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
Author Archive
Narrow Road Or Wide Road?
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
The Lord Will Provide
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
The Writers' Club
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
Make Me A Blessing
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
Letters From Home
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
Hidden Sin
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
False Assumptions
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
The Clouds Below
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
Going The Extra Mile
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
A Word To The Wise
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
The First Noel
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
Non-Helicopter Parenting
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
The Quilt Of Life
Walking With The Master
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
Wonderful Words Of Life
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
Finding Lost Things
"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
Only A Little Town
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
Strength Made Perfect In Weakness
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
Praying For Sunshine
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
Will Morning Never Come?
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
Heat Wave!
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
Leaving Regret Behind
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
In Jubilant Style
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
Just Love Everybody
"Just love everybody. I'll sort 'em out later. — God" When I first read that quote recently on a church reader board, I thought that it was a bit flippant and irreverent. After all, the "everybody" in today's world indeed includes many … Read more
A Church Of Two
The day dawned sunny and bright. Though it was still chilly, it was a perfect Saturday morning to walk the three-quarters of a mile to my favourite coffee shop. Though seating is still limited because of COVID-19 restrictions, morning is … Read more
Our Master Craftsman
I am just a so-so crafter. Oh, I can enjoy an occasional craft project done with a group of friends or at a ladies' retreat, but I am not an avid quilter, painter, or knitter, as are some of my friends. If I were to claim any artistic … Read more
The Big Move
How many times have you moved in your lifetime? It always amazes me to learn that some people live in the same house their entire lives, perhaps never even travelling more than five or ten miles from the place that they were born. … Read more
The Smile Above The Mask
It's an unusual time that we're living in during these mask-wearing days of our global pandemic. Full facial expression — something that we normally take for granted — is no longer possible. Communication can be hampered when others … Read more
Investing, Then Divesting
I feel as though I have spent most of my life preparing for the next thing on the agenda. As a child, school prepared me for life in general. College then helped me to prepare for a career. A first job was a starting point, which would … Read more
Only One Life
"Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." – C.T. Studd Life is short and I can live it only once, so I'd like to make the best use of it. I cannot do everything, but I can certainly do some things well. … Read more
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