PresbyCan Daily DevotionalPresbyCan Daily Devotional

Things come. Things go. Life changes. Often these changes, even in keeping with the times, can throw a person for a loop. Such was the case when Rev. Robin Ross called to inform me that March 31, 2025, would be the last day of publishing … Read more

I first learned about this charming Scandinavian custom of fika through Norwegian missionary friends in Madagascar. Fika is deemed so important to Scandinavian daily life that it can be observed at any time of day. Our Norwegian friends … Read more

Recently, I saw a story in the newspaper from one of the southern United States. This particular place apparently has some type of "Social Register", a large book listing the socially in people in this community. If you were not … Read more

"God gave me that gift, but I guess now I can't use it anymore." I heard the discouragement in Mom's voice as she spilled her despair into my lap. I had taken her for her weekly hair-fixing appointment. As we sat in the driveway, she … Read more

Although I am by no means accomplished in playing the guitar, I can actually bring pleasant sounds out of it. I am getting better at it. There is a true sense of accomplishment in bringing a tune out of that instrument. I'm proud and … Read more

To keep my brain ticking, I use a free language learning program. The app reports that I've been successful in completing the lessons for 730 days in a row. As a result of my competitive nature, maintaining a really long streak actually … Read more

What I love most about being a mom is my children's forgetfulness. I remember many days when, as a mom with small children, I would want to run screaming down the street. You know those days when the bickering never stops, the spilled … Read more

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the preacher wrote about time — how there is a time for everything. I thought about how we often measure our lives by time. We beat time; we are pressed for time; we make up for lost time; we tell time; we … Read more

In California, USA, mid-February is the beginning of blossom season in the Central Valley, the area between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the coastal foothills, almost exactly in the centre of the state. For about a month between … Read more

I had to spend a day with some people of different beliefs and lifestyles than mine. A lot of bawdy jokes were made and several ungodly things were said, and I found that I couldn't help laughing at them. I usually want to stand out for … Read more

In the last couple of years, our family has been observing fish, and we have been learning a great deal. It all started a couple of years ago when we gave our (then) seven-year-old a small five-gallon fish aquarium with a couple of … Read more

When I was younger, I felt invisible, like no one noticed or cared about me. My grandmother would come to visit and she would rave about how beautiful my younger sister was. She would look at me and say, "Well, you're still fat." I felt … Read more

Our friends showed my husband and me a wooden game they had just bought. Two marbles rolled around on either side of a slope, enclosed in plexiglass, that looked like a miniature half pipe for skateboarding. They were separated from each … Read more

I thank God that I have always had a good relationship with my family, both immediate and extended. As a minister, I often speak with single parent families, and with those caught up in abusive family relationships. It wasn't until this … Read more

When we were children, we often played the simple game, "hide and seek". We hid under the kitchen sink, under the bed, or in a closet. As adults, our avoidance strategies become more complex. We let the answering machine record the phone … Read more

It was baptismal Sunday in our church. I belong to a traditional church where infant baptism is the practice, and there were three children of varying stages of infancy brought to the Lord that day. Following the celebration of baptism, … Read more

They had a plan, but God's better plan overruled. Three boys in tow. That seemed enough to them. Not to God. On the day our son-in-law was to undergo a surgical procedure in Arkansas, USA, to ensure no more little ones came along, the … Read more

I had an astounding and touching thing happen to me. I arrived at school at lunch and ended up talking to Sandy. I don't know why, but I decided to share my innermost thoughts and feelings with her. This is what I told her. Last year … Read more

I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't need or call on Jesus. Many years ago, I fell backwards in my kitchen and had a very bad fall. Hours later, I lay on my hospital bed and received the diagnosis that I had broken my neck. … Read more

Now and then, I like to visit one of the old Anglo-Irish stately homes — a big house with spacious walled-in parkland. There's a sense of ease and contentment just walking about, admiring the scenery, wondering at the wealth. Some … Read more

I sit here with incredulity, having read the latest world news. I could say "with disbelief", but currently, the news is totally believable. On the world stage today, there is a move by some to let the aggressor win. The weak have no … Read more

Our church is a liturgical church, which means that our congregation follows an outlined service in a Book of Worship. We always say the Lord's Prayer at one point or another, and it seems that on this one particular Sunday, the words of … Read more

How do others know that we believe in Christ? Here are three clues that I have thought about recently: dust, sparkles, and aroma. As these bits of thoughts came together in my memory since the recent holidays, I was struck with how … Read more

I had quite a scare at a recent optometrist appointment. The glasses I was wearing had been giving me problems, so I wasn't surprised when she told me my prescription had changed. But when I put my left eye in front of that device with all … Read more

When our second grandson, Zachary, was in school, we grandparents always bought the coupon books the students would sell as a fundraiser. I would carefully comb through the thick book to find useful reductions on various items, services, … Read more

