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The Day I Converted to Being a Hippie
On June 21, 1969 I was baptized into hippiedom. Up until then, I had been a pretty typical middle class kid from the suburbs of London, Ontario, but after that day, my life was never the same. Paul took the Damascus Road. I took the 401 to the Toronto Pop Festival. There I heard groups… Continue reading
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A 100-Year Journey of Grace and Grit!
Tomorrow, my mother turns 100! I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had a queen for a mother all these years! I say “queen” because that’s the way she has always carried herself– with poise and grace. She has always been self-controlled and composed, able to project peace rather than anger (except when she went absolutely… Continue reading
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Love in the Midst of the Black Death
Imagine yourself a six-year old child in 1349 when the infamous Black Death strikes. In less than a year about one half of the 30,000 citizens in your town have perished at the hand of the bubonic plague. It passes but breaks out again–six more times during your lifetime. With each outbreak, images of your… Continue reading
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Butterflies Among the Phlox
Butterflies flit among the phlox,Of white and pink on green.Why do they dance with such delightAs though they just want to be seen? The jolly old man who created themHolds them forth in his hands.And with a twinkle in his eyeSays, “See what my love commands?” Continue reading
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When a Virtuoso Played for Spare Change
As a 4-year-old, he strung rubber bands across dresser drawers and played classical tunes by ear, moving drawers in and out to vary the pitch. Today, Joshua Bell is one of the greatest violinists in the world. A number of years ago, a fascinating article appeared in the Washington Post about the “Joshua Bell Experiment.”… Continue reading
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Resurrection Surprise in Daily Life
The resurrection is the guarantee of victory over the powers of darkness, but it also affirms our craving for surprise and mystery. The impossible becomes possible. Things are not always as they appear. No matter how often the dead stay dead, they don’t always. Furthermore, it shows us that when things are not going our way, there can… Continue reading
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Jesus on Soft Hearts in the Kingdom
“A sower went out to sow and as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up.” So begins one of Jesus’ most famous parables. He says it pictures a person who does not understand “the word of the kingdom.” This lack of understanding leads to the evil… Continue reading
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ACRES OF DIAMONDS AND OUR TREASURE
In 1843 a man was born who was to have a profound impact upon the educational system of the United States. His name was Russell Herman Conwell. After practicing law for fifteen years he became a pastor. One day, a young man told him he wanted a college education but couldn’t possibly afford it. Dr.… Continue reading
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What I Learned When I Couldn’t Breathe
I use a CPAP machine at night in order to sleep better. It shovels air down my throat so I don’t stop breathing. On a getaway to Amherstburg a few years ago, I forgot to take it along. Twice during our stay, I partially awoke unable to breathe. Typically, when that happened, the growing fear… Continue reading
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Is “Accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour” the First Step in Our Journey to God?
“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15 My evangelical training taught me the gospel basically consists in believing that Jesus’ death and resurrection saves us. However, the… Continue reading