Wise words from my wife.
When I was a boy I read historical novels by Canadian and English writers. The hero was always English, honest, brave, generous and kind. Other people were shifty-eyed, dishonest, traitorous scoundrels. As I was an English Canadian, I accepted this as self-evident truth. Later I learned to read French and found historical novels in that … Continue reading But they are different from us
Protestant work ethic is a termed coined by German sociologist Max Weber in 1905 in his book Die Protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus (The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism). The gist of Weber’s thinking is summarized thusly in Wikipedia: “Calvinist theologians taught that only those who were predestined to be saved … Continue reading The Mennonite service ethic
Image by JL G from Pixabay We used to have a nice screen door. We still have the door, but it's not so nice anymore. The wind slammed it against the railing, more than once. I tried to straighten it, but it will never fit right again. Then the latch mechanism wore out. It would … Continue reading Scaredy-cat
When I worked in the Post Office years ago, one of my coworkers was a man named Moe Bailey Moe. had major hearing loss and was oblivious to all the foolish and crude chatter going on around him. If I wanted to talk to him, I first had to get his attention. He would turn … Continue reading NOISE
photo from Pixabay, public domain, photographer not named Yesterday was a beautiful fall day, the first day of fall in fact. We were a group of ten writers gathered in the backyard of a friend in Saskatoon. We were seated in a large circle, duly spaced according to COVID-19 regulations, far enough from traffic noise … Continue reading Backyard chatter
Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression.- Isaac Bashevis Singer Do you suppose that's why Monet painted so many pictures of his flower garden -- he was trying to capture it on canvas exactly as he was seeing it? I don't believe a writer is ever fully satisfied … Continue reading The lament of the creator
The photo is from Shutterstock, but looks very much like our cat Pookie. Remember how Charlie Brown used to say that he wished he could stay home from school and dedicate his life to making his dog happy? Sometimes I think that’s what Pookie expects from me. Of course, he likes to sleep most of … Continue reading Affection deficit syndrome
Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay We can read the Bible in a superficial way, looking for heart-warming stories or good moral guidelines, but if our roots are shallow a storm or drought might be enough to topple our faith. When we go deeper, seeking to know God through His Word and through prayer, our roots will grow … Continue reading Evidence of roots that go deep
Someone has suggested that Adam turned to Eve as they were leaving the Garden of Eden and said "My dear, we are in a time of transition." Probably not, but it would have been appropriate and the world has been in a continual time of transition ever since. Our happiness, our peace of mind, and … Continue reading A time of transition
Flatlander Faith 