On July 24th, 2022, our daughter's husband walked out on her, and thus began our unexpected journey. Their three-bedroom house had to be vacated and everything brought to our garage, which became wall-to-wall bins. The house needed some … Read more

One Sunday recently, our minister spoke on the passage in the Sermon on the Mount that begins, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life …" (Matthew 6:25 NKJV) and the topic was worry. The message was very much about the … Read more

Important lessons can be learned in waiting rooms. My wife and I were once frequent flyers at the local emergency room, my wife because she experienced unexpected fluid gain and abdominal pain. One visit led to a brief stay in the … Read more

We've all heard the saying, "Patience is a virtue". Well, I'm not a patient person. I once read these words on a plaque: "God, grant me patience, and I want it now!" Patience is something that we all need, especially in these days of … Read more

It is impossible to travel anywhere in Nova Scotia, Canada, without confronting a sign reading "Nova Scotia Strong". Nova Scotia has had to learn to be strong in the first months of 2020. With the rest of the country, we had to respond to … Read more

I dropped the pan on the floor and was rewarded with a loud scream. When our son was an infant, I was concerned that his hearing had been affected by ear infections. Rather than take him to the pediatrician, I decided to perform a home … Read more

Some years back, we were driving home to British Columbia from our daughter's place in Alberta. Having headed out much later than planned due to a family emergency, my husband decided to stray onto an unfamiliar route. This seemed like a … Read more

The day after Labour Day, my wife and I were returning from a lovely weekend away at our family cabin. Unfortunately, we were rear-ended in the rush-hour traffic, and the grey 2012 Toyota Matrix that I loved was written off as a total … Read more

We all go through some dark and fearful times in our lives. A serious illness or injury to ourselves or a loved one may create some anxious moments. Domestic strife or a conflict at work may distress us and cause us to despair. Trying to … Read more

An unusual piece of art hangs on my downstairs hall wall. It's an Afghan War Rug designed with army tanks, AK-47s, explosions, grenades, helicopters, and a map of Afghanistan. Understandably, most people prefer not to display such … Read more

As my little spring seedlings began to grow bigger and stronger, preparing for life outside, I began turning them on a regular basis. As they were situated in front of large windows and received full sun much of the day, having these … Read more

I have a mantle clock. It's quite old. It needs winding about once a week. Because it chimes the hour, re-setting it is a pain if I forget to wind it and it stops, because I would have to allow all the chimes to cycle. So, when it stops, I … Read more

Think back to the last time you experienced a thunderstorm. Think of the lightning, and then the thunder — sometimes, a low rumbling sound a long way off, and other times, a loud, terrifying CRACK when the storm is near. What did you … Read more

How could it be that I had read this verse yesterday — glossed over it, really — and today, the same verse spoke to me poignantly? Today, my prayers were those of the destitute: the tired, the downtrodden, and the humble. How could it … Read more

Looking back over the years, I note the number of times when I have felt ill, weak, and off balance. As I write, my health speaks to me of pain and frustration. I feel as if I just can't do it. I don't trust my own ability to get the job … Read more

One morning, I decided simply to gaze at some blue jays just outside our window. I did that for a reason: I felt that I was becoming too complacent about blue jays. They're always around — plenty of them. I saw them mostly as raucous … 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

It has become difficult for me to position my left hand over the keyboard. I keep on finding new words coming out that do not make any sense. It is like having a strange limb that does not know what it is doing. I am, of course, asking … Read more

Exceeding abundantly? Above all that I ask? Beyond what I can even imagine? How can that be? These are questions I asked. Each year end, I used to take some time to reflect on the closing year, to take stock of accomplishments, review my … Read more

Our family was blessed with a spectacular mountain holiday this summer in Banff, Alberta, Canada, a vacation that has long been on my bucket list to experience with my boys. Our mountain holiday involved the literal climb out of the … Read more

I had always wanted a horse, and our neighbour seemed to have just the right one for me. He was an old, retired pack horse, reliable, friendly, well-mannered, and very, very large. So large, in fact, that when I was in the saddle and he … Read more

Some seasons in life bring triumph, some bring trials, and some bring a little of both. As winter transitioned into spring this year, to my dismay, it nudged me further into my season of spiritual stillness, a season designed to … Read more

I was told that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. However, as a young girl, I was not very domesticated, and the kitchen was an unexplored terrain that I did not desire to explore. That left … Read more

Each of us will face the stark certainty in the last day, the last hour, the last second of our lives — that there is nothing else remaining — just us and God. A few of us may be destined … Read more

I have a sweet friend who always makes negative, unkind comments about herself. I look at her, smile, and respond, "Don't say bad things about my friend!" How many times do you hear someone making negative, disparaging comments about the … Read more

Recently, my family experienced the loss of my husband's mother. During the final weeks of her illness, I was encouraged to see that she was comforted by her children and grandchildren who stood by her side until the time of … Read more

My first job, when I was very young, was as an orthodontist assistant. The office was in the basement of a building owned by an alcoholic who lived upstairs. From downstairs, we could hear the verbal abuse and the arguments. … Read more

I remember a song called Me and My Shadow. I was my father's shadow. Every Friday evening, we would go for groceries. Often we would have to walk because the car was not working yet again. We did the same … Read more

Being an avid golfer, I do not miss many golf courses as we drive around the countryside. We were out and about a few months ago, and I noticed that this particular golf course had closed. To my dismay, it … Read more

It was a rainy day and the air was rather fresh, when I thought about today's Scripture. I had been talking with several friends who were suffering, in particular, from cancer or from the loss of a loved one by … Read more

Fields of blooming sunflowers always make me smile. In the early light, their bright faces are lifted to face the sun in the eastern sky. As the day progresses, though still rooted in the same place, their cheerful faces chase … Read more

There are many functions involved in Advent: preparing, watching, and praying, but it's the waiting that is hard. We know Advent is here again when every parking spot at the local mall is full, and every square on the calendar … Read more

My friend and I were to assist with the visit of a group of handicapped children to an animal farm. When I arrived at her house to pick her up, she introduced me to her daughter, who was going with … Read more