Written Deep Within Their Hearts

The Newfoundland dog was bred and used as a working dog for the fishermen of Newfoundland

These giant dogs are known to be very intelligent, strong, calm, and loyal. They are also called the "Gentle Giants".

Newfoundland dogs have webbed feet and a thick double coat, making them excellent swimmers and heroic for water rescue or life saving.

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you.

Tie them around your neck as a reminder.

Write them deep within your heart."

Proverbs 3:3 (NLT)

Let's Us Be Glad

The downtown of St. John's has rows and rows of brightly coloured Victorian rowhouses.

They are known as "Jelly-bean Row", referring to all the rowhouses in the downtown area.

Folklore explains these Jelly-bean rowhouses by saying it is a way for fishermen to find their way home through the fog.

But in the 1970's Newfoundlanders began painting their houses bright colours to create a more cheerful environment, especially during their often grey foggy days.

The Lord has made every day and we are to rejoice and be glad in it, even if the weather may be dark and gloomy. Newfoundlanders found a way to do this.

"This is the day which the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24 (NASB)

A Light For My Path

Signal Hill is a hill that overlooks the city of St. John's, Newfoundland.

It was also the site of St. John's harbour defences from the 17th century to World War II.

The final battle of the Seven Years' War in North America was fought on Signal Hill in 1762 where the French surrendered St. John's to the British.

In December of 1901, Signal Hill was where Guglielmo Marconi received the world's first transatlantic wireless signal.

The neighbourhood Fort Amherst (named after the soldier who recaptured St. John's from French forces in 1762) can be seen from Signal Hill.

The first lighthouse built in Newfoundland was in 1810 in Fort Amherst. The lighthouse seen today in Fort Amherst was built in 1951 to replace it.

The Bible says that God's Word is our lighthouse that never needs to be replaced. It will always guide our feet and light up our path.

"Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet

and a light for my path."

Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

Underneath Earth Is Turned Up As Fire

After thirteen years of exploratory drilling in offshore waters of Newfoundland and Labrador, oil was discovered in 1979.  Today, there are now three (soon to be four) oilfields which are producing crude oil for the province. The names of them are: Hibernia (production commenced 1997), Terra Nova (2002), White Rose (2010), and Hebron (2017).

The oil platform in these two pictures is the Terra Nova.

Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore oil industry contributed greatly to the provincial economy.

From the earth comes many valuable riches: food, oil and various kinds of precious jewels.

"The earth, from it comes food,

and underneath it is turned up as fire.

It's rocks are the source of sapphires

and its dust contains gold."

Job 28:5-6

God Has Made Laughter For Us

"Sarah said, 'God has made laughter for me;

everyone who hears will laugh with me.'"

Genesis 21:6 (NASB)

I am sure Newfoundlanders, who are known for their great sense of humour, believe God has made laughter for them. And everyone who hears their sense of humour can't help but laugh with them.

I laughed when I saw this street sign in Twillingate. At the time the wind was so strong I struggled to even stand straight.

Also, my son Daniel noticed that many of the homes in rural Newfoundland have front doors without stairs. We thought it was very strange, until we talked to a Newfoundlander about it.

Apparently before Confederation, rural homes usually had only one door, commonly located at the back of the house. After Confederation in 1949, Ottawa regulated that all homes must have both a front and back door for fire safety reasons, but stated nothing about having stairs.

Newfoundlanders obeyed the law. They put in the front doors on the top floor of their homes, but left out the stairs. Later, they jokingly called these front doors "mother-in-law doors".

Newfoundlanders are so much fun to be around! Their sense of humour is such good medicine to one's heart.

Unless The Lord Guards The City

During our last three days in Newfoundland, Daniel and I stayed in St. John's, the capital city of Newfoundland. This city was named after John the Baptist.

However, Daniel and I checked into our Bed and Breakfast there, we decided to visit the Cape Spear Lighthouse, built in 1836 on top of a rugged cliff at the most easterly point of North America.

Apparently some visitors have been swept away by the unpredictable and large waves at Cape Spear.

I could see why!

Cape Spear Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In 1955, a new lighthouse tower was built beside it.

The Portuguese named this location "Cabo da Esperanca", which means "Cape of Hope". It was later simplified to "Cape Spear".

World War II bunkers and gun barrels are also located at this site.

But unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.

"Unless the Lord builds the house,

they labour in vain who build it;

unless the Lord guards the city,

the watchman keeps awake in vain."

Psalm 127:1 (NASB)