As the little sister of four, I had plenty of opportunities to be left in the care of one of my older sisters or my older brother, Glen, while my parents were working or gone to some school or church event. One of Glen's jobs was to pick … Read more

Recently, I was sitting on my couch thinking about my upcoming fiftieth birthday and what we would do to celebrate it. I recently moved from Canada to the Netherlands, and I was missing my own family and friends. I now have a new loving … Read more

There is an abundance of farmland where we live in southern Ontario, Canada. The farmers grow mostly wheat, corn, soybeans, and hay. Most of the hay is baled in round bales that measure four feet (120 cm) across and five feet (150 cm) in … Read more

Today, Canadians observe a day named in honour of Queen Victoria, who ruled the British Empire for 63 years from 1837 to 1901. The holiday is celebrated as the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, the currently reigning monarch. As … Read more

Gazing at a favourite painting can bring feelings of joy and pleasure, bringing back good memories of a happy time in our lives. Perhaps, the painting holds significance for our family, or maybe, we just like the colours. As an artist, I … Read more

When John and I were farming, we had a flock of a hundred sheep. The sheep taught us so many lessons, much like the ones found in Scripture. March and April were the months when the new lambs were to be born, so I would spend hours at … Read more

Reflecting on my trip to Israel last November, I recall that one of my favourite sites was the ancient village of Magdala in Galilee. A most recent and fascinating archaeological discovery was a first-century synagogue with part of its … Read more

There are a lot of old sayings in my memory bank that pop up at appropriate moments in my life. It's a legacy from my grandparents, with whom I lived for twelve years. Recently, one came vividly to mind: "Eat what you can and can what … Read more

Have you ever noticed how frequently God ministers through simple things? A simple touch — a kind word — even just a smile. Since we expect to see results immediately, it often seems strange that blessings come long after that simple … Read more

I have an entire collection of Walt Disney classic movies on VHS videotape that either I purchased or were given to me as gifts. All my children and grandchildren have enjoyed watching them over the years. But technology changes, and a VHS … Read more

This summer, I had an opportunity to visit my friend who, with her husband, volunteers at a Christian retreat camp as caretaker. As we casually strolled over the rolling property, she pointed to a wooded area down the hill. "That's the … Read more

"Left" versus "right" — these two ideological sides are splitting apart our world with increasing intensity. I find this unsettling. Perhaps it's because there's no actual midpoint, no fixed place where a plumb line of truth can rest and … Read more

The more that I read this beautiful story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man, the more that I believe that real healing begins with forgiveness. As a pastor for over thirty years, I have been with and cared for many people in times of … Read more

I have a scrap pail beside my sink. Apple peelings, pear cores, old lettuce, stale bread, carrot ends and such get tossed into it for the horses. These scraps don't seem like much to me, compared to the whole fruit or fresh bread, but the … Read more

I'm not sure how I came so often to sit beside my grandmother when we had family gatherings. But I remember that sometimes, she'd just quietly beckon me toward herself. Now Grandma always had handwork in her fingers as she sat in her … Read more

When I began in ministry many years ago, I quickly realized that I didn't have enough love for all the people in my congregations. I cried out to God for His love. It was then that I experienced an overwhelming flood of loving care for the … Read more

Christmas and shepherds go together! But I've discovered that focusing instead on Baby Jesus as the promised Shepherd brings a new level of meaning to Christmas. One of the little-quoted prophecies of God Himself coming as a shepherd is … Read more

The Prime Minister of Canada has volunteered to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees into our nation before the end of February. This has raised many fears and concerns amongst the general population. Many may not know that in the last fifteen … Read more

For over five years, I hosted a radio program called The Gospel Train. The joy of the Lord was in my heart as I read Scripture and played classic gospel recordings. One of my favourites was from Grammy Award artist, Andraé Crouch, who … Read more

The mother of the bride, gorgeously attired, stepped out the back door of the car at the church. "Oh-h dear," she bewailed to her husband who was holding the car door, "There's a hole in the toe of my stocking." … Read more

"A rose between two thorns!" You've heard this expression; but have you ever applied it to our Christian calling? Jesus did. In effect, He called His followers to be a sweet aroma in the midst of prickly evil. This is … Read more

It has been the subject of beautiful songs, inspirational art and fascinating sermons. But it was not until I heard this story in its original Jewish context that my eyes were opened to a richer, more powerful understanding of Jesus' … Read more

These men were blind; they walked in darkness, and yet, they were able to follow Jesus. Initially, Jesus did not even speak to them. Regardless, they still continued to follow Him. How did they know the way? Did they follow … Read more

My neighbour's dog is a big black Lab named Brady. She is very sweet and loves to play with my dog, Bunny, a Boston terrier. One day, the dogs were playing in my front yard and wrestled right over the … Read more

Forgiving is an easy thing to talk about, but a hard thing to do. I've known people, including myself, to be shackled to the chains of unforgiveness, which can paralyze emotions, diminish relationships, and destroy love. The bane of bitterness … Read more

My dad went blind early in his retirement, suffering from retinitis pigmentosis. It was sad to watch, as he slowly lost first the centre sight and then finally the rim. For a while, he could still weed the garden, for … Read more

I don't know about others, but at our house, we have a steady diet of media news reports — radio in the morning, evening television news, and at least one newspaper a day. As a sympathetic, bleeding-heart type, I can … Read more

The other day when we were in the mall, I saw a tiny little girl walking by herself. I was concerned, so looked around for a parent. Sure enough, there was her daddy a few feet in front of her, … Read more

When I go to the mall by myself, I often come out and have to stop and wonder where in the world my car is. Other times, I park in the parking lot at work, and at the end of … Read more

"What's wrong with your legs? They're full of red blotches!" My friend didn't have to add that last comment; I already knew that my legs looked appalling, and they felt worse than they looked. They had started bothering me earlier … Read more

Yesterday I decided to return a movie on Digital Video Disk that I had rented. Returning from the store by my normal route, I quickly realized, as I entered the freeway, Highway 427, that I was in trouble. Nothing was … Read more

I notice that the light of day is failing; the days are becoming shorter. There is that certain chill in the air when evening approaches. Autumn is upon us, and the time for beginning a new church season is here. … Read more

Early in June I planted my garden. On an extremely hot and humid Monday, I sowed potatoes, beans, peas, spinach, and radishes. Then I prayed for rain. For more than a week nothing seemed to be happening, except that the … Read more