A news item one night was about parents who lost a child through another teen's weakness and grave error in judgment. The parents, being interviewed a couple of days after their daughter's death, made a public statement that they not only … Read more
Archive for January, 2015
Needing Grace
Sometimes when I sin, I get both angry and disappointed with myself. I become angry because I've let temptation or pride overcome me again; I feel disappointed because I've let God down once more. There are also times when I think that if … Read more
Are We Ready?
As Tuesday closed in New York City, there was a strange silence. The streets were almost vacant of the usual flow of cars and trucks. They had disappeared, trying to avoid the coming blizzard. The weather forecasters had predicted a … Read more
Froggy Grief
"So then, how are you doing now?" they ask. I muster up my best going-forward face and say "Oh, good, thanks," then change the subject as fast as I can. Some days, what I say is true, but some days, it is not. Grief is like a frog … Read more
Bought With A Price
Recently, my husband and I purchased a new living room set. The following day, we noticed that my cat Nikkie had a piece of paper stuck underneath his body. So I carefully removed it, along with some of his fur. The label read, "Under … Read more
Lost And Found
Last November, a group of us went to see a live stage show called "Wingfield Lost and Found", written by Dan Needles and starring Rod Beattie. The story is about a stockbroker turned hobby farmer, Walt Wingfield. There are eight or ten … Read more
Five Smooth Stones
In Christian vernacular, we use the word giant as a substitute for a major problem in our lives. This idea or imagery developed from the biblical narrative of David and Goliath. More than three years ago, I had a setback after being … Read more
The Question
Not long ago Mocha, our 17-year-old dog, died, and one of the questions people often have for us when something like this happens is, "Does having so many others help you to miss less the one that has died?" The answer to the question … Read more
A Squeaky Disruption
Have you noticed that disruptions stick in your mind more easily than everyday, ordinary things? I have. Maybe that's why God often uses them as growth points in our lives, to change us. I began thinking about this recently while … Read more
About — Blank
As I stand guard at my school crossing, thoughts for devotionals flit through my brain like those message bars scrolling across the bottom of your television set. From these ideas, I started a number of different themes. They were all … Read more
Night Light
When our sons were much younger, they would enjoy the trips that we took that led us past the Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One runway in particular runs parallel with the highway, and if we were … Read more
Healing Hands
Little did Andy know, when he travelled to a nearby town to arrest a noted publisher for failing to pay a ticket fine, that he would be accused of malfeasance of office. The accusations were based on an interview the publisher's reporter … Read more
Why Worry?
Our city of Brockville, Ontario, has lost a lot of well-paying jobs as industrial plants close or move elsewhere. It is a time of worry for many affected, but one of the workers said this to me: "Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives us … Read more
Dependence On Future Time
We ought to behave ourselves every day as though we had not dependence on any other day. — Jonathan Edwards You may be surprised to know that I have always been an individual who puts off, postpones, or delays doing something. This is … Read more
Never Boring
Just when you think your life is made up of sheer survival, and it's boring and mundane, you find yourself designing and sewing a Perry the Platypus costume for a seven-year-old! I hadn't even heard of Perry. I certainly didn't know what … Read more
Woolly Bears
When I went for my four-kilometre daily walks this past autumn, I would go through an area with apple orchards on both sides of the road. It was a beautiful sight, with apples ripe on the trees. There were always several things which would … Read more
Reflections
The sky looked like the inside of a brilliant, blue bowl turned upside down. There wasn't a single wisp of a cloud to mar its perfection. As I walked along The Trail that morning, I happened to look down, and I was thrilled to see … Read more
Case Dismissed
With curiosity, I watched an interesting video showing the work of a street evangelist. Most people walked right by him, paying no attention at all. He was asking the question, "Are we good people?" There were a few who stopped to listen. … Read more
The Lip Balm
My daughter keeps a small vial of lip balm on the bathroom counter. She leaves it there so that she will remember to use it frequently. Otherwise, especially during the winter months, her lips become dry, sore, and cracked, creating a … Read more
A Vision Of Jesus
There was a time when I turned my back on God. I denied His existence. He took my best friend — my father — even though I prayed that He'd heal and keep him on this earth. I was only nine then, but for many years, I wanted nothing to do … Read more
God's Reset Button
A reset button is a useful feature whenever things go berserk — like when our television screen goes jiggly or our computer freezes up. A simple push of the reset button or a click on the restart icon sets things back in order. It's … Read more
Still Looking For Rainbows
In 2001 and 2010, I wrote about how God has shown me rainbows: Rainbows , Still Watching , and A Sense Of Wonder . I understand these to say, "I AM is with you. It's okay, son. I hear your heart." Thankfully, we see only a … Read more
Expectations
Over the years of my driving career, I have owned a number of vehicles, and like many other drivers, I named my cars. For whatever reason, their names have all started with "B". The other thing common to all my cars is that I posted a … Read more
Finding The Right Path
My wife, my younger brother, and I were off for a three-night, four-day camping trip in North Carolina's Great Smokey Mountains. So we conjured up Siri on our cell phone and asked for driving directions to our destination. We arrived late … Read more
Another Good God Day
Another year has come and gone, and it seems that the older I get, the faster the time seems to fly by. A week is like a day, and a year is like a month. When I arose this morning, I looked forward to leisurely taking down all my … Read more
Partakers All
Have you switched yet? Studies suggest that whole grain breads are healthier than the white, doughy stuff our mothers used for our lunches. It includes the whole grain, not just bits left over from the milling process. You may have … Read more
Be Prepared
One rather ordinary morning recently, I had a list of errands that I wanted to attend to. As I was crossing a downtown street, at the crosswalk and with the pedestrian light, I was suddenly and unexpectedly aware of a large black vehicle. … Read more
The Correct Book
Recently, our family, including our eight-year-old granddaughter Elise, came to visit us from Florida. We had a great time raking leaves, picking apples, and visiting with neighbours and friends. The next morning, as I was sitting in my … Read more
The Pendulum
I love old clocks. Their soothing, clockwork heartbeats are a comforting reminder of the passage of time, as opposed to the cold and impersonal digital timekeepers of today. A decade ago, I decided to collect old clocks. There followed a … Read more
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