The six years Brenda and I lived in Lansing, Michigan, were bookended by two training courses. Each, in their own way, helped me find a footing in that strange country. And now, as the world is full of confusion, I find the lessons I learned then more valuable than ever. The first course was in…
Across Canada, many Christian boards and church councils carry an unspoken expectation: composure equals competence. Especially in governing meetings, and particularly for the most senior staff leader, emotions are often subdued, if not quietly discouraged. The intent is understandable. Boards want clarity, objectivity and wise decision-making. (Have you ever seen a synod or church council…
If you were to step into a Grade 7 language arts class at Ottawa Christian School a year ago, you might hear students asking questions not found in textbooks: What was your childhood like? What challenges shaped your life? What wisdom would you pass on to us? These questions are at the heart of My…
Many years ago, the speaker at a women’s breakfast asked, “Does anyone know where the custom of spring cleaning began?” The words escaped my lips without a second thought, “With my mother-in-law!” The room exploded with laughter. Good thing Mom had a sense of humour. I wasn’t altogether joking, though. She was the one who…
As I have shifted from working with schools to working with health care providers and researchers, I have observed that a school’s core value of cultivating learning communities of belonging in schools is similar to the value of creating a sense of community in healthcare, particularly as it relates to disability. In education and healthcare,…
It must have been about 1980 or so. The students had finished classes and exams. We teachers had meetings and then went home early. I stopped by a bookstore to pick up a set of Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible to give each graduate as a gift. I put them in the trunk of our…
The federal government announced in mid-April that it was going to suspend its excise tax on gas, diesel and aviation fuel. This is meant to address the problem of affordability in the light of increasing fuel costs resulting from the U.S.’s war with Iran. But the problem is that fuel is scarce, which is why…
In 1790, one year after revolution had broken out across the channel, the Anglo-Irish statesman Edmund Burke wrote his now classic Reflections on the Revolution in France. Many of Burke’s compatriots, especially his fellow Whigs, thought that the French were finally rid of their absolutist government and were embracing the constitutional institutions which they themselves…
On March 25, breaking news that the RCMP used tax dollars to spy on First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders grabbed headlines for one day. It warrants more attention, especially by Christians committed to reconciliation. Non-Indigenous citizens should be just as angry as Indigenous people, who were treated as enemies rather than fellow citizens trying…
There is a concept in Catholic Social Thought called “the principle of subsidiarity.” It’s a bit like the Reformed concept of “sphere sovereignty” but not exactly. The idea is that human dignity in all its richness is best served by a variety of communities – ranging from families to schools, neighbourhoods to churches – and…
For the past 18 months, I’ve been plugging away at a “writing project” with my mom, recording her memories about every photo in her 25 albums. These conversations are then transcribed – raw material for a family history. It’s a monumental undertaking. Here’s a short list of the stumbling blocks. Mom’s impaired hearing and poor…
In September 1944, my parents, my three brothers and I – ages 2 to 6 – fled our home in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. We hoped to escape the relentless bombing as Allied forces fought to capture the city from German occupation. When the Allies succeeded, Nijmegen suddenly became a frontline post, with German shells battering…
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