The Christmas season provides a feast for the senses like no other time of the year. All five senses are fully engaged through the supersaturated sights, sounds, aromas, sensations, and flavours of Christmas. – We hear bell choirs and … Read more

I consider myself to be an avid reader. Though I like to read for information and enrichment, I also enjoy fiction and novels in good taste. So, when I recently came across a list of "must-read" literary classics, I decided to intersperse … Read more

One of my happy places is my favourite coffee shop. The baristas there know not only my name, but also my regular order: a twelve-ounce, half-sweet, cardamom latte in a mug. I love to have my latte in a mug because I can then admire and … Read more

Our world today is full of protective devices. Some are part of our everyday life whether we choose them or not. Airbags in cars, highway guard rails, and stop signs are universal safety equipment intended for the common good. Other … Read more

The Bible is a library, an inspired collection of 66 books written by different people over thousands of years, in a wide range of literary styles. One of my favourite biblical literary genres is that of the simple narrative, with stories … Read more

It was almost four years ago that I began something brand new to me: writing devotionals. Let me explain how that came about. For a number of years now, I have been the "cat herder" for a group of my classmates from Multnomah School of … Read more

My son-in-law Marc would make a great tour guide. My daughter's family has included me in a number of their trips, and it takes much skill and patience to wrangle our group of five — my daughter, my son-in-law, two college-age … Read more

"Here you go, ma'am!" The rental car dealer handed me the car keys and I happily drove away. I had been involved in a fender bender and now had use of a rental car as a loaner while my car was being repaired. Though totally satisfactory as … Read more

One lovely spring day, my brother and I were on a day trip, meandering along back country roads that followed the Columbia River, which divides the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. On our route was a small, four-vehicle ferry crossing … Read more

My sister-in-law, Sharon, and I enjoy getting together for a weekly visit over coffee. Sharon has also written several PresbyCan devotionals, and one day over coffee we were discussing one of her recent devotionals entitled *`Watch Where … Read more

Just over a year ago, my daughter's family and I agreed that it was time for me to move closer to them, leaving the house where I'd lived for over 40 years. We began to explore housing options, but nothing seemed to be clear and … Read more

I've been a member of a small, unique club for more than three years now. One of my college classmates, knowing that I like to write, told me about the online PresbyCan Daily Devotional, which celebrates its 26th anniversary today. My … Read more

Music is a wonderful vehicle for expressing deep thoughts and emotions. A childhood friend and I were reminiscing recently about how rich and meaningful our early church experience was. This was due, in part, to the role that music had … Read more

In the 1970s, my husband Lynn and I lived as far away from our hometown of Portland, Oregon, USA, as is possible. Portland's antipode (on the opposite side of the globe) is somewhere in the Indian Ocean, and the large island of Madagascar, … Read more

Recently, I had minor surgery to remove a small skin cancer on my face. Though the surgery left a two-inch scar, I was grateful that the cancer was detected and treated in time. As I recovered, I marvelled at God's handiwork in healing and … Read more

It all began so innocuously. One day last summer, I noticed a small bump, about four millimetres in diameter, close to the outer corner of my eye. I poked and prodded it a bit, and it bled a little, so I knew that I should probably just … Read more

Hooray! I had successfully made a pot of delicious homemade cream of tomato soup! Successfully making cream of tomato soup is not always easy, given the tendency of milk to curdle when it is combined with acidic tomatoes. I enjoyed a hot … Read more

White, puffy clouds billowed like fluffy mounds of whipped cream at my feet. At my feet? Yes, I was looking down on the banks of clouds from my window seat in the airplane. Seeing fluffy white clouds below with brilliant blue sky above is … Read more

It was time to replace my old, clunky, hard-to-open storm door. After the somewhat painful process of researching, selecting, and ordering a new door, installation day finally arrived! The installer was scheduled to arrive in the early … Read more

Over my lifetime, I have used a variety of Bible-reading schedules, and it is commendable to read the Bible through in a year. Nevertheless, spreading the reading over two years breaks things down into more manageable bites for me and … Read more

Of all the traditions of the holiday season, I think that my favourite is Christmas music. Certainly, I love the sparkle of lights, the glow of candles, the fragrance of freshly baked cookies, the crunch of snow, and the joy of family … Read more

Mary and Joseph were the antithesis of helicopter parents. Wikipedia defines a helicopter parent as one "who pays extremely close attention to a child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. … Read more

As I have written before, I am not a quilter, but I can derive pleasure by proxy as I admire the finished products of expert quilters. As I was admiring a favourite quilt the other day, I began … Read more

I recently moved twenty miles across town to be closer to my daughter's family, and I have enjoyed being able to help them by occasionally house/dog-sitting for them when they need to be out of town for a short time. Daisy, their aging … Read more

As I was walking around Murrayhill Lake near my home one fine summer morning, I spotted something lying on the park bench ahead of me. As I got closer, I saw that it was a small New Testament with a note, tied up with a festive ribbon. I … Read more

"Now where could I have put that key?" I wondered. I discovered that my house key was not on the hook where I customarily keep it. I didn't panic, but I whispered, "Lord, I don't know where my key is, and it really is important that I … Read more

I grew up in a small town, and even though I have lived in a big city most of my life, I still claim Mossyrock, Washington, USA, as my hometown. There were 32 of us in my high school graduating class, and none of us would be too … Read more

For the umpteenth time, I found myself inwardly crying out, "O Lord, please help me. I don't know how to do this, and I need Your help." My husband Lynn suffered a major stroke in 2010 and was left with a weakened left side and little use … Read more

The state of Oregon is known and loved for its verdant greenery. The source of this verdure is no secret — rain, rain, rain! Most of the time, we Oregonians satisfactorily work around this rain, but planning outdoor events can often be … Read more

It was one of the worst nights of sleeplessness that I'd ever endured. As part of his high school graduation gift, I had made plans for an overnight road trip, camping with my grandson. The drive in his beloved vintage Volkswagen camper … Read more

What a stunning reversal in normal summer weather patterns took place in late June, 2021! Rather than shivering and trying to keep dry on a typical camping trip, everyone in the USA Pacific Northwest was desperately trying to cope with the … Read more

The words slipped out of my mouth, and I was instantly sorry, but I couldn't stuff them back in. Like the proverbial feathers, they had been scattered to the four winds, and couldn't be retrieved. Scanning back over a lifetime, I — we … Read more

To be born Welsh is to be born with music in your blood and poetry in your soul. – Welsh proverb Welsh men's choirs are world-renowned and have become the most treasured and remarkable feature of Wales. Hymn singing there was closely tied … Read more