. It was great for cold storage of vegetables, canned fruit, and homemade pickles, but, trust me, I … Read more

I was out on my back deck enjoying the cool air that followed the heavy rain that had just fallen. It was such a welcome break from the humidity that we had been experiencing. As I stood there, I noticed a tiny spider crawling into the … Read more

It was in the late 1940s. My father was the pastor of a small Armenian Brethren congregation in Detroit, Michigan, USA. As my father arose from his chair to start his sermon by the reading of Scripture, he opened his Bible and in Armenian … Read more

One of the first pictures that I ever saw of Jesus was contained in a children's book. In my mind's eye, I can still see it. Jesus is standing at the top of a hill with his hands held up in prayer to God. Before Him, on a rock, loaves and … Read more

Across from our house is a park that has a couple of ponds in it. When they built the park, they brought some ducks and geese to make their home around the ponds. Now there are not many ducks, but a lot of geese. They love to come into … Read more

As I drove along the road, there was a very large truck in front of me. As the truck moved along, I noticed that as it went by, grass and branches danced and swayed, dirt made little whirlwinds, and sometimes, garbage flew around. This … Read more