Celebarating, Caring, Community
Certain statements make what seems complex sound simple; they ‘cut to the chase’. In talking of weight loss, my friend summed up HIS experience simply, “Garbage In – Garbage Out”. This old adage was first used by U.S. Army mathematician, William D. Mellin, in 1957. The acronym GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) described an accepted … Read more
On Sunday at church, we had a baptism. It is always a special time of celebration when people take this stand for Jesus, and make a public profession of their faith in Him. Our church practices “believer’s baptism by immersion,” which means the people getting baptized must first believe in Jesus as their personal Saviour. … Read more
Our small town is known for being progressive. The desire to encourage the up-and-coming, to prepare for the future, is most commendable. Since coming to Blenheim, thirty-five years ago, I have seen many profitable new business ventures. Blenheim gives people a chance – a chance to grow, to try, and to succeed. While constantly cautioned … Read more
Do you think the world is getting worse? I do. Do you think the world is getting better? I do. It is getting better in some ways and worse in other ways. Jesus talked about this in His parable of the wheat and weeds. (You can read it in Matthew 13.) A farmer sowed wheat … Read more
“Long-Wait-Times”- now, that issue raises blood pressure! Realizing we must wait our turn while enduring pain in ‘EMERGE’ tests patients, and patience. It’s no fun! We live near hospitals on ‘the cutting edge’ of medical advancement. But we soon lose appreciation of this privilege when we have to wait. It seems long-wait-times are NOT GOING … Read more
I love being a pastor, but I am not cut out for it. I also love being a husband and father, but I am not naturally good at it. Come to think of it, there is hardly ever a day in my life when the things I need to do come easily to me. Can … Read more
We showed up at our small country cemetery just after daylight – my dad, me, and perhaps a brother. We had come to dig a six-foot-deep grave. Another beloved neighbour had passed. We worked hard, carefully shaping vertical walls to the rectangular hole with pick and shovel. Today, a brother’s mini-excavator makes this work much … Read more
At our church, I began 2026 with a series of sermons titled “Jesus Said.” Each message featured a famous statement that Jesus made, and had it not been for my wife, I would have missed a very important one. After reading her Bible one day, Katie sent me a text that said, “Jesus certainly had … Read more
From a green Christmas, to a cold-somewhat-stormy January, and now a moderate February – a typical Canadian, southwestern Ontario, winter. I value each of the four seasons, yet each has its unpredictable moments. Weather influences our mood, farming and outdoor jobs, and our appointments. Snow days and fog leave parents scrambling. Our life-span includes periods … Read more
When our son Luke was little, he went through a phase where he often spoke these two words to me: MOM SAID! He used these words when he wanted to convince me that Katie had given him permission to eat a particular snack or engage in a particular activity. If my answer for something was … Read more