There have been times in my life when I didn't know what to do next. Sometimes, it was because everything was new, never having faced such decisions before. Years ago, the Board of Missions sent me to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to open a … Read more

My mother, with whom my husband and I have been living, is in a retirement facility. At some point in time, a decision will have to be made regarding the house that we live in. I remember the time when my mother asked us to move in with … Read more

Many people get tied up with big questions like "What is the meaning of life?" or "What is my life's purpose?" These questions are difficult enough that many people give up trying to answer! But there's an easier, and I think more … Read more

It was only 4:45 a.m., but I was up and out in the backyard trimming back rampant wild roses. As I clipped away, I was glad to be able to make good use of the daylight hours, as I know that here in the north, the darkness will soon be upon … Read more

Recently, we celebrated my daughter's birthday, and, of course, gifts were given as part of the festivities. This set me thinking about how my daughter would use the gifts that she received. If my daughter accepted the gifts and put them … Read more

Together with a few friends, I had the privilege of visiting a small town in the mountains of western Canada. As part of the visit, we decided to find a local park for eating our lunch. After following signs to a picnic table, we arrived … Read more

Recently, I started reading through the Old Testament. While wading through the dark details of intrigue, revenge, and cruelty, and the long catalogues of ancient names and repetitive information, I found myself praying, "Dear Lord! I … Read more

Whaaaaat? One minute I was striding purposefully along the parking lot towards my vehicle, and then, my ankle went under, and I was falling. Strangely, I was not afraid, but my first thought was, "Have I broken my ankle?" Slowly, I felt … Read more

As a pastoral care volunteer at the local Long Term Care Centre, I have on several occasions been asked to be with a person nearing death, who was in the "Comfort Room" with family members present. At some point, they would expect me to … Read more

Yesterday, the power was out in the area where we live. The outage lasted four hours, and because we'd been given prior warning, we were prepared. It was a dark and rainy day. Even expecting and knowing the power to be off, I don't know … Read more

Do you suffer from hypnopomp? Do you have hypnopompic hallucinations? Is this all Greek to you? It was for me, too, until I looked it up in a dictionary. By the way, not all dictionaries have this word! Hypnopomp is the state that you are … Read more

Thousands of people are at the wrong place at the wrong time every day. As I listen to the latest news headlines while eating breakfast, I hear about people who were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Some are seriously injured, while … Read more

In my early years working for the church, I was a deaconess doing Christian education in many provinces. There were hundreds of children and youth in the churches back then, and I loved the work. I enjoyed sharing my faith with so many and … Read more

One day, back from my grocery shopping in the nearby mall, I checked the change that I had received from the cash that I had paid for the groceries. My first look was a sure thing: I had received less change than I was owed. This left me … Read more

Have you ever felt sorry for yourself and asked that age-old question "Why me, Lord?" I hope that some of my readers have been there, so that I don't feel all alone. As some of you are probably aware, my life has been turned upside down. … Read more

The very best thing about God, I've found, is that there is never a language barrier. Because God reads hearts and minds, and not just words or actions, we can never put one over on Him. He knows the true reason for everything. He knows … Read more

I was recently on holiday in London, England, and as I was standing in Paddington Station, I noticed a poster for Transport for London, the city's transit service. Their slogan is "Every Journey Matters". Immediately, I was struck by the … Read more

It was in the early evening hours of the second Monday in May this year when the emergency alert system sirens began blaring. The radio announcer warned everyone to take cover. A severe hail storm was moving fast toward us and a tornado … Read more

At the end of June, we had a wonderful opportunity to visit the countryside of Italy. We exulted in the sense of history as we visited ancient villages perched atop extinct volcanic buttes with steep cliffs and walls for protection from … Read more

Water! It's funny how water can affect us. We moved to a small town that has a river running through it. There are two dams and a waterfall. We don't live far from the river, so when I take my dog out for a walk, which is three or four … Read more

The world-wide, ever-increasing pace of life in general — encouraged by the onset of technical advances which allow for immediate access and interaction with others through a simple phone device — is drastically changing our lives. … Read more

On a recent visit to New York City, my husband Reg and I were in Times Square, and we saw an older woman protecting a pile of cardboard boxes. She was homeless and dressed in many layers of clothes, with a hat on, which reminded us of … Read more

In today's broken world, there is an ongoing deficit of hope, and it would seem that the need for encouragement and a true sense of self-worth is one of the greatest threats facing the world. Typically, I would not have given much thought … Read more

Due to dysfunction, disrespect, and violent behaviour, the police had to be called to remove a young adult family member from our home. Although the problem has existed for several years, it has recently escalated to the point where … Read more

At the time of writing, here in southern Ontario, Canada, we are experiencing a very hot and dry summer. The grass in our yard, as well as in the neighbourhood, is turning brown, and vegetable gardens are in dire need of water. In … Read more

I have been retired for some time, but I never find life boring because I know that God isn't finished with me yet. I often wonder what He has in store for me in these latter years, but He never leaves me wondering for very long. Last … Read more

Here in eastern Ontario, Canada, we experienced drought conditions this year even before the end of May. Our summer, so far, has been extremely hot and dry. Last week, a tornado warning was in effect, but although the air turned green … Read more

Two months ago, I injured my ankle when I tripped over a garden fence in my backyard. To my surprise, it was more serious than I'd first thought. An x-ray revealed that a bone was dislocated, so I needed surgery to repair it. Afterward, … Read more

The athletes in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games were all about getting the best score possible from the judges. These amazing Olympians all wanted to strive for their PB (personal best). Runners, for example, want the lowest time. They want to … Read more

{Walking Sparky, I am hot. But then, today, who is not? At ninety degrees, God sends a breeze. I knew He would, 'cause He's so good. He answers me before I call, And sends His breeze for one and all.} What I have just written is called … Read more