When I first arrived in Alberta, Canada, at a new pastoral charge, there was great anxiety and stress. Could I survive without my wife of 25 years and my family for such a long time? We had never been separated for more than a few days at … Read more
Archive for January, 2025
Freedom From Anxiety And Fear
I love to travel with my husband, whether it is by road, ship, or plane, but for some unknown reason, for the last two years of my mother's life, I developed a fear of flying. The thought of going to the airport and getting on a plane … Read more
Go Tell Of The Feast
It was a trip my dad was not to forget. It was a fishing trip to Canada with my husband, Larry, and some other guys from the church. My dad was the greatest fisherman I ever knew. He fished on the hottest of days, or he would drill a hole … Read more
When God Hides
I am familiar with hiding. Apart from the regular game of hide-and-seek, my cousin and I often invented other hiding games. We invented imaginary giants to hide from in my grandfather's barns. If we chose to play cowboys and Indians, one … Read more
Forgiveness
A common theme these days seems to be focusing on forgiving. Several news stories have zeroed in on it and a couple of documentaries have featured people who have forgiven someone and how healing it has been. A woman forgave her husband; … Read more
Our Master's Voice
I remember the iconic RCA Victor trademark found on old record labels depicting a dog intently listening to "His Master's Voice" coming from the old windup cylinder phonograph. Do you? A dog's rapt attention to his master's voice is an … Read more
Lumps, Bumps, And Bulges
Each day when I leave the house, I give myself a little pat-down. Bulge in the right pocket — that means I've got my wallet. Lump in the left-hand pocket. That's my house keys. Need those. Bump in the top pocket. I've got my pen. Bump in … Read more
Fearfulness
I have had athlete's foot, a fungal infection, since I was a child at school. It comes and goes, but never goes far. I used to use a well-known make of antifungal cream, but it was useless to stop the fungus. Then one day, I found a … Read more
Trust In The Lord
In 1983, the administrator of the local nursing home, Doris, initiated the construction of a 21-unit apartment complex for seniors next to the nursing home. Word came to me in a roundabout way that the newly formed Board of Directors … Read more
Can You Hear?
Jesus often ended His parables with this phrase: "He who has ears, let him hear". I have a friend who has just returned from a family vacation in Hawaii. She was commenting on how she would sit on the beach in the early morning for her … Read more
The New Norm
He stood and talked to his brother, never realizing that in a few moments his life would change forever. When I became his pastor, he was a vibrant man and a diligent church worker. Some years before, his life had been changed when he … Read more
Adaptations In The Desert
Some unusual plants grow in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, USA. My husband and I read about them as we explored the Ajo Mountain Drive, a 21-mile (34-kilometre) driving loop in Organ Pipe National Monument. The park is named … Read more
The Botfly
Sienna, my Yorkshire Terrier, had a lump which was growing. Thinking it was an infected sebaceous cyst, which are common in older dogs, I made an appointment with the veterinarian to have it checked. At the clinic, they took Sienna into … Read more
Delivering The Word
For many years I worked for the Post Office. I was always intrigued by letters that would come to people, especially letters which you could tell were from friends or relatives. At the end of my postal career, I reverted to being a letter … Read more
The Fruit Of The Tree Of Knowledge
Isn't it interesting that, even after Eve and Adam ate the fruit in order to know everything, we find that we still don't know much: Why do "bad" things happen to good people? Why do people get old and die? Why do we get sick? Why does my … Read more
I Need You, God. Hurry!
As I read these verses, I am reminded of how many times I say, "Hurry, God, save me. Come quickly!" Most of us can understand having a great need for the Lord to hurry and help. My prayers are never more fervent as when I am found in the … Read more
Spreading The Gospel
I was pleasantly surprised to receive a phone call from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on this cold -44 degrees Celsius morning, from a fellow brother in Christ Jesus, who called to say hello and to say that he is receiving his PresbyCan … Read more
Advice From The Wrong Place
My wife and I once faced a financial situation where the outgo exceeded the income. We needed to escape, but we had no means to merely pick up and leave, nor did we have any employment awaiting us. The longer we stayed, the worse things … Read more
More Reflections On Success (2008)
When I wrote Reflections On Success in 1996, I had been a public servant for 22 years. I remember farther back, when I was having job interviews back in the early 1970s, one recruiter asked me where I … Read more
Reflections On Success (1996)
Some time ago, I found myself being dragged into the world's mould. I began to notice how many of my colleagues had made it farther up the corporate ladder and found myself bemoaning the fact that I had received only one real promotion in … Read more
The Pathway
My dogs and I walk ten times around our fenced half acre daily to get our exercise. Lately, I have noticed that I can see a faint outline of the path which we have trod over the past year. Our feet have begun to chart our route, and as we … Read more
Because I Am Worth It
Oftentimes, television advertisements promote products for people who are in — or want to be in — positions of influence. Their appeal revolves around the power to be lauded, to selfishly say by implication or directly, "I am worth it!" … Read more
A Smart Money Manager
Have you had a chance yet this year to look at your bank and credit card statements, scratch your head, and wonder where it all went? If you haven't, you soon will! None of us has the ability to change the past, so we must learn from it … Read more
My Father's Footsteps
When I was a little girl, my parents used to take us sledding in the mountains during the winter. The fun part is sliding down the hill — the less fun part is getting back up! My dad was quite a big man: six feet six inches tall, size 13 … Read more
The Right Path
One wintry day, my husband and I were walking at the golf course, which has a trail that, along much of its way, parallels the river to our left. We hoped to see some overwintering river birds. At first, however, the river wasn't visible. … Read more
Blessings And Requests
I have a friend who is the sole caregiver for her 106-year-old mother. Her mother has some clarity of mind and can manage some of her own personal issues, but nevertheless requires quite a bit of care and cannot be left alone. In addition, … Read more
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