Valda Goudie

"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[...]

“Where did you stay in Mexico?” an acquaintance asked me one day while tanning at the pool. She had been looking for a place to snowbird for two months and wanted my recommendation. “I like to know that someone has been there and enjoyed it,” she said. While our winter vacations are limited to a week, I still research my options before I book those seven days at a resort or on a cruise ship. I don’t always know someone who has been to the chosen destination, so I head to the internet. Reading revi[...]

The alarm shrilled at 3:15 a.m., but I was already up making coffee. I wouldn’t have wanted to do this every morning—a regular 5 a.m. weekday rise was a struggle enough. But this morning was exceptional and required the sleep sacrifice: my husband and I were flying to Mexico! An Uber, two airports, and two flights later, with a passage of time of nearly 12 hours, we were lounging on a chair on the beach with the hot Riviera sun warming our skin and the humidity filling our nostrils. We were exhausted, but[...]

But the promise of travel came with a stipulation—everything my parents suggested we would do began with those two words: "Lord willing." They would announce an exciting adventure, but God had the final say about whether we did it or not. As a teenager, I found it oppressive. I blame James for this saying, which has become a common colloquialism: Instead, you should say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" James 4:15 (NIV). While I don't often use these words ("Lord willing"), I u[...]

“Mirror, mirror on the wall; who’s the fairest of them all?” The queen nodded and smiled brightly at her reflection when the mirror confirmed that it was still her beauty that outshone everyone else’s. She fixed an unruly lock of her glossy black hair and blew herself a kiss. She would ask someone to draw her a bath later. She deserved a long soak in scented oil, followed by a relaxing massage. A good book, burning candles, and her favorite herbal tea would complete the pampering. Sounds good, doesn[...]

When we lived in our house in the suburbs, I always rushed out to take photos of those purple-blue April crocuses pushing through the ice and snow remnants. They were a symbol of life and renewal. Winter would soon be past, and we could look forward to warmer weather and the beauty of spring's awakening. However, if Solomon had written Song of Songs 2:12 here in Ottawa, he would have penned it in May: "Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard; in our land." We[...]

My heart thudded against my chest as I approached Simon's house. Jesus had been invited to dine with the former leper, and many other friends had joined them. I expected a welcome as a close friend of the Master. I clutched the alabaster flask tightly as I held it close to my body. The fragrant oil inside was expensive, and I did not wish to spill it needlessly. The plan for this oil caused my heart to race and my palms to sweat. Not everyone would understand why I needed to do what I was about to do.  Kin[...]

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold… Can you finish the rhyme? There’s no accounting for taste. I’m not sure what kind of porridge this is, but it doesn’t sound appetizing, no matter the temperature. Remember the three bears? They had differing opinions on how hot they liked their porridge too. Beyond the porridge world, there are numerous things that can be enjoyed at multiple temperatures. Do you drink your coffee steaming or prefer it iced? Would you rather have warm milk or a chilled glass?[...]

“Guess what, Aunt Valda. I have a boyfriend!” my niece looked at her dad as she giggled. “Oh, really?” I hadn’t seen my niece for three months. This new development in her six-year-old social life was a shocker. “Who is your boyfriend?” She stated his name. “He’s in my class at school.” Her young face glowed. Were there animated hearts reflected in her eyes? As her head swivelled purposefully toward her father again, I quickly recognized that the love-glow on her face was not caused by[...]

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, every morning when I get up and every afternoon when I return from work, I turn on the remaining lights[...]