It was one of those days. Laundry was on the go. Bread for the market was on the go. Projects with the girls were on the go. The dogs were going crazy outside, barking at who knows what. The younger child was throwing a hissy fit again, … Read more
Archive for March, 2022
Hearts Like Brown Sugar
"What's that?" I asked my friend as we strolled through the market in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, near the Mexican border. She had just bought a cone-shaped object, shrink-wrapped in cellophane. "It's piloncillo, raw sugar. … Read more
Jesus' Reverse Psychology
"But we're only twelve years old." I've heard this statement — or variations of it — numerous times. One of my tasks as a middle-school English teacher entails instilling responsibility in the students. At their age, most of them buck … Read more
Perfect Love
As part of the history class that I took in high school, I had to study the origins of World War II. Our class spent several weeks focusing on the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and how he motivated the American people to deal … Read more
A Conscience For Every Man
Every human being on the face of the earth has a conscience. When God breathed into mankind, He sent a deposit of His Spirit into every person. That divine deposit of God in us is our conscience. But just like our physical senses, some … Read more
Don't Forget Your Umbrella
"Don't forget your umbrellas," mother would call out on blustery days, prompting my brothers and me to pick up our paces, for it was a long walk to school whenever we missed our bus. Then, with a final once-over, mother would kiss us … Read more
Sackcloth And Ashes And Sighs Too Deep For Words
Moshe Reuven Asman, chief rabbi of Ukraine, called on Christians and Jews to say together the following words from Psalm 31 as Russian forces attacked the Ukraine on various fronts. People of faith are drawn together to offer comfort and … Read more
Strengthening Ourselves In The Lord
As two weary years of COVID-19 restrictions and limitations on in-person worship for our churches have dragged on, how we groaned inwardly and longed for those heavy storms to pass! My own church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, sought to … Read more
Trap's Timely Tips
I have been surrounded by sailors my whole life, but I had little opportunity to join them until 1986, when I moved to Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada. I sometimes joined my Uncle Trap's crew, mostly as "rail meat", which means that my most … Read more
Wrong House
Back in the early 1960s, I often took on odd jobs in Portland, Oregon, USA, where I was a student. One day, my assignment was at an address in an affluent suburb. The door would be unlocked — those were innocent days. I was to tidy the … Read more
Living With A Giving Spirit
He gave until he took his final breath. My paternal grandfather was a giver. I have fond memories of his giving to others but also of how much he gave to me — and not always in monetary form. As a single guy, I had difficulty handling … Read more
Life Expectancy
My 2022 New Year's resolution has been to acknowledge God's blessings in my life, and to continually give God recognition and thanks. I've found that when I focus on my blessings, my discontentments and disappointments have been … Read more
The Expanded Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer has always had a special place in my heart. Rod Marshall's recent devotional about it reminded me that my mother inherited an expanded version of the prayer from her grandparents, … Read more
Love – Human And Divine
The word "love" is used a lot these days. I've noticed young people saying, "Love you!" when they leave or part company. Love is expressed by total strangers, at times through cards or letters. So, I was wondering, what is "love"? Here is … Read more
A New Creation
In celebration of the birth of a brand-new day and a brand-new year 2022, snowflakes fell from the sky like bright confetti, each one a miraculous reminder of God's love and faithfulness. The footprints of yesterday's sins vanished … Read more
The Singer
My two-and-a-half-year-old grandchild, Lindy, loves to sing, even though she doesn't yet speak, other than the odd word here and there. What better place to sing but at church? After all, everyone else is singing, so she loves to join … Read more
Making An Impression
Given the current situation with abnormal COVID-19 times and the inability to do "normal" activities, I have been thinking about people whom I have met and the impressions that they have made on me. Over the years, I have been privileged … Read more
Grampy's Cassettes
There are a few things that I cherish in this life, and hopefully, you'd be surprised by the list. Very few possessions are on that list, and the few that make it have little or no monetary value. Take those old battered cassettes, for … Read more
Mid-Morning And Afternoon Snacking
Dad was a snacker, and he did it consistently. One of my earliest childhood memories is how my dad would pause during the day for snacks. As a small elementary-age child, I can remember his opening the back door of the apartment where we … Read more
The Conscience
The dictionary defines conscience as "a person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour". It is one thing to maintain a clear conscience before man, and it is another thing to maintain a clear … Read more
Running On
When I was in high school, I used to enjoy long-distance running. Going around the track twenty times or more gave me moments of solitude and clarity that enabled me to find solutions to some of the problems and issues that I faced as a … Read more
Struggling With God
Every day, I seem to be struggling with something or someone. It may be as trivial as struggling to open a tight jar, or to complete a challenging jigsaw puzzle. Other times, it might be a struggle to get along with a difficult person, or … Read more
A Deep Winter Sleep
As winter's first snowflakes began to fall, they danced about like glittering confetti. Within an hour or two, the landscape outside had turned from dull green into the most brilliant white. The surrounding fields of lilies bowed their … Read more
Lord, Have Mercy
It was 1940. I was just a six-year-old boy. I heard my parents, relatives, and friends talking about the possibilities of war in the place where we lived. I did not understand what that meant, and they explained to me that soldiers from … Read more
No One Greater
We live in interesting, often disturbing times. In my city of Ottawa, Canada, we have witnessed an unsettling and often astounding protest in our downtown core by truckers and their supporters, loudly demanding freedom from all pandemic … Read more
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