“Agape” (pronounced ah-gape’) means open mouthed, as in a physical expression of wonder, awe, surprise, or astonishment. “Agape” (pronounced ah-gah-pay) love is a divine kind of love that is selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial. It is not based on feelings, attraction, or even family ties. It is the love that God has for us. It is never…
A simple definition of the word virtue is: “doing what is right and avoid doing what is wrong.” A virtuous person is one who has a strong moral compass and sets and lives by very high ethical and moral standards. Such a person might be described as good, kind, honest, decent, honorable, just and principled. …
Scams are so pervasive that Americans will lose over $10 billion this year in fraudulent schemes. Major newspapers have printed many articles about protecting yourself from common scams. Typical safeguards include watching out for fake charities, double-checking websites since deceptive links can be just a few characters different than the real one, don’t answer unsolicited emails or…
Sometime in the early 1970s, I became aware that I had no credit rating since, at that time, all credit assessments were based on the husband’s income and credit history. This did not seem right to me because it meant that should something happen to my husband, or if we were to be divorced, I…
A paradox is a statement or situation that seems contradictory or absurd, but when examined more closely, reveals a hidden truth or insightful perspective. A real-life example is the paradox of choice, where having more choices can lead to feeling more overwhelmed and less satisfied than having fewer choices. It is the concept of “less is…
A covenant is an agreement or contract. It can be in the form of a written, legal document or can simply be a promise wherein both parties agree to certain types of behavior. A rental agreement might be in the form of a signed lease, or it can be a less formal agreement with the…
Everyone and everything have limits, except God. There is a limit to how much weight a human being can lift. Even heavy equipment can only lift a certain amount of weight. We say we have a phone plan with “unlimited talk, text and data”. But in spite of what the contract says, it only holds…
Stress can manifest itself in the form of pressure, tension, worry, anxiety, trouble, trauma suffering, pain, grief or any number of other negative feelings. Long-term stress can lead to deep depression and to helpless, hopeless feelings of despair. The antidote to stress, or rather, the way to counteract its effects, is the relaxation response. This…
In general, principles are a kind of code or belief system that help us live an ethical and well- reasoned life. They set the standards by which we make good decisions. A principled person is one whose reasoning and conduct are based on truth and decency. Honesty, fairness, respect, empathy, and integrity are examples of…
There are many types of power, from the mechanical power of machines to lift or move vast amounts of physical materials to the power of AI to analyze and manipulate vast amounts of data. Power is usually thought of, in a physical context, as the amount of force required to move something a certain distance…