Opinion

I am currently writing this in a turkey/mashed potato infused fog. I have stated before that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a time to reflect, count our blessings and work on our gratitude. Of course, it’s also a time to eat. A lot. I enjoy all my favorite comfort foods laid out in front of me in one big gorgeous buffet...

Some Christians are currently enduring dark times, feeling pressures from growing numbers of faithless people in this fallen world. There are almost audible moaning groans from some Christians, mourning some loss of society’s approval. Add to those sorrows real fear of coming loss of freedom to be faithful to God as He has revealed Himself through His appointed servants. ...

Several weeks ago I watched the 1978 version of Death on the Nile, a Poirot mystery by Agatha Christie. This beautiful movie features Peter Ustinov, Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Angela Lansbury, and several other talented actors. This movie was filmed over a seven week period in Egypt with many challenges besides just the heat, location, the multitude of strong personalities, and snakes. ...

First, we need to define the word “cherish”. The word properly means “to warm, keep warm” as of birds covering their young with their feathers. W. E. Vines in his “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words”, says this word is used metaphorically, “to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender care.” What are some things we are to cherish or have a tender care toward?...

Many financial problems begin and end with the inability to determine the difference between want and need, or not wanting to accept the difference. When the income goes from paycheck to social security check, making ends meet is even harder, so knowing what to spend on and how to save is important, especially now when a pandemic keeps the retired senior from making part-time supplemental income...

As Thanksgiving draws near I always like to share my thoughts on gratitude. Here’s a column I ran last year on gratitude. I’d like to share this again waith you because it made such an impact on me. I hope you enjoy it and it helps you realize the significance of gratitude...

For November 22, the Last Sunday of the Church Year, the updated Lectionary (appointed, selected Scripture Readings) include Jesus’ Last Day discourse, recorded in Matthew 25:31-46, which has been one of the most abused, misread Scripture readings for the past century—completely differently than it has been read for the previous nineteen or so centuries. ...

This week’s thoughts are much like a replay from a few years ago. I still listen to a gospel group, The Martins, just about every day, and their song “Count Your Blessings”. That tune helps me focus each day on what lies ahead and what truly matters. ...

God seeks to teach us needed lessons in life. One such lesson is for us to realize how helpless we are, and that we need to be totally dependent on God. If you have lived any length of time, you know men are helpless against many things in life. Helplessness, by definition, means a person is unable to help himself...

When looking at the United States, it doesn’t take long to see the growing number of seniors and the increasing number of programs and positions created to care for them. According to census.gov in an article updated in Oct. 2019, in less than 20 years, the number of older adults is projected to outnumber children for the first time in America’s history. What does that mean for the country, states, and communities?...

“I pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Everyday in grade school, the first thing every morning, we all stood beside our desks and said the Pledge of Allegiance...

As the Church Year winds down, ending this year on Saturday, November 28, the focus on the traditional Church Year calendar is on Christ’s return. That will complete God’s forgiveness of the sins of His people through the atonement of Christ’s body and blood for His children, judging the unbelievers, destroying this sinful earth, replacing it with the new eternal heaven and earth. ...

Middle school begins a new world of responsibility for preteens. This time is really confusing and difficult because change marks this phase of life. Change isn’t easy for anyone. Middle schoolers want freedom. They want to make their own choices; they are tired of being told what to do and when to do it. Parents may receive a call from the teacher with a positive comment about the tween helping other students. ...

From the same book which tells husbands to love their wives, wives are told to submit themselves to their husbands. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22) “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.” (Colossians 3:18) In a previous article, we learned a wife’s most basic need from her husband is to be loved. ...

For many seniors, retirement is only a word as they are forced to continue working to make ends meet. In their 70s, they are still working because the ability to live on a meager social security check is impossible, and in many cases, they make a few dollars too much to receive any type of government assistance...

Days past the election and we’re still counting votes. It looks like it could be weeks before it all settles and we have our 46th president. In 2020 vote tabulation shouldn’t be this difficult. But what did we expect? It’s 2020. The year that brought us the pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, violent protests, and then James Bond died!...

Students of Jewish and Christian first century A.D. history learn that the Roman Empire leaders somewhat admired the Jews because although they were not aggressive, they fought back if oppressed or bullied. The Romans thought much less of Christians because not only was their God killed by crucifixion, Christians were not willing to fight to defend themselves but willing to die for their faith in Christ. ...

Finding an interesting book to occupy my mind from the pandemic and the political blare has been a challenge. Since television is not much of an option unless I watch Jeopardy! and going to the cinema is out, the pages of a novel let me escape to another place and a new adventure. A few newer releases and an older epic novel have entertained me during the evening hours...

God commands husbands to love their wives. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” (Ephesians 5:25) Paul again commanded this in Colossians 3:19. “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”...

Many people have no idea that a Sliver Haired Legislature (SHL) even exists, much less what they do and why it is so important for the elderly throughout the state. If it were not for the efforts through SHL, the voices of seniors across the state and the country would go unheard. This group of senior citizens remain strong in the political realm, many after retirement, to fight for the rights of those who have, sadly, become a forgotten generation...

Since the advent of COVID-19 we are spending a great deal of time online. We work, buy, and of course, socialize there. That’s all well and good but the time we are spending on social media has gained the attention of scammers. Scams starting on social media, and the amount of money lost, are skyrocketing...

When you were in a large mall or amusement park, you came across a map near the entrance. To find where to go, you first located your present position by finding perhaps a large icon with the words “You are here”. That is your starting point. The early Church used a yearly calendar to navigate and direct our attention to the works of the Lord and the proper response by His people. ...

This year has been filled with stress, loss, concern, fear, and isolation. Sports, television programs, church services, and other community events have attempted to entertain and remove the mundane separation from this pandemic. Many organizations have tried to return to normal activity only to pull back or re-evaluate the risks of exposure...

There are three questions that every person needs to answer. The first one is, “Where did we come from?” To answer this question we need to look to God’s word for the answers. We came from God. God is the one who created us. Genesis 1:27 reads, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them.”...

As we age, those cute freckles that faded while we were young, are now deepening as the years increase. My mom once told me that she hated her freckles when she was young, until someone told her Doris Day had them. Years of sun exposure create the small brown age spots that appear with each additional year, but what are age spots, how can they be prevented, and can they be lightened?...