This is the type of conversation that I hear on a regular basis as I visit shut-ins in their homes. They all seem to have been given prescriptions by well-meaning doctors, and their family members feel that this is so important. We all need pills occasionally for an ailment. But don't we all too often overlook the all-important need of medicine for our souls?

Proverbs 17:22a – A cheerful heart is good medicine. (NIV)

Proverbs 3:7b-8 – Fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. (NIV)

Isaiah 38:15b-16 – I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. (NIV)

I discovered some valuable things that I would encourage you to try with me.

1. Every morning when I get up, I thank God for giving me another day and seek the quiet corner that I have reserved.

2. Next, I have my daily Scripture reading, with selections from books and devotionals explaining the Word.

3. Then, I have my time of quiet prayer, for friends, enemies, the sick, and our country. It seems that more and more seniors need our prayers on a regular basis.

3 John 1:2 – Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (NIV)

4. Finally, it is meditation time. This is when I listen for God speaking to me. It's better to do this in the quiet corner before the television or radio start their messages. This, I find, is a valuable ten minutes. So often, God cannot reach us as we get too busy.

Don't throw your pills away, but will you try this with me for one month?

Prayer: Lord, we give You thanks today for doctors, nurses, and hospital staff as they go about their duties on our behalf. Thank You for Your healing power that is ours through attention to Your Word. Amen.

He decided to remove all of the old trees and plant new ones. The new ones were smaller in size but produced fruit that was superior. Four trees could be planted in the space that one tree previously occupied.

In our churches today, do we have individuals who have been doing the same task to the best of their ability year after year? As an 82-year-old person, I'm wondering whether it is time for some to step aside and permit younger members with new ideas to come in.

1 Timothy 4:12 – Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (NIV)

I don't suggest a 100-percent turnover. But is your church possibly ready for 50 percent of new people on your committees? It is so important that the older, replaced members do not feel discarded, but still have an important role to play in the church.

This same owner donated a root of one of the older trees to a woodworker, who produced a beautiful bowl from it.

Likewise, the older members should be commemorated for their devotion, service, and strength as they assist new members in their role.

Prayer: O Lord, we live in a world of change. Help us to remember that we can expect changes as we go through life. In all of the changes that will happen, enable us to have love for all people, today and forevermore. Amen.

I thought of our other house, before we moved, where every week, the boy next door always brought in my garbage containers for me. It was a small token of kindness, but even after ten years, I had not forgotten it.

Kindness is encouraged throughout the Bible.

Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (NIV)

Are we forgetting kindness in our world today? Have you had an opportunity in a supermarket, on the highway, or in the neighbourhood to demonstrate the importance of kindness to a neighbour or a stranger?

Don't think that acts of kindness must be big. At the battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War, a general, noticing that a small bird had fallen from its nest, dismounted from his horse and very carefully picked the bird up and placed it back in the nest. Other people said, "How can you waste time with a bird in the middle of a great battle?"

He replied, "If someday I reach paradise, it will not be for the great battles I have won but for the small things, like saving this bird."

Why do we think all kindness needs to be big? Perhaps it's because of the importance of the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards us all.

Titus 3:4-5 – But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

Nevertheless, following His example in small acts of kindness, like bringing in my garbage containers, will be long remembered.

Prayer: O Lord, we long to grow in our faith and see You more clearly as we meditate on Scripture. May we not forget that our spirits must be fed and watered by Your Word every day. May we go forth, remembering Your commandments and showing our kindness towards all. Amen.

Notice what we are told in Scripture:

Matthew 5:43-45a – You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. (NKJV)

Leviticus 19:17a,18 – You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (NKJV)

In the past eleven months, is there not someone that you may have disagreed with, even argued with, who should be made aware that you hold no hard feelings towards them?

As a matter of fact, in my cards, I always put a brief note to ask forgiveness as I see necessary. I tell them that I value their friendship and look forward to seeing them in 2017!

The fact is that our enemies are also our neighbours, and loving our neighbours is so important that it is repeatedly mentioned in Scripture:

Mark 12:30-31 – "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these. (NKJV)

Galatians 5:14 – For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (NKJV)

You may think that reaching out in this way is to make the person who receives it feel better, which may be true, but the real benefit will be to you for making peace at such an important time of the year.

Try it; it works!

