Weird weather we are having, don’t you think? And every time we get another killer hurricane, earthquake, tsunami __________ (insert your favourite natural disaster here), people ask, “Do you think this might be leading toward the end of the world?” The answer, of course, is Yes. But then again, the rising price of tomatoes, the…
Origins: Jacob
It was a beautiful August day in 1692. She was just there for the hanging, but then everything went sideways. She was part of the group that had gathered to see five convicted witches being hung when someone in the crowd accused her of causing a pinprick in their foot, and she was arrested for…
Who’s Your Crew?
Jesus had the twelve; Moe had Larry and Curly Joe, and Butch had Sundance; who do you have? Who’s your group? Who has your back? Who is there in your life who prays for you, laughs with you and cries with you? Who could you call at three in the morning if you had to…
Who’s to Blame?
It suddenly dawned on me how cold it was. I was walking across the parking lot at Costco when I realized that I was cold, and not just a little cold, either. I was really cold. And then I had an epiphany. The wind chill was minus 14, and I was walking along with my…
I Am Resolved (New Years 2023)
Well, it’s the last day of 2023; who would have thought it? And I would suspect that there will be a pile of New Year’s resolutions made in the next 24 hours. And if the truth be known, there will probably be a pile of New Year’s resolutions broken in the next 48 hours. We…
Origins: Shaking the Family Tree
His name was John Allen, and he was born on January 3, 1746 in Edinburg Castle. His parents were Major William and Isabelle Allen, and they had sought refuge in the Castle during the Jacobite rising of 1745. In 1749, John’s father accepted a position in Nova Scotia and moved his family to Halifax. When…
Putting Christmas Away
So, how did you spend the week between Christmas and New Year? Along with family time and a movie, we put Christmas away. Well, we didn’t actually put Christmas away. We just put our tree and all our decorations away. But you knew what I meant.As we undecorated the apartment, I wondered how many people…
Expectations vs Experience
I was disappointed twice this week. Not a lot disappointed, just a little disappointed. The first disappointment was with a slice of pecan pie on Christmas Day, and the second disappointment was with a movie I went to on Boxing Day. Now, to be truthful, there was nothing wrong with the pecan pie; it was…
You Shall Call His Name Immanuel. . . Not!
And You Shall Call His Name Immanuel, Not! Matthew 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” Now, that’s a familiar verse, isn’t it? We hear it every Christmas. We read it with every reading of…
Like Candles on a Cake
The weather hasn’t been very Christmassy, but that sure hasn’t prevented people from putting up their displays of Christmas lights. I love looking at the Christmas lights when I drive through our community. Seeing all the different lights, it’s like the entire city is shouting, “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” They range from the sublime to the silly.…