I was amazed one day as I was going for a walk. I saw a medium-sized dog wanting to cross the street. It was a very busy six-lane street, one of the busiest in our city. He stood and watched … Read more

Recently, fear was overwhelming me — fear of people's reactions; fear of rejection; fear of being hurt emotionally; fear of letting go of circumstances. Basically, it was all fear of the unknown. I started reading a devotional guide at the … Read more

Having just completed a course that took a lot of my time over the past two years, I found myself needing something important to do. I can spend only so much time looking out the window watching the birds industriously … Read more

Some fifty years ago, I met a young man who would one day become my husband. He had just begun a new job and was sent out west for a short time, a time which to me seemed endless. There … Read more

A few years ago, I had a falling-out with some people whom I loved and who had supported me through the years. There were many misunderstandings. Until recently, I had not seen most of these people for a very long … Read more

Recently, I was expecting an international student to arrive here in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. Before she came, she e-mailed me, so I would know what day to be at the airport, what time to be there, and the number … Read more

Living in the tropics, I've faced my share of creepy critters. I've encountered centipedes, mice, termites, and roaches galore (even flying ones). I don't like them, but I can deal with them. What I cannot tolerate are cane spiders. Cane … Read more

In downtown Thomasville, Georgia, there is a giant live oak tree, an American species of evergreen oak. It is 323 years old and 68 feet tall, and has a trunk circumference of 24 feet. Its limb spread is 162 feet, … Read more

I had just hung up the phone from talking to friends of many years. These people became neighbours when we met in Florida after we first settled there for the winters, some eleven years ago. I had a little project … Read more

When I decided to do some knitting the other day, I was out of practice, especially with any fancy stitches. The pattern that I chose seemed to be simple enough, but I was soon in trouble. Was I adding, dropping, … Read more

When I was a teenager, I spent hours reading poetry. I particularly enjoyed modern poetry, the kind that does not rhyme. In secret, I also wrote poems and would share them with one or two special friends. I did not … Read more

I came back from church on Sunday and passed by a parade of shops. My eye was caught by the flicker of a flame rising up the height of a second floor window. I stopped, called the fire brigade, and … Read more

I have recently completed an eight-week pastoral visitation-training programme and have learned a great deal. I have always enjoyed talking and listening to people, as every person has a story to tell. We just need to take the time to … Read more

For over four years, my granddaughter, Jessica, now age 8, has been living with me. This summer I have dismissed my pottery and painting classes to care for her and two other granddaughters near her age. It is to be … Read more

Fear of time passing is not new. During the Middle Ages, when the year rolled over from 999 to 1000, there was a lot of superstition that resulted in panic and the expectation that the world was ending. As our … Read more

The apostle Paul gives us a standard of belief which is shockingly simple. Yet, it is profound in its power: When Michael Faraday, the 19th century English chemist and physicist, was at the point of death a friend asked, "What … Read more

My volunteering encompasses the whole spectrum of grief. The group I volunteer with lends our support to the terminally ill and their families and we assist whenever and with whatever we can. We are there through the dying process and … Read more

It is this God revealed in Jesus Christ that invites you today to choose what you will do with this gift called life, and with the time and talent and treasure entrusted to you. This God invites you into an … Read more

How good is your memory? Mine is not as good as it might be. My mother used to say I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on. Of course, you know that professors are traditionally supposed to be absent-minded. … Read more