From our infancy, God made us to be curious creatures so that we could gather knowledge and eventually learn of Him. Have you ever watched a toddler stand on tiptoe and stretch his arm to reach a doorknob, or smile with happiness when she … Read more

Logging and lumber trucks travelling the roadways of my dad's sawmill camp stirred clouds of dust that settled within our humble cabin. My job as a child was to dust our rooms daily, and I was mesmerized at times while watching flecks in … Read more

One summer when my two young sons spent time with their grandparents, a mystery presented itself. Their grandmother was a kind, loving, and self-controlled woman, but anyone can be pushed too far. She had prepared a large straw hat with a … Read more

When as a teenaged girl I became a representative for Christ, I was lightly teased by non-Christian schoolmates. They thought that I was strange. I didn't fit in with the kids who didn't have or didn't want Jesus as their Saviour. When I … Read more

My friend nostalgically opened the leather crafting tools that she and her granddaughter had placed in a shadow box years before. Tenderly, she touched the worn wooden handles of tools that her husband's great-grandfather Frederick had … Read more

In 1951, when I was eight years old, my family did not regularly attend church, although I did understand that Jesus loved me. During Easter break that year, my family took a vacation to see friends in southern California, USA. One of our … Read more

A few days ago, I had an overpowering desire for a glass of eggnog. Just thinking about the rich, creamy mixture with a hint of nutmeg thrilled my senses. My husband won't drink it, but he searched the local grocery stores for several … Read more

A most difficult thing for me to deeply comprehend is that a loving God allows troubles into my life. He tells us to be prepared at all times by faith, knowing that He has a plan for each of us, and that includes both easy and difficult … Read more

In 1977, my family cleared a forested mountainside, preparing to build a home. To install a water pipe from the pump to the house, our boys — aged 13 and 10 — and I dug a huge ditch, 18 inches deep, 12 inches wide, and 450 feet long, … Read more

The morning was chaotic, not much different than any other 1940s morning, having many interruptions. My sister-in-law quickly reached for her second apron before her neighbour arrived for coffee. She tied it securely at the waist over the … Read more

Prior to holidays or special occasions for which she was baking, my mother bought staples for making all sorts of treats. Borden® Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk was my dad's favourite. With Elsie® the Borden® Cow smiling out … Read more

We know that God's creation provides the artist's most extensive colour palette from which to choose. The rainbow provides an eye feast on the array of primary, secondary, and colours in between. Recently, I visited the post of a featured … Read more

Beginning in the 1500s, lamps were placed on city sidewalks and intersections so that evening shoppers and workers could safely see where they were going. People were accustomed to seeing the lamplighter near dusk, walking from lamppost to … Read more

Traditionally, a chorus of crickets entertains us during balmy summer evenings, while we sit in our outside retreats after a long day. They are very noisy, but as the crickets begin their song, I enjoy their chirps. These loud crickets, … Read more

My parents loved the Lord, and they both used their gifts in service to others. For example, they would take homemade soup to hoboes, and when the orchard was ripe for picking, they would take apple pies to people who were in need. Many … Read more

Timber country — a land of dust, mud, and torrential rains — was not a place for lovely, flat, satin ballerina slippers. But oh! how this young girl's heart longed for a pair. As I read Anna Pavlova's biography, I pirouetted alongside … Read more

God knows and created all things, so there are no unchartered waters for Him. In Kauai during 1991, my husband and I learned to use snorkels. It was our first time on a reef, and we paddled along to the shallow reef's edge while watching … Read more

Our society bombards us with advertising for every imaginable need and want. When we order from online companies, we receive non-stop advertising from those enterprises. Our smartphones notify us about everything. We can strap on activity … Read more

At my father's mill, a channel ran between the upper log storage pond and the lower pond, where logs could be poled and floated to be sawed. The channel was used only for that simple purpose, and it worked effectively. Periodically, the … Read more

In the ministry of last things, my friend looked over at her dear, 94-year-old stepmother-in-law, resting comfortably in the living room hospital bed. All had been done to make her cozy and safe. The furniture was in familiar places to … Read more

Fiery trials of life can be very hard, to the point of causing illness or death. When we come out of them, we may feel toasted from the heat. For the Christian, this is the testing of our mettle. It challenges our resilience and … Read more

We were very poor, and the J.C. Penney store carried good quality clothing. Mamma would put them on layaway until they were paid for. What a happy day it was when she brought the clothing home for us to wear for school. We didn't have to … Read more

Fluttering back and forth on a little swing in the gilded birdcage, my cousin's canary sang in trills and tweets. The yellow bird and his song were limited to one location and he could swing on only one tiny apparatus. His bright song … Read more

Blowing soap bubbles and having them rise in iridescent splendour brings delight to young and old alike as we hope for the next bubble. Rainbow colours enchant the soul. "Happy" is the nearest word to describe how watching bubbles form … Read more

"You will find gold all over the sand," our young friend told us as we travelled to the Salton Sea. We were thrilled as we got out of the car to search for treasure. Sparkles tumbled about in the water and shone in the sun as the gentle … Read more

I remember how the right timing and the perfect words once turned a harsh and hurtful situation to a smooth transition. I was blessed with six families within our family, and we shared everything. We were all for one and one for all — … Read more

Stamps have been important throughout our country's history for sending and receiving mail — primarily letters — back and forth across the country. Besides train, truck, and air, some famous delivery methods were the Overland Stage and … Read more

Crossing a high, fifty-foot-long, rickety swinging bridge during the pouring rain took prayer and balance. Dad's mill crew was on a mission of mercy to sick neighbours who lived, and were stranded, across the creek. They waited until the … Read more

God rarely opened His storehouse of snow in the place I lived at six years of age. But snow had been predicted for Christmas. I pressed my nose against the small window and watched in anticipation as the white snowflakes began to fall … Read more

By their example, my parents and grandparents taught my siblings and me the joy of being cheerful givers at home and in the community. We have great recollections of cheerful giving, not only at Christmas, but all year long. Watching … Read more

Long ago, I learned that there is a special key for every lock. When opening the gate to my dad's logging road, I tried the key that I'd last used, but it did not work. I went home and he gave me a new key because the lock had been … Read more

Quail scurried through the breeze-toasted grass that carpeted the hillsides dotted with green-leafed oak trees. Today, their three-syllable call didn't sound like "Chic-a-go." Instead, I heard, "Let it go." Looking at the creek, I wished … Read more

How wonderful that our God, who knows everything, understands every language. Workers and families from the mid-west and south brought to our 1950s lumber mill camps every accent, dialect, and regionalism spoken. While we struggled to … Read more