Some unusual plants grow in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, USA. My husband and I read about them as we explored the Ajo Mountain Drive, a 21-mile (34-kilometre) driving loop in Organ Pipe National Monument. The park is named … Read more

One wintry day, my husband and I were walking at the golf course, which has a trail that, along much of its way, parallels the river to our left. We hoped to see some overwintering river birds. At first, however, the river wasn't visible. … Read more

In 1991, my husband, our three boys, and I were living in the city of Bratislava in post-communist Czechoslovakia. We were working in the new Christian school that we had helped to start. During the school's Christmas break, we looked … Read more

On the Caribbean island of Antigua, a fellow-teacher and I followed a tour guide as she described the interior of a historic building. We were at Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour, a cultural heritage site on the island. All of a … Read more

Children are so motivated by rewards. When I teach French to my grandchildren, we usually play number bingo, using cards from my teaching days. They listen as I call out the numbers in French, and when they have a complete row, they shout … Read more

Recently, I watched a webinar aired by Osteoporosis Canada featuring a recipe for Chicken Shawarma Meatballs being prepared and cooked. All … Read more

What a sight met our eyes! The whole wide shoreline of the Salton Sea in southern California was littered with dead, dried-up fish! My husband and I had stopped there because it was a good habitat for migratory birds, but this was a view … Read more

Several years ago, at the University of the Nations, a YWAM (Youth with a Mission) base in Kona, Hawaii, I was a gatekeeper. My job was to screen visitors who approached the gate by car, and to let them through. As people drove up, I … Read more

Years ago, when we lived in the beautiful Slocan Valley in British Columbia, Canada, my husband and a fellow teacher decided to tackle a climb up to the New Denver Glacier. During our years in the village of New Denver, our kitchen window … Read more

In 1991, my husband and I prepared to go to post-communist Czechoslovakia to help start a Christian school. Actually, God had planted the idea years previously. Now, through a series of circumstances and confirmations in Scripture, it was … Read more

One day, many years ago, after our boys had left home, I was in a melancholy mood and felt lonely for them. They were young adults, living their own lives, no longer under Mum's care. I missed just being able to chat with them and to know … Read more

Sweet cherries are not grown in Alberta, Canada, so when my husband and I travel to the neighbouring province of British Columbia, we sometimes buy a 20-pound box of them. We can't eat the whole boxful, so I like to bottle them for winter … Read more

A stone tower, 32 metres (104 feet) high, stands on Svatobor, a hill near the town of Sušice in Czechia. Reconstructed in 1935, it serves as an observation point, allowing hikers and tourists a stunning view of Sušice and of the … Read more

I have always loved scissors. A friend was getting rid of an old, heavy pair, but I couldn't bear the thought of the vintage scissors going into the garbage, so I brought them home. They were dull, but I reasoned that they would at least … Read more

While my brother and I were growing up, birthday parties were a big event, a highlight of our childhood. When I was turning seven and my brother was turning four, since his birthday was in May and mine was in June, we had a combined … Read more

One morning at the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) base near Tijuana, Mexico, the staff and students were taught self-protection moves. That area has a reputation for being rough, and tighter security measures, like a nightly patrol, had been … Read more

A few years ago, our family was finishing up a meal at a restaurant. My husband and I were visiting our eldest son who had just started a new job at Adult and Teen Challenge, which rehabilitates those struggling with drug or alcohol … Read more

Some years ago, my husband received a phone call from a social worker in a neighbouring province: "Could you take your mother in?" I had recently returned to our home in rural Alberta, Canada, after visiting my mother-in-law in hospital … Read more

At the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) base near Tijuana, Mexico, where my husband and I volunteered this winter, one of my assigned areas of service was with the Hope Zone. This ministry is situated on a narrow, undeveloped lot in a rough … Read more

Some years ago, my husband and I and a friend explored Camp Columbia on Thetis Island, off Vancouver Island, Canada. The camp had just been permanently closed — the end of an era for thousands of campers. As we wandered over the grounds, … Read more

Last month, my husband Terry and I volunteered at a YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base near Tijuana, Mexico. One of our main responsibilities was called "hospitality". This included cleaning up the dining room after a meal, cleaning and … Read more

Last month, my husband Terry and I arrived at the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) Base at San Antonio del Mar, Mexico, on the Pacific coast just south of the American border. We had flown down to volunteer, doing whatever needed to be done … Read more

Many years ago, I began my first full-time teaching job with high hopes that I would be able to use and enjoy my gift of learning languages easily. My new assignment in the far north of British Columbia, Canada, was a tall order for a new … Read more

As children, my brother and I had been excitedly anticipating a circus in town. It was a hot summer's day, and finally, we arrived at the fairgrounds in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada, where we grew up. The two of us lined up by … Read more

It was the week before Christmas, and our young family was asked to take in a foster child, a two-week-old infant. He came with a bare minimum — a grubby bunting bag with a small bottle of milk dampening the corner into which it had been … Read more

One of my dad's favourite Christmas carols was "O come, O come, Emmanuel". O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O … Read more

Recently, I substituted at the last school in which I taught before I retired. It was Wednesday, and the staff was going to a two-day teachers' convention the next day. I considered what to wear. The students and staff of this school had … Read more

In The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, Corrie recounts how she, her father, and her sister Betsie were taken to prison for doing good. Their crime? Helping persecuted Jews during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War … Read more

The Gleaners plant near Vernon, British Columbia, Canada, is the home of a highly efficient non-profit operation. Surplus and unsaleable produce and shipments of lentils, peas, or barley are combined in dehydrated form to produce a … Read more

As our family grew many years ago, we contemplated adding onto our house. This meant borrowing money, but my father denied the loan that we requested of him. We went ahead anyway. After all, my husband's teaching job had security, we … Read more

A dear friend left us last month for her heavenly home. We had been friends for 47 years. I'm so grateful that my husband and I had visited with her in July for what proved to be the last time until we meet again. Joan was to have knee … Read more

For centuries, a special flag called the Royal Standard has represented the king or queen of the United Kingdom. It is flown on one of the royal residences, or on a car, ship, or aircraft when the sovereign is present. When Charles III … Read more

My husband and I certainly didn't think that it was an opportunity for great joy when our car wouldn't start. For once, we were in the car at exactly 6:00 a.m., ready to head home from a recent holiday, a day's drive from New Denver, … Read more