In the year 1972, our second baby was due at Christmas. But on December sixth, Christmas was the farthest thing from my mind as the first contraction of labour's onset pulled me over double. "George!" I screamed. Our baby had just decided … Read more

Winter hangs on wherever there are shady places with patches of snow. In spite of that, during Holy Week, I've been diligently tidying up the house by putting away winter decorations and pulling out spring ones in anticipation of Easter. … Read more

While I was in ministry, a young woman came to my office needing help. She was homeless, hungry, and desperate. I brought her into my home, took her to a doctor, and helped her to find a sparsely furnished basement apartment. She began … Read more

As I write, we are in the midst of the raging, worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, which has set our lifestyle patterns on their heads and forced us to adapt in a variety of ways. At 77 years of age, I'm in the vulnerable population for getting … Read more

Recently, I visited the Humane Society to see their dogs. I found an aptly named, cute little golden Cairn terrier girl that had been recently surrendered. I put in an application for Sunny that was approved within a week. I paid the … Read more

When I met my first Amish family, I discovered that they take seriously Paul's message: They deliberately focus on the way that they live. They are concerned to keep their children safe from the influences of modern society, so they … Read more

When two people say "I do" in church, something miraculous happens. They spiritually merge into one flesh. Way back when we were married, we had no clue what that simple declaration would do inside our souls and throughout our lives. On … Read more

If someone peeked inside this mobile home's overflowing closets, they might wonder why stuff crams every corner. The answer is revealing. Gone-to-glory relatives leave stuff behind, like old family photos, to become the flotsam and jetsam … Read more

These days when Christmas dawn rolls around, no little fingers will be tugging at my covers wanting to open gifts; instead, my special adult son will likely be knocking on my bedroom door asking when breakfast will be ready. We plan to … Read more

One Christmas in my youth, I received an artist's easel, a pad of large newsprint paper the exact size needed for the easel, and water colours, complete with brushes. This gift was likely expensive and would have given me hours of … Read more

When I was a kid, my friends didn't want to play what I wanted to play, so my response was often less than Christian. I'd go whining home to Mom, who dried my tears and fed me cookies or brownies, washed down with a glass of cold milk. … Read more

Recently, in a devotional published here on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional, Martin Wiles wrote how easily he and his wife can be sidetracked from their intended purchase by the clever displays in the store. He then applied it to our … Read more

After devotional time, my mornings usually follow a rather set pattern. Bed gets made and laundry started. Chewy goes outside to sniff the air and ground. Then he and Cat get fed. Water bowls and bird feeders get refilled. Somewhere in … Read more

My little terrier mix dog, Chewy, is a bottomless pit. He hops up and down excitedly as I place his bowl on the feeding mat. His grub vanishes in milliseconds before I've eaten a few bites of my own dinner. Then, he's at my feet … Read more

When summer thunderstorms roll, my wee dog Chewy knows that one is coming and cringes at my feet, petrified. Earlier today, when a t-boomer shook the windowpanes, he was right between my feet, cringing. This afternoon, he's still there, … Read more

Many of Jesus' disciples had been professional fishermen before Jesus called them. As such, they knew the weather, boats, sea, and seasons. Not much fazed the tough, seasoned, veteran sailors until … One long day, Jesus finished … Read more

Titmice, chickadees, and mourning doves come to my feeders to eat the seed. They twitter, sing, and coo as they feed. The doves are a hoot as they strut with their head-bobbing stride. Their grey coats pale in comparison to bright male … Read more

Christmas Day had been a letdown. Anticipation of the day had given way to disappointment over gifts not received, specifically a Toni doll. As advertised on television, this doll came with curlers for her blond hair that could be used … Read more

When I was a child, Ivory soap advertisements claimed that its product was 99 and 44/100ths percent pure. I do recall that this soap sloughed the dirt from my hands and feet just fine. Ivory also had the amazing property of floating on … Read more

For those darkest hours of the night when I am too tired to see anything clearly, I keep a small night light burning in the kitchen to guide my steps. At that time of night, I'm half sleep walking. Sometimes, I feel like that during … Read more

A church in Canada that I used to be associated with became known as the "immigrant church" because the elders decided to assist people from other nations. In these countries, those we helped could routinely be sent to "re-education … Read more

Every Wednesday during Lent, the church where I attend offers a soup lunch and Bible study. Last week was my turn to provide and serve the soup. Although not a huge task, making soup from scratch can take a bit of time and preparation. I … Read more

Whenever my mouth ran unchecked in childhood, mom always quoted today's verse. Especially as a teenager, sassing, spouting off, and otherwise behaving in an obnoxious manner warranted multiple warning lectures from dad. He repeatedly … Read more

In our rural area, street lights can be found in some small communities, but not all. Individual families do have security lights planted somewhere in their farm or yard, but otherwise, when the sun dips behind the horizon, the … Read more

I often listen to a Christian radio station located in upstate New York, USA. Their tagline is "God's Presence is with you giving you eternal life". Those words are like a hug from God just for me. I like to think that God's Presence will … Read more

I'm terribly allergic to black fly bites. My first encounter with them not only made me itch, but caused me to be bedridden with a low-grade fever for about two weeks. That Sunday, after I climbed from the covers and dressed to do the … Read more

This morning when I stepped onto the porch, our neighbourhood cat, Meow-Meow, rubbed against my legs. Behind her was a "present": a dead sparrow. My mind immediately flew to the old hymn, "His Eye is on the Sparrow". That hymn, penned by … Read more

Although my dear mother's given name wasn't Grace, my father called her Gracie because of the way her brain worked. Her thought processes reminded him of Gracie Allen from the old George Burns and Gracie Allen radio show. In that show, … Read more

This Bible verse was always my father's favourite one. The reason stems from the following story. During the Second World War, my dad had orders to report for duty on a ship due to sail through the Gulf of Mexico. At the time, that … Read more

I had to laugh when saw this Facebook meme the other night, because it's so true: "My entire life can be summed up in one sentence … 'Well that didn't go as planned.'" For sure, everything that we plan doesn't always work out the way … Read more

When the children were little ones, on Christmas Eve or just before, my hubby, the kids, and I piled into the car and drove to the Christmas tree lot where we selected a tree, usually from the cheaper ones in the back. We'd haul it home … Read more

Dalton's mother tells me that he rises at 6 a.m. on Sunday mornings, and then awakens his whole family for church. She says, "He loves going to church, and can't wait to get there." At the first notes the pianist plays, Dalton jumps to … Read more

Every spring around Memorial Day, I arrive at the cemetery where my parents, brother, and husband are buried, to discover nearly obscured tombstones. Due to abundant rain and warmer temperatures, quack grass quickly sprouts from one tiny … Read more