Do you make new year's resolutions? I do. As I think of those resolutions in the first few hours, days, and weeks of a new year, I often hear the words of a particular song playing in my head: "Day by Day", a song from the 1971 Stephen … Read more
Archive for December, 2017
Sweeter Than Honey
Did you, like me, write your first letters on a slate with chalk? In Jesus' day, it is said that, as a reward, teachers in Hebrew synagogue schools would put honey on the slates of children doing well. They were then allowed to lick the … Read more
Money: Evil's Root
"Money is the root of all evil." Though my standard of living would be considered rich by third-world standards, by American standards, I've rarely lived a comfortable lifestyle. Making the monthly bills match the monthly income has … Read more
The Family Tree
A number of years ago, a distant cousin put together our family tree on my father's side. It revealed that my heritage is Welsh and English, although I am convinced that there is also a Russian branch missing from the tree as I am always … Read more
Come And Celebrate
It's the day after Christmas, and I am quietly sitting here looking at all the gifts that I received from friends and loved ones. While I really appreciate their thoughtfulness, I also know that I didn't need any of them. Some did send … Read more
Great Expectations
In an Advent liturgy presented in our church, one word leaped off the page at me: "Expectations". That word rattled around in my brain for the rest of the service. What was so special about that word? As I reflected, I realized that I … Read more
The Royal Viewing
"O come, let us adore Him!", "Come and behold Him!", "Come to the manger!" (from Christmas carols) More than ever, nativity scenes at Christmastime capture my interest. I appreciate their presence in our current cultural landscape, which … Read more
Tower Of The Flock
Have you ever wondered why the shepherds were the first to hear the good news of Christ's birth? Perhaps it was because they were humble, unlike the religious and political leaders of Jesus' day. However, this year, I learned of another … Read more
Perfect Peace
Sometimes, we get so busy at this time of year that we forget to listen to what God is saying to us. We get so wrapped up in meeting deadlines — personal and work-related — that we set God aside and promise within our hearts to get back … Read more
Do Not Be Afraid
In November of 2011, I was told that the aortic pig valve in my heart, which had been placed there in 1993, was leaking badly and had to be replaced. Even though it had lasted much longer than I had been told to expect, it still came as a … Read more
Christmas Memories
Christmas wasn't a big deal when I was growing up, but my family would usually take the train to London to see "the lights". The windows of the big department stores displayed electric trains, animated bears clapping continuously, and … Read more
Christmas On The River
God sometimes shows up in the strangest ways to provide for us. One Christmas week in 1980, He did just that, and it was a Christmas that my family has never forgotten. For a number of years, dad struggled with God's call to be a … Read more
A Figurehead Or The Real Thing?
The extravagance of British royalty fascinates me. Yet sometimes, I wonder, Why bother? This pageantry is just a remnant of the past. It's not the real thing; monarchs no longer rule. Yet royal traditions can preserve values like … Read more
Was That You, Lord?
Homelessness and people on the streets asking for money, food, and/or work are not new, but they are increasing in most communities, and perhaps nowhere more than on the Lower Mainland or on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, … Read more
Prophecies With Fulfillments to Celebrate
When we toured Israel as a group, our faith was reinforced as our experienced leader, a Christian minister, many times supplemented our Jordanian guide's orations of what we were seeing by telling us of further connections between these … Read more
And Sarai Had A Plan
Recently, I have been dealing with a difficult financial situation. It's not health-related, but nonetheless daunting. By nature, I tend to take matters into my own hands and have occasionally lived to regret it. This time, I simply put my … Read more
The Word Of Life
As a writer, I always use a thesaurus to help me to choose a word that will best communicate the idea that I want to convey. A thesaurus is also useful in selecting a different word with the same meaning in order to get my point across … Read more
Preparing For The Christ Child
It has begun: the lights, the shopping, the baking, the gift wrapping, and all the hustle and bustle associated with Christmas. In fact, the lights and decorations were going up in some stores alongside the Halloween decorations. You have … Read more
Mary's Meditation
One Christmas season, our church's Celebration Choir was introduced to a song entitled, "Mary, Did You Know?" which became very popular in both the spiritual and secular worlds. The words were written by Mark Lowry in 1984 as part of the … Read more
Our Royal Gifts
Perhaps this Christmas, you'll be giving at least one present because you feel obligated. Your better judgment reminds you that gift-giving should come from your heart, not from someone's expectation. However, if you had been the Magi … Read more
Christmas Is A Birthday
We celebrate our birthdays in many ways: we send cards, decorate our homes, give presents, and have parties. Christmas is a birthday — Christ's birthday — and by far, celebrated in the most varied ways and by the most diverse groups of … Read more
Verbal Pictures
Ever since I was a little boy, I liked to draw, colour, and paint. I was a sickly little fellow, and I remember the many days when I sat in front of the window, drawing and colouring, while other children were outside playing. In … Read more
The Gift Of Giving
Every year, our families participated in a "Secret Santa" event. Into a bowl, we would put folded pieces of paper with our names on them, and each person would draw a name for the next Christmas. They would then buy a gift for that person … Read more
Tell Me A Story
For my first Christmas as a new grandma, I received a very special present from my grown daughter, the sister of the baby's father. It was a collection of books containing her favourite childhood bedtime stories for me to share with her … Read more
The King And I
Recently, my Wednesday evening Bible study group began studying the book of Daniel. During our last session, we discussed the historical events, recorded in chapter four, concerning King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon. Daniel worked as … Read more
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
by Isabel Allison A little lad, loved by kin of mine, looked straight ahead, then in voice sublime — for child philosophers tend to mime — spoke out amid the chatter of Christmas supper time: "This sure has been a good Christmas," … Read more
The Royal Birth: Two Responses
Each Christmas, we acknowledge a royal birth. Baby Jesus was, after all, born to be King. He was destined for a throne "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion." (Ephesians 1:21 NIV) What can be said about royal births? … Read more
Hosanna In The Highest Heaven!
The approach of Christmas certainly stirs up memories of yesteryear. Changes are replacing the ways of the old days. It was Advent, which means "coming", and the Finnish Lutheran church that I attended as I grew up was preparing the … Read more
Through Wind And Fire
Here in British Columbia, Canada, the forest fires of this past summer were the worst in the history of the province. Over 1.2 million hectares of forest and pastureland, and many homes and businesses, were consumed. Livestock and … Read more
Who Is In Control?
My grandmother wrote this verse on the cover page of the first Bible that she gave to my father. My father did the same in the first Bible that he gave to me, and I did also in the first Bible that I gave to my son. We even have it … Read more
- Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy