Not always hearing clearly or correctly, I often ask people to repeat what they have said. I need to know if what I thought that I heard is actually what they said. If there is something new to learn, I've needed it repeated several times … Read more

For the new year, people typically make resolutions focusing on changes and plans that they want to implement in their lives. I'd like to adopt the expression carpe diem, Latin for "seize the day" or "make the most of the present time". … Read more

One morning as I was walking from Penn Station in New York City to the 8th Avenue subway, one of the free newspaper vendors interrupted his normal patter and cried out, "Smile, you woke up today! Think about the alternative!" The crowd's … Read more

For today, I thought I'd share a personal prayer as I have presented it to my Lord. I call it "My Wish List". It is a compilation of excerpts from three Scripture portions: Ephesians 6:10-20, Psalm 110, and Psalm 118. Feel free to make … 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

I'm anticipating that sharing my friend's dream will boost your faith as it does mine. She said: In my dream, I was lying down. A swarm of bees hovered six inches over my entire body. One bee stung my foot, and I jerked. My reaction … Read more

Each day when we awaken, we face a new beginning. If the day on the calendar is a 1, then that day is a new month. If it is January 1, then it is the beginning of a new year. 2020 is the start of a new decade. Each beginning comes with an … Read more

In 1973, there was a perceived crisis: a shortage of crude oil. We were told to conserve fuel, to drive less, and to share rides. In the Netherlands, where we were living at the time, we were given gasoline coupons, which enabled us to buy … Read more

Have you ever been to a public protest? If so, you've probably heard some chanting. Usually the leader is equipped with a bullhorn and yells out, "What do we want?!" Then the people respond with their demand. Then the leader says, "When … Read more

One of the greatest things about celebrating Thanksgiving is the singing of long-time favourite hymns that keep coming back to us, hymns with words like: "Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has … Read more

Back in 1989 and 1990, our church was without a pastor, and I used to do a lot of visiting of church members and adherents. There was one couple's home in particular where I went quite often. The man especially enjoyed my visits and told … Read more

As we traversed through the beginnings of agility class, one of the things that my dogs learned was the command to mark. The instructor used an overturned, flat-bottomed, rubber feed bowl for this exercise. Before running the course, … Read more

I have an optical mouse. It has two batteries. One makes it light up, and the other, apparently, is for the wireless connection to the receiver. However, the battery for the wireless transmission seems to run out before the one for the … Read more

Another year has drawn to an end, and we anticipate a new year ahead of us — a brand new year — a time of new beginnings, new opportunities, a time to start over again. Whether or not we make any new year's resolutions, we can still … Read more

Another year has come and gone, and it seems that the older I get, the faster the time seems to fly by. A week is like a day, and a year is like a month. When I arose this morning, I looked forward to leisurely taking down all my … Read more

Spring is in the air! The snow is melting, squirrels are running to and fro, chasing each other up and down the trees in my front yard, and I saw a robin, a sure sign that spring is finally here. This winter season seemed to hang around … Read more

"How do you do it?" my friend stammered. "How do you go out and talk to them? I hate it. I don't know their names, and I hate crowds." (So that's why she was hiding in the broom closet.) After I explained that the guests probably felt the … Read more

An idle glance at the licence plate on the car stopped ahead of me brought an unexpected message and response. The words I saw on the personalized plate: "BE GLAD". We were in traffic waiting to exit a shopping mall … Read more

I enjoy discovering stories of our history, and while I was writing the book "Historic Sussex", I found the following story that reminded me of what God has done for His children. The date was September 15, 1944, and the … Read more

Fear has a way of taking root in our lives and then remaining there and rearing its ugly head at times and places in our life. Do you know people who, when they go into a coffee shop or restaurant, … Read more

Ever watched a yo-yo? Up and down — up and down. Round and round! Excuse me — round and round? A skilful player can direct the yo-yo up and down the string with incredible accuracy. The player's dexterity can bring … Read more

Woke up this morning — the sun is shining … the sky is blue with puffy white clouds … nice temperature … the soybeans and corn are growing … the flowers are blooming. Rejoice! Woke up this morning — the … Read more

Besides looking at old family photos, I sometimes enjoy listening to the voices recorded on an old fashioned reel-to-reel tape player. These familiar voices of my past brought back many childhood memories I had since forgotten. I heard a six-year-old … Read more

The greater part of my years has been focused on getting through one stage of life to another stage. As a child, I couldn't wait to be a teenager; then, as a teenager, I wanted to be an adult. Things … Read more

Over the past five years, my daughter and I have experienced one heartache after another, as we have been used or abused by people. Financially, we lost a large amount, due to a close relative who cheated us. I lost … Read more

One evening, I heard sounds coming from our attic — "pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat" — back and forth across the ceiling. I went out to the garage, which is attached to the house, to investigate. There, near the roof, was a very … Read more

Apocryphally, if a woman gets a cold, she calls it a cold. When a man gets a cold it must be — at the very least — the flu! I say nothing. Sometimes when I get a cold, I am … Read more

God has blessed us in so many wonderful ways. How often do we take the time to thank Him? Surely not only once a year. Here are some reasons to thank God every day: – Loving relationships with family and … Read more

My mother told me that when I was a small girl, I had a hard time figuring out what "free" meant. I would ask, "How much is 'free'?" Everything has to "cost" something, right? Now that I am a grown-up, … Read more

I have always enjoyed the magic of winter scenes, snow-covered fields, frost-decorated branches, sparkling icicles, and the sound of my footsteps as they break through a crust of snow. However, some winter mornings when I roll out of bed and … Read more

Why is it that our summer holidays always disappear so quickly? Every year as we map out what we want to do, it seems that we think we'll have lots of time to do what we want to, but before … Read more

My morning did not start out as planned: I lost $40. I was doing too many things at once, and lost focus on what I should have been doing — getting money from the automatic teller machine. Since I recently … Read more

Recently my oldest son was going through a personal struggle. As I awoke slowly from a restless night, my first thought was that the new day did not seem too welcoming. But I have learned that the promises of God's … Read more