That question may seem a bit strange. You may be thinking “I would understand if you asked “What is the meaning of Christmas?” But the purpose? Well, I’m asking about the purpose of Christmas. Was it established to support the fir tree industry? Or maybe its purpose is to give us a reason to decorate…
DetailsHave you ever thought of your life as a book? Sometimes people frame their lives as a narrative or a story. Perhaps they see themselves as the hero of the tale or maybe as the victim. But let’s imagine that when our lives are said and done, they represent a complete book. Think about it…
DetailsI would like for you to meet a couple this morning – Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher of North Carolina. Up until Herbert died a couple of years ago, they held the Guinness World Record for the longest marriage at 86 years. Herbert died at 105 while his wife was 103. While 86 years is an…
DetailsAs I sat reading the newspaper this past week, my attention was caught by what seemed like a glaring contradiction of values, on the same page. One article was concerning the gut wrenching devastation that was taking place in the Philippines following the destructive typhoon. At that time, there were nearly 2000 dead with a…
DetailsI have some questions for you today. How much money do you make? How much of that money is discretionary? What do you spend it on? Do you feel you are getting a good return for what you spend? If someone looked at your checkbook/bank statement and how you spend that discretionary money, what would…
DetailsIn my last “Relationships Tip Tuesdays” I began discussing the ways in which we often unwittingly build up walls (sometimes massive) between us and our mate. Typically we find ourselves feeling hurt or discounted by the other person and the trust and safety that we once felt begins to slowly erode. We may find ourselves…
Details“Where’s my dinner?” was a line frequently repeated in the late 90’s movie “Pleasantville.” The story was set in the 1950’s. Every evening, at the same time, the husband would walk in the front door, set his briefcase down, and ask, “Where’s my dinner?” All was well (for him at least), until one day when…
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It was Christmas Eve in 1914 and soldiers from Britain and France were engaged in battle with the Germans. The soldiers were wet and cold and death from artillery fire or sniper attacks were constant threats. It is estimated that 9.7 million soldiers lost their lives in that war. But for a brief period from…
DetailsRegardless of what Brandon’s parents told him, he continued to stay up until all hours of the night playing video games, watching You Tube videos, and communicating with friends. His mom soon realized that her son was experiencing an online addiction. The American Psychiatric Association studies have compared the neurological effects of online addictions to…
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You may be thinking to yourself, “That’s a silly question. Everyone knows that eternal life is heaven.” And while I would agree that it is a reference to it, I believe it is so much more. This was reinforced for me when, on a recent Sunday, I had the privilege of hearing Pastor Matt Heard…
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