Uncle Gary is my mother’s second youngest brother, the last one still living of a family of fourteen. He will be 90 in August. My grandparents were members of a small congregation of Sommerfelder Mennonites in southwestern Saskatchewan that was somewhat isolated from other Mennonite communities. They spoke Plautdietsch and English at home; the church … Continue reading In memory of Mauvereen
Month: February 2013
What cats are good for
Here on the flatlands the days are getting longer, the temperatures milder, and our three cats are showing signs of spring fever. Even bulky old Panda. None of our cats are purebreds, but a predominant breed is evident in each by their size, shape, coat and temperament. Panda is an all black Maine Coon cat. … Continue reading What cats are good for
Should Christians tithe?
Some Christians firmly believe that the Old Testament 10% rule is still in force for Christians today. They tell inspirational tales of someone who was struggling financially and could hardly find any spare change for the collection plate. Then they began to give 10% off the top of their income and, as if by magic, … Continue reading Should Christians tithe?
What is freedom?
This week the Canadian government announced the establishment of the Office of Religious Freedom and named Dr Andrew Bennett international Ambassador for religious freedom. Prime Minister Stephen Harper chose to make this announcement in a mosque of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam in Toronto. The Ahmadiyya movement began in India a little more than one … Continue reading What is freedom?
They that seek to be rich
The sinful woman [who anointed Jesus' feet] sought the company of the righteous; but these seek the company of the unrighteous. They visit each other to talk all manner of foolishness; to injure their neighbour's reputation; to defame and backbite; to speak disgracefully of one another, speak of costly furniture, houses, goods and handsome companions, … Continue reading They that seek to be rich
Humanism as the established religion
It appears to have began long ago with Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), the patron saint of Roman Catholic theologians. He studied Greek, Arabic and Hebrew philosophers and incorporated some of their thinking into Christian theology. His major innovation was the idea that God and truth are not solely revealed by the Bible, but that man by … Continue reading Humanism as the established religion
Big or small, the Bible fits us all
They say that if you take a most powerful magnifying glass, and examine any flower, or even just a blade of grass, that the patterns that we see branch off into hundreds of other patterns, and they branch off into hundreds of others, and so on, and every last thing about it is as perfect … Continue reading Big or small, the Bible fits us all
Idolizing truth
We make an idol of truth itself, for truth without charity is not God, but his image and an idol which we must not love or worship; still less must we worship its opposite, which is falsehood. It is false piety to preserve peace at the expense of truth; it is false zeal to preserve … Continue reading Idolizing truth
Remeniscences
My cousin Julia was 18 years old when I was born. I think she started teaching in a one room country school in the fall of that year, taught for two years, then married Ed Ludke. Their first child, Doreen, was born a year later. I knew nothing of Julia without Ed until he passed … Continue reading Remeniscences
I’m back
I have been missing in action for almost a week now. It was all because of a nasty little culprit called a rotavirus, or one of his kinfolk, that is undetectable by the layperson before the nasty, explosive bodily reactions kick in. Last Sunday a group of 25 got together for dinner, 12 adults and … Continue reading I’m back
Flatlander Faith 