In the small mountain community where I live during the summer, there are hundreds of children who don't have adequate food at home. In response, two faithful young women founded Backpack Snacks. On Friday, each of the identified … Read more

My kitten, Earl, has certainly livened up my little household of dogs. He gets into things where the canines would never go, and thus, I am kept on my toes learning to think like a cat. His latest escapade took place in the bathroom as I … Read more

During a recent appointment with an occupational therapist for my injured hand, I was interested to observe the various tools used to measure the mobility and movements of my hand and fingers. One of the tools was a device that had a … Read more

We all noticed that Frank, my horse, had been coming out of the barn less and less. He needed to be moved out of his comfort zone, so I put a lead rope on his halter and insisted that he move out into the yard. But I realized immediately … Read more

For the last few weeks, I've been having electrical problems. The ceiling light in my craft room started flickering wildly, causing anything that was plugged into that circuit to turn off. Consequently, my computer suddenly shut down in … Read more

Open sesame! A part of my childhood welcomed the wonderful world of fairy tales. I wished that I could have Aladdin's magic lamp. If I'd had it, I would have made these three wishes: – First, I wanted to be rich, not poor like Cinderella. … Read more

The goats love to chew the bark of the aspen trees in the corral — and when they do, the trees die. Then, I have to either cut the trees down or pull the smaller ones out of the ground, which I have discovered is not an easy thing to do. … Read more

Tom had a fragile childhood. His father was known as a rowdy type, a sailor with a woman in every port. Naturally, things between his mother and father fell apart, since his father wouldn't stop his carousing. Then, the day came when his … Read more

It happened two days in a row: three different messages from God. Do you, like me, sometimes wonder how God lets us know what He wants for us? I'm a practical person, not given to flights of fancy or emotion. I'm more likely to read for … Read more

Last Christmas, Ade was four, and she was obsessed with watching the movie, The Grinch, over and over again, even after Christmas had long since come and gone. The Grinch's heart was changed as he witnessed how all the evil which he … Read more

When my son was little, he and his brother had an Advent calendar for a month before Christmas. Every day, the boys would open a window and see the picture and verse inside — no chocolate in those days! As Christmas approached, they would … Read more

I don't know about you, but I had a way of getting myself grounded! The day or the evening started out well enough, with lots of fun, but then, curfew time came and went! It always happened at the best part of the fun that I was having. I … Read more

Through my years, I've acquired surprising spiritual lessons through mundane events. Here, I'll share how a simple episode yesterday drew my attention to two power sources influencing Christian life. I had placed a frozen pizza in the … Read more

From our infancy, God made us to be curious creatures so that we could gather knowledge and eventually learn of Him. Have you ever watched a toddler stand on tiptoe and stretch his arm to reach a doorknob, or smile with happiness when she … Read more

Did you know that PresbyCan is celebrating a milestone anniversary today? The Daily Devotional marks 25 years in operation on May 25. What is now distributed to thousands of subscribers worldwide had its start with the idea of an … Read more

Recently, I did something foolish. It began with a decision to brew some specialty coffee as a morning treat for myself. Soon, the lovely cinnamon-hazelnut aroma filled the air. That was a treat in itself! With great anticipation, I poured … Read more

As our pandemic lingers, people naturally yearn for former freedoms — including public worship. Mixed feelings abound over such matters. Restless tension grows between restraints and freedoms. As in any polarized situation, we can easily … Read more

Last Christmas, I especially enjoyed the seasonal festivities, with vibrant colours, lights, socials, music, and so forth. It's surely the richest, most enchanting time of the year. Furthermore, the season gives us opportunities to do the … Read more

Recently, I began renovating a small cabin on our property. Everything needed doing from top to bottom. Sanding, filling, scrubbing, painting, and trim work were part of the redo. Everything had to be done in a certain order, and … Read more

Mind if I ask a question? How do people find the words to pray? I made a new friend just the other day. Her name is Cheryl. As I was sitting at the table eating breakfast, I decided I wanted to pray for her. For some reason, I wasn't sure … Read more

I believe in miracles. Much has been written about them, whether it be Daniel in the lions' den, or the feeding of the five thousand, etc. I believe that God is able to do what, to human thought, is impossible. However, today, I am … Read more

It looked rather decrepit, past its best-before date — that vintage Heintzman piano in the sanctuary. Several keys were unplayable. To make this glaringly obvious, permanent X's were scribbled on each broken key, perhaps by a child who … Read more

Have you come to a point in your life as a Christian where you feel that you can give no more to the Lord's work? You feel spent. You've given and given, but not enough is given back to replenish you. More is expected from you — in time, … Read more

A friend and I were having an email conversation not too long ago and found ourselves sharing about family members with whom we desire to have better and deeper relationships. Due to circumstances beyond the control of us and them, … Read more

Nutricia — that's one name that I'll never forget! It was given to a baby girl. Her mother got it from a label on a tin can. She liked the name, so called her daughter by that name. Nutricia was a brand name for milk supplements. In … Read more

Cars lined blocks of curbsides as several hundred of us teachers converged at an inner-city school to sit as pupils and hear experts of our profession. I watched closely for a parking spot for my sky-blue Malibu as I drove slowly along a … Read more

My Yorkshire Terrier, Sienna, who weighs five pounds four ounces, was the most fearful little creature I'd ever met when she first came to live with us as a puppy. No one could get near her, and she shook and trembled in every new … Read more

For many years, I lived in the Coachella Valley, located in the Sonoran Colorado Desert of southeastern California, USA. Due to the warm, year-round climate, various varieties of palm trees grow in the valley. Most of the palms grow … Read more

Either today or next Sunday, many Christians around the globe will observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This practice not only comforts those who are suffering, but it unites believers worldwide in taking a … Read more

"The facts" have an uncanny way of stalling us. Discussion shuts down. The imagination becomes closed to possibilities outside of perceived parameters. "The facts" can rivet us to dull, predictable limits. "The facts" can sink us into a … Read more

The tree was a gift from my parents when we bought our first house 17 years ago. It was a mountain-ash that fit into their vehicle to be brought to us. The tree has grown substantially over the years to a present height of about 25 feet. … Read more

Much of life is mere surfing: we skim from one surface to another. However, in the process, we miss many precious details. We surf the flowers, but miss their intricate beauty. We surf past neighbours, but never really know them. We surf … Read more

For many years, I went down the path of setting worldly goals and making New Year's resolutions, some of which were short-lived and left me feeling defeated when I inevitably failed. There were goals that I reached, but these achievements … Read more