I don't mean to boast, but I just saw the king! Every fall, he shows up with his loaded gun blazing. Who is he? I lovingly call my husband the King of Caulk. He inspects every inch of this house for cracks, crevices, and holes that cold … Read more

There are several things that I have always wanted, and one of them is to have a horse. I have looked up horses for sale and have even sent pictures of them to the horse woman of our family: my daughter Mendy. The other day as I looked up … Read more

A few weeks ago, an article appeared in the newspaper, entitled "Why GenXers Aren't Going Back to Church." You can imagine that there was a wide variety of reasons for people 41-56 years old. Some were busy with work and kids. Others were … Read more

Those of us of in our advanced years are experiencing the death of friends and loved ones. Just recently, I discovered that a gentleman with whom I worked has passed away. He was the superintendent on the first pipeline construction … Read more

What fun we have with some of the novices who come to visit our region in the summer. We have a plethora of possibilities when it comes to watercraft — from kayak to canoe, from tender to sailboat. One thing the tourists all have in … Read more

Simon, my dachshund, is a thief. Every morning and evening after he gobbles up his bowl of food, he races over to an older, very patient dog and helps himself to her food as well. He edges in to the far side of her bowl and begins … Read more

Have you ever found yourself carrying on a private conversation — with yourself? Such internal dialogue is normal and often quite productive. My own thought life may sometimes seem to be aimless and fragmented, but I've also solved many a … Read more

One hot summer day, I watched our Blue Healer, Rocky, saunter across the field and walk into the neighbour's pond. With the sun behind him, he looked rather handsome as he emerged from the refreshing water and walked through the tall … Read more

Who would have thought that I would welcome the pounding and thudding up on my roof? Yet, at last, the long-anticipated and dreaded day had arrived! Our condo association board had been preparing us for several months for this reality. It … Read more

The Tarahne is an historical boat in dry dock on the shores of Atlin Lake in the town of Atlin, British Columbia, Canada. Once upon a time, she sailed upon the waters of the lake, full of tourists, and being useful as she delivered goods … Read more

The past three years have been like no other period of my life. As a younger person, I worked full-time while also juggling care of my home and family. I have been deeply involved in church and community work over the years. I also love … Read more

One Sunday recently, our minister spoke on the passage in the Sermon on the Mount that begins, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life …" (Matthew 6:25 NKJV) and the topic was worry. The message was very much about the … Read more

I have an acquaintance who wakes up each and every day of her life with the absolute conviction that life is just awful and will never get any better. While trying to find help for her to cope with this anxiety, I found that this … Read more

During the past number of weeks, I have been struggling through a number of losses. In my head, I think, *How do people without faith cope without the comfort of God? How do people cope without His promise, "Never will I leave you; never … Read more

A few years ago, when my husband first took our young grandsons to the tennis court to begin teaching them how to play tennis, their balls flew all over the place. The boys didn't know how to direct their swing so that the balls would … Read more

According to the experts, hummingbirds are expected to leave the part of central Texas where I live on October 10th. As I write this on October 22nd, the hummingbirds have already been gone from our ranch for about three weeks. That means … Read more

With the support of my Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Evans, the church, and my parents, I felt that I was being called to become a missionary. God's Spirit encouraged me to share my love for Him as I sang His praises both in and out of the … Read more

Some of us recall those days when a doctor made house calls, carrying a black bag stocked with medicines. After he assessed our trouble, we'd be offered a suitable remedy. Today, house calls have been replaced with clinic visits or perhaps … Read more

In a recent email, I was listing for a family member a number of current, mundane things related to home maintenance repairs and various family health issues, including waiting for lab reports and appointments. I ended the list with "It's … Read more

I was driving north on Interstate 15 in southern California, USA, on my way to a granddaughter's wedding. I'd left the San Diego airport in a rental car, following the GPS on my phone as I drove. After half an hour, I was directed to take … Read more

I started to scratch my head the minute that my daughter announced that my oldest granddaughter had picked up head lice: those creepy-crawly, hard-to-get-rid-of, teeny-tiny creatures that live in your hair and suck your blood. … Read more

On two earlier occasions, my husband and I had stayed at the same hotel after driving to visit relatives. This time, we opted for travelling by train. From the Amtrak station, we rode on the light rail system to a station within a short … 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

I have been surrounded by sailors my whole life, but I had little opportunity to join them until 1986, when I moved to Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada. I sometimes joined my Uncle Trap's crew, mostly as "rail meat", which means that my most … Read more

My granddaughter was busy playing with a Play-Doh™ ice cream sundae machine, which she had received as a gift. I could tell that she was getting frustrated with one aspect of the toy, so I went over to see if she needed help. She said … Read more

Not every desert story is the same. Mine began when my health began to fail, eventually confining me to my home. Looking for the positive, I could see that this allowed me more time to immerse myself in God's Word. Writing devotionals has … Read more

The other morning, I was reading in Mark, and when I came across this verse, it got me thinking. What would I ask for? Would I be so bold? Then, more questions came flooding into my mind. Do any of these questions come to mind? If … Read more

After numerous doctor visits which brought no answers, my wife and I were frustrated. The unknown started after a recent move. My wife lifted an item and felt a stabbing pain. Thinking that she had pulled the mesh from a recent hernia … Read more

Our trip was going well until everything went sideways. The road in front of us was straight and the traffic light. All of a sudden, our small travel trailer began fishtailing back and forth, my husband fighting valiantly to control the … Read more

I walk for stress relief and exercise. I also daily thank God for my numerous blessings. I believe that God has called me to minister to those who are grieving, ill, and struggling. However, the other day, I was having a pity party. I … Read more

Recently, I came across the story of Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran minister, who came to the German city of Eilenburg in 1637 near the beginning of the Thirty Years' War. Because the city was walled, it became overcrowded with refugees from … Read more

The weather in Mexico during the winter months is beautiful. However, storms can come in quickly from the sea. I witnessed one such tropical tempest one evening — the howling wind of the Pacific whipping the palm trees and shredding … Read more

Three-year-old Ade wanted pickles with her lunch. I found a new jar in the pantry and tried to open it, without success. I whacked the lid several times. No success. I gave it a few more good smacks with the handle of the knife. Still no … Read more