Being a Scottish preacher in American churches can be quite novel at times. For some reason, folks like to listen to my Scots accent because they find it to be quite lyrical. I used to think that this was a great thing and relished each … Read more

Sometimes, I get frustrated with God, especially when my prayers of concern take a while to be answered. I'm usually a patient person, but when I get anxious, I can't help feeling that God is either ignoring me or doesn't understand the … Read more

Recently, I was travelling back from a church committee meeting with two other pastors. As we drove home, we talked about how a word preached at the right time to the right person can have a profound effect on their life. A short phrase, … Read more

Years ago, I was on a summer placement in the backwoods of Nova Scotia, Canada. Believe it or not, the phones were the old crank style and, more amazing, connected everyone in the community so that any and all could listen. No … Read more

Recently, I was in a store doing my grocery shopping. As I waited at the till, I heard a little voice in the next aisle. I say that I heard, but the reality was that most of the shop could hear this small child screaming, "Gimme, gimme, … Read more

I am a novice kayaker, and the last time when I was out with a kayaking group, I upset my kayak and fell into the water — not once, but twice! I was safe, though, because I was wearing a lifejacket and because the kayakers support each … Read more

I was a single mother of two, still reeling from my husband's unfaithfulness and our subsequent divorce. I was also just finishing the thesis for my Master's degree. I had met with my advisor regularly, and she had never said that my work … Read more

"Thank You for … the terror of trust … ." I have lost the source of this written prayer, but not its impact. There's wisdom in this paradox: Trustful faith is forged through those terrifying experiences when we feel utterly vulnerable … Read more

My husband has a moderate-to-severe hearing loss and wears hearing aids. At first, they were the basic kind. As we drove in the car, he would complain, "You're talking to the windshield. I can't hear you." I would get impatient with this … Read more

It was just one of those days on the boat. The calm became a stiffening breeze, the breeze became a blow, and the blow just got stronger and stronger. We were in a race on the Bras d'Or Lakes of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, and we … Read more

Recently, the slugs and snails have been after my dahlias and lupines. I have been dismayed at how much damage can be done in such a short time over the mid-summer nights. Brutal has been the decimation, and total the annihilation of some … Read more

There's an annoying patch in our front lawn where, year after year, weeds keep thriving, but lush grass won't grow. This spring I'm dissipating my frustration through a devotional — beginning with a Scripture reference to the problem: … Read more

In a busy world, Sabbath is something that we need to seek intentionally. People need to pursue Sabbath moments in life. People in the church and in society alike need concrete examples of how to create Sabbath — in their car, through … Read more

Interestingly, the event described in Mark's Gospel is the only time that we catch a glimpse of Jesus sleeping during His ministry. The day's teaching left Him exhausted, seeking privacy and rest. Nothing could disturb Him — not even … Read more

On the afternoon and evening of September 29th, we had a violent storm here in southern Ontario, Canada. Early in the afternoon, the branches on the trees in front of our house started to whip around. As time progressed, the wind became … Read more

The other day I got bombed. It scared me half to death. Fortunately, I recovered quickly enough that I kept the truck on the road. It did take me a moment or two, however, to figure out exactly what had happened. As I was driving along … Read more

As a child, I often got into trouble for doing the wrong things, despite having been warned by my parents. I can still hear them saying to me, "This would never have happened if you had listened in the first place." As a teenager, I … Read more

My friend, Anne, has the reputation of being an excellent story teller. She tells her stories at the museum where she volunteers and at various group meetings. She is also on the schedule to give the children's sermons several times a … Read more

The area where I work is dotted with large lots and homes. There aren't many fences, but there are a lot of dogs that all remain on their property as we walk by. Recently, I was on a walk with a lady that I support, and three dogs were … Read more

During this past spring and summer, I travelled in the area where we live to lead services in different Presbyterian churches. There is a lot of cultivated farm land in this area, and it seems that the majority of the crops being grown … Read more

The tree was a gift from my parents when we bought our first house 17 years ago. It was a mountain-ash that fit into their vehicle to be brought to us. The tree has grown substantially over the years to a present height of about 25 feet. … Read more

When I was a young lad, we lived in a house without electricity. We had a variety of oil lamps in the house. There were some rather fancy ones in the living room, some plainer ones in the kitchen and bedrooms, and a couple of lanterns to … Read more

At the time of writing this, about two feet of snow remain on the ground in the area where our small raised garden is supposed to be. As there was already snow on the ground when we moved here, I have not seen it yet, and I only remember … Read more

When the news came, I knew that the situation was beyond my control. I moved to the upstate of South Carolina in the early 1980s, and jobs were scarce. I had vowed never to work in a textile mill again. Unfortunately, this was about the … Read more

Don't you love that Christmas gives us at least a month of stress-free eating and spending, followed by at least three months of stress as we try to lose the pounds and the bills we gained over the holiday? Stress is caused by our … Read more

Our garden is not nearly as big as it used to be. We used to grow all our vegetables, as well as a variety of different fruits and foodstuffs. I was never a fanatic gardener, but I did look after it, and we enjoyed the fruits of our … Read more

Each April for the past three years, our household has received a picture postcard from the office of the Grey County Weed Inspector. The cards advised of an invasive plant called Wild Chervil that threatens forage crops. The postcards ask … Read more

One morning while driving to church, I noticed all along the edge of the highway bags of litter that volunteers had cleaned up the previous day. Sad to say, in the centre of the highway along the route were dead raccoons. They had … Read more

Hurricane Sandy barrelled up the Atlantic coastline of the United States during the weekend before All Hallows Eve, earning it the nickname "Frankenstorm". This monster storm lived up to its name as it wreaked destruction all along the … Read more

I bought my husband an ocotillo cactus last week. It is supposed to grow rather large, but it looks rather dead. The roots are hacked close, and we really have doubts that it will grow. What we need is good soil for this dead trophy in … Read more

A number of years ago, I'd been feeling increasingly N.Q.R. "Not quite right" is actually a huge understatement regarding my condition. Things came to a head one morning when I was so ill that I had to break my word regarding a commitment … Read more

Have you ever thought of the same old Bible stories as boring, since you've read them so often? Amazingly, after years of reading, I noticed two things in a recent reading about Jesus stilling the storm. The Bible tells it … Read more

Too often as we read, hear, and envisage this passage of Scripture, we focus on the panic and fear of the disciples as the wind rises, causing the waves to spill into their ship, filling it. In desperation, they awake … Read more