Traditions are those things that we do which reinforce our family's personality and link us with our past and our future. We see these traditions when we come to celebrate Advent and Christmas. It is because of our traditions that we have … 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

"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

My friend sat in her living room and watched as a small Downy Woodpecker flew towards the netting that she had put into place in front of the window, intended to keep birds from hitting it. Instead of coming short of the barrier and … Read more

I live in Nova Scotia, and to be precise, I live on the eastern shore, which is dotted with small fishing villages. The architecture here is often just a tad different from what most people are used to: we have a large number of widow's … 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

Especially when I'm travelling to a distant or new place, I love using my GPS (Satnav in the UK). It takes the worry out of reaching my destination and has made driving so much easier. I trust the satellite system to be accurate, and it … Read more

The day appeared calm enough, but the elements soon released their hidden fury. My brother and I — along with my daughter — set out early for a ten-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. At the five-mile point, we planned to set up camp … Read more

It was in the Boy Scouts that I learned how to read and use a map. I can remember hiking in the Campsie hills above Glasgow, Scotland, with my Scout troop. As we climbed the hills, a deep fog descended around us, and before long, it … Read more

In her room, she waits. Day after day, month after month, year after long year, she sits invisible to those outside. She listens and watches, hoping to see family and old friends who have seemingly forgotten about her. She awakens each … Read more

Last week as my husband was vacuuming his bedroom, a gust of wind blew through the open patio door and slammed shut his bedroom door so hard that the pictures on the living room wall on the other side came crashing down. One picture landed … Read more

Are you feeling lonely today? Loneliness is a hollow emptiness, a feeling of isolation and disconnection, of not knowing what to do, as no one seems to care. In reading about this subject, I note that loneliness is increasing everywhere. … Read more

Was there ever a time in your life when you just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide away from reality? Sometimes, I have thought that it would be so nice to fall down a rabbit hole, like Alice in Wonderland, and find a fantasy world at … Read more

Life is all about waiting: waiting for people, waiting for an appointment, waiting in traffic, or waiting in line. Well, you get the idea. These days, people are waiting for spring. When we were kids, we had to wait to get to our summer … Read more

Here is a poem that I wrote: My friend is a special person Who accepts me the way I am. My friend can see who I can be. My friend laughs and cries with me. My friend is always honest, Even though the words spoken hurt me at times. My … Read more

For the past few weeks, I have been using my road bike more than my trail bike. Both bikes have a side mirror attached to the left handlebar that allows me to see traffic as it approaches from my left. Due to hand and arm placement on my … Read more

Sometimes when I sin, I get both angry and disappointed with myself. I become angry because I've let temptation or pride overcome me again; I feel disappointed because I've let God down once more. There are also times when I think that if … Read more

Many years ago, my mom tried to teach a class how to knit. Ten others learned to knit from her, but I didn't. The reason for this is that everyone else, including my mom, was right-handed, and I was the only left-handed person in the … Read more

As I was doing some running along a lake path, I decided to do some off-leash training with my small dog, Miss Daisy. This is a path that often has a lot of runners, walkers, dogs, and even the occasional horse. There is a pretty wide … Read more

During one of my recent, frequent forays into composition, I became situated, not for the first time, in a position whereby I needed to access what I had produced before all my presumed improvements had overwritten it. My dilemma was how … Read more

As a child, I got myself into all kinds of mischief, and each time my parents disciplined me, they also gave me a second chance to learn from my mistakes. I do not think that they kept a record of … Read more

The early morning sky hung heavy with dark clouds. I hoped that the forecast of no precipitation would be correct. Travelling along the busy multi-lane highway during the transition between rain and snow would be an unnerving journey. Through my … Read more

During my childhood, the beautiful grounds of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Bermuda had a striking sundial, and it drew me as a little girl to its side, and made me think deep thoughts about time during my teen years. … Read more

How is it that when someone needs help to open a stubborn jar, that person is the only one in the house at the time? After trying the tea-towel method, the hot water, and tapping the side of the lid … Read more

When Mr. Tumnus, one of our miniature goats, died, his mother, Lucy, was inconsolable. Within weeks, all excess flesh dropped from her bones. Her coat became dull and dry. Her heart-wrenching cries found no comfort. Her son was gone. She … Read more

We often hear of the "will of God" and often talk of trying to "find" it. We are told in Scripture to be in a constant mode of prayer, but also to be careful what we pray for. When we … Read more

I have my devotional time with the Lord in the morning. For me, it works best to start my day with the Lord; it helps me to stay in focus with Him the whole day. I must admit, though, that … Read more

I can remember, when I was a teenager, falling on my knees in our family kitchen and crying uncontrollably. My mother had just been taken away by the paramedics to the asylum again, after another terrifying outbreak of her schizophrenic … Read more

"The problem will go away in a few days," I reassured myself, as I squinted to see the music that I was trying to play for the morning service. But by Monday morning when I took the dog for a … Read more

I have a fascinating stone statue on my desk that catches my eye each time I use my computer. The figure isn't fancy, nor did it cost me a lot of money, but I keep it because it reminds me … Read more

One Saturday, I was invited to speak at a fellowship breakfast being hosted at a country Bed and Breakfast. The only problem was that I tend to be directionally challenged, and the home was in the country. "All you do … Read more

We grow so used to things always being in place and ready to go. The other morning, my husband said goodbye, went out to open the garage door and to start the car, only to re-trace his footsteps back into … Read more

On my way to work early one morning, I ran into a heavy fog that obscured the road. Visibility was so bad that I could not see beyond the front of the car. The car lights seemed to glare into … Read more