Oh, what a difference one tiny little letter made! My high school classmate, Annette, had just sent me an email telling about her upcoming surgery for shin cancer. Shin cancer? I'd never heard of such a thing, but knowing that Annette … Read more

Sharon Lundquist and I married brothers and have been dear friends for most of our adult lives. I sometimes say that we are sisters-in-love as well as sisters-in-law. For many years, we have lived in the same greater metropolitan area, but … 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

When we retired and moved to our present home in Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada, I became very interested in photography and took plenty of pictures of the beautiful sunsets in this area, many of which are now framed and hanging in our … Read more

With a fifth child on the way and in need of more space, we bravely knocked on the door of a big, old house. My husband and I had just heard that the owners were thinking of selling. That day, we began our very own "It's a Wonderful Life" … Read more

We know that God's creation provides the artist's most extensive colour palette from which to choose. The rainbow provides an eye feast on the array of primary, secondary, and colours in between. Recently, I visited the post of a featured … Read more

"Oh, God," I sigh, "You must have had so much fun creating our world!" I'm driving to my summer home in the White Mountains of Arizona, USA. The road starts in the heat of the Phoenix, Arizona, desert, winds through wonderful, weird rock … Read more

"ALL WORSHIP CANCELLED" announced the sign in front of a church in my neighbourhood. In response to COVID-19 regulations, most churches have cancelled their Sunday services for a period of time. That's what the sign was meant to convey. … Read more

The other week, I received a letter from my bank, declaring that it would be making changes to my account. This came as a surprise to me, so I asked God for His favour and rang my local branch. However, after a few minutes of conversing … Read more

Have you ever examined the seed head of a dandelion before you puckered your lips together, blew, and watched its seeds scatter and rise into the air to fly away? Have you ever seen a double rainbow? Or have you ever examined a snowflake … Read more

The psalmist is speaking of two lovely things in life which most of us enjoy: gold and honey. When gold is cleaned and polished, it shines. It sparkles. It's captivating. Most of us enjoy wearing jewellery made of it and displaying it at … Read more

It was a very snowy winter. Snow after snow fell, day after day. We lived in a very white world. As spring thaw began, a team of horses pulling a sled suddenly went down so deep beside the winter-packed tracks that they threw snow over … Read more

Last week, as I was out walking the trails with the dogs, I received the most glorious, unexpected blessing. As we came around a bend in the path, there before me stood the same pine tree that is always rooted at that spot. And yet, … Read more

So far in this whole year of our Lord, 2016, my wife and I have travelled to many towns and villages in our area to lead in worship in our Presbyterian churches. Some were without a minister, and in others, the pastor was on leave or on … Read more

Many people get tied up with big questions like "What is the meaning of life?" or "What is my life's purpose?" These questions are difficult enough that many people give up trying to answer! But there's an easier, and I think more … Read more

The athletes in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games were all about getting the best score possible from the judges. These amazing Olympians all wanted to strive for their PB (personal best). Runners, for example, want the lowest time. They want to … Read more

When I was a little girl, maybe about three-and-a-half years of age, some of my family and some visiting cousins, children, and adults were on a patch of grassy-green yard just beyond our kitchen doorsteps. It was a beautiful, … Read more

We watch a fair number of English mystery shows on television, and some of them start out with the warning: "This show contains coarse language and scenes of violence. Viewer discretion is advised." They warn us, so that we are prepared. … Read more

One week prior to my high school graduation, the Pennsylvania State University awarded me entrance into the College of Art as an applied art major. As an upstart, studying the masters of art, from the classics to the contemporary, was … Read more

Psalm 19 beautifully reminds us of how God speaks to us daily and nightly through His creation, in the heavens and the firmament. There really is something wonderfully peaceful, serene, soothing, and faith-building for many of us, in … Read more

One year, my husband and I gave our children a telescope for Christmas. It was a gift that the whole family enjoyed as we took turns observing the beautiful night-lit sky. This experience reminded me of King David's words: Then, I … Read more

Following my father's death earlier this year, family and friends found themselves reflecting on his life. My own memories were stirred when I took a walk through my parents' former farm on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. For about … Read more

As we chatted on the phone, my sister told me about a spectacular rainbow she had seen the other day. It was huge and was in the field right alongside the road where she was driving. She said that she could see both ends of the arc and … Read more

How do you ever get them all to behave so well? This is a question which we are frequently asked when others see us travelling with our dogs. Having nine does make for some interesting moments and conversation, that's for sure. The key to … Read more

The cruise director on a recent cruise doubled, or should I say tripled, as a comedian at night and conducted the non-denominational service on Sunday. It was a smaller cruise line; the number of staff and passengers totalled almost … Read more

The Internet is an amazing tool of communication. The World Wide Web was an unimaginable concept last century, yet today, the Internet's capabilities are almost taken for granted. At the push of a button and with the stroke of a key, we … Read more

When I was a boy, most churches still had two services on Sunday. An hour before the evening service, which was usually of an evangelistic nature, the members of the Open Air Band would gather in one of their designated … Read more

One of the things that I enjoy doing is taking pictures of simple things in nature. Often it may be a flower or something in nature that is sometimes overlooked. With today's technology, this is something we can easily do … Read more

Last year, we bought a new house, and this spring, we discovered that there are daffodils in our lawn! "So what?" you might ask. Yes, I do enjoy their colour and beauty — they provide splashes of sunshine wherever they … Read more

The other day, I took time to finish reading a book that had lain on the coffee table for some time. As I did so, something else caught my attention. In the china cabinet, I saw a candy jar that … Read more

Whenever I read articles urging me to meditate, my instant reaction is to ask questions. For me, meditation conjures up images of people practising yoga, or saffron-robed monks who spin prayer wheels in oriental temples. Similarly, some Christian teachers confuse … Read more

I am not a lover of winter, but there is something special about the first snow. For me, though, it takes a real effort to see this, as I grumble about lost ice-scrapers and snowbrushes. (It never ceases to amaze … Read more

Opening the refrigerator, I was not expecting to be met with an overturned jar of beet root — yes, beet root — the kind packed in vinegar. The shelf was stained red, and the beet juice had dripped to the shelf below. I grabbed a cloth … Read more