Recently, I watched a documentary about the world heritage narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway in northern India. Shimla is in the cool Himalayan foothills and once was the summer capital of British India as government and army staff escaped … Read more

One night, I had a dream. I was at a resort in the Caribbean with a friend, and there were some people asking about their luggage, which had not arrived. The clerk at the desk said that they would find it, and one of the people responded, … Read more

Does that sound like a panic attack to you? Many factors — including biology, heredity, temperament, stress, and the particular experiences of a situation — can contribute to panic attacks. This can be a serious medical condition and … Read more

One of the greatest burdens in ministry, as well as in other counselling or caring professions, is the amount of indifference that we come across from folks we attempt to help or try to support. I can remember in Scotland spending many … Read more

In his first letter to the "Pilgrims of the Dispersion", the apostle Peter gives all kinds of advice to young and old alike, and then he tells them: These verses remind me of a story that I read some time ago about a vendor on his way to … Read more

The year 2020 and COVID-19 have surely given me a new perspective on many things. Let's step back a bit to 2019. We had a family vacation, and I was able to visit family in California and in England. Those three events gave me memories … Read more

I miss my homing pigeons. I miss seeing them flying around the property, walking on the lawn, or sitting on the loft sunning themselves. I miss feeding them twice a day and just looking after them. After we returned from 20 years away from … Read more

Today's Scriptures bring back memories of a time when a dear friend turned against me and complained to other members of the church. I felt shocked, betrayed, and abandoned by someone I had trusted. Nonetheless, the personal pain that I … Read more

Like most people, there are some days when I would like to run away from all of my responsibilities, travel somewhere remote, and just be all by myself. I sometimes daydream about getting in my car, driving as far west as I possibly can … Read more

Now that I'm at that latter stage of life as an "Oh, you're looking well" person (which I insist on interpreting as "merely grown-up"), one or two may ask, "Isn't your work done yet? I thought you'd retired." Well, not … Read more

One summer morning, I was enjoying the warmth and sunshine of a new day. Conscious of the insect activity around me, I was suddenly aware of a spider coming close. I noticed it travelling through the air on the breeze, … Read more

Spring cleaning! I pulled every piece of furniture away from the walls, washed them down, cleaned the stove of its winter ashes, and picked out a brass frame, clock, and lamp I wanted to put on the little table when … Read more

Years ago, when I was struggling with life in many areas, I would give those issues to God. I am a visual person, so I needed something that I could see that was meaningful to me. Someone suggested that I … Read more

For years I have been fascinated with my family's history. I've traced my family name, Ingalls, back to 1598, read about the struggles of the early settlers as they made their home on a lonely island, and discovered how one … Read more

It was one of those melancholy mornings, when one remembers what one had been doing during the same time last year with someone who is no longer here. My father-in-law (a long-time railroader), at 94, had begun to slow down. … Read more

"Mom, I am so looking forward to coming home for a week!" exclaimed my youngest daughter over the telephone. Cindy, in her second year of university, was coming home during "Reading Week", always an anticipated pleasure! In reality though, she … Read more

For the past several years, beeswax candle-making has been all the rage. The sheets come in honeycomb, corrugated or flat design, and in a wide array of colours from subtle, soft pastels to rich full hues. They burn slowly, with … Read more

E-mail is so wonderful. It is quick and inexpensive. It enables you think out a message, change it, fix it, and "zip it off". An answer can be obtained immediately. Messages can be sent back and forth several times a … Read more