A friend of mine shared the following with me, and it really resonated with me. When I got home from Europe, I noticed that the barn swallows had built a nest. The fledglings were gone, but they left such a mess. So, when they started to … Read more

My surroundings needed a little tender loving care to make them more functional. My plan was to switch the use of one room to another purpose. I asked God to lead the way in the things that I had planned to do, and I followed His … Read more

The road from my winter home to my summer home rises from 1700 feet (518 metres) to 6400 feet (1950 metres), and it is 143 miles (230 kilometres) from the Sonoran Desert to the White Mountains of Arizona, USA. For half an hour, I travel on … Read more

While my brother and I were growing up, birthday parties were a big event, a highlight of our childhood. When I was turning seven and my brother was turning four, since his birthday was in May and mine was in June, we had a combined … Read more

I recently applied for work at an established university with fully equipped facilities and less workload, yet with a higher salary — my dream institution! Who wouldn't look forward to getting hired soon? When I was invited for an … Read more

It was time to renew my passport. New photos taken, check; references obtained and verified, check; and forms filled out, check. I determined that the quickest way to obtain a passport would be to visit the local Service Canada office. … Read more

For eleven years, my husband Marcelo and I had been renting an apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA. In 2020, when it came time for us to renew our yearly lease, we were hit with some very unexpected news. In order to keep up with … Read more

Every few weeks, I go to our local library and peruse their book sale tables. Recently, I found 1,000 places to see before you die, by Patricia Schultz. A much-travelled freelance writer, she compiled a list of places that would "impress … Read more

"Where in the world are you going?" "Donna, whoa! Where are we?" Feeling a little bit lost, and maybe somewhat anxious, I was talking to my sister as I drove my car. The only problem was that she was in the car ahead of me, and she … Read more

Most mornings, I walk around my recreational vehicle (RV) park for about half an hour, using different routes. There is not much organization as to how the roads are laid out — they wander here and there, some short, some long — so it … Read more

When the light returns here in the far north of Canada after the long, dark days of winter, people feel such relief. Another cold, dark season is behind us. The long days of light, up to 22 hours of it, are spread before us. Jesus went … Read more

The phone rang; it was the chairman of our annual quilt show. "Sharon, we have to cancel tomorrow's show." This was a really big deal! The quilt club at my recreational vehicle park has been having these shows for many years. We have over … 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

My adventuresome 16-year-old brother was an avid fisherman, who, in times of flooding, hunted ducks, of which he had two in the back of Dad's 1967 Ford Bronco. He and his friend were exploring the creek that had flooded into a marshy … Read more

There was a time, before I trusted in Jesus' knowing better than myself, when everything worldly seemed up for grabs. It was a time of exploring our coming-of-age freedoms. For me, this included a girlfriend. Latterly, I realized that … Read more

Christians say that we trust in the Lord, but what does that really mean in practice? Recently, my neighbours, who took in an evacuee from a wildfire, were able to see the trust component of faith at work. Elise, 90 years old, had made … Read more

In the early days of the horseless carriage, a plank road was built through the deserts of Imperial County, California, USA. Thousands of planks were laid horizontally in an attempt to access that most difficult part of a commerce route … Read more

A few months ago, I saw on Facebook a picture of a little boy and girl leaning on a partial wall looking into the distance. The caption was from a mother or a grandmother, and it read, "If only I could change your world, I would." Yes, … Read more

After attending a gathering in a remote area on the other side of the city from where I live, it was time for me to drive home. I was alone, and it was late at night. I was in an unfamiliar area. Following a sign that directed me toward … Read more

God calls us to a life of trust. A man who has greatly inspired me in that direction is George Müller, who lived in the 1800s. His classic autobiography is entitled, A Life of Trust. I still regret that when I was visiting Bristol, … Read more

Early in our lives, we may have heard words like "Mother knows best" or "Father knows best". As we grow up, it is normal that, more and more, we start to feel that we know best. During this time of living with a pandemic, it has … Read more

There was a day when I needed to have my hair cut in a strange land far from home. So, I located a nearby hair salon down the street from where I was staying. When I got there, I met four persons: three mature men, whom I assumed were … Read more

There was a time when I wanted to do a business transaction with a stranger, and this particular deal involved a large amount of money. So, I quickly consulted one of my mentors about my plan, and he said, "Let's ask the Lord about it … Read more

My dad has dementia. He started to wander and get violent in mid-November 2019. There were two trips to the emergency room in three days, admission to the hospital for twelve days, and then admission into a nursing home. During this … Read more

Crossing a high, fifty-foot-long, rickety swinging bridge during the pouring rain took prayer and balance. Dad's mill crew was on a mission of mercy to sick neighbours who lived, and were stranded, across the creek. They waited until the … Read more

This was my Scripture on the day when we flew to England this spring. It was very encouraging! Our plan was to visit several places, but not to rely on family — separated by considerable distances — to drive us. The plan included … Read more

It was time to trade in our car for a newer model. We asked God to lead us to the right vehicle. An online search finally produced a 2014 sport utility vehicle (SUV) that looked promising. The dealer said that it was at a lot in a nearby … Read more

My feet are the key to my ability to walk, to go where I want to go, even to hold me upright. They work hard — arguably harder than most other parts of my body. On a good day, I barely even notice them. When all is going well, I don't … Read more

I'm making a folding display frame that will stand up on a table and hold the name tags for recurring clergy meetings. When not in use, it closes up with a clasp, but it needs a carrying handle. So, I went to a thrift shop and bought one … Read more

Last year, I suffered from a concussion. As a young mom with a busy life, I did not give my brain the time that it needed to heal. In turn, this caused the concussion symptoms to drag on much longer than needed. I wasn't able to care for … Read more

I awoke on Saturday night close to 12:00 a.m. with sharp pain in a tooth. After forcing aspirin chips into a tiny cavity that I had previously not known existed, I slept until 6:00 a.m. when pain awoke me. More aspirin chips got me active … Read more

I think that I have been doing things backwards! I often seem to struggle with understanding — or more precisely not understanding — why people do what they do, why life seems such a challenge at times, and why I can't seem to figure … Read more

Perhaps you have heard the story of the person hanging from a cliff waiting to be rescued. He has a vision of God's hand reaching down from heaven and lifting him to safety. So, when a helicopter appears, he sends it away. After he falls … Read more