Month: June 2016

Each day, for about four weeks, while enjoying my first cup of morning coffee, I have been watching the constant antics of two black squirrels. It didn't matter when I happened to glance out the window, rain or shine, they were tearing up … Read more

The church these days faces a changing world. We are trying to reach out to neighbours who have a "me-centered approach". How does the gospel meet them? Are we welcomed now when we knock on the door of a stranger's house? There may be … Read more

Sometimes, what's ahead and behind is just as important as what's in the middle. My wife and I took a vacation to visit my brother and sister-in-law, who recently moved to West Virginia, USA. They live in an area where coal mines are … Read more

My wife loves the challenge of doing jigsaw puzzles. She handpicks each piece and ponderingly places it somewhere on the board. The individual piece may fit, or she may set it nearby for an eventual link to some other piece of the puzzle. … Read more

My grandparents in England had a parlour at the front of their house that was never used. It contained their best furniture and their most valued knick-knacks. Although the room was dusted, it wasn't heated. It was cold and uninviting. … Read more

One day, a truck burning diesel fuel passed us, and the smell of the diesel reminded me of two events many years ago. When I was a little boy, some of my aunts lived on a road beside a big canal in the Netherlands. Whenever my mother would … Read more

Recently, I'd been feeling sorry for myself, when my mentally-challenged son called. As he usually does, before he hung up, he said, "Mom, I love you. Huggies and kissies." He lightened my spirits, making me feel a lot less lonely. No … Read more

Mom's five-month local hospital stay started with two fractured vertebrae. After some X-rays and MRIs, the doctors decided that she needed to get the fractured vertebrae fixed, so she was transferred to another hospital that was … Read more

Some weeks ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a day-long video workshop on a sensitive topic that can be divisive and difficult for some people to talk about. So the opportunity to discuss it with others in a safe environment … Read more

I have a scrap pail beside my sink. Apple peelings, pear cores, old lettuce, stale bread, carrot ends and such get tossed into it for the horses. These scraps don't seem like much to me, compared to the whole fruit or fresh bread, but the … Read more