Surprise! After three and a half COVID-free years, I had just tested positive. I had hoped that I would continue to be one of the few who would not contract COVID, but it was not to be. I had been as reasonably cautious as anyone in … Read more
The opening speaker at the health-related seminar that I recently attended, an 80-something-year-old, had an engaging and animated manner of speaking, and the audience was clearly connecting with her. The second speaker, however, though … Read more
Recently, I had an interesting "I wonder why…?" conversation with myself. I wondered why God initiated the aging process in nearly every system in His creation. Why didn't He just create everything starting at its prime, mature stage — … Read more
I'm a planner, and it's always gratifying when the last plane ticket and hotel room have been booked and the last excursion tickets reserved for my trip. At that point there is nothing left to do but patiently wait until Departure Day … Read more
A friend once asked me, "Knowing what you know now after a lifetime of following Jesus, what words of wisdom would you have given to your younger self?" I have now had enough years of life and experience to help me answer that question. If … Read more
Our family had just moved into a new neighbourhood with single-family homes and fenced backyards. It was time to consider getting a dog! We saw an ad in the paper for a beagle, and I was reminded of the comic strip Peanuts. "Ooh!" I … Read more
When I was growing up, I had my share of scraped knees and stubbed toes. My mom lovingly soothed my childhood injuries, though the sting of mercurochrome was sometimes worse than the original scrape. Cuts and scrapes are a normal part of … Read more
I'm so grateful that our gracious God answers our half-formed prayers. Are you? All too often, I find myself muttering a fragmentary thought as I dash in and out of God's holy presence. My need may be genuine and my thought sincere, but … Read more
Trouble was brewing in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States in the late 1800s. It all started with a dispute over the ownership of a hog. Reprisal and retribution spiralled out of control and seemed endless, and over a span … Read more
Have you ever tried to trace your family lineage to find out who your ancestors were and where they came from? Sometimes, a family tree can become so dense and tangled that it is more like a family shrub! Broken marriages can result in … Read more