I enjoy spectator sports of all kinds, but until recently, I had not been very familiar with wrestling. Oh yes, I know about theatrical, slam-bam wrestling as seen on television, but youth wrestling is entirely different. A family friend … Read more

When one of the pastors in my church invited me to share my gift of writing with members of our congregation in February, I was a little nervous at first, because there were many people in my congregation who were not aware of my gift of … Read more

Love will always compel us to do something good for God. The Pastoral Care Ministry in our congregation provides spiritual care to the families in our church and community who are struggling with health issues, among other things. We … Read more

The wallpaper was dingy and stained and did not want to come off. I talked with the paint people at the store, and they told me to paint over it and how to do so. I decided to try it. As I applied the paint over the paper, I was amazed … Read more

"Oh, thanks, Alan!" I gratefully exclaimed, as he came up beside me and grabbed my arm. We were going down a steep, rocky incline at one of the ancient sites in Israel, and he could see that I was having trouble keeping my balance. He … Read more

In the 1970s, we moved our European/Middle East head office to London, England. At that time, one of our external auditors told me this story. Two men shared an office; they had desks facing each other. They had worked together for a … Read more

I consider myself to be an avid reader. Though I like to read for information and enrichment, I also enjoy fiction and novels in good taste. So, when I recently came across a list of "must-read" literary classics, I decided to intersperse … Read more

In 1920, when Grandma was beginning her family, she bought an improved homestead of 160 acres, with a home, a barn, and a large orchard. The orchard had already seen its prime, but was still producing apples from what had once been … Read more

The other day, I received two emails from Google. The first one mentioned my privacy features; the second displayed my recent whereabouts on a Google map, as tracked through my cell phone. Both emails required my response — to protect my … Read more

My husband Solomon and I have been living in Germany for many years as expatriates. I am British and Solomon is Nigerian. We are well integrated with the traditions and social intricacies of the German culture, and we speak the language … Read more

Many moons ago, I was employed as a substitute teacher at a nearby Christian daycare. The regular teacher needed to take some additional training classes, and I would be filling in the K-4 K-5 class until she returned. I asked the … Read more

Our church has a group of volunteers — the men's work crew — who meet at the church every Wednesday morning from September to June to do odd jobs and minor repairs around the church building. Over the years, they have saved the church … Read more

The Indonesian archipelago consists of 17,508 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. For about 300 years, these islands were called the Dutch East Indies. First mention of the Dutch being there was around 1595. In 1800, it became a … Read more

The Bible has many references directing us to be hospitable. I was blessed to watch my parents practice this teaching on many occasions. One such occasion happened on a Sunday in 1943. A gentleman from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with his … Read more

When the practice of Hallowe'en is upon us, I am bothered by the activities of the day. It just rubs my spiritual health the wrong way. I have seen the dark side of that day and night. For many, the scarier the decorations for the day the … Read more

"Judge carefully" … "Do not judge" … "Judge for yourself" … "Stop judging" – the Bible Well, is it okay to judge or not? The above texts aren't helpful, are they? It's no wonder: They're extracted from their contexts! Furthermore, … Read more

We have a subscription to a Dutch-language newspaper which is published here in Canada and consists mostly of news and articles about and from the Netherlands. In the December 2016 issue, there was an article about a political party in … Read more

Ominous clouds threatened as my wife and I eased into the parking space. Hot, humid weather had been the pattern for the past week, so pop-up showers had been increasing. On this particular evening, I had a wedding to officiate. A few … Read more

The second I started singing "O, come, O come, Emmanuel," I knew that I was in trouble. It was going to be difficult, of course, but this soon? The first hymn of the first Sunday in Advent, 2015, and already I was crying. How was I, a … Read more

Recently, I attended the memorial service of a Christian friend. While I have gone to many such events, this one impacted me as no other has done. This woman's life, from the time she became a Christian, was one of service to others. The … Read more

{Walking Sparky, I am hot. But then, today, who is not? At ninety degrees, God sends a breeze. I knew He would, 'cause He's so good. He answers me before I call, And sends His breeze for one and all.} What I have just written is called … Read more

I was eleven years old in Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Many Hungarians used that brief slit in the Iron Curtain to flee to the west. For domestic as well as political reasons, my 17-year-old brother took off in the … Read more

Looking out the front window, I notice that the sky is a lovely shade of blue with many white, fluffy clouds adding to its beauty. However, as I step out the front door in anticipation of a refreshing walk with my dog, Sparky, I am … Read more

A reset button is a useful feature whenever things go berserk — like when our television screen goes jiggly or our computer freezes up. A simple push of the reset button or a click on the restart icon sets things back in order. It's … Read more

It seems that this winter has brought storms and weather in severity that some places haven't seen before, or for many years. The Great Lakes in North America contain one-fifth of the world's fresh water. For the first time in decades, … Read more

Recently, I went to the local bike shop to see about handlebar tape for my bike. I have been using hockey tape on them, but over time, it seems to get sticky, so I decided to see what the bike shop sold. I didn't let on that I had been … Read more

One of the most treasured gifts I own is a wall clock which was given to me by my mother when I moved into my very first apartment. Throughout my life, this battery-operated clock has been my companion as I have moved; it has survived for … Read more

In 155 A. D., Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (Izmir, in modern Turkey), entered the arena. Before an angry, bloodthirsty crowd, the proconsul tried to persuade him to renounce his faith in Christ at the age of 86: But when the … Read more

A while back in our small group, we were talking about our spiritual gifts. So we decided to do a survey to see what our individual spiritual gifts are. We realized that we all knew ourselves pretty well in that … Read more

Living in New Brunswick, Canada, we are certainly well acquainted with the seasons. Every season brings with it its own unique beauty. While I may complain about the cold winter weather (more so since getting older) and scooping the snow, … Read more

When I think of hospitality, the image that comes to mind is my golden retriever's greeting for my son. When my son comes back for a Christmas visit, she absolutely throws herself at him. Tail wagging and tongue lolling, she … Read more

Midge is one of my smallest dogs. She is a silver dapple, long-haired dachshund, and she is very special. Midge loves everybody. No matter who comes to our door, she graciously welcomes them with her gently wagging tail and quiet … Read more

I am sure that we have heard it before: "There is a first time for everything." Locking keys in the car fits into this category, as I found out today. I have been driving for thirty years, and locking my … Read more