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Words can be powerful things. With so many similar words to choose from—especially in the English language—I am often amazed at how the use of a particular word or phrase in just the right situation can stop a reader right in his or her tracks. Perhaps this has happened to you. You read a certain line and are so struck by it that you have to pause and consider...
We may have first heard about promises from a childhood playmate informing us we must “promise not to tell” before they tell us a secret. We also sadly discover early in life that promises are usually broken.
It was simply a trip to a major retail bookseller with a friend who wanted to pick up a book. Who knew it would be an eye-opening experience? Unless you go to movie theaters, watch a lot of popular television shows, or peruse the popular books at your favorite retailer, you may not be aware of the current obsession involving vampires, zombies, and other macabre...
"Did you hear about so-and-so?" Ears perk up, heads turn and attention is grabbed when we hear those words. We know we are about to hear something private and scandalous about someone we know. Psychologists say gossip has evolutionary origins with our prehistoric ancestors and enabled cavemen, and even their supposed primate ancestors, to survive. What are the...
Some estimate that there are well over 30,000 different church organizations calling themselves Christian; most of which claim to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. How is anyone supposed to sort through so many options? If Christ came back today and looked for the Church He founded, what criteria do you suppose He would use?
Whenever I visit my doctor—as reluctant as I am about it—the nurse will inevitably take my vital signs, including my blood pressure. In an effort to skew the results in my favor, I typically close my eyes to envision a warm, white sandy beach, and the sounds of surf on a pristine emerald shoreline as I sit under a beach umbrella, savoring the bouquet of an ice...
Several million people lost power as a result of the devastation brought about by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Across the Caribbean islands and the southern United States, people suffered the loss of electric power. This might be a relative inconvenience compared to those who also lost their homes and possessions, but the effects are nevertheless profound.
What plays out in our daily news today would have been very shocking only a few years ago. We hear and see things in the news that violate all civil rules for good taste and decorum. Social mores and acceptable behavior have changed dramatically in less than a generation.
The search for peace is a major concern in the world today. People pray for peace. They light candles for peace. They march in the streets and stage demonstrations to promote peace and prevent war. Yet, strife, violence, and war continue. Is there a reason? Why have the concerted efforts of intelligent human beings for more than a century failed to find a...
Every day brought new rumors. Soldiers had become more active, and the night before bricks had mysteriously disappeared from many abandoned buildings. And now, people were saying a wall would soon be built. Fearing the worst, Hasso pleaded with his friend that they should escape the city. His friend, skeptical of the rumors, encouraged Hasso to "Relax. Enjoy...