Living where I do in the north of British Columbia, Canada, makes gardening difficult. Our growing season is not only shorter, but also our soil often lacks the necessary nutrients for healthy plants. In addition, we live two hours … Read more

What we see and what we hear has a powerful influence on our thoughts and actions, and has had from the beginning of time. For instance, remember Eve? She was the first woman, the first wife, and the first mother, but unfortunately, she … Read more

On the seventh of June, I went to a funeral of a lady whom I have known for about seventy years. She had just celebrated her 105th birthday. In the order of service, there was a card with a poem written on it in her own handwriting. Her … Read more

People do some strange things when they aren't paying attention. Did you ever use conditioner as a moisturizer? Or hand cream as sunscreen? Did you ever spray shaving gel into the air, believing that it was air freshener? Once, I used … Read more

A lady who lives on my floor and would therefore be considered a neighbour, recently shared with me her experience with another neighbour. Her husband had died some years previously. They had no children. When health factors required that … Read more

I was young when I learned that "chicken" wasn't necessarily a chicken. Chickens ran around my grandmother's yard during the day and were locked up in the coop at night. But if my cousin asked me to do something that I was scared to do … Read more

Discontent can be a destructive energy that harms us physically, emotionally, and relationally. It may be a symptom of ingratitude or an inability to accept one's lot in life — never having "learned to be content whatever the … Read more

Going through ups and downs in my convalescence from burnout and depression has been a stressful time for me. When my circumstances start to change and I experience growing pains, it can affect my ability to see the situation for what it … Read more

I was typing a message of consolation to a fellow believer on my cell phone and was just about finished, when my two-year-old great-grandson came running in, jumped on my lap, and proceeded to give me a big hug and kiss. What happened … Read more

A newborn baby's first possession is his name. Parents normally put much time and consideration into the name that they give their child. It is a person's name that identifies and sets him apart from all the other people in the world. … Read more

Recently, I was in a hurry getting the children and myself ready for school. So, this particular morning, I picked up my shoes and made my way to the living room to sit down, as I encouraged the children to switch off and move away from … Read more

April 13th, 2014, was a Sunday, and the spirit of the Lord led me into worship when I was alone in my little apartment. During this time out with the Almighty Creator, I was not aware that He was preparing to save me from a bomb blast … Read more

The police gave my brother a choice — either join the navy or go to jail. He was just sixteen, but he'd fallen in with the wrong crowd and had been the wheelman when they were stealing speakers from a drive-in movie theatre. My father … Read more

My dad showed me his favourite place along the coastal logging road. Tiger lilies banked the roadway, waving their brilliant orange petals with contrasting black spots. Stands of redwood and fir trees canopied everything else. He pointed … Read more

Many of Jesus' disciples had been professional fishermen before Jesus called them. As such, they knew the weather, boats, sea, and seasons. Not much fazed the tough, seasoned, veteran sailors until … One long day, Jesus finished … Read more

My two-year-old granddaughter, Adelyn, was outside with me one evening while I was working around the yard. The day before, we had been rock-picking and building a pile to throw into newly dug post holes. We had been gathering the rocks … Read more

When I was a young rookie pastor, I thought that prophecy was the greatest gift that God could ever give me. I wanted to interpret the times faithfully and show the church folks under my care what God was doing in the world. I felt that I … Read more

According to statistics, in Canada, depending on location, between five and a half to six percent of the people who are able to work cannot find meaningful employment. Yet, employers don't seem to be able to find workers. Every once in a … Read more

Since I have moved into a new facility where my needs are met, I am frequently asked how I am enjoying my new home. It has caused me to think about what is required for a "home". Firstly, there is a physical structure. Unfortunately, … Read more

Growing up, I had a pesky little sister four years my junior. She seemed to follow me everywhere. If I wanted to go for a walk to get away from her or ride my bike, suddenly, she wanted to do the same thing. It was annoying to have … Read more

When you have a Type A personality — always needing to be doing something — taking a break isn't easy. I've never been one to sit and twiddle my thumbs. Sitting and doing nothing makes me feel lazy. Since I have only so much time in … Read more

The other week, I received a letter from my bank, declaring that it would be making changes to my account. This came as a surprise to me, so I asked God for His favour and rang my local branch. However, after a few minutes of conversing … Read more

To my horror, I discovered that the white spring flower flourishing in my garden is on the list of invasive species. This delicate, six-petalled flower called "Star of Bethlehem" has been a blessing in England, but here, it "got away" and … Read more

My nephew has a green thumb. Flowers and plants just seem to bloom and flourish under his skillful care. His home is adorned with healthy, luscious leaves and different shapes, varieties, and colours of beautiful flowers. However, I do … Read more

Since I have arrived at our new home, I have spent time getting our garden into shape. After three years, the pruning is bearing fruit, literally. The old pear tree was a mess when we arrived, as were the other fruit trees. So, I pruned … Read more

Recently, I was overjoyed by a lovely surprise visit from my grandson and his wife, both RCMP officers, who drove a long distance to come by with their 11-month-old baby daughter. As we were in conversation, the baby was crawling on the … Read more

My first visit to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, was quite amazing to me, considering the level of development, with a good road network, street lighting, and a very clean environment. To me, it was just like a … Read more

Ten Mile Creek ran below our humble shack at the lumber mill camp when I was a child. Until water was piped into the house, the creek served our every human need for water. In the beginning, we hauled drinking water and wash water, and … Read more

During World War II, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers built a much-needed highway through Canada connecting Alaska to the contiguous United States. It wasn't yet paved or open to the public, but my father decided to take our family down it … Read more

Sometimes, the Bible makes me laugh out loud, especially with some verses from the Book of Proverbs. It's full of common-sense wisdom which, at one time, must have been based on real events. Take today's verse, for instance. Some foolish … Read more

It was Canada Day once again, and my gelding, Frank, was pulling our cart in the annual parade. I was riding in the cart with my sixteen-month-old granddaughter, while three of my large dogs ran behind. All was going the way it should … Read more