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Channel: Heidi VanderSlikke – Christian Courier
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God’s Will For 2019

New Year lends itself to personal reflection. I read through my journal entries and flip through the pages of our wall calendar, thinking of milestones gone by and ordinary activities and events that...

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Perfect!

I LOVED ART CLASS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, even though my work was often sent home incomplete. Most of my classmates easily finished their projects within the allotted time. I would still be changing...

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Here Comes the Bride

Five-month-old Chloe plays on the floor of the bridal salon, content to pull toys out of her diaper bag. Stephanie and I sit nearby, surrounded by racks of costly gowns, chatting. It seems not so long...

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A Mother’s Love

Jack and I looked after three of our granddaughters one evening so their parents could take a well-deserved break. With little Chloe already nestled in her crib, we read stories with Abigail and Hanna...

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Unexpected Blessings

“Hay’s for horses,” we used to say as kids. “But straw is cheaper.” Truthfully, when Jack and I were newlyweds I didn’t know the difference between a hay field and a wheat field. Over the last 40 years...

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Back to Normal

Jack’s knee replacement loomed large on the horizon. We scrambled to cover all the bases ahead of time, anticipating his six weeks of recovery as best we could. Plans for a quick vacation before the...

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Authentic Prosperity

Years ago we had a young friend who longed to be a missionary. He pursued his calling with proper training and education. In the process, in spite of holding down a couple of part-time jobs, he accrued...

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A Legacy of Faith

When I first met Gerda Hesselink she was in her 80s, but there was nothing old about her. With clear, bright eyes and an easy smile, she was always ready for worthwhile conversation. Keen to listen to...

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A Clean Slate

For kids growing up in the 60s “screen time” usually meant sitting in front of a black and white television with the family. We watched shows like Walt Disney, Ed Sullivan, the Beverly Hillbillies and...

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No Time Like the Present

The other day, Hanna, my not quite four-year-old granddaughter, said to me, “Nana, I stood by the window all morning. I waited for you for HOURS.” I smiled as I pictured her forehead pressed against...

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Of Potatoes and Perseverance

He’s been Dad to me for more than 40 years. Our family patriarch just turned 90. I want to dedicate a few words to his character. Believe me – he is a character. Dad was born in Willemstad, Holland,...

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Some Things Never Change

Remember The Jetsons? They were the space-age antithesis to The Flintstones (the “modern stone-age family”). Both were cartoon series created in the 1960s for prime-time television. Family life has...

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This Old House

When I first met Jack he was in the process of buying a farm. “There’s a 125-year-old house on it,” he told me. I pictured a stately stone mansion. “Not exactly,” he said. “It’s fairly small and...

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The Hidden Hoarder in Each of Us

My mother and her parents survived the Second World War in Germany. The family was completely bombed out three times – their worldly possessions and their home destroyed. Finding suitable housing was a...

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Recapturing the Rhythm

Our four-year-old grandson wriggled in his chair. “RJ, do you have ants in your pants?” asked Poppa. His deep brown eyes widened as he seriously considered the idea. “No . . . I don’t think so,” he...

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Glimpses of Eden

The COVID crisis sparks a broad spectrum of emotions for me. Some days I’m faithfully optimistic – trusting God’s promise that he works all things for the good of those who love him. Other times I’m...

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Going Off Course in a Pre-GPS World

The year I got my motorcycle licence, our first long distance ride was to Quebec. Jack and I spent one night in Algonquin Park, then traveled happily along the ruggedly beautiful back roads of Ontario....

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Pleasant Places

A colourful five-by-three-foot map graces my office wall – an impulse buy on a recent shopping trip. For less than $20 I can see all the nations of the world anytime I want. Some are tiny, others vast....

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Let’s make a deal!

I grew up in a typical Canadian household through the 1960s. Major appliances were expected to last 20 years or more. Our small town had an appliance repairman and two TV/electronics repair shops....

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The scent of salvation

My father had a green thumb. It seemed whatever he planted flourished – vegetables, fruits, flowers, shrubs and houseplants. He loved all things horticultural. Our dining room looked like a greenhouse....

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