The figure of speech, “sowing the seeds of discontent” has been around for centuries. It refers to the practice of starting a process of convincing people that a future event or problem is likely to happen, and the process itself causes the event or problem to happen. While that can be a negative thing, the…
For more than five years, I proctored exams at Harvard University. During the first couple of years, the protocol was to accompany students whenever they left the room, even to the restroom. We were to check the bathroom stalls before the student entered to make sure that no one had left notes that could help…
Is it okay to have doubts about God? In fact, it is not unusual for people to have doubts, especially when we are feeling vulnerable and insecure. When we don’t feel worthy of God’s love, and when things aren’t going well, it is easy to wonder if God has abandoned us, or if He was…
In May of 2018, Johanna Giselhall visited her local tattoo artist in Kyrkhult, Sweden and had him intertwine the names of her two children onto her arm. After the session was over, Johanna realized that “Kevin” had been misspelled “Kelvin” with the permanent ink. She said, “My heart stopped and I thought I was going…
Never criticize your spouses’ inability to make good choices. Remember, that you are one of them––Author unknown Choosing between two or more alternatives can be difficult for some people. It may be that they have been hurt by making poor choices in the past and do not want to make the same mistakes again. On…
If you saw someone back into someone else’s unoccupied car in a parking lot, and cause a big dent or a broken headlight, and then just drive away, would you take the time and effort to leave a note on the windshield giving the license plate number of the hit-and-run driver? Or would you just…
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…