Author: Cassandra Wessel

When I was a child, we made a big deal out of Dad's birthday. Since it was celebrated in October, we would make a card or bookmark for him at our kitchen table with Mom helping us. At home with … Read more

During my reading through the Bible again this year, the above verse jumped out at me. It reminded me of the olive trees I saw in Jerusalem at the Garden of Gethsemane. There are several there which are of a … Read more

Many years ago, when I was a young, inexperienced seminarian, my path crossed that of a woman who was consumed by guilt. Seeing my clergy collar, she wailed, "God may forgive you, but never me, never me, never me…" Her … Read more

As I write, the birds in the nearby trees are singing their hearts out. Every evening as the sun is setting, they serenade the residents of our mobile home park, regaling us with their lilting music. It is springtime, which … Read more

In the evenings before sunset, I love walking up the road with my dog, breathing in the fresh, spring air. I relish the scent of the blooming flowers and the peaceful tranquility of a nearby pond. My dog also loves … Read more

At church the other Sunday, one of our deacons tapped me on the shoulder, pulling me from the service, just as we were ready to share our "Joys and Concerns" prior to the pastoral prayer. She whispered in my ear, … Read more

One morning I was in a hurry. I was scurrying to get out the door to be at church early. The last thing on my list was to get myself ready. As I pulled a pair of nylons from the … Read more

This year, I ordered four small Easter baskets for my grandchildren. These were no ordinary baskets. They were filled with handmade candies from the kitchen of my Amish neighbours. The young woman who makes them belongs to a family whose … Read more

Every year, our church gives out resilient, green palm branches as a reminder of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We usually receive them as we enter the church. Last year, I hung mine across the top of a painting in … Read more

The phone rang on my day off, rousing me from the kind of sleep which precedes fully waking up — the sort of quasi-sleep where one wakes for a second or two, scowls at the sun streaming through the closed … Read more