FIVE Minutes with Phil

Most families these days represent a cross section of culture. I was born and raised in Ontario, while my wife, Elsie, was born in Nova Scotia. We brought different things to our marriage. When our kids grew up, our eldest married an American girl who was born in Germany, and has a Vietnamese-inspired name. She grew up mostly in Alaska and Kent, Washington. Their boys have grown up in the Atlanta...

I'm sure you know this - the best way to accomplish anything is to be SMART about it. Of course, I'm talking about Goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based Goals. If your Big Idea is worth striving for, be SMART. Or, really Any Idea! Enjoy today's post. It may even make you SMARTer!

Y'all Come! In our world, where there is a tendency to focus on external differences, it's good to know that the Lord looks on the heart. He is far more interested in WHO you are than in WHAT you are. The welcome, "Y'all Come!" was never more appropriate! And it's a much needed attitude for all to bring.

How would you described yourself? The Apostle Paul knew who he was, what he was to do, and how he was to do it. And that kept him on the track the Lord had laid out for him. If you're ever tempted to give up, remember that Paul remained faithful. "Go thou and do likewise."

If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up some place else. Yogi Berra said, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." Apparently, if you were driving to his house, there was a fork in the road. Whether you went left or right didn't matter - both would take you to his place. Life is rarely like that. There are choices we make that will make a difference. That's especially true wit...

Hi, and welcome to FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly, as I say Happy 246th Birthday to the Good Ole USA! You came into existence because you didn't believe you were being treated fairly by King George and the powers of the British Empire. You had no autonomy, but were forced to pay taxes to the Crown. So you rebelled. It seems to me that fairness has always played a central role in the philosophy of t...

Are you Canadian? What is it you love about Canada?

"What are you doing here?" That questions doesn't usually have anything to do with what you're doing. It's usually a "Why" question: "Why are YOU here?" It's another way of asking, "Do you belong here?" And the answer is "Yes! Absolutely, I belong here!" I was created with a purpose, and I'm here to fulfill it! So what do you do if you don't know why you're here? Shouldn't you know? Check out my l...

God's timing is always perfect, but it seems it's seldom our perfect timing. We tend to want things now, on a certain date, or perhaps never. But we usually have a personal agenda. I remember a newly engaged couple praying for Jesus to return - but not until after their wedding! We have plans, and we'd appreciate it if God used our timetable. But for some reason, he rarely does. Maybe he knows som...

I can't say I loved school when I was a kid. I actually saw it as a necessary evil. In lots of ways, once I got rolling, I found it rather easy most of the time, and I did well, but until I graduated, I can't say that I loved it. I think that's the reason I decided to become a teacher. I had some really good teachers - Miss Stenton and Mr. Dolan come to mind - but enough not-so-good ones who didn'...

What is really important to you? No, not just important but REALLY important? The kind of thing that you would drive through fire for? That's the kind of passion I'm talking about in today's FIVE Minutes.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have dominated the news in recent weeks. I have to admit I saw very little of their court case, but I do know that if you only listened to Johnny or Amber, all you would have is a he-said-she-said. You might have your opinions, but a court decision really is impossible until the witnesses spoke. Then you could see the jury begin to lean in Jack Sparrow's direction. Witn...

There's nobody like good old Dad! I've read that the active presence of a loving father is one of the most important ingredients in the life of any son or daughter - maybe even the most important. Today, I celebrate my father, and in fact all the men in my life.

John Wooden is arguably the best coach in the history of NCAA basketball. There are others who are close, but Wooden's career includes winning 10 championships in 12 years, including a 7-year run. That's incredible! The best of the best high school basketball stars would end up at UCLA, ready to play for the Bruins. Many would be pretty proud of themselves for being there, and that's understandabl...

Every once in a while, you'll hear stories of people being held for ransom. It happened in Afghanistan last summer, and it's happening in Ukraine today. I thought it would be a simple thing to look up "ransom" on Google and give some examples - but the first page was all about ransomware - an idea that barely existed a few years ago. It's really quite simple - a computer is hacked, and a virus is...

Today, I'm continuing the "Got Ideas?" series with a look at vision. The other day, I began with a look at Core Values as the primary foundation for life. Everything else may change, but if they truly are core values, they are what life is built on. It's what Jesus is talking about when he gives us the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7. You can choose to build wisely on rock, o...

Throughout the year, we hear about one star athlete or another who has reached an impasse in negotiating a new contract with their team. Different sports, different seasons, but the principle is the same - when both sides agree to go to arbitration, they put all their facts on the table, along with salary and contract details, and the arbitrator must decide to accept one or the other. He can't spl...

I'm thinking that the word of the year for 2022 ought to be "Unpredictable." As we have come out of Covid, there are still a lot more questions that will have to be answered. If you're a young mom needing formula for her infant, and you go to Walmart to pick up a can, will you find it? Unpredictable. If you've placed an order for a new car or truck, when will it be delivered? Unpredictable. Stove,...

Are you satisfied with where you are, and where you are going? If you're not, this series of "Got Ideas" posts may just be the key to your hoped-for tomorrow. If you are, great! But even you could benefit greatly by having greater confidence. If you close your eyes, and imagine a possible future, that's vision. But if you want it to come to be, it's going to be built on your core values. The are t...

Welcome to FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly, and my look at Paul's first letter to Timothy 2:3 which reads, "This is good, and pleases God our Saviour." What is the "this" that is good? Well, it has to be the peaceful and quiet lives that are lived in godliness in holiness. Just as in creation, God looks on what He brings to be, and says, "It is good." So, let's do what is good - what pleases God our...

Hi, and welcome to a special edition of FIVE Minutes with Phil Routly. Today, I celebrate my sweetheart. On this date, Elsie Jean Gray was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, the youngest of four children (three girls and a boy) to Victor and Dorothy Gray. The family moved to Kingston, Ontario when Elsie was only 2, but she spent most of her childhood summers with family in the Maritimes. It will al...

Today, I'm continuing a series of posts and podcasts that I'm calling "Got Ideas?" Last time, I gave a brief overview on Got Values? Vision? Passion? And Purpose? Today, I continue with the next 8.

Today, I'm beginning a series of posts and podcasts that I'm calling "Got Ideas?" In 1995, my son, Dave, was studying at Trinity Western University. As part of his education to become a counsellor, he enrolled in an Irish Studies program which focused on conflict resolution - rather appropriate for the nation that had been at war for so long within itself and the United Kingdom. His studies includ...

Paul writes, Pray for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Because the rulers have the authority, they can make life pretty difficult for the people. The people can be forced to do things that are contrary to who they are. Today, people can be conscripted into the military, required to abide by local ordinances,...

A couple of weeks ago, one of my grandsons graduated from Georgia State University, and will be heading to Quinnipiac Law School in the fall. So, I asked him to tell us a little about his journey. +++++++++++++++++++++ Hello, my name is Bren Routly; I am Phil's grandson. When I was little, I said I wanted to be a superhero. I wanted to help people. As I grew up, I searched for a profession where I...