Why is quiet such a rare thing in our world? Consider that: when we get into our cars, one of the first things we do is turn on music.when we come home to an empty house, how often is the television turned on for “background noise”?if a group of people are silent for...
Three years ago this month, my husband receiveda diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Two years ago this month, the doctor told him his prognosis was terminal. For me, January will always be associated with these events. For better or for worse, our need to remember is...
Do you remember the song, Jesus Loves the Little Children, written by C. Herbert Woolston? Even if you don’t know all the stanzas, you probably remember the refrain: Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, All...
Talking about beginnings seems especially appropriate during the month of January. A new month. A new year. And in this case, a new decade. The Bible also starts with “In the beginning” (Genesis 1:1). "In the beginning, God created…." We’ve heard those words so many...
Do you make new year’s resolutions? I used to, but they never lasted more than a few months at the most. A few years ago, I began adopting one word to focus on throughout the year as a substitute for resolutions. One word that would apply to multiple areas of my life....
When I was in high school, I worked in the toy department of a department store. Twice a year, we prepared for an outside firm to take inventory. We worked with these teams to count every item on the shelves, and I do mean every item. We even included incomplete or...
The gifts are wrapped and tagged. Cookies are baked and decorated. I’ve watched Christmas made-for-TV movies until even I’ve had enough…and that’s saying something! Yes, I’m one of those people. You know, the ones who play Christmas carols in July and put up their...
What puts a song in your heart? Your favorite playlist?Your wedding song?Christmas carols? One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is the music. You may be tired of hearing Christmas carols that have already been playing since Halloween. For many, the joy of...
I love Christmas. The music, lights, and decorations. Trees with their ornaments, Christmas villages, and especially nativity scenes. Of all my Christmas decorations, my favorite is a large tabletop display that includes a manger set in the midst of a hustling,...
You may be reading this on Thanksgiving, but complaints about Christmas already abound. Have you heard them? Christmas has become too commercial! Actually, this one isn’t really new. Remember the 1947 classic movie, Miracle on 34th Street? More than 70 years ago,...
Embrace One Word It’s that time again—when people resolve to improve in the face of a new year unfolding before...
Christmas Carol Messages: Joy to the World As the Christmas season draws to a close, it seems appropriate to...
Christmas Carol Messages: O Come All Ye Faithful Christmas is a time of coming together. Families reunite...