It didn't look like a tree, more like a giant white thimble that had been abandoned by some fantasy giant in the forest where I was skiing. All the other trees had shed their covering of snow and were standing upright and strong in the … Read more

I am a seventy-one-year-old Black man living off a small pension in a small apartment in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Few people would consider me to have been a successful criminal defence attorney. I'm not married. I don't have any children, … Read more

In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy wrote an essay the first day back at school. She wrote, "Vacations are nice, but it's good to get back to school. There is nothing more satisfying or challenging than education, and I look forward to a year of … Read more

When I was very small, my mother taught me these words as a bedtime prayer: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Pretty heavy words for a … Read more

A friend of mine collects Coca-Cola memorabilia, but it must be vintage, not a reproduction. Many people shop carefully for the products of designer manufacturers, because having a designer handbag or luggage is a status symbol. For … Read more

You may be familiar with the exercise of filling a jar to the half-way mark with water, putting it in a prominent place, and, upon rising, seeing if you view it as "half-full" or "half-empty". Some may even check on it throughout the day, … Read more

The other night, as I was searching on YouTube, I found a documentary entitled, "Made in China: the Amazing Story of the Bible in China". As I watched, I was startled to hear the narrator state … Read more

I can see them now — all daintily lined up on stools. But that was only the beginning. In a time that many don't remember — although it wasn't too many years ago — most women's work was at home, not in the workforce. They cooked, … Read more

I have been in a holding pattern for many months now, like an airplane that's awaiting the okay to take off. The only trouble is that I don't know where I'm supposed to go or what I'm supposed to do next. The control tower is silent. I … Read more

Each year leading up to February 14, there is a rush, fueled by the chocolate and floral industries, to purchase candy and flowers for the ones we love the most. No flowers declare love more than the roses! But they are also the quickest … Read more

At this time of the year, stores are filled with pink and red merchandise. The pressure is on to buy chocolates, a stuffed animal, or various other novelties to express love to someone. At the very least, the vast assortment of Valentine's … Read more

The words "Pro-D Day" (or "PD Day" in some places) will certainly stir up different feelings with anyone who has children in the school system. "Pro-D Day" stands for "Professional Development Day", and that is the day that the children … Read more

A few months back, I was working on a possible breakthrough to help me change professions, but it failed. I was broken, unhappy, and in my despair, I told my uncle, "I feel God is blocking my way." My uncle gently rebuked me before … Read more

By nature, I am an impetuous person. My body and mind are currently a little slower, but that's okay when writing — or reading. These days, they would say that when I was young, I had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. So, waiting … Read more

Have you ever gone into a circus fun house that has mirrors? They're not like regular mirrors that help us see a true-to-life reflection. I remember how they distorted my image and changed my shape and size. These mirrors made me appear … Read more

I just returned from leading a weekend retreat with ten members of my youth group. I selected the theme of "Becoming" and chose Romans 12 as the Scripture passage. Over the course of the weekend, I was invigorated by the sincere desires … Read more

When I was young and foolish, my boyfriend and I slipped away from our church picnic to find a secluded place. Walking along a dirt road from the picnic area, we came across a beautiful, verdant field filled with lovely plants waving in … Read more

As I looked through some of my favourite recipes online, I came across a recipe that I loved. The name of it is "Cranberry Hootycreeks", a gift-in-a-jar cookie recipe. I … Read more

One afternoon, around three years ago, I came to our church and saw a middle-aged man sitting on the pavement outside. As this was a church for students (and I was an undergraduate), his presence was odd. Also, the fact that he was just … Read more

In 1983, the administrator of the local nursing home, Doris, initiated the construction of a 21-unit apartment complex for seniors next to the nursing home. Word came to me in a roundabout way that the newly formed Board of Directors … Read more

Jesus often ended His parables with this phrase: "He who has ears, let him hear". I have a friend who has just returned from a family vacation in Hawaii. She was commenting on how she would sit on the beach in the early morning for her … Read more

He stood and talked to his brother, never realizing that in a few moments his life would change forever. When I became his pastor, he was a vibrant man and a diligent church worker. Some years before, his life had been changed when he … Read more

Some unusual plants grow in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, USA. My husband and I read about them as we explored the Ajo Mountain Drive, a 21-mile (34-kilometre) driving loop in Organ Pipe National Monument. The park is named … Read more

Sienna, my Yorkshire Terrier, had a lump which was growing. Thinking it was an infected sebaceous cyst, which are common in older dogs, I made an appointment with the veterinarian to have it checked. At the clinic, they took Sienna into … Read more

For many years I worked for the Post Office. I was always intrigued by letters that would come to people, especially letters which you could tell were from friends or relatives. At the end of my postal career, I reverted to being a letter … Read more

My car was nine years old and had 120,000 miles on it. This particular make is known to keep going for easily 200,000 or more, but it had a few issues and, at my age, I wasn't comfortable keeping an older car. So, I started searching for a … Read more