The cackle of a hen is a promise that she has laid an egg. But my farm boy experience taught me that sometimes the cackle was a false promise – no egg could be found. Christians put a lot of emphasis on experiences, and rightly so. Christian life is a new life that must begin with … Continue reading The cackle or the egg?
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentle People
I will let my wife's Christmas greeting be mine also.
Saved through childbearing
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety (1 Timothy 2:14-15). These are Christmas verses. Here is why. In verse 14 and the first part of verse 15, the Apostle Paul … Continue reading Saved through childbearing
A holy appetite
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled Here is something more than mere vacuity, or penitence, or tranquil readiness. It is an ardent longing — a holy appetite for all that is right and good. Filled — The Gospel can fill the largest desire for the true … Continue reading A holy appetite
Inherit the earth
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth I guess by now it is evident that I have been meditating on the Beatitudes. The Sermon on the Mount is the cornerstone of Mennonite doctrine. Things like the right understanding of prophecy and the sacraments are important to us, too, but not nearly to … Continue reading Inherit the earth
Spiritual mourning
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. There is an obvious way of understanding these words. We encounter sorrow and loss during our lives that are cause for mourning, and we can find comfort in Jesus that is not available anywhere else. But these seemingly simple words also contain a far deeper … Continue reading Spiritual mourning
No room for boasting
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “For we brought nothing into this world” (1 Timothy 6:7). The Apostle was talking about material things, but I don't think it does his words any violence to say that no one of us came into this world with any pre-qualifications for … Continue reading No room for boasting
A fading faith
[This is one of my earliest posts on this blog, dating from four and a half years ago.] For twelve years we lived in a little village in Ontario. Directly across the street from our home was the United Church manse. The minister and his wife were a pleasant older couple, professional and polished. There … Continue reading A fading faith
The old cat and the old door
When Panda was a young cat, she loved to explore the great outdoors and often wasn't ready to come in when we wanted to go away or to lock the door for the night. My wife discovered a surefire remedy — kitty treats. She only had to rattle the bag and Panda would come running. … Continue reading The old cat and the old door
Why Couldn’t I Be The Healthy One?
I decided to reblog this post from a year ago to explain why there has been so little activity on this site lately. I have draining sinuses, a sore throat, achy legs, a fog-filled brain and have gotten very little sleep. I have been taking Buckley’s cold capsules (decongestant, antihistamine, acetaminophen,etc.) and thought I was winning the battle. It didn’t work this time. I think that by now I have made it through the worst part, though.
It was the morning after my father’s funeral and my cousin Dennis and I were sitting at a table with my mother looking at old photographs. Here was a school phot from when I was in Grade 2 in a one-room school. There were two little boys in the front row, one bright-eyed, smiling and healthy-looking, the other wearing a heavy sweater and making a feeble attempt at a smile. Impulsively, I pointed at the healthy looking boy and said “That was me!” Dennis gave me a funny look, then said, “No. That was David Harlton. This is you over here.” And he pointed at the sickly-looking boy.
Of course he was right. I think that I just wished that for one moment in my life I could believe that I was the healthy one.
I had frequent bouts of colds and flu as a child and was well-acquainted with…
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Flatlander Faith 