On Manitoulin Island, John and I had cattle and sheep on a farm for years. We were very aware of foxes searching for food. They are very cunning animals. They can smell a mouse beneath the snow and catch partridge that burrow under the … Read more
Search Results for: "Song of Solomon 2:"
The Lily Of The Valley
Until we moved to Canada, my dad was a rose grower. When he built his first greenhouse in the early 1930s, he supplemented his income by growing a fair-sized plot of Lilies of the Valley. They were easy to grow outside and bloomed early. I … Read more
The Rose Of Sharon
"Pugh!" my husband Marcelo blurted out. I smelled it, too. It permeated our entire living room, and the bad news was that the smell got even stronger when we walked near the chair that I always sit in. I assured Marcelo that the smell … Read more
Dissolving The Spirit Of Fear
I have mobility issues, and getting up and down the two front steps outside my townhouse is a challenge. Recently, I realized that every time when I planned to go out, I was getting anxious ahead of time about getting up that second … Read more
It's Called Balance
Lately, my mind has been taken up with food, as I continue to pursue my weight-loss goals. I have found during this quest that the television ads are not my friends. I cannot venture a guess as to what percentage of them are focused on … Read more
His Banner
I can't help but notice all the banners flying around on cars for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. As the matches begin today, the stadiums will be filled with people waving banners in support of their country's team. Coincidentally, … Read more
The Flowers
During my years as a pastor, I did many funerals, and one thing, which always struck me amidst the grief of the situation, was the flowers and the effect that they had upon the mourners. The beauty of the floral arrangements dried the … Read more
Desert Rose
My sister, who is in the process of moving, has given me a lovely set of dinnerware china. For years, I have been fond of its elegant design, featuring hand-painted rose blossoms with a twisted briarwood and leaf pattern around … Read more
The Collection
This collection was certainly unplanned. Way back when, my brother and I gave grandma a ceramic chicken cookie jar. After she passed away, it became the property of my parents, who then gave it to me. Our children always checked … Read more
Little Foxes
I've lost count of the times I've experienced the heartbreak, or at least the enormous disappointment, after successfully growing plants, shrubs, or a vegetable crop to a particular stage, of watching while the growth suddenly became … Read more
The Christmas Rose
My parents were married during the hungry thirties, when a teapot was thought to be an acceptable wedding gift. During their first years together, my mother gave birth to two little girls — my sister first, then me. Although we … Read more
The 100-Year-Old Rose Bush
Driving with friends down some old back roads, I felt a kinship with the host of one of my favourite series on the History Channel, "In Search of…". I, too, was on a quest. I hoped to reconnect with the … Read more
Aren't You Excited?!
Last year, from February to August, family and close-friend weddings took us to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Alberta, Canada; Sicily, Italy; and to one that was a half-hour ride from home. We also had our "regular" lives to fit in between … Read more
The Message Of The Flowers
I had been given some flowers in love, on a sad occasion. As I took them and placed them in a vase, I arranged them, and stood back to look at my handiwork. I stopped and thought of the message … Read more
The Rose And The Cherry Blossom
Early in my martial arts career, I learned about the Samurai choosing the cherry blossom as his symbol because it had no thorns. The absence of thorns was to highlight the lack of deception. Being totally candid and brutally honest … Read more
Song Of Solomon
This warning is contained within the Song of Solomon three times. When God wants us to understand something, He repeats Himself. Obviously, this is an important statement. Human beings search for love. They search for acceptance. Some find it; some … Read more
Whence Came The Rose Petal?
In the two years since my back first grounded me and something gripped my sciatic nerve, I've learned a lot. First and foremost, I've learned what it's like to move among the "walking wounded" — those people who have "invisible" … Read more