In my spiritual journey, I've discovered that God often leads in ways that we don't understand. He simply requires our obedience. He has something in mind for us further down the road. Like a book, our life has chapters. Each chapter … Read more

Our pastor designed a diagram easily understood by the congregation. It often appeared on the screen as he preached. There were some who rolled their eyes and muttered, "Not the circles again!" But most of us grinned and settled down for … Read more

I have never mastered the art of ice-skating, so it amazes me to see tiny tots staggering around the rink, somehow keeping their balance on two razor-thin blades. Red cheeks and sparkling eyes are almost hidden under a helmet with a cage … Read more

As the anniversary of 9/11 arrives once again, I recall visiting New York City on Remembrance Day just two months after the tragedy. On other trips, our senses were assaulted by flashing neon lights and the ear-splitting noise of honking … Read more

This was my Scripture on the day when we flew to England this spring. It was very encouraging! Our plan was to visit several places, but not to rely on family — separated by considerable distances — to drive us. The plan included … Read more

I walked down the road to visit a neighbour, but she was not home. As I turned to leave, the young woman next door hurried towards me, visibly upset. She was carrying her two-week-old premature baby. She had left her four-year-old son to … Read more

It was time to trade in our car for a newer model. We asked God to lead us to the right vehicle. An online search finally produced a 2014 sport utility vehicle (SUV) that looked promising. The dealer said that it was at a lot in a nearby … Read more

The church that I attend, like many others today, is searching for a new pastor. Our pastor retired two years ago, after serving us for three decades. He still attends, along with his children and grandchildren. We knew that it would be … Read more

My husband retired just before Christmas. Days later, we celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary. The whole month of December was a time of celebration. What now? We are both in good health. God willing, we have at least another ten … Read more

Sometimes, it takes only one prayer to make the difference. When I gave birth to our first child, a nurse cheerily informed my husband — relegated to the waiting room — that he had a little girl. She then went off shift, and he … Read more

I purchased a new clock, and its ticking seems loud to my husband. I am not bothered because I am hearing impaired. Whenever he mumbles "Tick, tock …" under his breath, I am reminded of nights spent with my grandmother. I often stayed … Read more

Do you ever enter a room, and then wonder why? (Please say that I am not the only one who does this.) What am I doing? I look around, puzzled. With an exasperated sigh, I go back to the place where I was before, hoping to trigger my … Read more

On Valentine's Day, like many others, I will wear something red. For a special date, a woman might wear that little black dress and pearls, or other "glad rags" (party clothes). In this world, fashions come and go. Sadly, modesty … Read more

What is going on here? Do you ever have that feeling when watching the news on television? It seems that everyone is perplexed. Terrorism, natural disasters, weather phenomena, "fake news", and now, in the United States, government … Read more

When I was a child, I longed for a bicycle. I grew up in an English town long since swallowed up by London. Because of the traffic, my two younger brothers and I were restricted to the backyard. I wanted a bike so that I could visit my … Read more

As my husband and I celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary today, I am reminded that we were not engaged prior to our marriage. On our first wedding anniversary, I wondered if I might receive a ring as an anniversary or Christmas gift. … Read more

When my husband and I visited one of the Caribbean islands, our plane landed in the evening. Along with other arrivals, we were met and shuttled to the resort where we had reservations, paid in advance. After checking in and being shown … Read more

Forgiving each other is not always easy. In the movie, The Crown, Queen Elizabeth II, a sincere believer, discovers that her uncle, the exiled Edward VIII, had plotted with Hitler in an attempt to betray England, and she finds that she … Read more

During Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, watched by millions, she wore a gown and jewels worth millions of dollars. She was anointed with oil from a golden vial in the shape of an eagle, which is kept in the vaults under Westminster … Read more

I have lived in Canada for fifty years, and I still don't enjoy winter. It seems like a waste of time to me because I don't like going outside. I find snow not just dangerous but boring. There it is, every day for months — dismal and … Read more

Canada contains one-third of the world's water supply in its more than 250,000 lakes. When I visit Niagara Falls in Ontario, I am profoundly impressed by the sheer abundance of water. However, like many rural dwellings, our house is on a … Read more

When Prince Harry was married this year, several Canadians unexpectedly received personal invitations to the royal wedding in England. Of course, they were thrilled to accept. Wouldn't you? It reminded me of a time in a small village … Read more

In my garden, there are several beds of perennials. Each bed has a different name in order to identify it when I am describing a location to my husband. Apart from the obvious, like the Iris Bed and the Hosta Garden, there are the … Read more

Most of my time in the work force was spent working evenings, nights, and weekends. It seemed to be a good idea, because my husband was with the children when I was not. But I often missed family celebrations and church. My faith … Read more

I listened with delight to my eighteen-month-old granddaughter's attempts to repeat the words with which her brothers and sisters were coaching her. As I saw the pride on her parents' faces, I remembered my own children's first words. I am … Read more

I look forward to spring, not only because of the work in my garden, but also for the many household chores involved. In a sudden surge of energy, spring cleaning includes washing blankets and polishing floors, reorganizing closets and … Read more

Sometimes, it takes a period of enforced inactivity to make us look at things from a different perspective. This winter, I suffered a bad attack of the flu. I thought that I'd soon recover and that "tomorrow will be better". But as the … Read more

There are rules for living in the city, just as there are rules for living in the country. For instance, city dwellers keep their doors locked. When we moved from the city to a farm where our nearest neighbour was a ten-minute walk from … Read more

When I was a child, I loved the sound of mail being pushed through the letterbox and landing whisper-soft on the doormat. I had several pen pals all over the world. I did not know their language, but they all wrote fairly good English. I … Read more

This is a verse that I particularly like to share when I am mentoring prisoners by mail through Crossroads Prison Ministries. I mark the Bible lessons that they send me, and then, I write each of them an encouraging letter. It seems to me … Read more

A few years ago, several churches in my area participated in the Finding the Hope campaign. Dozens of Christian volunteers went door to door and blitzed the whole city with a small booklet about salvation and an invitation to church, … Read more

I love to receive my grandchildren's annual school photographs. I can see how they've changed and grown. They often stand back to back with each other — and me — to see who is taller. The younger ones stand straight as their height is … Read more

In many states in the USA, capital punishment is legal but uncommon. The means is usually by lethal injection, and it is conducted quietly and privately. In contrast, capital punishment during Roman times was often public, and could be … Read more