Sometimes, it takes only one prayer to make the difference. When I gave birth to our first child, a nurse cheerily informed my husband — relegated to the waiting room — that he had a little girl. She then went off shift, and he … Read more

Suffering through many storms, accidents, and illnesses of life, my friend's twenty-year-old Joseph's Coat rose bush presented itself beaten down by life. It no longer bore the fruit of its purpose. With precision, my friend's husband … Read more

Old habits are hard to break. For four years, we lived in a small townhouse. Our Chihuahua, Twix, was accustomed to the way that the doors to the bedroom and the outside opened, and he would stand at the appropriate side of the door to … Read more

Last summer, a good friend died after a very long illness. We had attended the same elementary school. I had forgotten about her until I met up with her some thirty years ago. We became good friends, and we visited back and forth a lot. … Read more

Our house burned to the ground when I was a young teenager. At that time, clear across town, the city was planning to build a highway through a fancier neighbourhood, which meant tearing down every house that stood in its way. With our … Read more

Recently, I began renovating a small cabin on our property. Everything needed doing from top to bottom. Sanding, filling, scrubbing, painting, and trim work were part of the redo. Everything had to be done in a certain order, and … Read more

"Pugh!" my husband Marcelo blurted out. I smelled it, too. It permeated our entire living room, and the bad news was that the smell got even stronger when we walked near the chair that I always sit in. I assured Marcelo that the smell … Read more

Our church has a group of volunteers — the men's work crew — who meet at the church every Wednesday morning from September to June to do odd jobs and minor repairs around the church building. Over the years, they have saved the church … Read more

After three summers in my 34-foot fifth wheel, you'd think that I'd have figured out what works best and where to put everything, but this year, I discovered several ways to improve both the use and function of space. I replaced the couch … Read more

Here I was, on a cold, wet, cloudy day in late January, noticing that a headlight on my car was dead. I wished that I had bothered to replace this headlight at the same time as I had done the other one when the weather was more agreeable: … Read more

Humour is an important, positive aspect of our life. We are created in God's image. Hence, it is logical that God must have a great sense of humour! When we humans make a great discovery, I can imagine God smiling and thinking, "Well, … Read more

Have you ever seen blessings in disguise in your life? You know, those things which — at the time — seemed to be inconveniences or obstacles, but later proved to be for the very best? Sometimes, these stumbling blocks are just … Read more

In a busy world, Sabbath is something that we need to seek intentionally. People need to pursue Sabbath moments in life. People in the church and in society alike need concrete examples of how to create Sabbath — in their car, through … Read more

As a visitor at a church service some years ago, I watched as the reader marched up to the platform with an air of confidence to read an Isaiah portion from the large pulpit Bible. It had been placed on the lectern moments earlier in a … Read more

Years ago, my uncle walked from his workshop — the behind-the-hedge kitchen piece of the former old farmhouse — then he came out across the grassy house yard and into the kitchen of the newer house. He held out his hammer to me. He knew … Read more

In the ordinary, do you ever find the extraordinary? Our dog needed surgery, so we had to watch him closely. I wrapped his foot, snapped on his leash, then took him outside. He stopped on the deck, not wanting to go further. Through … Read more

I had just read the book, The Nun Story. As a teenager, I was so enamoured with the concept of being hidden away from the chaos of adolescence, a boyfriend, and trying to figure out my place in life, that I announced to my parents that … Read more

I purchased a new clock, and its ticking seems loud to my husband. I am not bothered because I am hearing impaired. Whenever he mumbles "Tick, tock …" under his breath, I am reminded of nights spent with my grandmother. I often stayed … Read more

The family gathered around his bed and watched his body jerk and convulse — then fall silent. A work-related accident had disabled Mike many years before. Though he managed to work a few jobs for short periods of time, he couldn't hold … Read more

When I was twelve years old, my mother took a nervous breakdown in front of me. We were sitting in the living room, and she just started going crazy, throwing things around her, breaking ornaments and other items, cursing loudly, and … Read more

Every day, my seven canines get a treat to help them maintain strong and healthy teeth. They never receive the treat at the same time on any given day. I hand them out when I fill up their food bowls for the evening meal. Sometimes, I do … Read more

A beefy guy with a buzz cut has a half-smoked cigarette behind his ear. Sitting next to him is a kid with a nose ring and eye makeup, wearing a black hat that says, "On my way to hell!" Those of various faiths board, in turbans and … Read more

Have you ever gone through a trial when, although others may be around, you feel like "It is only God and me"? I well remember going through such a time. My husband Marcelo was asleep on the couch, where he had spent the night for the … Read more

In Canada, we waste about 50 percent of the food that we buy. Just imagine what effect that has on our budgets, our garbage, and our economy! We are all just too fussy. One friend throws out leftovers because she is tired of eating the … Read more

I am the main bread-slicer in our house. Having returned from a shopping trip up the road with an uncut loaf, I thought that a bit of pro-active slicing would be in order, to save the toaster from some of the family's exaggerated wedges … Read more

While waiting for everyone to arrive for Bible study, one lady proudly showed us a picture of her first grandson. We all congratulated her. Then, someone asked his name. "You'll never believe this — it's Royalty! His dad says that he … Read more

Have you ever noticed how frequently God ministers through simple things? A simple touch — a kind word — even just a smile. Since we expect to see results immediately, it often seems strange that blessings come long after that simple … Read more

This is my friend Esther's story: People say that there is no God, that there are many gods, or that our God is not all-powerful. I tell you that there is a perfect, Almighty God, and He is with us through all circumstances. On … Read more

When this comforting verse was emailed to me, it came illustrated with a charming picture of a medieval castle set in a forested landscape. It readily conveyed the image of a strong, protecting God. Yet centuries ago, this was possibly … Read more

Picture a 12-kilometre (7-mile) hike with a 300-metre (1000-foot) drop from start to ocean. It's labelled difficult, and that means for seasoned hikers. Try it with all the camping gear necessary for mom and dad and three kids all under … Read more

One bitterly cold morning, when I had an early appointment at a hospital a distance from home, I got into my car in my garage and turned the key — only a flash of red light. I tried several times, but no start. I walked toward my kitchen … Read more