UBC Reflections

On that journey, it soon becomes evident that happiness is not the same as self-discovery and self-fulfillment or what we might consider success. Somewhere and sometime, we will begin to ask ultimate questions.

These little boats lure us to bygone days which have been romanticized and influenced by lore and art. They draw one to Celtic ballads, Irish fiddling, and tales and tragedies of the hard scrabble life of cod fishing on the Grand Banks; They remind us of the harsh reality of life on the sea and Newfoundland’s struggling hamlets.

Racing, Winter Harbor, MaineJames Russel Lowell, lawyer, politician, writer, poet and New Englander, rightfully and wonderfully reminds us of the hope and joy of spring’s renewal with the opening words of his famous poem: “And what is so rare as a day in June?”...

Another awe-filled Downeast sunrise brings thoughts of Creator God and how beautifully He reveals Himself to us.

Eating “Fiddleheads” is a Maine culinary experience which dates back to early Native American days. A “Fiddlehead” is a curled fern frond which can be found for a brief time in the Spring before it unfurls to become a mature fern leaf. Time changes “Fiddleheads” to ferns.

Whatever our response to “change”, whether we agree or disagree, whether it brings pleasure and joy or chaos and deterioration, there is an enduring beacon of Truth which may or may not be evident.

A New Beginning in Prospect Harbor, MaineAnother beautiful day begins on the Maine Coast, where there is always something old to be taught and something new to learn … Down east accents murmur and drift across the water as this old salt and his unseasoned stern man...

Whatever the context, the message is clear! The Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the King of Heaven, is a faithful, powerful, loving and compassionate Guardian of His people!

Sailing in Frenchman's Bay, MaineJuly is a great month for sailing in Maine. Watching sails appear and disappear on the horizon makes one yearn for swift winds and stiff breezes, to hoist sails, and to be propelled into open ocean with its invisible boundaries, clear...

Photo taken:        Penobscot River in Edinburg, MainePerhaps you can hear the song rising from the heat-soaked cotton fields? I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul I’ve got love like an ocean, I’ve got love...

The Machias Valley "Down in the valley where the river meets the sea..."Nestled in the picturesque Machias valley lies this historic New England village. The Church in this photo played a role in the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War during which local...

Authentic Christian faith encompasses the whole person and involves one’s will and emotions as well as the mind. It entails trusting and submitting to what God has revealed and has done through the sacrifice of Christ, and it is evidenced in desires and efforts to live out the love and mercy and forgiveness granted through the Good News of Christ.

Scripture keeps us honest. It exposes us, warts and all. But when we come to terms with our brokenness, we find healing, completeness, and love.

Reflection of Fort Knox, MaineLast week we remembered D-Day, that historic day which began the joyful reclamation of Europe from tyranny but which was tragically stained by the tremendously sad sacrifices of young men dying to restore liberty. Remembering people and...

White Lady's Slipper, Steuben, MaineAndrew Young, a Scottish poet, compared his ongoing but somewhat futile quest for meaning to searching for lady slippers:  "...I peer in every place: Seeking for what I cannot find/ I do as I have often done/ And shall do while I...

Such is the twilight moment of “crossing the bar” when mortality transitions to immortality, when the spirit silently leaves its earthly abode and enters the after life.

Canoe at Sunrise, MaineThe phrase to “paddle your own canoe” has been around since the mid 1800’s and conjures up ideas of independence, self-reliance, persistence, endurance and the belief that we control our own destiny! Several poems were written and entitled...

Although they appear headed straight for disaster, they are confidently advancing to the next lobster pot. They are in familiar territory as they pull their traps in the fog. They know the way.

When we are buffeted and battered by difficult, sad, and trying times, we need encouragement and guidance to navigate through those emotion-filled challenges.

   Looking back from the sea, this lobsterman can visually grasp the firm foundation of our great state. Maine has magnificent rock formations from its mountain ranges and slate and granite quarries to its rockbound coast with rugged, beautiful cliffs and outcroppings...

We are born contenders! Most of us enjoy some form of individual or group competition. We love to cheer on our favorite teams and challenge each other with family games, pickup basketball, and school sports. We test ourselves in attempts to better our individual swim...

We know about hopelessness and despair! This world is filled with violence, brutality, inequalities, injustices, avarice, and poverty. So, are we stuck in this culture of rising self and of diminishing reason and civility?

In the midst of personal storms (and pandemics), believers have an unmitigated confidence, a steadfast hope, in the One who not only rules over life’s storms but enters into our pressing situations where He sheds His light and casts His love upon us.

Each day we awaken within the mist of the unknown. Sometimes we do so with fear and anxiety; but in our culture, we generally feel safe and prepared for our daily routines as we look forward to the small joys that will unfold. We are not concerned about unexpected...

Watching the sun peek over the horizon to gaze upon the awakening day is spirit lifting! Sunrises offer us new beginnings.  Even when we carry old business forward, dawn brings freshness and excitement, a renewed hope, and an anticipation for possibilities, yet to be...