Prayer: Be with us, O Lord, and give us grace at this very special time, to show love not only to our friends, but also to those whom we perceive as enemies. Amen.

Instead, I believe that there is a better treasure map for churches and individuals to follow that is marked with the letter P.

Firstly, P on my map stands for "play". We are so serious today in our churches that it is enough to frighten our treasured children away. Do you ever have a games night? Many churches have table tennis or pool tables in their basements. Has your church sponsored a hockey, soccer, or softball team? While Jesus did not play these games, He did emphasize having times of rest and relaxation.

Mark 6:31b – He said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (NIV)

Secondly, P on my map stands for "plan". We planned a trip to Florida in great detail. Yet when my doctor told me to put my house in order, as I had only a few weeks to live, I was not prepared. I remembered that Jesus told us to lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth.

Matthew 6:19-20a – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. (NIV)

What plans do you have for storing up treasures in heaven? Are they plans to aid the work of Christ within your community, your home, and your church, going about doing good in Jesus' name, and being ambassadors of the kingdom of reconciliation? Or are your plans self-centred and empty?

Thirdly, P on my map stands for "prayer". I believe prayer is so important. Unfortunately, in today's world, noise, noise, noise seems to be everywhere. I am fortunate to have a quiet corner where, every morning, I can read the Word and sit for ten or fifteen minutes to meditate and listen for God to speak to me. Remember that the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. It was only when everything was quiet that Elijah received God's message. Do we take time to listen to the whisper of God today within our individual and corporate prayer lives? Or do we allow the distracting noise of the world to drown God out?

Another point regarding prayer is that we often forget to say thanks. Do you recall Jesus healing ten men with leprosy?

Luke 17:17-18 – Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (NIV)

Is it possible that we are doing the same thing today within our personal lives, within our churches? Have we lost our sense of gratitude and praise to and for the greatest treasure of all, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord?

Prayer: By sitting in a quiet corner, may we find You where we have never looked. We ask You to kindle the flame of Your searching Spirit within us. Warm us with courage to travel where You want us to go. Give us the eyes of faith to see Your brightness and to say thank You for all that You have given us. Amen.

Worry was prevalent during the time of Jesus. He knew that we would be faced with worry when He spoke at such length about this topic, especially as recorded in the Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 6:25a,26,30-31 – Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" (RSV)

Worry is a concern that we have had to deal with for centuries. Thomas Jefferson talks about the pain that worries cause — worries that never materialize. Mark Twain tells us to drag our worries away — by the ears, by the heels, or by any method possible. Corrie ten Boom says that worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it empties today of its strength.

Yet I often find myself worrying about family and friends. Does it do any good? Does it help me or the people I am anxious about?

Jesus goes on to say:

Matthew 6:33-34 – Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. (RSV)

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren states that he believes that the more we pray, the less we will panic, and the more we worship, the less we will worry.

Is that true for us today?

Prayer: O Lord, there seem to be so many things that we could worry about today. Is it possible that with Your assistance, we could trust You to take care of these things? Is it possible that You could help to alleviate the worries that possess some people? With Your aid, O Lord, guide us on Your path. Amen.

Recently, our family, including our eight-year-old granddaughter Elise, came to visit us from Florida. We had a great time raking leaves, picking apples, and visiting with neighbours and friends.

The next morning, as I was sitting in my favourite chair where I have a regular devotional time of meditation, listening, reading God's Word, and prayer, I asked my granddaughter to bring me the Book. Since our living room is full of books on various topics, she asked "Which book?" "Elise, there is only one Book that rises above all the others." She immediately went to the table, where the Bible was sitting, and brought it to me.

We are living in a day and age when there are books on every topic possible. If we follow the advice in these publications, we should be healthier, richer, and happier.

But the Bible has survived the test of time and progress. It is a story that we can read and apply in today's world. The Bible teaches us the truth of God that leads to love and peace.

As Christians, how do we treat the holy Bible? Here we have a book, unlike any other book. This is a divine revelation, a revelation of God that will continue to communicate with people until the end of time.

Where is the Bible in your house? I hope that it is not under a newspaper or a telephone directory. I am sure that if you use it on a regular basis, new learnings will become evident.

Prayer: O Lord, we thank You for providing books on many topics, but we are grateful for the living Word that shines through in the holy Bible. We pray that people today will take the time from their busy schedules to read and study Your Word through the holiest of books, our Bible. Amen.