"Here comes the sun, and I say, it's all right…." – George Harrison "Here Comes the Sun" is one of the few major hits George Harrison contributed to the Beatles, but the song showed what a marvellous songwriter he is. … Read more

When I sleep, I always dream, even if I am just nodding off. I can't help myself from doing it, and I have tried to understand why my brain won't shut off at night! I often dream that I am either in the twilight or walking in darkness. … Read more

Have you ever been tagged as part of a group of people? When I was in high school, the athletic guys and girls were known as the "jocks", the academically minded quiet ones were known as "the brains", and some of the tags weren't as … Read more

When Larry and I were younger, we used to go canoeing on the Current River. Usually, we had others to enjoy the ride with us. On one of our trips, we came upon a cave with a spring of water that fed the river. Several of us went in to take … Read more

When I was eleven years old, I attended children's Bible camp where I committed my life to Jesus Christ. At thirteen years of age, a friend of our family gave me a copy of John Bunyan's novel, The Pilgrim's Progress, written in 1678. I … 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

Every Monday, six months of the year, I bake desserts for upwards of thirty or more people who receive meals from our local Meals on Wheels program. One woman, who knows where I live, once asked me how this was possible when I have such … Read more

I've just returned from the gas station, where I filled up the gas tank in my car for just under $20. Gas prices in the USA have been rising almost daily to the point where they're more than double what they were two years ago, so you may … Read more

I bought a new-to-me summer home a few months ago. It has fourteen Venetian blinds! I love being able to look out all those windows, but cleaning the blinds has become a bigger job than I had anticipated. I don't think that they've been … Read more

I love living in Arizona, but there is one notable downside: dry skin, particularly on my feet. Many of us wear sandals year-round, so it is an ongoing problem. But I think that I've finally conquered it with daily applications of lotion, … Read more

"I was here first!" It starts so early! This exclamation often ended in some pushing and shoving. The effort to be first in line seems to go way back in my memory. It seemed that to be first in line was some kind of great achievement … Read more

New global weather patterns make their presence felt and impose the requirement to change the way that we do life or else suffer the consequences: drought, wildfires, floods, and landslides, in addition to war, famine, and plague. … Read more

The topic was refugee sponsorship. The conversation was intense, and finally one of those at the meeting said, "Just once, right?" It might have seemed that way to someone new to the refugee crisis. The conflict in Syria had churches … Read more

Last year, COVID-19 restrictions made life tough for all of us. Here in Alberta, Canada, we couldn't get together for Christmas with our family as usual. Our visits were limited to brief encounters outside as my husband and I delivered … Read more

The festival of Sol Invictus, the "Unconquered Sun", on December 25th, was a time when the sun god, Sol, patron of Roman soldiers, was feted. It was a celebration inaugurated by Emperor Aurelian in 274 AD. Houses were decorated with … Read more

Are you ever amazed or surprised at what light reveals to your human eye? There is a small glass prism that sits on my kitchen windowsill. Sometimes, when the afternoon sunlight hits the prism just right, the bending of the light … Read more

I grew up in a small town, and even though I have lived in a big city most of my life, I still claim Mossyrock, Washington, USA, as my hometown. There were 32 of us in my high school graduating class, and none of us would be too … Read more

During this time of COVID-19, we are all being reminded to wash our hands well. This pleading by those who are trying to keep the general population safe reminds me of an experiment we Registered Nurse students had to do when I was in … Read more

It should have been easy to back the Ford Escape out of the garage. After all, it's half the size of our former Ford Expedition. With that big vehicle, I had figured out when to start and stop turning in the eight-metre space between the … Read more

Although I've read the Old Testament multiple times, I didn't fully internalize how relevant it is, both to my walk with God and to my understanding of the many ways that it points to Christ. This summer, I'm in a Bible study that focuses … Read more

Several years ago, when our praise team was practicing Christmas songs, I was challenged to write words to fit one of the songs that we were learning, "Emmanuel Has Come" by Don Moen, because … Read more

My four-year-old granddaughter was at my house, eating her breakfast, when she decided that she didn't want the regular spoon that she was using. She wanted her Disney "Frozen" spoon with Princess Elsa on it. So, she reached under the … Read more

The Mask. The ubiquitous mask! Everywhere, we see them, worn by almost everyone. You probably wear one yourself, as I do. Even Queen Elizabeth was shown worldwide wearing one at the funeral of Prince Philip. In a recent conversation with … Read more

In half an hour, I have an appointment at the dentist's office. The hygienist is going to clean my teeth. I immediately think to myself, My teeth feel really grungy from eating my porridge at breakfast. I'd better go and brush and floss. … Read more

I recently had a colonoscopy, as many others have had. It's described as a medical test that is used to detect changes or abnormalities in the colon or large intestine. During the procedure, a tiny video camera allows the doctor to view … Read more

Coming home from sorting at the Thrift Shop, I carried with me several pieces of very tarnished silver. It had been agreed that these lovely showpieces would sell so much better if someone polished them. I volunteered, and the job became … Read more

The morning was chaotic, not much different than any other 1940s morning, having many interruptions. My sister-in-law quickly reached for her second apron before her neighbour arrived for coffee. She tied it securely at the waist over 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

When I was a teenager, I used to enjoy going out in the streets to play Christmas carols on my cornet (which is like a trumpet) with fellow members of a Salvation Army band. Today, such instrumental carolers are often found in the warmth … Read more

Beginning in the 1500s, lamps were placed on city sidewalks and intersections so that evening shoppers and workers could safely see where they were going. People were accustomed to seeing the lamplighter near dusk, walking from lamppost to … Read more

My husband Lynn and I served as missionaries in Madagascar during the 1970s. Though we felt welcome there, we knew that we would never be mistaken for native-born Malagasy! We had to learn to appreciate new foods and new customs, and we … Read more

When John and I were married in 1963, we moved into the little house on the farm known as Grandma's house. Grandma had moved into the big house with John's parents a number of years before. One morning, I was surprised to see a small pile … Read more

"God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees and in the flowers and clouds and stars." – Martin Luther I once viewed the Word of God as simply a system of laws and rules to obey. At least, that's what I absorbed … Read more