Have you ever practiced a tradition without knowing why or how it started? Does it matter? One friend celebrates half-birthdays in her family. Another organizes an egg hunt every Easter for the children in her family. Still another friend serves pizza for dinner every...
Are you unhappy with our current president? Perhaps you didn’t like the president before him. Complaints about political leaders have existed about as long as nations have had rulers. Still, how we express our dissatisfaction says much about our worldview…and our view...
I’ve heard the complaints. November is for Thanksgiving. December is for Christmas. Eat the turkey before you set up the tree. And I’ve seen the memes on social media. Two shoppers: “The mall’s all decorated for Christmas. You know what that means.” “Thanksgiving is...
Have you ever suffered from FOMO? Fear Of Missing Out. These days, FOMO is epidemic. Our culture constantly assaults us with a barrage of marketing messages that cultivate a fear of missing out. And nothing cultivates FOMO as effectively as social media. Reading about...
’Tis the season of graduations…and graduation speeches. And almost every speech will encourage the graduates in their pursuit of success. A recent search for the word “success” in the Amazon books category yielded 269,946 results. At the click of a button, more than a...
It seems there’s a holiday for everything these days, including the military. And while it’s right to honor those who have served our nation, have you ever wondered why we have three different military holidays to do that? As Memorial Day approaches on Monday, I...
Few national proclamations for the month of April sound as boring as “Records and Information Management Month.” This uninspiring designation is probably related to April 15—the day by which income tax returns are submitted to the U. S. federal government. The weeks...
Each new year brings the potential for a clean slate. New opportunities, new challenges, new experiences. But that clean slate also produces uncertainty. Globally, we're facing wars, terrorism, and natural disasters. Nationally, we're weary of political...
I love Christmas. The music, lights, and decorations. The tree and the ornaments, the Christmas village, and especially the 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,...
It’s the first day of December and the Christmas wars are already in full swing. You might have enlisted if you: correct sales clerks when they say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” give your name as “Merry Christmas” when placing a Starbucks order,...
Advent: The Everlasting Father Father. A title that may evoke joy or sadness, blame or gratitude, depending on...
Advent: Mighty God Soft, adorable bundles of joy. Who doesn’t love sweet little babies? Vulnerable, helpless,...
Advent: Wonderful Counselor Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. Since most of my friends know this,...