One day in October 2010, in Baku, Azerbaijan, I was killing some time before I picked up my children from school, sitting in a playground near the school. It was a small one between two apartment buildings. And in the playground, there was only one boy, about six or seven years of age. He climbed … Continue reading Ultimately There Are No Tragedies
Spiritual Myopia
I read a contact lens company's brochure while I was waiting to pick up my new glasses. The brochure was to advertise their new corrective lenses for myopia but it was full of useful information. I learned a few things: The definition of myopia: Put simply, it is near-sightedness.The symptom: Distant objects appear blurry.The cause: … Continue reading Spiritual Myopia
Toronto Pride, Grace, and My Preaching
Peter from the Canadian Tire Auto Service finally phoned around 10 am and said my vehicle was not ready yet. That meant Lynn and I had to travel to Toronto by bus. I was preaching today; so, no matter what, I had to be at church. It was challenging. The bus from home to James … Continue reading Toronto Pride, Grace, and My Preaching
Reflecting on Death
Our neighbor has a dog. Her name is N—I will only use the initial for privacy—and she is a beautiful golden retriever. Yet she’s so old that her death is imminent. As her time rapidly draws near, I see our neighbor’s hearts sink. They are doing everything that they can do to extend N’s stay … Continue reading Reflecting on Death