Do you like surprises? I posed this question recently in a not-very-significant survey (I asked only three people). I received two responses in the positive and one in the negative. Even the two positive responses were later qualified …( read more )

It was there, lying upside down on the ground. I stopped to check it out. It was a bird's nest. Earlier in the summer, my daughter had pointed it out to me. High up in the pine, it was home to a robin and her fledglings. Now that fall …( read more )

Our youngest son, Nick, invited his parents on an annual family hike. His family likes to hike to waterfalls, and they have found new waterfalls to explore for the past several years. The hike has to be in the easy-to-moderate category to …( read more )

When John and I married, the dog on the farm was named Sharp. Sharp would do things to make farming easier for us, like fetching the cows and herding the pigs. He was a good watchdog and would sound the alarm when necessary. One day when …( read more )

Recently, a fellow resident shared her story. In 1989, Dorothy's husband of 42 years suddenly died from a massive heart attack, just two weeks before they were to leave on a planned cruise. Her son, John, who lived nearby, was very …( read more )

A few days ago, I had an overpowering desire for a glass of eggnog. Just thinking about the rich, creamy mixture with a hint of nutmeg thrilled my senses. My husband won't drink it, but he searched the local grocery stores for several …( read more )

One is three-and-a-half, the other one is one-and-a-half, and they certainly know how to get themselves into a jam. Every day, I hear those little voices calling out, "Grammy, Grammy, come help." One has climbed from the floor to the …( read more )

During the 1960s and 1970s while John and I farmed, we also had a heating business servicing all of Manitoulin Island. We were located in the centre of the island, so the distance was pretty well the same for service calls going east or …( read more )

Many, many years ago in the Netherlands, before big-box stores and supermarkets, different merchants delivered goods from door to door. On certain days of the week, they would come down the streets to do just that. The milkman came daily, …( read more )

We sat on the porch and watched the messengers of mercy come, one after the other. My wife and I were visiting a shut-in couple from our church when the mercy bringers arrived. As we enjoyed the cool fall weather, I watched the front …( read more )

In most of the emails that I have sent out to friends or strangers during this time when the COVID-19 virus has been rampaging in the world, I have requested that people pray to God for success for scientists who are striving to develop …( read more )

While sitting in my lounge chair for the past several days recuperating from recent surgery, I have been filling in part of my time watching the world go by, gazing out of my large picture window. During this these days, I have been …( read more )

I have never mastered the art of ice-skating, so it amazes me to see tiny tots staggering around the rink, somehow keeping their balance on two razor-thin blades. Red cheeks and sparkling eyes are almost hidden under a helmet with a cage …( read more )

One Saturday afternoon, my car suddenly shut down; all the yellow warning lights flashed at me. Conditioned by a similar problem last year with another car, I focused on the battery lights, as I knew that I had just put gas in the …( read more )

I heard the geese fly over the other morning as they were en route to their southern home. My heart was saddened to hear them go, for it is the forewarning that summer is ending and fall has commenced. With the commencement of autumn, …( read more )

To help or not to help, that was the question. He stood at a busy intersection, holding a sign that we couldn't read. Although the town where we live is modest in size, recently we've seen more homeless and indigent people standing on …( read more )

Since I was a child, it has been a dream of mine to be a writer. I wrote my first poem at age ten and continued writing throughout my teens. During my university studies, some of my work was published in one of the campus magazines. …( read more )

During Lent, I was studying some of the events leading up to and including the death of Jesus on the cross, and, in particular, the passages in the book of Matthew where the authorities and other people were mocking Jesus. "Even the …( read more )

We know that Jesus, though God, had to be born human so that He could give His perfect life as the payment for our sins, but I really wonder why Jesus had to die such a horrific death. There were many ways that people died in those days. …( read more )

Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same, All may change, but Jesus never — Glory to His name! – Albert B. Simpson It is now 2019, and we have changed our 2018 calendars for new ones. It seems that there are two constants in …( read more )

Stop the roller coaster! I want to get off. Since I don't like heights, I've never liked roller coasters. However, one summer at Canada's Wonderland, when our daughter was about six years old, I decided to go on one of the tamer roller …( read more )

The first time I saw the mother grizzly and her three cubs, I remember thinking what a privilege it was to see such a wonder of nature. The next time I heard about them, I had very different thoughts. This time, they were not out in the …( read more )

When I took Denver, our youngest puppy, up to the veterinarian for his final vaccinations, it was an extremely cold and bitter day. As I had several hours of errands to complete while I was in the city, I decided to board Denver at the …( read more )

As my little spring seedlings began to grow bigger and stronger, preparing for life outside, I began turning them on a regular basis. As they were situated in front of large windows and received full sun much of the day, having these …( read more )

The recipe that I was following called for toasted nuts. At one time, I wouldn't have bothered with the toasting process as I didn't think that it was that important. Through the cooking channel, however, I discovered that toasting the …( read more )

This is a verse that I particularly like to share when I am mentoring prisoners by mail through Crossroads Prison Ministries. I mark the Bible lessons that they send me, and then, I write each of them an encouraging letter. It seems to me …( read more )

On the sun-drenched morning of January 13th, my wife Janice and I took a leisurely walk along the Waikoloa golf course bordering our condo unit on the Big Island. With the promise of yet another beautiful Hawaiian day, it was strange …( read more )

Seasons in life are just as real as seasons in nature. Yes, some seasons are quick, while some are much longer, and at times, we wish that they would just move on. For me, the season was fall, with winter looming in the not-too-distant …( read more )

"Money is the root of all evil." Though my standard of living would be considered rich by third-world standards, by American standards, I've rarely lived a comfortable lifestyle. Making the monthly bills match the monthly income has …( read more )

Last week, I had the carpet cleaners in to clean the rugs in my apartment. They were in a mess from dirt tracked in during the winter. Everything in the living and dining areas was well cleaned, but unfortunately, the cleaners left a big …( read more )

Have you ever examined the seed head of a dandelion before you puckered your lips together, blew, and watched its seeds scatter and rise into the air to fly away? Have you ever seen a double rainbow? Or have you ever examined a snowflake …( read more )

When death may be just around the corner, even encouragement from a stranger is appreciated. Sam's heart was barely functioning, and many of his vital organs were being affected. He'd been on the transplant list for quite some time, but …( read more )

As I grow older, I yearn for the Christmases of my childhood. Being the first grandchild in the family meant a great deal of spoiling. Though I don't remember those years, pictures relay the joy and giving that took place. Prior to my …( read more )