My daughter bought me an iPad for Christmas two years ago, and I love its convenience. I use it all the time and keep it close by so that I can text her or respond to emails as necessary. My cat, Duffy, however, seems to get annoyed when … Read more

My dad was a hard-working engineer for most of his life, and he provided for my mother and our large family as well as he could. Like most of his generation, he was a proud man and would rather do an honest day's work for an honest wage … Read more

"Judge carefully" … "Do not judge" … "Judge for yourself" … "Stop judging" – the Bible Well, is it okay to judge or not? The above texts aren't helpful, are they? It's no wonder: They're extracted from their contexts! Furthermore, … Read more

When we're in a hurry, doesn't it seem that every traffic light turns red just as we approach? We wait impatiently for it to change, fingers tapping. Sometimes, we quickly decide to take a short cut, an alternate route that we think will … Read more

It was early in my life that I was asked to sing solos in school and community gatherings in Finland. Before World War II, it was intended that I continue to have singing lessons from an opera singer who spent her summers in our village. … Read more

I never know what will come out of my oldest grandson's mouth. Near the beginning of last summer, he developed a case of strep throat. My wife and I noticed a rash on his face. Then later, he opened his mouth wide for some unknown … Read more

Some years ago, my wife and I went on a guided tour of Israel with a group of Christians led by a pastor. We visited mostly sites of biblical importance, like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Jericho, and we spent considerable time in the … Read more

As we traversed through the beginnings of agility class, one of the things that my dogs learned was the command to mark. The instructor used an overturned, flat-bottomed, rubber feed bowl for this exercise. Before running the course, … Read more

I'm terribly allergic to black fly bites. My first encounter with them not only made me itch, but caused me to be bedridden with a low-grade fever for about two weeks. That Sunday, after I climbed from the covers and dressed to do the … Read more

Like most people, I find changes very hard to accept. Sometimes, I push back against them, even if the changes are meant to make my life better. I guess I get comfortable in my own routine, so I resist any alterations. I admit that … Read more