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...
Every Tribe, Language, People, and Nation
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...
My One Word for 2020: Attentive
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....
Reflection and Taking Spiritual Inventory
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...
Thankful It Takes a Village for Adults, Too
Regardless of your political persuasion or opinion of the author of a book by a similar title, I’ve learned “it takes a village” for adults, too. It’s been more than a year since I experienced the most significant loss of my life. The loss of my better half left me...
Christians and Halloween
Ghosts and witches. Jack-o’-lanterns and black cats. Scary masks and things that go bump in the night. Typical frightening Halloween fare. But the day is not called Scary-ween. So what is the “hallow” in Halloween? Hallow is not a frequently used word these days. When...
The Cross and the Supreme Court
Happy 243rd birthday, America. You've changed a lot in those 243 years. In some ways for the better. In other ways, not so much. But one of the most significant changes is in how the cross is perceived in our culture. For centuries, the cross has been an undeniable...
Moms – World’s Toughest Job
I hired thousands of people during my career in Human Resources in New York City over 20+ years. Some positions were considered “plum” jobs with a high salary, good benefits, and a clear career track. Others were temporary, dead-end, hourly positions that barely paid...
We Have Not Loved Well
We are to love well. Jesus said love would be the mark of His followers—love for each other and even love for their enemies. But we have not loved well. For 2,000 years, believers have bickered and fought with each other. Splitting hairs and splitting churches over...
One Word for 2019
Do you make new year’s resolutions? I used to. But I was as successful as 80% of Americans who, according to U.S. News, make and break their new year’s resolutions by mid-February. So several years ago I gave up resolutions. Instead, I began the practice of adopting...
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