In conversation a few days ago with my good friend, Pastor John, I asked him this question, "John, how do you handle all that life throws at you, especially in times of illness?" His response was immediate and heartfelt. "God is always … Read more

"Can you come over? The sewing machine that you loaned me isn't working right." My neighbour was frustrated. It was a new machine that had been used only a few times. What could go wrong? My first attempt to fix it didn't work. I tried … Read more

I love a book of moderate length (around 300 pages or less) with a straightforward plot and a reasonable number of characters. I prefer not to waste my time on a l-o-n-g book with a lengthy cast of characters and a convoluted plot. The … Read more

Some truth never changes. I don't remember whether Mom and Dad explained the importance of what I was watching on the television or not, but I remember watching with great interest. Just shy of nine years of age, I sat in the den of a … Read more

Because of my previous experience in raising pigeons, I have a real eye for them, and love having them around. We have a bird feeder behind our house, so, when one day a pigeon showed up, we were thrilled. We kept hoping that more would … Read more

Over my lifetime, I have used a variety of Bible-reading schedules, and it is commendable to read the Bible through in a year. Nevertheless, spreading the reading over two years breaks things down into more manageable bites for me and … Read more

I don't know about you, but I had a way of getting myself grounded! The day or the evening started out well enough, with lots of fun, but then, curfew time came and went! It always happened at the best part of the fun that I was having. I … Read more

From my kitchen window, I enjoy the heavy, low-flying, distinctively coloured, quiet, slow-mannered pair of wood ducks that like to rest on their webbed feet awhile on the horizontal branches of my big, old maple trees almost every morning … Read more

When I was pregnant with our first child, Jared, I read an article explaining that after babies are born, they recognize voices that they'd heard while in the womb. So for the next nine months, my husband Bob and I would talk to him, pray … Read more

After three summers in my 34-foot fifth wheel, you'd think that I'd have figured out what works best and where to put everything, but this year, I discovered several ways to improve both the use and function of space. I replaced the couch … Read more

I once counted up the times that I have moved through my life — a total of 35. That meant moving everything — pets, books, dishes, furniture — sometimes to another country, city, province, or state — changing mailing addresses and … Read more

Recently, I received a telephone call about home protection service. I listened for a while and then declined their offer. I did look up some of the various alarm systems available, with sensors, cameras, wireless communication, and … Read more

I cannot honestly read Paul's second letter to Timothy without reflecting on how his words are relevant for today. The great apostle was forewarning his protégé that things would get a lot worse before they became better. He was telling … Read more

Lately, I've been googling everything. If I need a recipe, I can google it. If I want to know how many calories or carbs are in a certain food, I can google it. If I want to find out where a restaurant is located in a city when I'm … Read more

My young granddaughter, who is just learning to feed herself, sometimes chokes on her food. When this happens, she coughs until she dislodges the morsel from her throat. Sometimes, she re-chews and swallows it successfully, and other … Read more

Years ago, when I was a student deaconess serving a new church on the Canadian prairies, I can remember that the only person who had grey hair was the organist. Now, I look around in church, and most people have grey hair. I am saddened to … Read more

Sometimes, I watch shows on television which clearly illustrate how so many people today think only of themselves. Yes, we are a selfish community going our own ways. We sometimes raise money or donate clothing for a needy family or for … Read more

One day as I was puttering around my study at home, I came upon a little cardboard box that had been tossed into a box of books carted from my mother's apartment when she needed nursing home care. Inside the box tied with string, there … Read more

"Return to Me." I heard a voice speaking from somewhere. When I first started writing for the PresbyCan Daily Devotional, I was inspired. I wrote, or more importantly, I was granted inspiration to share what God had done in my life. … Read more

Now that the starter plants have been transferred to the outside garden beds, I stop amidst my morning chores to pop over and examine them. I check to see if each plant looks healthy and has enough moist soil around it. If not, then I do … Read more

We moved into the house that we are living in now just over three years ago and we saw that there were smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in various places throughout the house. Due to the fact that our minds were totally set … Read more

From my kitchen window, I enjoy the heavy, low-flying, distinctively coloured, quiet, slow-mannered pair of wood ducks that like to rest on their webbed feet awhile on the horizontal branches of my big, old maple trees almost every morning … Read more

I had decided that I would begin Advent by reading the book of Matthew. Of course, like several other books of the Bible, it included the dreaded family tree. Ho hum, what a bore. I was tempted to skip this part until the Spirit nudged … Read more

Last week, as I was out walking the trails with the dogs, I received the most glorious, unexpected blessing. As we came around a bend in the path, there before me stood the same pine tree that is always rooted at that spot. And yet, … Read more

Some time ago, I was talking with some people about the Lord and our lives as Christians, along with experiences that we have had in life. They were using words like "God spoke to me", feeling that they had a word from God, and talking … Read more

Even though my e-reader and I were barely on speaking terms, I was determined to take advantage of an offer for a free Bible. Nothing worked. Then, I got my friend involved. She couldn't help me, but she decided to get it for herself! That … Read more

During His trial, Jesus was asked by Pilate, "What is truth?" (John 18:38 NKJV) It seems that in today's world, the subject of truth is a rather slippery one. Many prefer to live in a world of relativism where there are no absolutes. … Read more

When I was five and my brother was four, we would play church together. We'd get all dressed up, just like the grownups did. I was the organist and played my best on the old pump organ. My brother was the preacher. He would stand on the … Read more

Today marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the Armenian genocide, an event that occurred during the Ottoman Empire. It was on this date, April 24th, 1915, that several thousand Armenian intellectuals in Turkey were rounded up, arrested, … Read more

The grease-stained pizza boxes were piled high in the corner of the upper room as youth group neared the half-way mark of the night. A delightful assortment of teens chatted away, filling that tiny space with a cacophony of giggles, … Read more

The driveway at the place where I work is flanked by two deep ditches, one on each side. We have stakes marking the edge of the ditches for people coming and going from the driveway to navigate. A few days ago, though, as I backed into my … Read more

In the news, commentators announced that this year's fee for a thirty-second commercial during Super Bowl XLIX (49) will be four and a half million dollars. I thought to myself, *What if I, as an emissary for God, were awarded the … Read more

My daughter keeps a small vial of lip balm on the bathroom counter. She leaves it there so that she will remember to use it frequently. Otherwise, especially during the winter months, her lips become dry, sore, and cracked, creating a … Read more