His comment came during one of the most taxing times of a school year. As I stood outside my doorway during the changing of classes, a young man — whom I had previously taught — passed my way. I normally spoke to him first, but this … Read more

I had students coming to my home to help ready my garden for planting, but I had no tools. At the time, I was working as a greeter at our downtown credit union, right inside the front door. A friend said that he'd bring me something to … Read more

I bought a new-to-me summer home a few months ago. It has fourteen Venetian blinds! I love being able to look out all those windows, but cleaning the blinds has become a bigger job than I had anticipated. I don't think that they've been … Read more

I had been trying for at least six months to make a change to my bank account. I had spoken with the bank numerous times and answered dozens of questions, filled out paperwork, and sent everything in, and yet, I had still not had … Read more

Throughout life, situations often occur when one person makes an offer to another. If we want to make a deal, we usually try to encourage the person with whom we are dealing to accept the offer, because it is necessary for the deal to be … Read more

For today, I thought I'd share a personal prayer as I have presented it to my Lord. I call it "My Wish List". It is a compilation of excerpts from three Scripture portions: Ephesians 6:10-20, Psalm 110, and Psalm 118. Feel free to make … Read more

My sister-in-law, Sharon, and I enjoy getting together for a weekly visit over coffee. Sharon has also written several PresbyCan devotionals, and one day over coffee we were discussing one of her recent devotionals entitled *`Watch Where … Read more

During the past two years, a water exercise class that I enjoyed was shut down due to the pandemic. Recently, because there were too few certified lifeguards available, its reopening was delayed. Lifeguards are essential to the safe and … Read more

Recently, we had a high-pressure weather system over the United Kingdom. It is a good time to set our barometers when there is a reliable, consistent pressure over the mainland. I understand that mercury barometers are highly … Read more

Our first American SOWER (Servants on Wheels Ever Ready) project was at Gospel Rescue Mission, in Tucson, Arizona, USA, which is a shelter for women, some with children. My husband and I had just retired from teaching. We hadn't yet reset … Read more

Arriving by boat at the welcoming shoreline of Kill Bear Park, my husband and I lowered our anchor and slipped gingerly into the shallow, cool water of Georgian Bay. Laughing as our feet wrestled with the shifting sand below, we slowly … Read more

For a middle school boy, I had the job of a lifetime — regardless of the pay. My paternal grandfather was an ice cream delivery man — not the kind who drove through neighbourhoods and sold ice cream novelties to eager children, but the … Read more

"This is the last will and testament of me, in this city, in this province or state, dated this day. … I hereby revoke all wills and codicils previously made by me." If you recognize these words, you have written, benefited from, or … Read more

When I finished high school, my dad asked me what I thought that I wanted to do with my life. I told him that I was interested in studying writing, being a veterinarian, working with animals, or studying theology. All were things which at … Read more

The conscience of a person can become so severely compromised and violated that it is of little use to the Holy Spirit. Sadly, there are too many people, even Christians, in this category. As Paul wrote in today's verse, it is not an … Read more

No one needed to tell those five baby robins to open wide their mouths. It was instinct! And what a sight that was! My husband had connected a television screen to a video camera pointing at a robin's nest built under the eve next door. … Read more

In response to a developer's proposal to build a sixteen-story condominium on all three sides of my nearly 200-year-old house, I'd made a seven-foot yard sign. His professionally printed sign was three times the size of mine with many … Read more

I almost blew it! My first year at university was nearly a disaster. Midway through the first month away from home, I was introduced to a temptation that became an addictive drug in my veins. The more that I tried it, the more addicted … Read more

I have variable-focus lenses in my glasses to help me with the flitting about from close range on the computer or fixing stuff, to afar off focusing out of the window or in the garden, looking up at the clouds in the sky or the military … Read more

It is normal to anticipate something that may or may not happen. That happening may be something that we want or something that we dread. There is a famous quotation, attributed to Benjamin Franklin in 1789: "In this life, nothing is … Read more

Three-year-old Lindy is a late talker. Lindy hears and understands, but the part of her brain that hears sounds and interprets them into speech does not function as it should. It will thus take her much longer to learn to speak than most … Read more

Just over a year ago, my daughter's family and I agreed that it was time for me to move closer to them, leaving the house where I'd lived for over 40 years. We began to explore housing options, but nothing seemed to be clear and … Read more

We had not been to church for quite a while, mainly because of the COVID-19 situation as well as on account of personal medical issues. But in April, we started attending again. Mind you, a lot has changed: attendance has decreased, and … Read more

My great-grandmother rarely ventured beyond the confines of her bedroom, but she was happy. For as long as I can remember, my great-grandmother, Mammy, lived with my paternal grandparents. Her bedroom was just off the living room of the … Read more

I'm sure many of us can remember stepping into a dark movie theatre from the bright daylight. We were stopped in our tracks because of the contrast between the light and the dark. I remember having popcorn accidentally dumped on me … Read more

"I'm supposed to bring a plate to the hockey banquet next week," my young son announced. "Bring a plate? What do you mean, Stephen?" I asked him, perplexed. "That's what the coach said." I wasn't familiar with the idiom "bring a plate", … Read more

I laughed … and I laughed … and I laughed. Yet, this was no laughing matter; it was intensely grievous. I had been "thrown under the bus" through a narcissist's typical weapon: scapegoating his victim in order to conceal his … Read more

Imagine the face of the family dog, caught red-pawed doing something that it knows is wrong, rolling eyes, hunched shoulders, tail tucked between its legs, all signs of guilt and an anxious pup! It's funny to watch; it makes me laugh, even … Read more

I am a SciFi fan. I remember watching Men in Black where "K" (Tommy Lee Jones), one of the agents in a black suit, jumps up and down waving his arms and shouting, "Eat me!" to a very large alien. The alien obliges by swallowing him, … Read more

Thunderstorms with tornados are common in Indiana, USA, where I spent much of my childhood. Blaring sirens would ring out, disturbing a peaceful dinner or interrupting a night's sleep. My family would cross our lawn to the neighbourhood … Read more