Author: Mary Daniel

Valentine's Day was one of excitement and anticipation back in my elementary school days. We worked on building little paper baskets or boxes for the collection of valentines from our classmates. At home we'd choose the perfect valentine for the … Read more

Recently a family member exclaimed that our bathroom scales were broken. My response was an incredulous "Really?!" "Yes", was the answer, "I have to step on the scale three different times to get the correct weight!" Funny how it only … Read more

A woman was vacuuming the sanctuary as I entered for our weekly Contemplative Prayer meeting. Filling in for the regular janitor, she hadn't been told of our coming, or that the vacuuming wasn't usually done on Mondays, nor was she … Read more

It seems that ever since I decided that admitting that one is a Christian doesn't mean one has to be forceful, or shout it from the rooftops, or broach the subject with everyone with whom one comes in contact, I … Read more

Throughout our lives, we are given losses of many descriptions: loss of home, job, friendships, health, lives. Years ago, we counted on family, friends, church groups to get us through. However, in our ever-changing, fragmented world, where both members of … Read more

Often while I drive my husband's car with him as a passenger, he will hang onto the handle above the window, and promptly fall asleep. Soon after, completely relaxed, his hand will slip away, leaving the handle to snap back … Read more

There is a game or custom in some families, often used at Christmas parties, in which numbers are randomly dispensed to each person, following which the person with the lowest number is called upon, and invited to open a gift … Read more

To see the sunrise from Maui's dormant volcano, Haleakala, is something very special, very sacred. To experience it with one's family on Christmas morning is almost beyond being able to express. Waking at four a.m., we dressed warmly, walked out … Read more

Last Christmas we tried something new. We decided to spend Christmas somewhere else, a first for all of us. We lived in separate parts of the country and although we'd always been able to spend Christmas together, we knew this … Read more

Having been raised in the north-eastern part of our province of beautiful British Columbia — where winter is something one doesn't just hear about, but experiences — I see how spoiled living on the west coast can be. Snow is … Read more