As I look over the last year, I ask myself, What have I done that God would be pleased with? Yes, I know that my times are in His hands, so I ask, What is He expecting of me in this new year? I trust Him explicitly with it all, but … Read more

Peace and quiet reigned. The colourful Christmas lights framing the black of night through the windows reflected back upon themselves giving a 3D effect. It was then that I noticed that there were a few gaps in the lights. Some of the … Read more

Last year was a very difficult year for our family. My mother and my mother-in-law both died within a period of three months. Then my wife was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. She was in hospital for five weeks. There were so … Read more

The roast turkey that we enjoyed so much on Christmas day just keeps going and going. Saturday was hot turkey sandwiches, Sunday was turkey salad, and today will find me standing at the counter picking its meaty bones. Picking the bones … Read more

This past Christmas, I became more and more aware of the commercialism of the season. We were talking to one family in which everybody buys a present for everybody in the family. Certainly, there are financial constraints arising from … Read more

Everything God does on earth has a purpose for humanity, so I have been intrigued by His purpose behind the manger scene and the obvious poverty of the animal stalls and the manger bed. We are so used to the nativity scene with the manger … Read more

It was a cold Christmas Eve. I found myself very comfortable within the lobby of my assisted living residence, conversing with staff members who were on duty. In the corner of a small sitting area, a highly customized manger scene had … Read more

I was eleven years old in Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Many Hungarians used that brief slit in the Iron Curtain to flee to the west. For domestic as well as political reasons, my 17-year-old brother took off in the … Read more

Pastor Phillips Brooks was known as a great orator in his day. Ironically, though, after visiting the actual site of Jesus' birth, he was moved beyond words. For the first time in his life, he was speechless — unable to communicate the … Read more

Recently, I read the story behind a popular Christmas carol, the song we all know and love, called "O little town of Bethlehem". The author, Phillips Brooks, lived during the civil war, a dark and tragic period in American history. … Read more

I received Christmas greetings from a friend today, and the e-mail subject line was "Marry Christmas". This struck me as funny: I don't really know anyone named Christmas, so who was I supposed to marry? I mentioned it to a friend, and she … Read more

In many churches, the traditional ways of worship have changed. The order of service is not as rigid as it used to be. Some ministers interact with the congregation, and some people even reply. There was a time when we did not laugh in … Read more

As the dogs and I watched the horizon, patiently waiting for the sun to rise sufficiently for us to go for our walk, I silently counted the days until December 21st, the shortest day of the year, signifying that on the morrow the darkness … Read more

We were in a strange place and had no plans to spend our first Christmas there. Eight years had passed since I graduated high school, but now I felt God's call into full-time ministry. Obeying it would require furthering my education. I … Read more

At Christmastime we read and hear poems, stories, and songs about reindeer. There are those eight tiny reindeer, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, and the one that ran over Grandma. Once, Harold Kurtz, a missionary in the Presbyterian … Read more

Christmas is truly a time of great joy for Christians. In Bermuda, where I grew up, the poinsettia reflects the joy of Christmas. It grows into a tall tree covered with magnificent, red flowers, heralding the coming of Christmas. The … Read more

I can remember as if it were just yesterday the anticipation of the arrival of the Sears Wish Book. Growing up, we lived in the country, so trips into the larger city were few, especially in the winter. This, I believe, added to the … Read more

It was a sad Christmas. A special, long-time friend and companion had died suddenly, and a light had gone out of my life with her passing. No amount of positive and faith-based thinking lifted me from the doldrums. My energy had waned, … Read more

Ever since I was a youngster on the platform in our one-room, country school, along with about twelve children of varied ages and grades, I have enjoyed Christmas pageants. At the age of ten or eleven, I was the chosen angel Gabriel, and … Read more

I learned to text, only to discover that the cell phone fancied itself a prophet. This is called predictive texting. Whenever I punched in a letter, it finished the word for me. Thus, I sent messages full of words like "spzxq". The last … Read more

Recently, a friend invited me to a ladies' Christmas luncheon at her church. In front of everyone's seat was a beautiful poem written on decorative holiday paper. The title of the poem was "If You Look for Me At Christmas." The pastor's … Read more

"I have a present for you," Izzie called out from the living room of our country home. And on most occasions, I just call out and say, "I will be right there." However, this time, my auntie antenna was up, for I had had a shoebox with a … Read more

Christmas and shepherds go together! But I've discovered that focusing instead on Baby Jesus as the promised Shepherd brings a new level of meaning to Christmas. One of the little-quoted prophecies of God Himself coming as a shepherd is … Read more

What if this Christmas we specifically celebrated Baby Jesus as the promised Shepherd and made shepherds our season's theme? What would that be like for you? Here's what I imagine: I see a Christmas tree decorated with fluffy sheep, … Read more

My new Alpine goat, Agnes, is a milking goat, which has been a very interesting experience for me. Sophie, my two-year-old retriever, also found Agnes very interesting in an amusing way, at least for a time. Sophie loved nothing better … Read more

Having for many years taken part in a number of Christian activities at the local Long Term Care Centre, I have gotten to know a considerable number of people on a quite personal basis. Some of them tell me about their hopes and … Read more

A few years ago, I took a class on the subject of genealogy. Written in my notes was the suggestion that the holiday season provides a good opportunity to dive into family history. For example, round-the-dinner-table gatherings at … Read more

The situation in the world today where so many people are fleeing for their lives from war and terrorism, searching for a safe home, reminds me of Jesus' family fleeing for their lives to Egypt in ancient times. Jesus was born and placed … Read more

The pace of activity has picked up tremendously at Arcadia Gardens. It all started with the daily hammering of wooden spikes in the courtyard. These preparations begin annually in October, as the property is transformed into formations … Read more

We have a lovely Christmas tree. It usually comes down from the loft in December, and out from the various boxes come all the branches and paraphernalia that are stored away for the rest of the year. This year, my children were impatient … Read more

Advent begins the countdown to Christmas. In the church, Advent marks the beginning of a new year. Similarly, the Jewish new year and the Chinese new year do not align with the first of January — the new year on our ordinary calendars. … Read more