Being What Ya’ Are, Part One

In my more zany moments, I have been known to do some crazy things. I’m relieved that most of them are not known by most of you. If they were, I sincerely doubt that what little bit of dignified respect I may have earned over the years would remain intact. Maybe that explains why I had such a struggle with the whole idea of entering the ministry in the first place.

Read More

Criticism

Looking for a role model on how to handle criticism? It would be worth your while to check out the book of Nehemiah. On several occasions this great-hearted statesman was openly criticized, falsely accused, and grossly misunderstood. Each time he kept his cool . . . he rolled with the punch . . . he considered the source . . . he refused to get discouraged . . . he went to God in prayer . . . he kept building the wall (Nehemiah 2:19–20; 4:1–5).

Read More

Be Joyful

EVEN THOUGH I DON’T LIKE IT, I’m tempted to stand back, shrug, and agree with the wag who wrote: This is the age, Of the half-read page, And the quick hash, And the mad dash, The bright night, With the nerves tight, The plane hop, With the brief stop, The lamp tan, In a short span, The big shot, In a good spot, And the brain strain, And the heart pain, And the catnaps, Till the spring snaps, And the fun’s done.

Read More

Find the Good Stuff

Far too many folks suffer from that most contagious of all diseases. I call it the “If Only” Syndrome. The germs of discontent can infect a single host and then overtake an entire community, affecting every aspect of life—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The following is a list of some statements said by those caught in the “If Only” Syndrome:

Read More

Choose Joy

It’s no secret that I love to laugh. Laughter filled my childhood home, and I hope my children remember their early years as cheerful. I am convinced the Lord has a great sense of humor and that He wants His people to laugh loudly and often. So our study about the constructive use of the mouth concludes on that light note. 5. A good sense of humor

Read More

Staying Young

I‘d like to offer several tips on how to stay young. Number one: Your mind isn’t old, keep developing it. Watch less television and read more. Spend time with people who talk about events and ideas rather than sitting around a shop talking about people.

Read More

Laugh It Off

Let’s have some fun. It’s overdue. Life’s been getting a little tight; it’s much too serious lately. With more deadlines, too many meetings (all of them too long!), not enough relaxation, more e-mails than I can handle, and the feeling that I gotta do more to keep all those weak marriages together, it’s enough to […]

Read More

How to Waste Your Time This Year

With the dawning of a new year comes a deluge of resolutions, reminders, and exhortations. They all follow similar how-to themes—how to increase your efficiency, how to make every moment count, how to invest your time wisely and productively. Well, just for some tongue-in-cheek fun, I’d like to take the opposite tack. I’m going to […]

Read More

Things My Mother Taught Me

This month is dedicated to celebrating women. I realize not everyone who reads this is a woman, but you probably have at least one woman in your life—a mother, your spouse or girlfriend, or a daughter. But whether or not you’re a woman, this fun little piece made me chuckle, and I thought you would […]

Read More