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The Name Shows The Sin
This is being released on day 8 of 30, but the buildup to it makes it feel as if we are several more days into it. Much of what is being done will be done again later this year for yet another full month, so that fully one-sixth of our calendar is filled with expressions of affirmation and acceptance. It is, of course, “Pride” Month. Rainbows are everywhere, as are more multi-colored flags and logos. Social media is ablaze with all manner of icons and colors and memes meant to show support. Businesses, sports teams, and governmental leaders are bending over backward to show how accepting they are of this…
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A Universal Language
Originally, the title of this post was going to be different from the one you just read. I cannot honestly remember exactly what it was going to be, but I do know that I changed it after I talked briefly with the lady in the picture. Here is some of the “backstory.” Recently, Donna and I were in Cookeville, TN for some end of the school programs, concerts, etc. in which two of our grandchildren were involved – including the graduation of one of those grandchildren from high school. Because of some of the policies of the school and because of his grades, he did not have to attend school as long…
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One Of Life’s Greatest Blessings
I’m spending a lot of time working on lessons for Polishing the Pulpit, which is coming up in a couple of months. Some of my time is spent just sitting and thinking about the topic upon which I have been asked to speak. This week I’ve been thinking, studying, and writing about being an elder’s wife. Now, you may be wondering about the title for this blog post and how it goes along with being an elder’s wife. There are days when I wonder the same thing! After all, it is a fairly difficult position…the wife of a man whose responsibility (along with other men serving in this capacity) is to watch…
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I Came to the Church [A Poem]
[NOTE: I hope every English teacher I ever had will forgive me for my lack of poetry skills! The meter and rhyme may be lacking, but I pray this message still gets across, including to me! –Adam] I came to the Church building on a Sunday morn, all soured and upset with strife. And, wouldn’t you know it, as I came inside and sat down, no one cared for my life. — Oh, some smiled and some said “hello,” but it was clear they were just doing their job. They asked how I was and acted concerned, but I know their ruse–they were just simple words to lob. — I…
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Do You Have a Favorite Pillow?
Recently, two of our grandchildren spent a couple of nights with us. After they had spent a night back at their house, it was discovered that our granddaughter did not make it home with her pillow. When I told her that we were sorry that we didn’t find it earlier, she told me that it was alright because that wasn’t the only one she had. She told me that it was her favorite pillow, but that she slept fine without it. Her response didn’t seem all that strange to me. She’s not the only person in the world who has a favorite pillow. Her “Grammy” also has one that we typically take with us when we…
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The Main Lesson To Teach Your Children On Vacation
Vacation season has arrived for many people. Schools are letting out and families are taking trips. Despite rising costs, a lot of families see value in getting away for a few days of relaxation and fun. With Memorial Day coming soon, trips will begin in earnest and summer will be loaded with them. There are so many good things that can come from a vacation. Rest is a good thing. Making memories is a blessing that is so special. Experiencing new things and seeing new places is wonderful. There is also an educational aspect to any vacation. Even if you are just going to hang out in the mountains or…
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Job’s Reaction to a Really Bad Day
What is your first reaction when things go badly for you? What would you do if you lost just about everything except your life? What if all of that happened almost “all at once?” As I try to internalize those questions, I’m not always completely satisfied with my answers. I’m afraid that, at the very least, I would have a “pity party.” I’m afraid that the question, “Why me?” would come to my mind (and might even be expressed). I would hope that I would not blame God, but I know many who have done just that. Most of us are at least somewhat familiar with the book of Job. As we open the book, we…
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Your Face Says It
Have you noticed how many people aren’t smiling these days? Everywhere I look, lots of people are walking around with a sad, straight, or frowning face. Now, I realize that smiling all the time would seem kind of weird, but when in a crowd of people, shouldn’t we at least try to smile at those with whom we establish eye contact? Thinking about this reminded me of a conversation I had with my mother near the end of her life. She was living in an assisted living home near me, and I was able to visit her every day. As she became more and more feeble, she began to talk about…
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7 Family Devo Ideas for Families with Teens
Though not perfectly consistent with it, we are big advocates of family devotionals. However, when the kids are a little older, it can be more difficult to find ideas. Many websites, blogs, and books are out there with ideas for little children or elementary-aged kids, but what do you do when you are dealing with teenagers? Since that’s the stage of life we are in, I thought it might be helpful to give a few ideas that you might want to try. We’ve tried all of these. Some have worked better than others, but all have been a great encouragement. Appian Media Videos We love the work done by Appian…
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Lucy or Lucille?
Those of us “of a certain age” have fond memories of the television show I Love Lucy. We laughed at the antics of the fictional families of the Ricardos and Mertzs. We knew that “Ricky” and “Lucy” were Desi and Lucille in real life. Some may have also known that things weren’t quite as amusing “off the set” as they were when they were acting. I guess that we didn’t care much about that. I suppose that we were mostly interested in what they could do for us as far as entertainment was concerned. After I Love Lucy ended and after her divorce from Desi Arnez, Lucille Ball attempted somewhat of a comeback…
