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No Matter What You Call Them, God Won’t Accept Them
I was reading recently about some people who had unique names for the leftovers from their Thanksgiving meals. A man who really loved sports called them replays, and somebody in the entertainment industry called them reruns. To me, the most interesting (and disturbing) designation was by a mortician. He called them remains! There are a few of us who really do like leftovers. I look forward to them almost as much as I do the “real meal.” I, for one, never understood exactly what was meant when somebody was said to quit something “cold turkey.” I like cold turkey! However, I serve a God who does not like and will not accept leftovers. One of the continuing…
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25 Books to Consider for Christmas Gifts (or for Yourself!)
We love to read. As a family, we read together, and each of us reads individually a lot. But, even more than just loving to read, we feel that reading truly enhances so much of life. So, as you start shopping for Christmas, we want to share with you 25 books that you might want to consider for someone on your list…or just something to pick up to read during this busy time of year. [Each link is to Amazon and is an affiliate link.] ESV Scripture Journal: New Testament Set. Admittedly, we do not have this set of books, but we are looking at them closely and have researched…
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When Thanksgiving Mattered
I know that I am a hopeless romantic when it comes to the holiday of Thanksgiving. As I constantly say, it is my favorite holiday. That being true, I have an idealized view of the holiday. But, even with that said, does it not seem as if this holiday really doesn’t matter as much as it used to? And, to me, that’s sad. Yes, I know people have always worked on Thanksgiving. EMTs and first responders and nurses show up to work, and for them we are grateful. Even all those football players and TV crew who bring us the annual games are showing up for work. But as the…
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I’m Thankful For…
The first chapter of the book of Romans describes a disgusting and disastrous descent of mankind into some sins/lifestyles that would almost defy our imagination. That is, the descriptions of some of the sins would have defied our imaginations a few generations ago. Unfortunately, when one reads this chapter now, it is almost as though we are opening up the morning paper or turning on the evening news. Among the sad things that can be said about this passage is that it begins by describing people who, at one time, “…knew God…” (Rom. 1:21). The first steps on their downhill slide are found in that same verse: “For although they knew God, they did…
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Episode 130: Our 2019 Thankful List [Podcast]
https://media.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/content.blubrry.com/faughnfamily/Legacy_Podcast_130.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS (Episode not displaying or playing? Click here to listen.) It is an annual tradition on the podcast. Adam and Leah sit down with their kids–now ages 14 and 12–and simply talk about some things they are thankful for this year. Enjoy this fun and, hopefully, encouraging episode.
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For Better or For Worse
Those of you who are married and reading this may remember a promise you made on the day of your wedding. That day is always such an exciting time in life. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can close my eyes and see how beautifully the church building was decorated, how the groomsmen and bridesmaids looked, where the minister was standing, and that look on Jim’s face as he watched my father escort me to the front of the building. Somewhere in our picture albums I have a copy of the vows that we said on that day. We made promises to one another and committed our lives to one another and…
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Sometimes, Just Receiving is Okay
“Share.” “Retweet.” “Post.” The calls to action on social media are there constantly. Each time we see something beautiful, experience something exciting, or even have an opinion on some matter (big or small), we are encouraged to send it out into the digital world for any and all to see. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is fine to share a picture of a gorgeous sunrise, a fun outing with your family, an exciting moment in life, or even just a thought on some pressing matter. However, what if–just every so often–you decided not to share it? At first, that sounds almost like an unchristian attitude, doesn’t it?…
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It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
This coming weekend is the premiere of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” a movie starring Tom Hanks about the real life of Fred Rogers. If you are like me you grew up with “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood”…a show that was very impactful to not only me but an entire generation of people. A few days ago I had an idea pop into my head about what I was going to write for an article this week. I was really excited about it but I forgot to write it down! So yes, it is lost forever. But thankfully today a simple lunch with my wife gave me the opportunity to write…
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We’re People, Too
The conversation began with a sister in the Lord thanking me for a note that I had written. I had learned that there had been some negative experiences in the career her adult son had chosen to pursue and that he had made the decision to abandon that pursuit. I wrote the son a note and tried to encourage him. That was not the note, however, for which the mother was expressing her gratitude. I’m not sure she even knows about that note. The note we were discussing was one I had written to her. In the course of trying to be helpful, I also let my “humanness” show. In that note, I…
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Cookie-Cutter Christian
At our teen fall retreat last weekend, our previous summer intern, Dane Berkey, was speaking and used a term I don’t remember ever considering: “cookie-cutter Christian.” He said a friend of his at Freed-Hardeman was concerned because he had been called this term and asked Dane for his advice. The term caught my attention and I decided to look into it once I was home. From what I can see, this is generally considered a negative term or “limiting” term. What I mean by that is sentiments like “God doesn’t make cookie-cutter Christians” and “I have grown disenchanted with the cookie-cutter Christian approach” are common. Both of those phrases showed…
