The crowd collectively held their breath as the "black belt" entered the tournament arena. The young man had defeated other competitors to achieve the chance to win a Grand Champion trophy from his martial arts school. This was his moment. … Read more

The Christmas season provides a feast for the senses like no other time of the year. All five senses are fully engaged through the supersaturated sights, sounds, aromas, sensations, and flavours of Christmas. – We hear bell choirs and … Read more

Many people tend to divide their lives up into compartments, even if they may not realize that they are doing it that way. Right now, I have a few compartments in my life. I am dealing with the passing of my mom, working full time, being … Read more

I never really wondered why bananas are shaped the way that they are until I saw a children's program about them on television. I was intrigued, so I looked up the details on Google, and here is what I found out. Banana plants look like … Read more

As our little Shih Tzu puppy and I ventured out onto our patio one fateful morning, a female hawk dove directly towards Bailey. She was only a few inches away from me. I was terrified, so I furiously swung my iPad around (my only weapon), … Read more

Love and beauty fill every nook and cranny of an oak-tree-covered foothill farm, nestled in Penn Valley, California, USA. A young woman works at her dream to turn her grandparents' "Splendid Farm" into a self-supporting business so that … Read more

I have been fascinated with archaeology ever since I was young, immersed in our family's National Geographic magazines and books. I spent many hours looking at the finds in Egypt and South America. In recent years, I have enjoyed watching … Read more

Years ago, I wrote a devotional for Palm Sunday entitled, "Donkey Business". I did not realize it at the time, but since then, I have had the opportunity to hear several inspired teachings that … Read more

While I was in ministry, a young woman came to my office needing help. She was homeless, hungry, and desperate. I brought her into my home, took her to a doctor, and helped her to find a sparsely furnished basement apartment. She began … Read more

I was listening in on the radio to Jennifer Kavanagh, a representative for the RAND Corporation, an American non-profit global policy think tank. She made observations about social media and their influence in the recent USA presidential … 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

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

I remember my first job interview for a post in the bank. The interviewer looked at me and asked, "Are you honest?" This was a question that got me smiling for a moment before I answered, "Yes, I am honest." The thought that ran through … Read more

As our pandemic lingers, people naturally yearn for former freedoms — including public worship. Mixed feelings abound over such matters. Restless tension grows between restraints and freedoms. As in any polarized situation, we can easily … Read more

Now that spring has sprung and the ice has melted into the earth, the livestock have been released from the corral to roam the whole property once again. For two weeks prior to the final melting, they would all crowd around the gate every … Read more

My annoyance over telemarketers has occasionally caused me to answer legitimate calls with a rather unfriendly tone. Once, I even hung up on someone. How rude! Thankfully, that person called right back. That got me thinking: How often … Read more

It's that SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) time of the year again! I don't like the dark, and I'm longing for the days when they get longer again. I've been using my light therapy lamp since the beginning of November. It's become part of … Read more

It was a bright, sunny day at the beach, a perfect day to relax and read. Yet the glare of the sun was so intense that my sunglasses weren't enough to block its powerful rays. As I shielded my eyes, today's verse came to mind: "The Lord … Read more

For years, it has been a pattern. Evening comes, it's time to get ready for bed, and into my mind come memories and thoughts from the day or the past. Every one is tainted by hurt, and at its heart, by self-pity or my desire for … Read more

Today, I am making four batches of my favourite dessert: creamy rice pudding. It was in response to a request for the community dinner in two days. I could eat bowl after bowl of it, it's that good, so it has been a bit of a struggle. I'm … Read more

In our Bible study group, we were reflecting on the reality of the temptations that we face as we seek to live Christ-centred lives. During the discussion, Ted offered some down-to-earth wisdom: "The birds are going to fly in and out, but … Read more

Over 25 years ago, I was told that I was going blind. Treatments and surgeries have slowed the onset of visual impairment over the years, yet the lack of sight is evidently growing, and it has become more apparent lately. Slowly, over the … Read more

Zoë is my eldest daughter from my second marriage, and she will be ten years old in the summer. Along with her younger sister Sophia, they are at a Church of England primary school where I am a Vision and Values governor. Every term, we … Read more

I was busy at the computer one morning, and I got tired of listening to the aggravating buzzing of a fly around the room. I was tempted to go and get the fly swatter, but as we all know, as soon as we get that in our hand, the word is … Read more

Readers of a certain age will recognize the following quotation from The Sound of Silence, a #1 hit song from 1966 by the duo Simon and Garfunkel. {Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk to you again. – Paul Simon} I was … Read more

Isn't it interesting that God created light before He created the sun and the moon? Nothing can live without light. Plants need light to turn green, and they produce the oxygen that we need to breathe. We can't grow without light. Have … Read more

Occasionally, I purchase an item which I neither need nor want. Afterwards, I hit myself on the head and wonder how I could be so dimwitted. The explanation is simple: Such dimwitted impulses happen when I am shopping under the influence … Read more

A couple of nights ago, we were awakened by a great commotion outside. Coyotes were in the area — probably in the field behind our house — yipping and howling and carrying on. There were also clear sounds of an animal in distress. That … Read more

We are amazed at all of the technology that has come into use in the past fifteen years, and we wonder what might be discovered, developed, and revealed within the next very few years. God created the cosmos with all of the possibilities … Read more

The days of winter seem to hold the darkest hours of the year. Many people leave home for their workplaces in the dark and also return in the dark. In addition, winter mornings are in a deep-freeze. I also think of a large company of … Read more

In our younger years, my wife and I lived with our two children for a number of years in a tiny, isolated, Canadian arctic settlement on the west coast of Hudson Bay. The settlement was accessible only by air on an airstrip that had been … Read more

Can you imagine anyone risking their life for the sake of a selfie (a self-portrait using one's cell phone)? It happens, and that's why "Selfie-Free Zone" signs are posted in various areas of the world. Some spots are especially appealing … Read more

It was approximately two years after our two denominational churches came together and worshipped as one congregation that our pastor/priest retired, and our new church was looking for another minister to take her place. After almost a … Read more