I hadn't mentioned to my doctor that I was having rapid heart beats that were occurring unpredictably, above the range of 180 per minute and lasting up to an hour. Feelings of nausea and exhaustion followed, and I later learned that the … Read more

I've recently started using a walker in the house. It helps my balance when I am moving around. It also proves to be very useful if I need to carry something from one place to another. I just load it up and I'm on my way. The seat comes in … Read more

I once saw a funny cartoon of a man with a placard that said something like "What if Jesus had died on the cross online?" I can't recollect the words exactly, but the point was that people seem to prefer online gathering to physical … Read more

We were halfway through our Christmas Eve carol and candle-lighting service when it happened. One of the burning Advent wreath candles ignited a spray of red silk poinsettias. Fortunately, a parishioner sitting in a front pew had the … Read more

I bought a new-to-me summer home a few months ago. It has fourteen Venetian blinds! I love being able to look out all those windows, but cleaning the blinds has become a bigger job than I had anticipated. I don't think that they've been … Read more

When we lived on the outskirts of town, every spring, I would go to our bush at the back of the property, gather up dead branches, and cut down and cut up at least one or two trees. In the fall, when the wood was dry, we would split it and … Read more

Once a month, we go to a church some distance from our home. Most of the drive is through farmland and a couple of small villages, but there is also a considerable section of forest on both sides of the road. Some years ago, the road was … Read more

When I was a young rookie pastor, I thought that prophecy was the greatest gift that God could ever give me. I wanted to interpret the times faithfully and show the church folks under my care what God was doing in the world. I felt that I … Read more

For many years, we lived on a fairly large property on the outskirts of town. Part of the property was bush, with both hardwood and softwood trees, as well as the various kinds of brush that grow in those places. The Northern White Cedar, … Read more

God sent the Holy Spirit to the believers when they were gathering together. During church services or prayer gatherings, when believers are with one accord, God commands blessings. Even when families are gathering together and they get … Read more

In the last twenty years, the Church of Scotland has sadly lost 40 percent of its membership. Britain is becoming more secular as each year passes. Despite trying to accommodate worldly and cultural views into its organization, the Church … Read more

In 2001, the Church of Scotland looked around and decided that something was terribly wrong with the church in Scotland. It wasn't just numerical decline. There was something wrong about how people — both inside and outside — perceived … Read more

Last year on Canada Day, I decided that the pony and cart would have to stay home, but the dogs could go. So I decorated my three-wheeled trike, put the dogs' Canada Day scarves on them, hitched four of them to the trike, while the other … Read more

As the days became longer and warmer, my thoughts turned to cleaning up my flower beds, purchasing hanging baskets, and getting my hummingbird feeder out of storage. I was preparing and boiling the mixture of water and sugar, when my … Read more

The nine-year-old sat with his substantial pile of opened Christmas presents, gazed up at the adults around him, and asked, "Is that all there is?" That's also the title of a song by the same name. The verses tell of a house fire, a visit … Read more

In preparing for a discussion group in the fall on the early years of the church, I have been looking over the Book of Acts. I see that the apostles went through a time of persecution that would have been very disheartening, were it not … Read more

Divine guidance is surely something to pray for, because divine guidance is second to none. God's guidance makes each hour greatly blessed, and we live in peace. That is something that we all need, especially as we get older or are in … Read more

As I have said too many times, the church is a pale imitation of what it is supposed to be, and our humanity gets in the way of our Christianity. Again today, I talked to several people who believe in God. I know that they do by the way … Read more

After my salvation experience in 1978, I had an unquenchable desire to read, learn, and understand the Bible. It became my first love. If I heard good lessons from Bible expositors on the radio, I would request their offered cassette … Read more

The Prime Minister of Canada has volunteered to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees into our nation before the end of February. This has raised many fears and concerns amongst the general population. Many may not know that in the last fifteen … Read more

I envy the first Christians. Their faith seemed very simple and straightforward. They worshipped and studied the Scriptures each day, and made time to frequently share meals and break bread together. They weren't encumbered with almost … Read more

I am quite interested in nature, especially birds. Even as a little boy, I could spot a flock of pigeons from a long way away. I still can. If my memory serves me correctly, back in the 1940s, there was a theatre in Amsterdam where nature … Read more

My Italian friend, who was a tablemate where I live, loved to play the piano by ear, to the delight of the residents. Her favourite thing to do was to play requests from gathered audiences. On one private occasion, as she played "O Solo … Read more

"When I grow too old to dream, your love will live in my heart." How many reading today remember that old song sung by Vera Lynn? Yesterday, we celebrated the birthday of the youngest daughter of my son, who mentioned, "Do you know … Read more

When I was a young person, the tradition as I remember it was that the emphasis of our faith was mostly on God. The minister preached a lot from the Old Testament, and in the Christian school that I attended, we loved the stories from the … Read more

Snow and ice covered the roads as well as sidewalks. I chose to visit a friend, whom I had not seen for many months. There was a fair amount of ice on her driveway, which I managed to manoeuvre without any problem. However, leaving … Read more

I recently spent some time with my husband finishing a basement in an existing home for a job he was working on. From a bare concrete floor evolved a bathroom, two bedrooms, and a living room space. In a weekend, 475 square feet of … Read more

Currently, some of our young people are going through the process of confirmation (or church membership). Our youth leader is doing a wonderful job with them, and I'm attending the classes, more as an observer and adviser. As always, when … Read more

How many of us remember Sunday dinner as it once was? The savour of a roast of beef simmering in the oven, the fresh vegetables, and oh! those mashed potatoes all smothered in homemade gravy. Then for dessert, there was … Read more

It was just after sunrise in the desert of Coachella Valley, California, USA. This event was to celebrate my fiftieth birthday. The hot air balloon was ready for our flight. The tough, flexible bag had been filled with hot air. … Read more

By today's title, you might be thinking that I am referring to my own size, but although that is not the case, I readily admit that this old body could do with being reduced drastically by 40 or 50 pounds. … Read more

I love the wind. I love to watch the way it can transform a quiet sea into a sloshing, tossing world of change. I am awed by its power and unpredictability. I am amazed how it stirs the trees to … Read more

One of the hardest things in life for an expectant mother is to find out that the baby that she has been carrying for almost eight months is stillborn. In a moment's time, the world of the expectant father and … Read more