We’re emphasizing gratitude in our home right now. The teens ‘round our table apparently think that food falls from the sky and that laundry magically makes it way from hamper to washer and back to dresser drawer. So, there are… Continue reading

  I think I first read the following line in Peanuts, the cartoon strip – “Blessed is the man who expects nothing for he will never be disappointed!”  There is a lot of truth in that statement, but giving up… Continue reading

NEW! IMPROVED! Those words are prominently displayed on various products, promising us that designers worked hard to make what we already like even better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Anybody remember the famous flop of the ‘new’ Coca Cola… Continue reading

Casual, uncommitted Christians populate the Church. Many ‘sin and grin’ acknowledging their failure to live a holy life with a wink, occasionally feeling a passing pang of guilt. Of their lives they say,  “Normal human behavior,” and they are right.… Continue reading

The discussion I enjoyed with the young man was fascinating. He was a churched kid, well taught in the Scripture, knowledgeable of the traditions of Christianity. He is morally upright and in comparison to most of his peers, would seem… Continue reading

In 2001, a TV mini-series called “Band of Brothers” aired. It is great television, one of a rare few productions worth seeing again and again. It is the story of Easy Company of the US Army 101st Airborne division and… Continue reading

The science of psychology can offer up some very helpful explanations about why we act in certain ways. Knowing about our emotions and systems of thought can aid us in discovering tools that are useful for breaking out of self-destructive… Continue reading

George Zimmer’s gravelly voice closes every commercial with a promise: “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.”  The owner of the men’s apparel company goes straight to the basics. If a man is spending money on… Continue reading

Brainwashing is a technique used by regimes who want to change a person’s values and convictions. It involves beating up on the person’s identity, creating a ton of guilt and/or shame about that identity, and causing him to betray himself… Continue reading

Trail mix, that salty, sweet, crunchy, soft mix of various nuts, raisins, papaya bits, and dried banana, is a favorite snack. Sometimes I just pour a handful and eat it all together, which  creates a swirl of flavors. Sometimes I… Continue reading