Compassion for a magpie?

A magpie is one of the most striking and beautiful birds that you will see in our parts. Its iridescent feathers may appear blue or almost black, depending on the way the light falls on them.  Adults are 46 cm from beak to the tip of their long tail. The wingspread is 64cm and they … Continue reading Compassion for a magpie?

Books that unsettle

I read a lot and glean at least a kernel of useful information from everything I read. Perhaps a snippet of information that might someday be useful, perhaps a way of seeing things that is new to me and helps clarify my vision. Sometimes I read a book that shakes the walls of smug complacency … Continue reading Books that unsettle

Christ in you, the hope of glory

Jesus spoke the following words while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. The words were shocking, no doubt deliberately so. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, … Continue reading Christ in you, the hope of glory

Darkness and light

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:2-3) The Scriptures speak of two kinds of darkness: the one a natural darkness … Continue reading Darkness and light

Misadventures of the kitchen klutz

I'm beginning to think I might be the fool for the whole month of April, not just one day. For the first part of this story please read my post from April 1. The Thursday after that coffee fiasco, I decided to try baking a loaf of bread in my new to me breadmaker. I've … Continue reading Misadventures of the kitchen klutz

Jesus as agent provocateur

Doesn’t it appear that Jesus deliberately did things that he knew would provoke the Pharisees to reveal their lack of compassion? Jesus healed many people of their blindness; in some cases he touched their eyes, in other cases there was no physical contact, he simply declared them healed and they were. Why then did he … Continue reading Jesus as agent provocateur

April’s fool

First thing this morning I went to the kitchen and prepared the coffee maker to make my morning coffee. Then I went to the office and read my French Bible for morning devotions. I could hear the coffee gurgling into the mug as I read, but when I went to get my coffee I saw … Continue reading April’s fool

Spring interlude

I had cataract surgery the day after my last post on this blog (almost two weeks ago). The surgery went smoothly, the eye is recovering as it should and my distance vision is now as good without glasses as it was with glasses before the surgery. So far so good. Better than good, wonderful. The … Continue reading Spring interlude

Are we like oxen?

(My father broke land with oxen when he homesteaded in southern Saskatchewan a little more than 100 years ago.) Exodus 32:9 - And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people. Stiffnecked was originally used to describe oxen who would not lower their heads to permit … Continue reading Are we like oxen?

Moving on, or pressing on

I really thought that spring would be here in just a day or two. The sun shone warmly on Saturday, the few patches of snow left were becoming smaller and smaller, we heard of birds coming back to a place just a few hours south of us. Alas, it was but a dream. We awoke … Continue reading Moving on, or pressing on