My daughters and I were working on a very complicated jigsaw puzzle. It was no ordinary puzzle. To begin, we read a short, suspenseful two-page "thriller" for clues (in "read-in-the-mirror" writing). We were then to assemble the puzzle and search … Read more
When I return from the grocery store, I always try to carry all the groceries into the house with as few trips as possible. Thus the heavy sacks weigh down upon my shoulder muscles, and cause my arms, shoulders, and … Read more
His words echo as clearly across the years as if it were yesterday. Our school principal was a giant of a man physically, besides being the pastor of the local Baptist Church. He was in the school system long before … Read more
When my oldest daughter was small, she used to enjoy watching "The Friendly Giant". Every day Friendly would say something like, "I'll pull up this little rocking chair for two more to curl up on," and Heather would grab Jimmy, … Read more
I have been an elder in my church for twenty years, but recently, becoming a Jazzercise fitness instructor has given me new insights into my role. Much advance preparation went into the learning of routines for the audition/examination. There were … Read more
One of my favourite books is Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. I think I first read it when I was about twelve, so the characters, episodes, and events were indelibly impressed upon my heart and mind. As I was recently … Read more
Most of my time in ministry has been in small rural churches. Our churches were wonderful, energetic, vibrant places, which often struggled against the reality that we were in rural or remote areas where the population was declining. Despite this, … Read more
I was preparing a talk for a Christian Living Class and had decided on a theme of "Manna, God's Food for Today". The idea was for us to explore together times when God had met our need by speaking to … Read more
When I was a child, I lived in what was known locally as "the forks of the river". In order to go into town, we had to travel a dirt road and cross the river over an iron bridge. … Read more
Four or five years ago, I planted a row of gardenia bushes along the property line in my backyard. When I first planted them, they looked like a few twigs sticking up out of the ground. I didn't have much … Read more