Until we moved to Canada, my dad was a rose grower. When he built his first greenhouse in the early 1930s, he supplemented his income by growing a fair-sized plot of Lilies of the Valley. They were easy to grow outside and bloomed early. I … Read more

I belong to a group of intercessors in our church. During term-time, we meet upstairs in a room overlooking the balcony. As I came out of the group on a day in February, I looked down on the main body of the church. Above the … Read more

One of the most important and helpful pieces of advice that I have received is "Learn your coffee barista's name — and use it!" Let me explain. I'm not a coffee addict, but I am a latte lover! Now that our local coffee shops are … Read more

When I was a kid in Idaho's Bitterroot Wilderness, between the Snake and Salmon Rivers, one of the walls of our ranch was the Payette National Forest, with no neighbours nearer than 50 miles. Our front door was exactly in line with the … Read more

Recently, I heard the following advice from a scientist explaining digestion: Before eating, pause and take a few moments to be thankful. This allows your brain time to signal your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for … Read more

Everything that we say or do communicates what we want others to know about us. Sometimes, we do this by the clothes that we wear. When I wear a bright green shirt, the comments that I receive indicate that I am bringing happiness to my … Read more

Last fall, my brother, Jim, got such a good laugh. He was outside and witnessed three of the dogs playing tag. Denver was in the lead, with Sunny and Kayley trying to catch him. As he is much larger, stronger, and faster than the two … Read more

When two people say "I do" in church, something miraculous happens. They spiritually merge into one flesh. Way back when we were married, we had no clue what that simple declaration would do inside our souls and throughout our lives. On … Read more

Each time I turn on the radio or connect to the Internet, I am inundated with news about COVID-19 and new developments. It seems that my social media feeds are peppered with conspiracy theories which verge on the scary, but which are … Read more

I believe that the innate desire to respond to the Conductor's cues begins in the womb: The gift of music is grounded in God's love. This heart-to-heart connection with our Creator explains why worship ministry is as vital as mother's … Read more

During the period between 2003 and 2004, I spent a considerable amount of time researching and writing the history of Presbyterians here in Meaford, Ontario, Canada, from 1854 to 2004. I found the names of the thirty ministers and student … Read more

For some people, anxiety is a chronic illness which paralyzes them emotionally and exhausts them physically. They struggle with everyday tasks and try their utmost to combat feelings of unworthiness and insecurity which riddle their … Read more

Here in Cheltenham, on the edge of town, we have a world-renowned racecourse that holds events. It is a massive area that occasionally becomes a village in its own right. Just before the COVID-19 shutdown in early March, we had one such … Read more

One thing that we learned on the farm where we raised sheep was that at shearing time in the spring, dirt and burrs were hard to get out of the wool, and they would decrease the value of the fleece at market. John and I were very careful … Read more

Our use of pronouns can be rather fuzzy. Our "we" may mean "you", as in "Johnny, we mustn't throw toys!" It may mean "they", as in "We won the game!" Or it may mean "I", as in the royal "we" where monarchs use "we" to imply "I". That's … Read more

I am sitting here by my big window, watching dawn bear its daily message. Today, it rises pinkly, turning to crimson with streaks of purples and blues in the morning sky. Every sunrise is unique in God's hands, designed as a useful … Read more

Today's world may seem dark and frightening. Many people harbour fear and dread of an uncertain future. Along with a deadly disease has come widespread unemployment. Life as we have always known it may never again be quite the same. A … Read more

A dear friend once told me that a butterfly can still take to the air even if it had lost 75 percent of its wingspan. What a miracle, and yet society would most likely categorize such a disfigured insect as being disabled. Surely, our … Read more

Whenever I pray, for the times when I remember, I always say, "Lord, help me to bridle my tongue today," because words are powerful and are incapable of being retracted after they are said. I also discovered that presidents and other … Read more

"ALL WORSHIP CANCELLED" announced the sign in front of a church in my neighbourhood. In response to COVID-19 regulations, most churches have cancelled their Sunday services for a period of time. That's what the sign was meant to convey. … Read more

Two years ago, in April 2018, a troubled young man drove a van erratically down Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada. He veered on and off the sidewalk, killing ten people and seriously injuring fourteen others. It was a terrible occurrence … Read more

Each spring, the melting snow and ice upstream cause the Ottawa River to rise to a roaring torrent, crashing over the Chaudiere Falls near Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada, barrelling on its way to meet the St. Lawrence River, and eventually, … Read more

Had I created mine, I would have shortened the length and made it narrower. The nose is an interesting part of the body's anatomy. I've heard that it continues to grow as a person ages, and I have seen a number of elderly senior adults … Read more

Not long ago, a visitor here in Atlin, British Columbia, Canada, who was suffering with Alzheimer's, became lost. He wandered away from the home of friends where he was staying. The Search and Rescue team immediately went into action. … Read more

I like sharing videos with my grandson, Andrew. Each week, he learns some new words, or has started a new game, or wants to show Evelyn and me either a new book or a toy that he has been given. It's wonderful to experience the joy that he … Read more

In the ministry of last things, my friend looked over at her dear, 94-year-old stepmother-in-law, resting comfortably in the living room hospital bed. All had been done to make her cozy and safe. The furniture was in familiar places to … Read more

My husband John and I farmed for many years. Each summer, we grew a huge garden. We had a small greenhouse to start some vegetables early. I loved to be out in the garden to weed and watch things grow. Seeds were planted and patience was … Read more

While sitting in my lounge chair for the past several days recuperating from recent surgery, I have been filling in part of my time watching the world go by, gazing out of my large picture window. During this these days, I have been … Read more

Are you aware of God-given opportunities? At the time, I wasn't! My cousin turned 80 on Friday, April 24th. Two days before, my phone rang, and thankfully, I recognized her Rochester area code — not a telemarketer — so I answered … Read more

If someone peeked inside this mobile home's overflowing closets, they might wonder why stuff crams every corner. The answer is revealing. Gone-to-glory relatives leave stuff behind, like old family photos, to become the flotsam and jetsam … Read more