When I was young and having trouble making decisions, my mother used to say, "Get your priorities straight." She was right. Having overall priorities to guide our life makes day-to-day decisions easier. For example, if our priority is to … Read more
This beautiful verse was written in calligraphy and appeared in a frame on the wall of an old Anglican church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. For several years, I played the organ for Sunday evening services at that church. It was a small … Read more
I recently retired from the Canadian public service after 35 years. What do I do to fill the hours? Since I play the organ and piano, providing music for the services that our church conducts in seniors' residences and nursing homes was a … Read more
Last year was a very difficult year for our family. My mother and my mother-in-law both died within a period of three months. Then my wife was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. She was in hospital for five weeks. There were so … Read more
During the recent Canadian federal election, several candidates were forced to withdraw after comments they had made on social media surfaced. These comments, which were thoughtless, ill-considered, and sometimes offensive and hateful, … Read more
A new pastor was settling into a new church. The toilet wouldn't work so he called the plumber. The next day he found a broken light switch so he called the electrician. On Sunday, the president of the church council said, "You know, the … Read more
I was once asked to take a leadership position in the housing co-operative where I live. I was worried that it would be too much for me. A friend offered to share the job. Having someone to talk things over with and to share the work took … Read more
A music teacher with whom I studied was a strong advocate of "slow practice" when learning to play a new piece. The idea is that one plays a new piece very, very slowly for the first week or so. This … Read more
At our church, everyone knows that Advent has arrived when the mitten tree appears in the sanctuary. The mitten tree is a sapling cut from the back yard of a member of our congregation. Between the first Sunday of Advent … Read more