PART THREE – January 25, 2018 Previously, I wrote that for financial reasons, First Presbyterian Church in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, was closing and moving into an empty space downtown. We chose to make a daring and drastic change … Read more

These words by the apostle Paul often come to mind when I help seniors de-clutter their homes. I see a lot of things get counted as rubbish — designated as dispensable. It's exciting to watch how the offloading of accumulations leaves … Read more

Late afternoon, to my car in my garage, I carried the almost-thawed fish fillets that I had promised for a supper party to be held at my niece's home to celebrate my brother's 86th birthday. I punched the opener, and my big garage door … Read more

I find today's highlighted verse to be very insightful, especially when I try to justify things that I have done which are questionable. I convince myself that what I'm thinking or doing is right, so, therefore, God will understand, … Read more

As I look out my living room window, I see snow falling again. The white stuff is coming down so heavily that I can't see the village across the bay. The large evergreen tree is laden with so much snow that the branches are touching the … Read more

My grandfather was a doctor in London, England. In 1893, he unexpectedly took ill and died. He left my grandmother as a young widow, 26 years old, with four children: a boy of six, a girl of four, my father aged two, and a new-born baby … Read more

I was delighted when a friend returned from vacation in Florida and presented me with a large seashell. I immediately put it to my nose. Most people would put it to their ear, listening for the sea. But I am hard of hearing, and to put … Read more

I walked over, shook his hand, and said, "Good to see you." Almost four years had passed since my family had seen my youngest brother. It wasn't because he had no way to get here, or because he was mad at anyone, or because he was too … Read more

I think that I have been doing things backwards! I often seem to struggle with understanding — or more precisely not understanding — why people do what they do, why life seems such a challenge at times, and why I can't seem to figure … Read more

What do you think of worship? Or maybe the question should be, "Do you think about worship at all?" There are many passages in the Bible that speak to the different facets of worship. Some focus on the aspect of praise, others on the idea … Read more

One of my favourite things about moving to Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada, would have to be the birds. No matter what the season, we enjoy the various ducks on the river, as well as the many birds that come and go at the four feeders at the … Read more

It is so easy to become anxious and worried about current events when we listen to the radio or watch the news on television. When we look around us, we can also see wrong being done, and become fearful when such injustices are being … Read more

The much-awaited snow had come. Along with it, however, came work. Paths had to be plowed in order to get in and out of the driveway. Other paths had to be prepared by hand to access the corral, the barn, and the house. In our household, … Read more

We have various inscriptions around inside our church and out the front on the lawn. They are there as a celebration and remembrance of various people who have given their lives in service, whether in membership, war, or leadership over … Read more

Once in a while, I enjoy doing a word puzzle to enhance my vocabulary and concentration skills. The goal of one particular game was to find as many words as possible within the phrase, REMEMBER YOUR VALENTINE. It is believed that these … Read more

"The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." – Abraham Lincoln In the dining room of our assisted living facility, one of my tablemates told me that she had recently received instructions from her physician to … Read more

PART TWO – January 24, 2018 In Part One of our saga, First Presbyterian Church in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, realized that because of finances, we had to leave our church building and move. We were hoping to find a developer who … Read more

When I was growing up, there were two groups of kids in my neighbourhood: those older than me and those younger. There weren't any kids the same age as me. If I played sports or games with the younger kids, I was always the leader, and I … Read more

Today's devotional title may remind you of a bad dream: the nightmarish experience of losing control. What I have in mind is no dream. It's the actual world that we experience: the horrifying absence of brakes on sinful desire — like … Read more

I've suffered from depression for as long as I can remember. Sometimes, it gets so bad that I have to take medicine; at other times, I manage to get through on my own willpower and strength. It's not something that we who suffer from it … Read more

The other day, I accompanied my husband to an early morning appointment with his eye surgeon. As he presented himself at the counter, I looked around for a good place to sit. My eyes were drawn to a row of six or seven empty chairs. … Read more

Looking out my living room window, I saw a beautiful landscape. The lake was covered with a white blanket of snow and the trees laden with soft, fluffy snowflakes. But the scene quickly changed as I reminded myself that I needed to go … Read more

My grandson accidentally let go of his six-year-old sister's new birthday balloon. Just minutes previously, she'd been thrilled to receive a shiny, foil-coated balloon depicting her favourite Frozen characters. But filled with helium, it … Read more

Readers of a certain age will recognize the following quotation from The Sound of Silence, a #1 hit song from 1966 by the duo Simon and Garfunkel. {Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk to you again. – Paul Simon} I was … Read more

According to my wife, I eat some strange things. My wife and I come from different regions of South Carolina, and we have different eating habits. On one of our earlier dates, she was fixing my dinner plate. Out of habit, I said, "Make … Read more

I recently attended the funeral of a man who was a true person of faith, who had seemingly ministered to others his whole life — both in and out of ordained ministry. During his message, the eulogist spoke of the profound impact that … Read more

On the sun-drenched morning of January 13th, my wife Janice and I took a leisurely walk along the Waikoloa golf course bordering our condo unit on the Big Island. With the promise of yet another beautiful Hawaiian day, it was strange … Read more

In 1972, Kris Kristofferson wrote the song, "Why Me?", which included these lyrics: Why me Lord? What have I ever done To deserve even one Of the pleasures I've known? Tell me Lord What did I ever do That was worth loving You Or the … Read more