Fifty years ago, I was the manager of a country grain elevator in a small Saskatchewan town. It was a very small town, the only businesses were two grain elevators, two service stations, and a small building containing the town's café, general store and post office. Bill Alcock, an eighty year old retired farmer, lived … Continue reading Temperance
Saskatchewan
How a Biblical worldview can make life better for everybody
There was a school shooting a few days ago at La Loche, a small community in northern Saskatchewan. A teenager who had been relentlessly bullied took a gun and killed two people in their home and then went to school, killed two more and wounded a number of others. It appears that the young man … Continue reading How a Biblical worldview can make life better for everybody
But what do they think of us?
The city of Saskatoon has been growing rapidly aver the past fifteen years. Among the many newcomers, there is a high percentage of people Of Asian and African origin, including several thousand Muslims. Two large mosques have been built and are reported to be full to over flowing. Many of these people are showing up … Continue reading But what do they think of us?
Please slow down
It is winter in Saskatchewan. Last night there was a heavy fog; the fog deposited its humidity on roads and streets where it formed a sheet of ice. After a rash of accidents in Saskatoon this morning, the police issued the following bulletin: Speed limits are set based on ideal road conditions. THESE are not … Continue reading Please slow down
Angels in the night
This type of truck has become the standard form of grain transportation here in Saskatchewan and across most of Canada. It is called a Super-B train and can haul 46 tonnes, or 1,686 bushels at a time. The two trailers are connected by a fifth wheel hitch, making the unit very stable on the road, … Continue reading Angels in the night
Leadhead and the Golden Rule
I first took note of Norman when the camp leaders took us all on a hike to Lebret. He was a quiet boy, walking with us, yet alone. He seemed like the rest of us, except that he could not hold his head up straight. It tilted towards his right shoulder, almost resting on the … Continue reading Leadhead and the Golden Rule
It’s all my father’s fault
It seems that I've been trying to learn French all my life, always getting a little closer but never quite arriving. I can speak French, but with a wooden tongue (that's a French expression for someone whose pronunciation is somewhat lacking). I fear that my ears may be made of the same material, for I … Continue reading It’s all my father’s fault
A refuge from the storm
Abner slipped out of his bedroom and into the spare bedroom. Even there the angry voice of Papa Zedner disturbed his attempts to read. Abner knew that his father wasn’t angry with him, but he knew from experience it was best to avoid giving opportunity for it to be directed at him. Papa Zedner’s anger … Continue reading A refuge from the storm
Cultural amnesia
One hundred years ago, when the Social Gospel was well on the way to infiltrating and taking control of many of the major Christian denominations of North America, my father was already 24 years old. It has lately dawned on me that because I was born when he was 50 I have a window on … Continue reading Cultural amnesia
The education of a pioneer bride
The first settlers on the Saskatchewan plains were faced with a quandary – there were no large trees that could be cut to build log houses, and lumber yards were usually far away. So they set to work to build their first homes out of the material under their feet – the sod. This was … Continue reading The education of a pioneer bride
Flatlander Faith 