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Contrary to what most people think, the trappings of Christmas are not based on Jesus Christ of the Bible, but are deeply rooted in pre-Christian oral legends, sanitized by theologians, historians and, in some instances, the editorial rooms of more modern times. Of all these legends, none has grown to the stature and popularity of that of Santa Claus.
"Are you all ready for Christmas?" my dental hygienist cheerfully inquired as I headed for her chair, dreading the next half hour, as I dutifully went for my semi-annual dental cleaning.
Years ago, a friend and I stood on a mountain crest located on the Cumberland Plateau. Before us were broad grassy meadows, created from land that had been strip-mined. Although major damage had been done to the land through clear-cutting of timber and strip-mining, reclamation was producing positive results. The meadows were pleasing to the eye and the animal ...
My cell phone rang with an urgent call from my wife: "Daisy's out—I need your help!" I finished my business, hopped in the car and hurried home through the rain, thankful I was just a few minutes away.
The thought flashed through my mind: “It sure is nice to have God’s protection.” And then it happened! Up until that moment, it was just another long, hot day during my summer break from college, spent toiling in the oil fields near Zwolle, Louisiana. One moment. everything seemed normal; the next moment, I was struggling to breathe.
We've all heard the public apologies of company spokespersons, sports figures, politicians, movie stars or celebrities. We can usually tell whether they mean it or if they're just reading a carefully worded script. When we've been wronged, we expect an apology. But it may be hard for us to apologize when we have wronged someone. Why is apology so important in...
My Dad was a hard and dedicated worker. He always had ongoing projects around the house and made sure his sons in particular were contributors to those projects. He knew how to work hard, but also cherished play and instruction time with his children. He had little schooling, only achieving second grade, but he had an educated heart.
If you think the world has gone crazy or off the deep end, you are not alone. In their book, Future Shock, Alvin and Heidi Toffler described the effect of rapid change on the human psyche. Toffler proposed that an accelerated rate of technological and social change leaves people disconnected, stressed, and disoriented. But, is that the whole reason?
To be sure,...
Nelson Mandela will be remembered around the world as the emblematic face of the struggle against apartheid. Perhaps more than any other individual, Mandela, who died on December 5, 2013 at age 95, embodied the effort to scrap apartheid in South Africa and bring the nation’s exclusive white rule to an end. Upon his death, he is known for his character and its...
It is amazing how often life’s everyday endeavors can point us to the spiritual. There is much we can learn from the most mundane situations, if only we take time to stop and meditate on them.