Valda Goudie

It's January, and I have no desire to put away my Christmas decorations. However, my tree seems to have different ideas. The strands of lights on this 5-year-old, pre-lit beauty have been blowing one by one (beginning on Christmas Eve!) like candles on a birthday cake. There's only one working set left—the set I bought on the day I pieced together the tree in early December. It looks ridiculous. Yet, I turn on the remaining lights every morning when I get up and every afternoon when I return from work. Fro[...]

"Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?"  Psalm 71:19(NIV). I hum a merry, seasonal tune while decorating the house. Friends and family will come for dinner tomorrow, and I want things to look festive. I make sure there are candles dispersed throughout. There's something magical about candlelight, how it brings light and life to the room, in addition to the little twinkling lights already strung about. I've been planning and preparing the meal[...]

When treading cautiously in dark, unfamiliar places, we appreciate a flashlight's beam. Whether the brilliant light is on our cellphones or through dedicated handheld torches, shining a light on the path AHEAD gives us more confidence in the journey. We are more likely to see obstructions or uneven ground, enabling us to adjust our steps. And we can confirm that the reflections we see are not wild beasts waiting to eat us for dinner. While sitting at my makeup table, I appreciate having a light shine ON my f[...]

Do you stop to smell roses? I do. Whether in a hardware store garden centre, on a river path, or when handed a beautiful bouquet delivered to my workplace for my 32nd wedding anniversary (thank you, baby), I stick my nose in those blossoms and breathe deeply. It is such a delight to appreciate the beautiful scent of God's creation; I never want to be too busy to pause in this way. As we welcome the month of June, we look forward to the hot, sunny days of summer. Students and teachers long for the end of th[...]

As I faced a full day to clean and prepare for guests, the hours stretched out with potential. I needed a list to keep me on track. I flipped over an empty envelope and began writing the tasks I could do. The chores I listed weren’t all necessary for entertaining that evening, but I had so many hours… I had plenty of time! I was on my feet the entire day with quick touchdowns to eat breakfast and lunch. I listened to music or an audiobook and happily buzzed around, completing all the work. There was such[...]

“Owwww!” was my loud response as I looked down at my cracked nail. With the thick, hard gel coating, trickling blood was a notable sign of trauma. I was in a hurry. I had an upcoming appointment that afternoon, and I was preparing the condo for guests expected shortly afterward. While retrieving the cleaning cloth needed for the washroom, I noticed that my windows were covered in that white-dust film that only a humidifier that ran 24 hours per day could produce. So, I paused the bathroom cleanse to wash[...]

“I have bad news,” my friend announced on our weekend walk. “Oh, no! What’s going on?” I held my breath as possibilities flashed through my mind. “My landlord called, and I have to move.” Relief was my first emotion. I’d heard too many acquaintances and family members share cancer diagnoses recently, and I silently thanked God for her health. I listened quietly to her story and the plans she had made in the days between her phone call and her confession to me. She had time to process the n[...]

Have you ever been physically assaulted by a tree? I have. A palm tree attacked me as I crossed a multi-lane road while honeymooning in Mexico. (An overnight windstorm, a broken branch, residual gusts…you get the picture.) Yet, I do not harbor any resentment toward palm trees. To me, these beauties represent tropical destinations, the warm sun, and relaxing vacations (when you’re not running for your life from flying branches). Every winter, when the thermometer sticks at numbers well below zero, I begin[...]

We have had our share of guests in the neighborhood barns. From wandering waifs looking for a warm shelter to hardened criminals seeking to hide from their captors, we've seen a few of your folk stumble in. But these visits, while occasionally disturbing our animalistic patterns for a day or two, were not extraordinary. Nothing will ever compare to that one night… Even while grazing in the field, I sensed something electric in the air unrelated to the town's population explosion and the resulting chaos. T[...]

"I see a roller coaster!" my brother shouted as he bounced on the back seat beside me. "It's huge!" While I didn't share his excitement to ride on something that took me to great heights and teased my body's digestive capabilities, I knew more wonderful things awaited inside the park. This family vacation was different from our past summers. We still traveled with my aunt and uncle and their two girls, but this year, the men had unhitched our trailers in New Brunswick and headed the cars to Ontario. It was[...]