Last year I received a card, which was truly symbolic of this Christmas. Through a frosty window pane, the illustrator depicted a family sitting by a fire. The light flickered over tiny pajama-clad figures, with rosy, starry-eyed faces upturned, eagerly listening to their father as he told a Christmas story. As serene as the portrayal [...]

Every autumn, my kitchen table piles up with shoeboxes. Strong, versatile and deep enough to hold many different types of gifts, they are ideal for gift-giving to those who live far away. As early as January, I start filling the labelled boxes, which are stacked on a shelf in the storage room. Throughout the year, [...]

Where do you turn when the pressure builds? The Christmas holidays and the days leading up to them overwhelm us. There is never enough time or energy for everything. In our frenzy to wrap, shop, decorate, bake, write cards, and socialize, we often act as though Christmas depends on our efforts alone. Who’s in charge? [...]

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:17 “Lord, help her” I prayed as I walked into the dark bedroom. She sat with her feeble body slumped in the rocking chair. Her pale face tilted to one side. Mother’s slightly [...]

“Lord, help her” I prayed as I walked into the dark bedroom. She sat with her feeble body slumped in the rocking chair. Her pale face tilted to one side. Mother’s slightly parted, chalky lips dribbled saliva. Her body, once lithe and agile, was now frail and thin, even against the delicate detail of the [...]