"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 )

"You must take the blue pill in the morning. The pink pill is for bedtime. But remember that the red pill is the one that you take at noon." This is the type of conversation that I hear on a regular basis as I visit shut-ins in their …( read more )

A few nights ago, a young neighbour boy came over to play. He was hanging out in the sitting room, colouring quietly. After some time, he began playing with a decorative pillow, tossing it up in the air and back down again. But soon, he …( read more )

Are you packing and getting ready to leave home, or facing a big change in your life with a lot of uncertainty? I know something of what you are going through, because I am, too. I was supposed to be moving, but now I am told that this is …( read more )

I live in the country, on the outskirts of a village of about 1,300 people. Our house is on a main road leading into the village, and although there are street lights in the village, they end just before our house. When I take the dogs …( read more )

With the coming of winter in the north, the cold, dry air quickly takes its toll on a person's skin. One must learn to be prepared and diligent to prevent problems. So each winter, I begin to use moisturizer, especially on my hands and …( read more )

My mother, with whom my husband and I have been living, is in a retirement facility. At some point in time, a decision will have to be made regarding the house that we live in. I remember the time when my mother asked us to move in with …( read more )

There is really only one answer: I do palliative care at our local nursing home. I sit with dying patients, both those who are peaceful and those who are frightened. I offer to pray with each of them. If they answer "yes", I pray aloud …( read more )

This morning, I stood in front of my patio windows witnessing the sunrise. I was overcome with the sense of God's power, and I felt profoundly privileged as the colours changed and the sun glistened on the snow. For the past three weeks, …( read more )

Have you ever had a stretch of time when opportunities arose to test what you're made of spiritually? For me, this particular stretch has lasted over three years. Besides daily annoyances, the death of a parent, and career challenges, …( read more )

What if the world suddenly stopped spinning? Would the entire human race cease to exist? What if your house were hit by a falling tree, or a tornado, or a bolt of lightning? What if you got sick and couldn't look after your elderly parent …( read more )

This verse of Scripture reminds me of my childhood and makes me look back at my life. Did God set me apart from birth and call me by His grace? Dad was a minister and all three of us children were raised as believers. It was taken for …( read more )

When I was in grade 9, I had to do a report in front of my class. I began reading my report, and my hands began to shake, my breathing became irregular, and I ran out of the classroom. When I got home and told my mother, she made an …( read more )

Have you ever been in a place or situation that you felt was truly hopeless? I'm sure that if we are honest with ourselves, we have all been in that place at one time or another. What is our first response when we find ourselves in a …( read more )

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a technical marvel made possible by a group of satellites in earth's orbit that transmit precise signals, allowing GPS receivers to calculate and display accurate location, speed, and time information …( read more )

One thing that I have learned since having a horse is that I must be alert at all times when I am out riding in the cart pulled by my gelding, Frank. Why? Because horses are easily spooked. We can be out enjoying the stillness of a crisp …( read more )

The Californian Gold Rush of 1849 is surfacing again, though in a reduced form. It pales in comparison to the real thing in the mid-1800s, when prospectors sometimes just bent down and plucked nuggets of gold off the dirt. It is more than …( read more )

At the jail where I guard, there is a row of lockers to store our clients' personal belongings while they are in a holding cell. The lockers preserve their valuables and clothing from being lost or stolen until they are returned to them …( read more )

Knowing God on a deeper level is the topic and aim of the Bible study which I am currently teaching. When we resumed in October, we were privileged to have a new lady join us. From the outset, her wide-eyed wonder and excitement over …( read more )

I have had a dream to write since I was in grade 5. It all started when I was selected to go on a special trip to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the annual jamboree for bus patrols. As a bus patrol, I was responsible to ensure that younger …( read more )

"How do you do it?" my friend stammered. "How do you go out and talk to them? I hate it. I don't know their names, and I hate crowds." (So that's why she was hiding in the broom closet.) After I explained that the guests probably felt the …( read more )

Do you ever feel like you have no idea where you are going? You plan, prioritize, and schedule your activities, but then still wonder, Where am I really going with all of this? Now, you may be saying, "This is no help at all! I read …( read more )

I am perturbed. No, I am not perturbed; I am very frustrated. My Internet connection keeps breaking, and each time this happens, I lose communication with my Facebook, Outlook, Twitter, Linkedin, and blog friends. Not only is it …( read more )

I'm trying to grow my fingernails. I've been trying all of my life to do this. But when there is the least little bit of stress, I fiddle with my nails and pick at edges that stick out, and before I know it, I've ripped off the end of a …( read more )

My daughter gave me a beautiful picture of a mother holding her baby as she looked out the window. Under the picture it said, "Mother, I will love you forever." It reminded me of how newborn babies are so tiny … (read more)

This collection was certainly unplanned. Way back when, my brother and I gave grandma a ceramic chicken cookie jar. After she passed away, it became the property of my parents, who then gave it to me. Our children always checked … (read more)

It was the call that we all fear to hear, the one that wakes us from our slumber: "Your mom has been taken to the hospital, and you need to come as soon as possible." This was how my Saturday … (read more)

The Riot Act was passed in England in 1715, to be read to mobs to encourage them to disperse. Since then, the saying "reading the Riot Act" has come to mean "to command to stop doing something regarded as wrong … (read more)

After two weeks in Florida, USA, away from the winter, with our only concern being how we were going to spend our sunny days, it was time to think about the journey home. Knowing that the drive would take us … (read more)

One year, for my granddaughter's birthday, we included in her gifts a couple of Rattleback stones. They are quite fascinating. They were first found in many of the Egyptian tombs and were believed to have come from the Nile River. … (read more)

Years ago, in my teens, we used to play a trusting game which was hard to do. We stood in a circle, and one by one, we fell over backwards, trusting the person beside us to be standing behind to … (read more)

As a school bus driver, knowing and obeying road signs is especially important. I have held the lives of many young children in my hands as I traversed the roads from their homes to school and back day by day. … (read more)

My husband and I decided to put our four-bedroom home on the market. We got ready to downsize by getting rid of a lot of furniture and things we did not need. We managed to empty three bedrooms and most … (read more)