A thought-provoking plaque in a gift shop reads: “Learning changes your mind. Exercise changes your body. Who you choose to love changes who you are.” Think about that! We didn’t have a choice about who brought us into this world, but at some point in our lives, we do have a choice about who we…
Most thinking people can’t help but wonder why we exist, and what it all means. Rev. Charley Reeb, preacher and author, has compiled a list of seven questions people want answers to: “I wonder if God Exits. I wonder why bad things happen to good people. I wonder why my prayers go unanswered. I wonder…
For 116 years, Barnum’s Animals crackers have come in little boxes that multiple generations easily recognize and fondly remember. However, you’ll be hard pressed to find that old familiar look. Playing off its namesake, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, the colorful boxes debuted in 1902 showing animals in boxcars reminiscent of the circus coming to town. The three rings no…
Have you ever wondered why you are here? Not the old “senior moment” joke where you go into a room and can’t remember why you are there, but the bigger question of why you were put on this earth. It’s the kind of thing that sometimes comes up when we feel like we could be…
In 1997, the book Into Thin Air became a bestseller. Author Jon Krakauer chronicled the disastrous 1996 Mt. Everest expedition that resulted in the deaths of eight climbers. Charlotte Fox was a part of that summit. She made it to “the top of the world” and survived the harrowing journey down. On May 24, 2018, Fox fell down the stairs of…
There are many stories in the Bible that demonstrate the concept of mercy. The first one that comes to mind is the story of the Good Samaritan. That story is particularly instructive in light of the history of the time. Jews and Samaritans were not on the same social level. The Samaritans were considered inferior.…
In recent years parenting has been tagged with plenty of labels: tiger, helicopter, elephant, free-range, etc. The school year of 2018-19 began with a new moniker, “lawnmower parent.” A post that went viral on We areTeachers.com explained how lawnmower parents mow down all of their children’s challenges, struggles and discomforts. Editorial Director of the website, Hannah Hudson, shared…
Two teenagers were at the mall killing time until they could go see a movie at the adjoining theater. One said to the other, “Let’s buy popcorn and candy at the grocery store before we go. It’ll be a lot cheaper.” To which the other teen said, “Haven’t you seen the sign at the theater…
In a previous article in this series, the topic of hope was put into the context of the ultimate hope of life after death. In this treatment of the topic the focus is on hope as a means of dealing with the problems of everyday life, i.e., hope vs. hopelessness. A person, let’s call her…
The Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy houses Michelangelo’s statue of King David. People wait for hours to catch a glimpse of this masterpiece, which was created half a millennium ago. On their journey to the featured exhibit, tourists pass a number of unfinished statues known as Prisoners. The Hall of Prisoners displays works that Michelangelo never completed. Erupting…