Dear Church

Beautifully said. We are missing great opportunities to serve our Saviour if we expect all potential converts will come to us neatly packaged, gift-wrapped and ready to fit smoothly into our social structure.

Childhood fears

There were two terrifying things that I had to pass each morning on my half mile walk to school.  The first was the steam locomotive sitting on the Y, the second was the wolf dog. Everything moved by train: coal to fill the coal loading dock for locomotives; coal for the bins beside each grain … Continue reading Childhood fears

Don’t get hooked

I just received a text message informing me that online access to my Scotiiabank account has been locked. The message includes a link that I should use to regain access. Sounds phishy to me. I haven't had a Scotiabank account for over 40 years, from back before the days of online banking and text messages. … Continue reading Don’t get hooked

The hoary head and wisdom

Today I am 78 years old – it’s surprising how normal that feels. I knew old people when I was a little boy, they seemed like regular people, but I couldn’t imagine myself ever getting that old. Now here I am. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is the fear … Continue reading The hoary head and wisdom

Characteristics of a rassembleur

I have chosen to use a French word in this post. The closest equivalent in English is uniter, but I see the French word being used in a larger sense. It means someone who can unite people to work together for a common cause, a common goal. The principles listed here can be applied in … Continue reading Characteristics of a rassembleur

What is a Biblical ethic of work and wealth?

There are Christians who revere voluntary poverty, seeing it as a means of escaping from the materialism of the world and of not abusing the resources of the earth. Other Christians revere work and consider the benefits that flow from it to be good stewardship and evidence of the blessing of God. Those in each … Continue reading What is a Biblical ethic of work and wealth?

One of the roots of poverty

There’s a nifty new all terrain electric quadricycle from France called the Swincar. Each wheel is independently powered, each wheel and the driver’s nacelle have independent suspension. I want one. But I don’t expect to ever have one. It costs $15,000 and there are more pressing needs for any extra money that comes in. Things … Continue reading One of the roots of poverty

Should we aspire to be poor?

When there are so many warnings and examples in the Bible of the dangers of being rich, why does it seem that many Christians think it is desirable to be rich? Luke 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the … Continue reading Should we aspire to be poor?

That would explain the blood

When I refilled our bird feeder yesterday I saw it was splattered with blood. I wondered if a couple of the little birds got into a squabble at the feeder, though it hardly seemed possible that little birds could draw that much blood. A few minutes later, Chris looked out and saw a bigger bird … Continue reading That would explain the blood

Barriers to happiness

If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are. -Montesquieu