Years ago, we stayed in a little cabin in Banff, Alberta, Canada, while on our way to British Columbia to visit relatives. It was a neat little cabin with a few rooms in it. We thought we had locked the … Read more

Although we live in town, my daily walk takes me into the country. Just a few minutes down the abandoned rail line at a swift pace, I am away from traffic and noise, and I am able to enjoy a … Read more

Recently on a Sunday afternoon, our grandchildren were here for a visit. The youngest of the three, now in her second year, is very active, and we all know when she is among us. I have glass-topped tables in the … Read more

Driving is a passion of mine, so often, my husband and I find ourselves driving along little winding roads, just for the fun of it. One particularly sunny day, the road beckoned us, so off we went for a new … Read more

The other day, I saw some sheep in a field near my home. I pulled my car over to the side of the road and watched them grazing. As I watched them, my mind went back to an experience I'd … Read more

One of my housecleaning clients gave me a potted plant that should have been planted outside. This was very nice of her, and I appreciated it. However, the timing was poor. The next day, I took the plant with me … Read more

We have a Crape Myrtle Tree right in the middle of our back lawn. When mowing season begins, I have to struggle past the tree with my lawnmower. The tree is also on the side of a hill, so it's … Read more

When we are young, we can't seem to wait to grow up and be adults. On looking back, though, we see that life goes by so fast. As youths, we were not wise enough to recognize just how short life … Read more

When I was a child growing up in the south before the days of rural electrification, my relatives got their water from a shallow well with a pump. The amazing thing to me was that the pump had to be … Read more

The only night my father had any leisure time was on Saturday. As little girls, my sister and I would have been bathed and in our night-dresses, but before going to bed on Saturday nights, we would always sit on … Read more

In the library, I came across a book on antiques. It was filled with pictures of old furniture and other antique items. Below the pictures were the dollar values. Some articles were highly priced; others were not. Their value as … Read more

Do you remember the old Frank Sinatra song called "My Way"? I can recall some of the lines and the one that comes back to me is "Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention." It … Read more

Most mornings, our family dog and I patrol the mile-long stretch of rural road that passes in front of our home in central midwestern Ontario. One bright winter morning about a month ago, the sun shone from the east-southeast, and … Read more

In the media, many have seen depicted the disasters that have occurred in recent years. I have viewed some satellite images of the seafront before and after a tsunami that took place a few years ago. An image taken before … Read more

As Christians, we have a tendency to accept rather reluctantly the designation as "saints". We consider such a title suggestive that we have passed our final exams with honours and are ready for heaven. According to Paul, though, we are … Read more

A huge weather "bomb" of a storm blew through our area for a full four days, dumping a record snowfall. As I shovelled out enough to take my Golden Retriever mix dog, Princess, out behind my home to do her … Read more

It was 1:30 on a cold, stormy, winter morning, and I was in labour with our first child. I was standing outside, while my husband chased a taxicab a block away. The snow was falling quickly, and all around me … Read more

I had vigorously cleaned and polished my home during what I referred to as "spring cleaning", and I was pleased with the results. A few nights later, we were eating in the dining room, when my five-year-old granddaughter was heard … Read more

Have you ever noticed how older people love to go for a drive? My parents could hear car keys jingle like a child hears the ice-cream truck. So it seemed natural for his 90th birthday to take Dad for a … Read more

How Anna loved finding coins! She would show me each one and then race off again, zigzagging, pigtails swishing, searching the sidewalk. It was our Saturday morning ritual. We strolled around town, window-shopped, and rested in front of the coffee … Read more

I served the Glen Kirk in Maybole, Scotland, for just over nine years. It was built on the side of a steep hill. On one side of the church, a hedgerow and hickory fencing separated the church property from the … Read more

Today, I got an e-mail with beautiful pictures of ice sculptures. Earlier, I had one of sand sculptures, equally beautiful. Neither type is long-lasting and many people would wonder why one would spend time making such fleeting things. I could … Read more

Recently, I attempted to visit a friend who lived in a gated community. It was after 6:00 p.m., and the gate was locked. Not being familiar with how to get permission to open the gate, I was unable to complete … Read more

When people walk the same route each day, they often see the same individuals in about the same places each day. As a friend and I walked day after day and then into the next month, we would pass the … Read more

While driving to work one morning, I was listening to a preacher on the radio. He said something like, "It's a lot easier to deal with God than it is to deal with God's people." I thought about that for … Read more

"You must watch your diet," my doctor said, "or else suffer adverse effects." These were simple words for the physician to say, but much harder for me to carry out. In an area of the country where fellowship, love, concern, … Read more

In early spring, the sun shines brightly in the sky at lower angles than it does in the summer. Although its warmth is not so easy to feel on the body as it is with the summer's sunshine, it is … Read more

My husband pointed out the two sundogs in the blustery sky. "Keep an eye out," he said. "Watch which one stays." We were delighted to see that the one to the north disappeared. This of course signalled warm weather to … Read more

Our society is obsessed with trying to be perfect. People look for the perfect career, the perfect partner, and the perfect house. We struggle, strive, and get stressed out trying to reach that perfection. We purchase the latest gadgets to … Read more

Some years ago, when speaking about the responsibility of a Christian, someone coined the phrase, "Talk the talk and walk the walk." In other words, we are to live our Christianity in every walk of life. I am confronted almost … Read more

Sometimes it is so hard to have patience when we are waiting for an answer to prayer. The answer may not come immediately. We must remember that our Lord works on a different time schedule than we do. We always … Read more