“I have been hurt more by Christians than by non-believers.” This was said, not so much as a complaint but as a simple statement of fact, by a friend with whom my wife and I were visiting the other day. This lady has many heartaches and struggles in her past and I don't doubt her … Continue reading Miserable comforters are ye all
Christianity
Travelling home
It was pouring rain, with low-hanging clouds, when our friends drove us to the Vancouver Airport. Our holiday was over, we'd visited family and friends we hadn't seen for years, and now we were on our way home to Montréal. Eventually we were seated in our plane at the beginning of the runway. The jet … Continue reading Travelling home
Physician assisted suicide
Bravo Kevin! It's good to hear from you again, and it is especially good to hear a voice of sanity and compassion on this subject.
What makes a church attractive?
Church attendance across Canada has been declining for years. Yes, there are new churches being built, some quite large. Many more are being torn down, or re-purposed. I suspect the majority of the people in our country have never set foot in a church. Nowadays, most weddings and funerals do not take place in a … Continue reading What makes a church attractive?
Will Harriet Tubman appear on the Canadian $100 bill?
Earlier this year, the Bank of Canada asked the public for suggestions for a woman to appear on the $100 bill. The woman selected must nor be fictional, must have died at least 25 years ago and must have played a significant role in Canadian history. Harriet Tubman was one of the names proposed. You … Continue reading Will Harriet Tubman appear on the Canadian $100 bill?
Nature: red of tooth and claw
Welcome guests: Unwelcome guests: The welcome mat is out in our yard for goldfinches, swallows and all of our beautiful native songbirds. We wish that there was some way to convince the murderous English sparrows that they are not welcome here. For several years we have had swallows nesting in … Continue reading Nature: red of tooth and claw
And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment
Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus came to Bethany and was invited to a meal in the home of Simon, a man whom He had healed of leprosy. To get the full story of the event, we need to put together the accounts found in Matthew 26, Mark 14 and John 12. Lazarus, whom Jesus had … Continue reading And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment
The love of God
[The following words were written 19 centuries ago, not long after the time of the apostles. It is part of what is known as The Letter to Diognetus. Neither the author of the letter, nor Diognetus, have ever been satisfactorily identified, but the letter breathes an authentic and dynamic faith. Shouldn't those two qualities still … Continue reading The love of God
Elections
All is quiet on the election front where I live – Canada had a federal election last fall and Saskatchewan had a provincial election just a moth ago. But the media that I read are full of angst and bewilderment about the upcoming presidential elections in the USA and France (this fall in the USA, … Continue reading Elections
FIRE!
Over the past few days the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta have had an all too close encounter with a fire like the one above. News reports indicate that all the 80,000+ people who live and work there have been able to make their way to safety, leaving their homes, businesses and most of their … Continue reading FIRE!
