One of my dad's favourite Christmas carols was "O come, O come, Emmanuel". O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O … 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

My parents assisted me with burdens for the first eighteen years of my life. From tending to my basic needs to teaching me responsibility and getting me jobs, they helped me to carry the burdens that accompany growing up. Since then, … Read more

Accepting reality is not always easy. My maternal grandfather raised hogs. The old farmhouse seemed to be surrounded by hog pens. Since hogs are notorious for rooting under fences, I suppose that it made sense to keep them within sight. … Read more

"I guess we're eating out tonight," my son muttered as he surveyed the empty countertop. Just five minutes earlier, he'd set a frozen pizza on the counter and gone upstairs. When he returned, all that remained was the pizza's cardboard … Read more

In the church where I worship, we have a humble man living out his retirement years with his wife of 38 years. Roger sings special music on some Sundays. He composes songs that tell his story and witness for his Saviour. It is an … Read more

In late January of this year, I had total knee replacement surgery. The recovery is slow but consistent, although it's painful. I often find it hard to sleep at night, and I spend hours awake "in the watches of the night". As I have been … Read more

Suddenly, it was quiet! Your heart skipped a beat. Until now you hadn't paid much attention to the children's playful chatter. But now the silence grips every fibre of your being. That's the power of silence. Perhaps you've experienced … Read more

Winter isn't my favourite season. Although it's very beautiful after a snowfall — a winter wonderland, as they say — I don't like it when the wind blows and visibility becomes almost nil, especially if we have to travel somewhere. We … Read more

We're all familiar with the nursery rhyme: Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall; All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again. At times it seems like the world is falling apart, … Read more

I love the whole of Isaiah 53. It reminds me of why I became a Christian in the first place. At that time, I needed God to forgive me for many things and a whole host of mistakes. I felt ashamed of who I was, what I had done, and where I … 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

My wife Ruth and I farmed sheep for a number of years, and those sheep taught us many valuable lessons. Farmers are noted for being a diversified group of people, and some seem to be of the opinion that there is nothing that they cannot … Read more

In an era of rapidly changing customs and thought patterns, the world of art likewise changes, following trends related to various philosophical worldviews. During my attendance at the college of art from 1961 to 1962, the prevalence of … Read more

There's no magic in numbers, but the number 40 keeps coming back as if there were something special about it. The writer of Genesis says that Noah endured rain for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses twice spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount … Read more

"It's that woman's fault!!" declared Adam. "'Tis not!" shouted Eve. "It's that serpent's fault!" "Mission accomplished," mused the serpent. You're familiar with this scenario in Genesis. Adam, to his horror, realizes that God is aware of … Read more

My great-niece, who has taken on a leadership position with a Christian youth organization, has recently married. What would be an appropriate wedding present? I thought of giving a few books to add to the young couple's now-combined … Read more

Many years ago, we bought a brand new car. Before we did this, I had owned three used cars, and we thought that it would be nice to have a new one. We looked around at different types, but we ended up buying a new model of the same car … Read more

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand. One of my many memories of that beautiful country was the number of sheep that roamed the countryside. When preparing for my trip, I read one statistic that sheep … Read more

One year, my daughter gave me a beautiful glass nativity scene for Christmas. At night, when lit, it gives a warm, peaceful feeling, reminding me that Jesus is the light of the world. Still, what makes this ornament special to me is the … Read more

One of our daughters lives in a small town in Michigan, USA, and for many years, we went there for a week in the spring and again in the fall. Every afternoon, I went for a long walk, and over the years, I got to see most of that town. On … Read more

Last year, my son was asked to participate in leading a special "Blue Christmas" service at our church. It is held every year before the holidays to comfort those in mourning. The message emphasizes the Lord's understanding of our … Read more

On a sunny spring afternoon a few years ago, I took a drive around my new neighbourhood, on roads unfamiliar to a newcomer. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my outing in the farm country where more fields opened to the view, with farm houses a … Read more

While walking my dog this morning, I noticed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of earthworms scattered all over the street. This is a common sight when heavy rains force these little creatures out of their water-filled burrows to seek oxygen. … Read more

When my daughter married a man from Great Britain, it became obvious that she would soon be living there. The huge number of things that she had to do just to gain the visa was mind-boggling. She paid great attention to every detail and … Read more

Among my treasures I have a letter.

The letter is from a lady who was the young wife of a student minister. I was a very young teacher when I received it, and had been home for a weekend or two when the young couple was ministering in … Read more

In a world with so many different spiritual writings, why should anyone pay special attention to the Bible as a revelation from God? For me, convincing evidence comes from the fact that Isaiah, living 700 years prior to Jesus' time … Read more

Our rural village is located about halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Within the last few years, our minister was diagnosed as diabetic, and was also operated on twice to insert a stent into his heart. One Friday afternoon, … Read more

One year, for my granddaughter's birthday, we included in her gifts a couple of Rattleback stones. They are quite fascinating. They were first found in many of the Egyptian tombs and were believed to have come from the Nile River. … Read more

As a writer of young adult fiction, probably my most satisfying moments are when I finally finish another book. The story is complete, all questions answered, a satisfactory wind-up, no loose ends. I can sit back and say, "It is … Read more

The young man had six silver balls pierced through his lower lip. Three studs were on each side of a semi-circle loop which joined them together. Another woman had a silver stud through her tongue and half a dozen gold … Read more

Most of us likely know the expression, "Silence speaks louder than words." Years of experience have taught me that this proverb is true. Sometimes, I can give a better testimony simply by being silent, much to the disappointment of some … Read more

Last year, I had surgery on my neck, due to a disc pressing on my spinal cord. For numerous reasons, I was not looking forward to it. I was scared of surgery — not because I thought something would happen, but just the fact of the … Read more