Years ago, we had a tradition of enjoying a good roast beef dinner after worship on Sunday. To minimize Sunday work, the vegetables would be prepared on Saturday evening. The roast would be put in the oven before we left for church, and …( read more )

Recently, I stood on my fifth-floor balcony and watched a gentleman clean my windows, hanging by a rope. When he had finished my windows, he eased the clamp on the rope and safely lowered himself to the next floor. As I watched, I …( read more )

Everything that we say or do communicates what we want others to know about us. Sometimes, we do this by the clothes that we wear. When I wear a bright green shirt, the comments that I receive indicate that I am bringing happiness to my …( read more )

Two years ago, in April 2018, a troubled young man drove a van erratically down Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada. He veered on and off the sidewalk, killing ten people and seriously injuring fourteen others. It was a terrible occurrence …( read more )

During the current pandemic, there are many comments appearing about people re-evaluating what is important. It reminded me of a personal experience almost 50 years ago. I was asked by my employer, a large international technology …( read more )

We are created as social beings, meant to interact with others. The important thing is whether our interactions with others show God's love. One of the most common greetings is the handshake — now, not allowed. Some of us would …( read more )

Each month of the year has its own number of days, which is the same every year except leap year. 2020 is a leap year, and so this year, February had 29 days rather than 28. We all have a birthday that occurs on the same day each year, …( read more )

The World Health Organization has declared this latest coronavirus a pandemic. This directly affects life for all of us to some degree. At first it was a sad development in far-away China, where sickness and death rapidly spread. Then it …( read more )

The other day, a friend forgot something and immediately said, "I guess I'm having a 'senior's moment'". As we age, our memories start to fail, and we can't recall even recent events as easily as before. Some years ago, when I reached …( read more )

We spend our lives reacting to things that occur around us and to us. Hopefully our reactions are positive and helpful to others and ourselves. Sometimes, we feel that the actions of others are unfair to us, and from childhood, we have to …( read more )

To every action there is a reaction. In turn, these actions and reactions create expectations. When someone behaves unexpectedly, we are surprised. When we do something that we didn't plan or expect, we are surprised. The most important …( read more )

For many years, I have enjoyed listening to Queen Elizabeth's message on Christmas Day. This past Christmas, the Queen mentioned the importance of small steps leading to great change. She said that this was consistent with the teachings of …( read more )

Because we are tempted to judge others by their possessions, it is easy to jump to a conclusion when we know their address. For example, when we hear the word "penthouse", it is easy to assume that the described location is opulent and …( read more )

How is your health? This is a question that is frequently asked. It normally applies to our physical health, and we may be asked many times throughout our lives. When my tenth great-grandchild arrived in October, there were many times …( read more )

Each day when we awaken, we face a new beginning. If the day on the calendar is a 1, then that day is a new month. If it is January 1, then it is the beginning of a new year. 2020 is the start of a new decade. Each beginning comes with an …( read more )

Over the years, you have probably walked over many welcome mats at people's front doors. You may even have one of your own. The mat serves a practical purpose: to clean our footwear. But if it has on it the word "Welcome", it makes a …( read more )

For every gift, there is usually both a donor and a recipient. Normally, the donor willingly gives a possession and welcomes a positive and grateful response. If the recipient makes good use of the gift, it pleases the donor. If the …( read more )

It is said that we have only a brief time — minutes or even seconds — to make a good first impression. That may be true, but it is also true that we are continually making impressions, positive or negative, that last for a long time, …( read more )

A major USA bank has recently been running television advertisements with the theme, "I Can." It has caused me to think about how frequently we are tempted to add the three letters "n-o-t" after the word "can". In fact, it is so common …( read more )

It seems that from a young age until death, life is not very peaceful. We are continually being either pushed or pulled, sometimes by others and sometimes by our own desires. I was reminded of this recently when I listened to a number of …( read more )

Two things in life are certain. The first constant is change. From the time of birth, a baby is constantly facing change. Change is sometimes welcomed, but often, it is not. Like it or not, we continually face change. How often have …( read more )

There are many ways that we greet other people, but perhaps this biblical greeting is not the most usual! A common way of greeting another person is to inquire about their physical state. Equally important, however, is their mental or …( read more )

I was blessed with parents who both followed the biblical instruction to keep their promises. While many such circumstances come to my mind, there are two that I will share with you. My father accepted a senior lay leadership role in …( read more )

I am fortunate to live in a lovely home where all my needs are met. To serve the various interests of the residents, there are many activities, ranging from Blackjack to Bible study. The residence is privately owned and operated, and is …( read more )

A lady who lives on my floor and would therefore be considered a neighbour, recently shared with me her experience with another neighbour. Her husband had died some years previously. They had no children. When health factors required that …( read more )

Since I have moved into a new facility where my needs are met, I am frequently asked how I am enjoying my new home. It has caused me to think about what is required for a "home". Firstly, there is a physical structure. Unfortunately, …( read more )

When I lived in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, some years ago, the local Ministerial Association invited a prominent minister to lead a series of evangelistic meetings. The speaker wasn't Billy Graham, but he was well-known, and so, his visit …( read more )

I live in a home that is occupied largely by seniors. There are frequent changes, with people departing and others moving in. Change, as expected, brings stress. The other day, an older lady (with her family) was inspecting a unit on my …( read more )

God seems to prepare things for us in even the simplest of ways. Recently, a neighbour shared with me her upset and then her happiness from incidents that occurred during a shopping trip. Having completed her task of picking up a few …( read more )

The famous preacher, Charles Price, wrote: We talk a lot about leadership, and rightly so, but our role is never to lead. It is to serve, and God is the one who makes leaders out of servants. If we want to know who our future leaders …( read more )

Change is constant. From the time we are infants, we continually adapt to changing circumstances. What is important is how we react to the changes. Even institutions such as the PresbyCan Daily Devotional change. When I first started …( read more )

Time is a continuum of the past, the present, and the future. We can learn from things that happened in the past, but we can never return to relive the past. It is history! We spend much time and effort trying to influence the future. It …( read more )

Humour is an important, positive aspect of our life. We are created in God's image. Hence, it is logical that God must have a great sense of humour! When we humans make a great discovery, I can imagine God smiling and thinking, "Well, …( read more )