Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, there are many people, like my wife and I, who have not been to church for well over a year now. There are different reasons why people miss going to church. Some miss the fellowship of other … Read more

I recently had a colonoscopy, as many others have had. It's described as a medical test that is used to detect changes or abnormalities in the colon or large intestine. During the procedure, a tiny video camera allows the doctor to view … Read more

I'll never forget one Easter morning in my childhood. My dad carried our pet rabbit into the house and let it roam freely on the breakfast table. We siblings gleefully watched our cuddly pet hop amongst bowls of coloured eggs. That was … Read more

Years ago, I wrote a devotional for Palm Sunday entitled, "Donkey Business". I did not realize it at the time, but since then, I have had the opportunity to hear several inspired teachings that … Read more

It was time to deworm the livestock again. This is a task that either goes well or it doesn't. Dealing with the goats is relatively easy, but coping with Frank, my gelding, can be a totally different scenario if he decides to balk at the … Read more

My brother is fortunate to live on a beautiful Ontario lake, and also to be surrounded with good friends and neighbours. Some time ago, the kayak belonging to a neighbour floated off in the night, not having been securely tied. The next … Read more

"Is this guy any good?" I heard a customer ask my husband, as I came downstairs into our tiny bookshop in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was holding a copy of The Great Code: The Bible As Literature. The back cover of the book was a … Read more

Recently, I was asked to reflect upon what we understand by the Sabbath day today. From the seventh day of the creation story in Genesis, what are God's intentions in instituting the day of rest for humanity? To cut the theology short, … Read more

Listening to recent discussions about an acceptable minimum wage, I remembered how fortunate that I was to have received good training from godly parents using principles based on the Bible. I was born during the Great Depression before … Read more

"I need this thing …". So begins the customer's request upon arrival at the hardware store. My husband, the employee, must next discern what is needed. "They don't always know what it's called," he said to me. "They don't know what's … Read more

A few days ago, I had an overpowering desire for a glass of eggnog. Just thinking about the rich, creamy mixture with a hint of nutmeg thrilled my senses. My husband won't drink it, but he searched the local grocery stores for several … Read more

A news service interviewed me after I returned from Africa, asking about life in ministry, to which I answered, "I've never been bored. I've found that when I say 'Yes' to things, doors open. The more I say 'Yes', the more doors open. … Read more

When John and I were farming, we had a flock of a hundred sheep. The sheep taught us so many lessons, much like the ones found in Scripture. March and April were the months when the new lambs were to be born, so I would spend hours at … Read more

In March 1993, I had chest pains and periods of shortness of breath. I went to see the doctor, and he referred me to a specialist. After a number of tests, it was determined that my aortic valve was defective. It was leaking badly, and it … Read more

Some days, I feel so imperfect, inefficient, and inadequate that I question whether or not God will both accept and forgive me. I've made many mistakes throughout my life, and sometimes, I shudder when I think about the scrapes that I got … Read more

Oh, my goodness! Usually, I'm not one to be lacking words, but how could I answer the question that I had just been asked? In my head, I thought that it certainly couldn't be a quick, flippant response, nor preachy. *Lord, help me to say … Read more

After a couple of days at the YWAM base in Belize, I wondered what I was doing there. The setting, despite its beautiful name, "Destination Paradise", was a challenge. High heat with humidity, mosquitoes, fire ants, sudden tropical … Read more

Coming home from sorting at the Thrift Shop, I carried with me several pieces of very tarnished silver. It had been agreed that these lovely showpieces would sell so much better if someone polished them. I volunteered, and the job became … Read more

In the 1960s, I read a book entitled Are you running with me, Jesus? (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965) by Episcopalian (Anglican) priest, Malcolm Boyd. Interesting title, isn't it? Here is an excerpt that will give you an idea of what … Read more

Many Canadians, among others, follow the lives and activities of the British royal family: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Kate, and, particularly recently, Harry and Meghan. Here in … Read more

On several occasions this month, I have had an automated telephone call saying, "Thank you for making your purchase of a mobile phone with …". It goes on to say that if the item is not my purchase, all I have to do is to press "1" on … Read more

One of our main objectives as parents is to prepare our children to be successful adults. We're delighted when our children remember their "please" and "thank you" and learn how to be good team players. But, if our teenagers don't show any … Read more

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about " How To Die ", so I thought that I should also write about "How To Live". My first suggestion on how to live is to do everything that we can to communicate with others, even when we are told that we … Read more

A most difficult thing for me to deeply comprehend is that a loving God allows troubles into my life. He tells us to be prepared at all times by faith, knowing that He has a plan for each of us, and that includes both easy and difficult … Read more

It's an unusual time that we're living in during these mask-wearing days of our global pandemic. Full facial expression — something that we normally take for granted — is no longer possible. Communication can be hampered when others … Read more

It was a long month and more for me — and probably longer for those around me! A sudden fall on my 39th wedding anniversary changed my life. (Sorry Jeanne — it wasn't the day that we had planned!) I think that I adapted rather well to … Read more

One day, we received a picture of our granddaughter and her husband holding their little two-year-old boy upside down between them. We could see their legs and the boy hanging there, laughing. He was not worried; he knew that his parents … Read more

When I went through a few rough patches a number of years ago, I started reading the book of Job for answers. Why me, Lord? Why is this happening to me? How do I get through this? The answer that God gave to Job was that it was not for … Read more

We all get distressed at times. We fall out with someone at home, and we ache emotionally for the rest of the week. Something that we've planned goes awry, and we get stressed trying to fix it. A conflict arises at work, which depletes … Read more

Our trip was going well until everything went sideways. The road in front of us was straight and the traffic light. All of a sudden, our small travel trailer began fishtailing back and forth, my husband fighting valiantly to control the … Read more

While working in a large technical library, I so often felt great satisfaction when admiring full library shelves after checking in books and filling the shelves with the returned books. The appearance was so satisfying! Looking so neat … Read more