I grew up in the church. My father was a pastor and I was the dutiful first child, so I was at church every time the door opened. That meant Sunday School, Sunday morning church service, Training Union (helping church members grow in their … Read more

One of my happy places is my favourite coffee shop. The baristas there know not only my name, but also my regular order: a twelve-ounce, half-sweet, cardamom latte in a mug. I love to have my latte in a mug because I can then admire and … Read more

The Bible is a library, an inspired collection of 66 books written by different people over thousands of years, in a wide range of literary styles. One of my favourite biblical literary genres is that of the simple narrative, with stories … Read more

We were headed to Whitehorse, Yukon, with three dogs and two kids under five. An unexpected snowstorm was making driving very difficult. My daughter, needing to find a rest stop, pulled into one that we have used frequently. I didn't … Read more

While working in a large technical library, I so often felt great satisfaction when admiring full library shelves after checking in books and filling the shelves with the returned books. The appearance was so satisfying! Looking so neat … Read more

Recently, while studying research on dementia diseases, including Alzheimer's, I learned that scientists have discovered abnormal clusters on the brains of dementia victims. These microscopic plaques and tangles seen in dying nerve cells … Read more

"It's not fair! She has more than me!" This child's howling cry of injustice is familiar to us. Of course, we know it applies only to ice cream and cake, never to peas and carrots. Such a complaint may indeed be uttered by a sweet, … Read more

This may sound strange, but for most of my life, I had no idea what a real enemy was like, although in the past year I have been overwhelmed by an enemy. A person consumed with jealousy and discontentment has made it a personal mission to … Read more

Do you feel it? It seems that there is a new wave of the Holy Spirit blowing through our churches. There is a restlessness growing within our pews, an uneasiness, a feeling of excitement stirring from within. The Christian community today … Read more

With curiosity, I watched an interesting video showing the work of a street evangelist. Most people walked right by him, paying no attention at all. He was asking the question, "Are we good people?" There were a few who stopped to listen. … Read more

Recently, in the Sunday school class that I teach, we were discussing the parable of the Good Samaritan. It's probably the best-known story that Jesus ever told, so, throughout the class, the participants offered their personal ideas and … Read more

The other day, I was searching the Internet for lyrics to a song, and I came across a song entitled Do something, written by Matthew West, an American contemporary Christian musician and songwriter. In his song, Matthew questions God as … Read more

As I write, Environment Canada has reported that a combination of dangerous snow squalls with extreme wind chills of -35C to -40C will produce frequent blizzard conditions for this afternoon and evening. The combination of a fresh, heavy … Read more

Many years ago, Edmund Burke, a British statesman, said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." One just has to watch the news on the television, read the newspaper, or listen to people's … Read more

I received this note from a young fellow about his experience in our church. We have known him since he was a young kid and unofficially fostered him for awhile. He is now in his 40s. Hey Dad: He was lost, sitting in the lil' church, … Read more

I know that I've told this story before, but it bears repeating until we all get it! Several years after becoming a Christian, I still struggled with the after-effects of child abuse. Fear, rejection, and poor self-esteem remained a daily … Read more

I once read a tidbit on the Internet about a morbidly obese man who was trying to lose weight. He weighed over 1,000 pounds and was bedridden. He cut down on calories and tried to exercise. Exercise was a challenge; … Read more

I used to play field hockey for my high school. Because I could run fast and score goals, my coach appointed me as the team captain. Field hockey is an aggressive game, played over two forty-minute halves, which means that … Read more

Once again, we had to drive to a far corner of the parking lot. There were no spaces near the door. I manoeuvred his walker out of the trunk and set it up for his use. Then we slowly worked … Read more

An aeronautical engineer would tell us that, on account of its design, a bee should not be able to fly — but it does. The honeybee is the only member of numerous bee species which produces that sweet treat that … Read more

Each relationship is balanced like a seesaw; both ends must have weight, substance, or there is no relationship. It is dynamic, not static, meaning that there is communication, which may be seen in the rise and fall of each side … Read more

To love one's neighbour as oneself is the second most important thing we can do. The other day I learned of the illness of one of our neighbours just across the road. Cancer had struck in their home. A woman … Read more

This past Mother's Day was a special day for our daughter-in-law Sue. She joined the church upon making profession of her faith. It is a day I am sure none of us will forget. I was impressed by the act, … Read more

Springtime is recruiting season for the Boy Scouts. Each February and March, Cub Scout dens that are ready to cross over and join the Boy Scouts will visit various Scout troops to check out their programmes, see how the troops … Read more

The postal system, like us, is not perfect. Just the other day I received a magazine in our mailbox, which was delivered to us by mistake — maybe! I looked at the front cover: it was all tomatoes. I didn't … Read more

Anyone who has ever used a choke chain to walk their dog is probably familiar with the "p" and "q" rule. That is to say, when making the loop for the animal's head, the chain is dropped through the slip … Read more

How do you witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ?. Words work, but often words remain only words. Actions are good, too. While a group of labouring youth went to work on the Gene MacLellan Centre, the new … Read more

From the corner of my eye, I first glimpsed him. Loosely fitting clothes, well worn and soiled. I walked purposefully toward my Ford Explorer. Wool-suited, suede-shoed, paycheque cashed. Confidently, I walked. Head held high. He staggered. Eyes downcast. Grasping first … Read more

An older lady was reading to her small grandson, Craig, from his favourite Mother Goose book. It was an action book, with pop-up pictures. But she had read it to him so often, that this time she didn't feel like … Read more