The Tree that Wasn’t a Tree
Do you remember your first Christmas tree? You know, the one where Santa would leave that special something you whispered about when you sat on his knee. I wish I could say I do. There is no doubt that we had Christmas trees throughout my childhood, and they likely stood in front of the living room window, looking out onto Ossington Avenue in Toronto. But sadly, I have no recollection of what they looked like. I do have a picture of me with my ‘walking doll’ that Santa left for me when I...
Read MoreGuardrails
I have long since accepted that snow-packed highways and dense whiteouts are part of life in Ontario in the winter. And late winter storms have a tendency to surprise the unsuspecting public, or perhaps I should say the naïve who flip the calendar to April and think that winter is over! But on a particular day in late March 1965 ,we did not fall into the class of the naïve. We were prepared for a storm, and as predicted, it arrived without mercy. We had been married less than a week and...
Read MoreUnwholesome…A Word We Seldom Use
Question: What is worse than reaching into a bag of deliciously red apples only to find that the one you picked had a mouldy spot? Answer: Biting one that looked great on the outside but was worm-eaten at the core! If you have ever experienced this, I’m quite sure you were quick to dispose of the unwholesome food. Unwholesome…a word we seldom use. By definition it means rotten. (What better word to describe the infamous apple!), and although we may not use it in our everyday...
Read MoreRemembering Not To Forget
Determined isn’t a strong enough word! Driven? Perhaps. Obsessed? Most definitely. And its unrelenting behaviour proved it would never forgetful! The squirrel had made its intentions known: it wanted the food in the bird feeder and would not stop until it succeeded in getting it! But the bird bath was too far from the feeder, as was the light post. The Nine Bark bush would not support the creature’s weight. And the pole that held the feeder sported a metal, inverted cone that prevented...
Read MoreThe Solo Reminder
♬♬ Hoot…hoot…hoot…hooooot…whooo…whooo ♬♬ It was 5:35 in the morning and the solo call was almost enchanting. Five, six, seven times the call broke the stillness, and I lay semi-awake, listening. Apart from the hum of the fridge, the silence in our trailer seemed to magnify the haunting call, creating a cozy, almost an eerie ambience. And then an amazing thing happened…I found I was listening to an answer! At a distance the reply came:...
Read MoreJust Because It Is, Doesn’t Mean It’s Right
The end of another summer month is about to descend upon us and I’m finding it hard to believe that four weeks have passed by so quickly. The weather has been perfect most days, friends have visited frequently, a variety of birds have enjoyed our feeders, and chapel ministry has been outstanding. So, thus far, it’s been a wonderful time at our ‘home away from home’ here at Muskoka Bible Centre. Even though this last week has seen me ‘down-and-out’ for several days, I still have a...
Read More
Follow Me!