Children are so motivated by rewards. When I teach French to my grandchildren, we usually play number bingo, using cards from my teaching days. They listen as I call out the numbers in French, and when they have a complete row, they shout … Read more

Have you ever looked at your fingernails in spiritual way? I was sitting at the table, thinking about the devotionals that I had just read and prayed about, when I started looking at my nails. I could not help but think that it was only … Read more

All the costumes and props for the Sunday School Christmas play had been tidied up and put away. All except one, I thought. A wrapped gift lay in my drawer. I was in charge of the Sunday School, so I kept stuff in the old desk. *I wonder … Read more

When I was a young boy in the Netherlands in the early 1940s, twice every Sunday, we went to a church in the Reformed tradition. On occasion, there would be some German soldiers in attendance. The occupying forces were mostly older men who … Read more

I have always understood the concepts of God and His beloved Son Jesus. The concept of a Holy Spirit, however, has always somewhat eluded me. While I may have encountered the Holy Spirit numerous times before, I had not made the … Read more

Is life getting you down? Are you feeling like Atlas, carrying the world on your shoulders? Sad, blue, depressed, restless? I know that I have felt like that, and often, I don't know what brought it on. Then, when I come to my senses and … Read more

It has been my privilege to lead a Bible discussion at the Meaford Long Term Care Centre for a number of years now. I do it every other Friday and have done it over 250 times now. We meet in a small, private room, and there are usually … Read more

My dear, rescued golden retriever still follows me nearly everywhere I go, but he's getting far better at "chilling" when I clean house, but not always. The other day while cleaning the bathroom, I turned my back for one second, only to … Read more

On April 30th in the Netherlands, a king was crowned for the first time in 123 years. The last one was Willem III, who was replaced by Queen Emma in 1890, Wilhelmina in 1898, Juliana in 1948, and Beatrix in 1980. After 33 years, she … Read more

At our house, the "Free Cell" solitaire card game on our computer is used while Internet users wait for web pages to load over a very slow dial-up connection. Almost daily, I watch other family members solve a game in … Read more

My class in Human Anatomy and Physiology studies how a small change in the membrane of nerve cells allows us to interact with the world around us. Our brains receive information as tiny electrical signals, and respond by sending out … Read more

It's amazing how much emotional baggage and physical damage we endure simply because we will not let go of our guilt or own up to our mistakes. Last week, I was at a coaching-counselling centre which works primarily with pastors. … Read more

Do you love to watch or read a good mystery? Why is it called a "mystery"? I always thought of a mystery as anything I could not reason or figure out. Webster defines mystery as: We as Christians should take … Read more

I was preparing for a writing workshop I was giving at the Christian college in our town, and I needed an illustration to help the students and faculty with the reality of rejection. Too often the sting of rejection brings … Read more

One of the household chores that I avoid doing as long as possible is the ironing. Not that I mind doing it, actually it's just that the idea of it seems so confining. It's not nearly as interesting as some … Read more