Succotash

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada and for some reason my mind drifted back to a meal we were served many years ago at a family reunion in Massachusetts. Succotash was served at the first Thanksgiving meal at Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was prepared by people of the Narragansett tribe, from native North American vegetables that had … Continue reading Succotash

How much do cats really know?

I took Angus to the vet this morning; Angus being the middle of our three cats, officially described as domestic short hair, but mostly Siamese in temperament. He knows what's in store when the cat carrier appears and did not enter it willingly. Once the car was moving he commenced a deep-voiced mournful wail that … Continue reading How much do cats really know?

Living stones of Zion

Only living stones can strengthen the walls of Zion. Other stones do not bond and will be pushed out of place. A block of wood, a bale of hay or straw, will fill a gap in the wall, They do not bond, they offer a route for vermin to enter Zion. When the fiery darts … Continue reading Living stones of Zion

An abiding church

As soon as we were married my wife and I set out on a search to find people who still believed and lived the faith once delivered to the saints. I firmly believed we would find that faith among the spiritual descendants of the Anabaptist & Mennonites of long ago. Time and again our search … Continue reading An abiding church

Looking for real Mennonites

All I learned about Mennonites while I was growing up was that my mother had been one and had left because the German language was more important than the faith and that my grandma, a dear sweet old lady, was one and wanted me to learn German so I could be a Christian. Perhaps there … Continue reading Looking for real Mennonites

Optimsm – Pessimism

          A pessimist fears that every silver cloud conceals a dark and foreboding lining, and says that he is just being a realist. An optimist believes every dark cloud will have a silver lining and also says he is being realistic. Who is right? A pessimist looks at the increasing godlessness … Continue reading Optimsm – Pessimism

Precious memories

My cousin Dennis was born September 9, 1937, the first of six children born to Art and Katherine Goodnough. His wife called last week to tell us that his children were planning a surprise birthday party for him for his 80th birthday, last Saturday. Could we come? I thought about it briefly, maybe half a … Continue reading Precious memories

Moonlight Muse

Latest news from my wife!

Journeying on

We were having Vacation Bible School and for crafts we were doing a manger scene with Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus. I started calling Mary’s husband Joe. I glimpsed a hint of a smile on Miss Parker’s face, just before Miss Napier let me know that I was not to be so flippant and … Continue reading Journeying on

Catechism Classes

(It has been five years since I first posted this. I thought it would be good to post it again to give some background before telling more of my spiritual journey.) About the only thing my parents had in common was a feeling that the church in which they had been raised had let them … Continue reading Catechism Classes