I have always liked classical, operetta, and opera music. When I was young, we did not have access to it, other than what we may have heard on the radio occasionally. But when we moved to Vienna, Austria, that great capital of the music …( read more )

Agnes, my goat, was limping along over the icy path. I decided that this called for investigation. After a thorough look, I opted to call the veterinarian for some advice. "Keep an eye on it, give her some medication you have on hand, and …( read more )

It's that time of year again: time to go through drawers and closets, sorting out, downsizing, and organizing. It's something that I like to do about this time each year, before the good weather comes when I would rather be outside …( read more )

One Sunday morning, we were about to leave the house for church when we came to a sudden halt. There was a small puddle on the floor of the mud room. Looking up, we discovered a slow drip from a pipe hidden in the ceiling. This would not …( read more )

From my kitchen window, I enjoy the heavy, low-flying, distinctively coloured, quiet, slow-mannered pair of wood ducks that like to rest on their webbed feet awhile on the horizontal branches of my big, old maple trees almost every morning …( read more )

Anakin Nibbles is rather a spoilt old gentleman guinea pig that enjoys being out in the run in the garden sunshine, as the weather allows, and grazing the grass. In winter, when it is cold enough, he comes into the conservatory, and in …( read more )

My parents were very close, in love all their married lives, and it showed. They also had great faith, and that showed as well. At age 65, my dad was killed. A few weeks after his funeral, I asked my mum how she could keep going. With …( read more )

I awoke to find a world of white. It was beautiful, but also a threat because mountains of the stuff had piled up against my doors, and I was literally a prisoner in my own home. I managed to push the back door open just wide enough to …( read more )

Shortly after I became a Christian, I read that addicts in a rehab centre were each handed a brown paper "God Bag", with a prayer pasted on the outside. This bag was intended for the person to write out a note to God, turning their sins …( read more )

"God willing": I used to say those two words all the time. Whenever I talked to someone on the telephone, and, at the end, I said, "See you soon," I would add those two words: "God willing." It seemed that whenever I set up a future …( read more )

Recently, in the Sunday school class that I teach, we were discussing the parable of the Good Samaritan. It's probably the best-known story that Jesus ever told, so, throughout the class, the participants offered their personal ideas and …( read more )

Recently, I rode my bicycle in a charity event for work. Not knowing what the route would be like, I trained on hills and on rough and smooth roads. I also had my bicycle tuned up just before the event. The day was overcast and gloomy, but …( read more )

It was in the days of school inspectors. Inspector Clark, round of tummy and bald of head, strode to and fro on the platform leading a singsong to open the evening session of the Teachers' Convention. We teachers sat before him in long …( read more )

My son loved to swim. He was always at the pool and had passed all his swimming badges at a very early age. Swimming was an adventure, it was cool, it was fun, until one day when it almost came to a deadly halt. Chris had been carrying …( read more )

It was one of those days. You know the kind I mean: one little disaster follows another, until we finally reach the breaking point and we think we are just going to start screaming if one more thing goes wrong.

I was minding my …( read more )

Recently, I watched a World War I film entitled Joyeux Noel, inspired by an unusual and true story which took place in 1914 on Christmas Eve. This film depicts the miraculous events which caused the two opposing sides to lay down their …( read more )

When the hot, dry days of July arrived, the maple tree that we had planted beyond reach of the garden hose looked dead. Hoping against hope, once a day, I began toting water to soak the soil around the base … (read more)

There is a major house renovation going on close to where we live. Actually, it has been in progress for weeks and weeks — new roof, insulation, siding, windows, doors, sunroom, and storage addition — a complete overhaul! I don't … (read more)

When I collected my mail today, I found a greeting card that I had mailed weeks ago, returned to me marked "Return to Sender". It surprised me because the address I had mailed it to was the address given to … (read more)

Just a few months after my arrival at my first posting on a native reservation out on the prairies of Canada in 1987, I was informed that I was to lead the three nights' wake service of a young man … (read more)

We live in a city. It is a small city, but a city nonetheless. Our city is growing quickly, but I do know my way around. If I need help, I can get out my map and soon find out … (read more)

In the quiet of the morning, while my husband and I were out walking the dog, we heard a crow call in distress several times. Off in the eastern sky, we could see two birds in flight, one giving chase … (read more)

I always enjoy reading the signs on church lawns. Here are some of my favourites on prayer: – You'll never get a busy signal on the prayer line to heaven. – The quickest way to get back on your feet … (read more)

Frequently through my Christian journey, education, and wrestlings, the changes the Lord has wanted to bring in my life have turned out as a bungee jump in reverse: no risk to my life at all, but rather leading higher to … (read more)

Whenever I hear the words "God willing", I think of a very special aunt who was also a godmother to me as a child. She never made plans without acknowledging the Lord's will first, an attitude I came to appreciate … (read more)

Her real name is Lucy, but I call her Bossy, because that is how she is. When things don't go her way, she begins butting whatever is in her way! Sometimes, it is one of the dogs that has strayed … (read more)

Although I have not read the book, The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean Twenge and Keith Campbell, I did read an excerpt from the volume which was circulating via the Internet. The article explains a … (read more)

During the summer of 1976 and soon after graduating high school, I had the opportunity to travel abroad. Being a young teenager at the time, I did not fully appreciate the significance of many historical places. Of all the interesting … (read more)

Each day, we put out six or seven peanuts, in the shell, on our deck railing for the blue jays, as well as the feed in the bird feeders in the backyard. But there is also a red squirrel which … (read more)

There are a couple of young men in our city who are planning a bicycle ride in the Rocky Mountains. Their plan is to ride 100 kilometres a day. Doing so, the journey will take them three long days. They … (read more)

One recent Saturday night, a month after my hip replacement, I was filled with praise to God, even after going to bed. For two hours, I couldn't sleep as I thought about all the good things God had done for … (read more)

I have struggled with learning to play the synthesizer in our church band. It has been a huge stretching time for me. As time went on, I felt more comfortable playing it. Then the opportunity came to play the piano … (read more)

Having been diagnosed with diabetes, I was placed on a diet to control the level of sugar and thus control my diabetic problem without medication. I strived to do this, with success. It seemed a simple thing to do, and, … (read more)