A friend of mine used to talk about a quotation from Chapter 20 of "The Catcher In The Rye" by J.D. Salinger: "Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody." The implication of the speaker, Holden Caulfield, is that flowers are … Read more
The little rural church in which I grew up taught children that God hears every word spoken. Our teacher taught that every word we spoke was a reflection on our God, our church, and our family. This was in the … Read more
Years ago, when I was a seminary student, I spent a whole semester as an assistant at a church in a deprived area. It was a very humbling experience, for it taught me how much faith people can have, even … Read more
Years ago, I was appointed by the Board of World Mission of The Presbyterian Church in Canada to the Peace River country in northern British Columbia, Canada. I had to learn to preach in a hurry, but my greatest joy … Read more
"I'm a surgeon in the Gold Coast, Australia," said the voice at the other end of the phone. "Your son is just being wheeled into surgery for a major abdominal operation following a surfing accident. I think it best that … Read more
Recently, I was looking through magazine submission guidelines, when I came across an invitation for authors to submit their work for an elite client. Supposedly, the magazine offered its readers the "ultimate guide to the good life". The editors were … Read more
It was the Easter weekend, and I was a student far from home. Anxious to see more of California, I took off along with two friends to visit San Francisco. We pitched camp on Good Friday at a resort bordering … Read more