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Making Sense of Grief
“A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”~~ Jeremiah 31:15 We crossed the Isthmus of Corinth to the Old City to hike among the ruins of Acro-Corinth. Two famous and sacred springs flow there…
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Merry Stressmas Everybody!
“The kiln tests the potter’s vessels…” ~~ Ecclesiasticus 27:5 I was baking cookies all day Friday, my oven never going higher than 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a great test for butter, sugar and flour: leave it in that heated box too long and the smoke detector just outside the kitchen door will start its…
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The Fairy Nativity: A Simple Christmas
“There are winds created for vengeance and in their anger they can dislodge mountains. On the day of reckoning they will pour out their strength and calm the anger of their Maker.” ~~ Ecclesiasticus 39: 28 Seventeen days and counting to Christmas: Grey Thursday, Black Friday and the Great Christmas Sales are upon us. Wal-Mart…
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People, Politics, and Mute Buttons
“Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.” ~~ 1 Cor 11:19 Red State, Blue State. Latest polling numbers. Romney chooses Ryan—Breaking news! Pick Bump, Attack Dog, Spin Doctors, and Campaign Ads. I’m already warming up my remote and I long ago quit watching…
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50 Shades of Slavery
“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” ~~ 1 Corinthians 8:9 Twenty million copies of 50 Shades of Grey have been sold, earning author E.L. James around $50,000,000 to date—one million per shade of grey, as the wag might say. As a result, the…
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Pearls and Other Treasures: How Far Will We Go to Find Them?
“The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great price, he went and sold all he had and bought it.” ~~ Matthew 13:45-46 In the 1980’s, the price of oil dropped like a stone and the private school in Texas that depended on wealthy oil…
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Generation to Generation: Handing Down Treasures
“Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” ~~ Luke 12:15 I have way more things than I need! I have the antique pink Fostoria china from my Dad’s mother and the gold-rimmed china from my Nannie, Mother’s mother. When my…
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Mega Millions, Pie in the Sky and Perfection
“If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”~~ Matthew 19:21 I didn’t hit it big last Friday, but then I didn’t go buy the golden ticket. In fact, I bought no ticket at all. I didn’t…
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Generosity
“But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high, he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his peoples.’” ~~ Ephesians 4:7-8 Generosity is a spiritual gift that marks one as having the nature of Christ within them. The human nature…