Over twenty years ago, my husband's studies in contemporary philosophy had pushed him into ceasing to believe, and the abuse of our sons by their choirmaster had convinced me that the church, which we thought we knew, didn't exist, and … Read more

"Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." – C.T. Studd Life is short and I can live it only once, so I'd like to make the best use of it. I cannot do everything, but I can certainly do some things well. … Read more

Seven dogs bring a lot of the outside in with them during every day of every season. During the winter, the snow comes in stuck to feet and legs. It's mud during the spring, bugs and dust during the summer, and dry leaves and sticks … Read more

I have an aging car with an old battery nearing its expiry date. Via a connector in the boot, I have attached a trickle-charge solar panel in the tailgate window to keep the battery charged up as high as it will allow. This way, the car … Read more

When we were children, my brothers would at times try to build a floating raft, using spare boards and bits of rope. We watched many dramatic films of life and death experiences aboard life rafts, with sailors battling waves and storms and … Read more

For many years, I played a brass instrument. Originally, I played small instruments like the cornet and horns, but over the years, I "graduated" to playing the largest, called a bass or tuba. Occasionally, I would hear comments that I … Read more

The days of getting up and being ready in fifteen minutes are gone. Although I'm in relatively good health, my life cycle has changed. This fact dawned on me one morning when it seemed that I simply could not get ready. A recent … Read more

Prior to holidays or special occasions for which she was baking, my mother bought staples for making all sorts of treats. Borden® Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk was my dad's favourite. With Elsie® the Borden® Cow smiling out … Read more

My brother David and I rode our bikes all over the countryside of Germany where we grew up. Usually, we followed a clear path through the forests, over the fields, and around our village. However, one day, we abandoned the path, and ended … Read more

On Manitoulin Island, John and I had cattle and sheep on a farm for years. We were very aware of foxes searching for food. They are very cunning animals. They can smell a mouse beneath the snow and catch partridge that burrow under the … Read more

While I was in ministry, a young woman came to my office needing help. She was homeless, hungry, and desperate. I brought her into my home, took her to a doctor, and helped her to find a sparsely furnished basement apartment. She began … Read more

A few days ago, I read from Maya Angelou's poem, On the Pulse of the Morning. It was read at the inauguration of the President of the United States of America on January 20th, 1993, when life was a little more civil (or civilized) than … Read more

As usual, Frank, my gelding, was standing against the corral gate when I went out to feed and clean. As I opened the gate, I asked him to step back so that I could get myself and the cleaning toboggan through. He did step back, but just … Read more

God calls us to a life of trust. A man who has greatly inspired me in that direction is George Müller, who lived in the 1800s. His classic autobiography is entitled, A Life of Trust. I still regret that when I was visiting Bristol, … Read more

On a visit to London, England, a friend escorted me to a number of historical and popular sites, one being St. Paul's Cathedral. A heroic survivor of the World War II blitz, and site of the 1981 royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady … Read more

Wouldn't life be easier if we didn't have all of the muss and fuss that comes as part of daily living? The Passion Translation expresses today's verse in a humorous way: "The only clean stable is an empty stable. So if you want the work … Read more

He was the first to do what I had longed to do … but probably never would. In his book, Walking with Spring, Earl Shaffer details his account of being the first person to hike the full length of the Appalachian Trail — a footpath … Read more

I was listening in on the radio to Jennifer Kavanagh, a representative for the RAND Corporation, an American non-profit global policy think tank. She made observations about social media and their influence in the recent USA presidential … Read more

What's better than an enthusiastic walking buddy to get us out of the house, even when the weather outside is frightful? I'm blessed to have such a friend. She's an ideal walking buddy because she stretches me. She's young, adventurous, … Read more

When we sit at our tables awaiting our meals in the residence in which I live, the servers come to their assigned tables and inquire what we wish to eat. Lately, they have been coming with iPads, showing pictures of the options and … Read more

Growing in Christ has been lovely and exhilarating for me. As time has passed, I have found myself always bringing words of Scripture into my everyday confabulations with friends and family. One day, someone said to me, "Why do you always … Read more

We know that God's creation provides the artist's most extensive colour palette from which to choose. The rainbow provides an eye feast on the array of primary, secondary, and colours in between. Recently, I visited the post of a featured … Read more

It was time again — though I dreaded it — to break in the new winter work mitts, before the temperatures dropped below the -20s. The old mitts were so comfortable and had formed to fit my hands so well, but the linings were worn, and it … Read more

During the 1960s and 1970s while John and I farmed, we also had a heating business servicing all of Manitoulin Island. We were located in the centre of the island, so the distance was pretty well the same for service calls going east or … Read more

Probably the most difficult thing for me to do at times is to experience the joy of the Lord and to be positive when I don't feel it on the inside! The struggles of daily life can be overwhelming on most days. When I read the stirring … Read more

As I write, we are in the midst of the raging, worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, which has set our lifestyle patterns on their heads and forced us to adapt in a variety of ways. At 77 years of age, I'm in the vulnerable population for getting … Read more

Baths may clean you up, but sometimes, they get you into trouble. Resting outside the bathtub in our spare bathroom is a plastic container with numerous bath toys: a rubber duck, a sailing boat, several balls, a bar of Ivory® soap — … Read more

Are you fond of squirrels? From my childhood, I remember the damage that they can do if they get into one's attic, so I've not been particularly fond of the critters! This morning, however, as I sat at my table enjoying a coffee and … Read more

The year 2020 and COVID-19 have surely given me a new perspective on many things. Let's step back a bit to 2019. We had a family vacation, and I was able to visit family in California and in England. Those three events gave me memories … Read more

Usually, at the end of December and the beginning of January, I would be conducting Christmas and New Year's services at the local Long Term Care Centre. They were not always held on the twenty-fifth of December or on the first of January. … Read more

Honestly, I couldn't get through the day without God's gracious forgiveness. I am a sinful person who makes mistakes and bad choices, as well as neglecting to be or to do good. I am far from perfect, so I need God's holy perfection to … Read more