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 )

"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 )

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 )

Tom Hallman, Jr. is a storyteller. More specifically, he is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The Oregonian, our state's largest newspaper. He specializes in warm-hearted, thoughtful, human-interest stories. As a long-time subscriber …( read more )

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 )

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 )

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 )

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, '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 )

Wouldn't life be easier if we didn't have all of the muss and fuss that comes as part of daily living? The Passion Translation expresses today's verse in a humorous way: "The only clean stable is an empty stable. So if you want the work …( read more )

My childhood memories of Christmas evoke the delicious shiver of anticipation as I lay in bed on Christmas Eve whispering to myself, "I can't wait until it's morning! I can't wait!" Though our family joyously celebrated Christmas, …( read more )

My husband Lynn and I served as missionaries in Madagascar during the 1970s. Though we felt welcome there, we knew that we would never be mistaken for native-born Malagasy! We had to learn to appreciate new foods and new customs, and we …( read more )

My older brother and I shared a common bit of philosophy. We agreed that any years granted us beyond a certain given age would simply be icing on the cake, and death at any point thereafter should not be viewed as a great tragedy. We felt …( read more )

In western North America this past summer, wildfires devastated nearly four million acres of forests, burned 8,200 structures, and killed 31 people. One day, our weather forecasters warned that high winds were likely to exacerbate these …( read more )

Do you have a bucket list of things that you have never done but want to do before you die? This list could consist of places to see, goals to achieve, or adventures to be had. I have had a full and exciting life, and should God call me …( read more )

When I was growing up, our chicken house usually housed a dozen or so generally docile hens, but the least disturbance could result in a cacophony of indignant clucking and flapping of wings before they'd all settle back down again on …( read more )

Her smile seemed to envelop her from head to toe. Whenever I saw Abby, she seemed to radiate a smile that showed in her face, her eyes, and her body language. When she stood on the church platform to give announcements, read Scripture, or …( read more )

The sad news came in mid-summer 2020. Because of the global pandemic, schools in Oregon, USA, will be using online education in the fall, with in-person education being postponed until at least November. This news had a dramatic effect on …( read more )

I love living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, a corner of the United States that enjoys four full seasons. I emphasize four seasons because there are varying lengths and kinds of seasons around the globe. When God created the …( read more )

These days, we live in a society that is so litigious — "unreasonably prone to go to law to settle disputes". No matter the cause, whenever anything bad happens to someone, the first thought is often, "Who is to blame for this misfortune? …( read more )

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time …( read more )

One of the most important and helpful pieces of advice that I have received is "Learn your coffee barista's name — and use it!" Let me explain. I'm not a coffee addict, but I am a latte lover! Now that our local coffee shops are …( read more )

Today's world may seem dark and frightening. Many people harbour fear and dread of an uncertain future. Along with a deadly disease has come widespread unemployment. Life as we have always known it may never again be quite the same. A …( read more )

Back in the day, a housewife doing her weekly laundry the good old-fashioned way knew when her clothes were clean. Through various iterations of laundry methods — from washing clothes on the riverbank, to using a washtub and scrub board, …( read more )

Sisters Tatyana, Anna, and their mother Anna are Ukrainian immigrants who, along with their families, have lived in my neighbourhood for the past 20 years. These families attend a local American church, and the ladies say that their …( read more )