Think About It

Several days ago a man lost his wallet on a flight to Las Vegas to celebrate his sister’s wedding.   Inside the wallet was a check and $60 in cash.   You can imagine the man’s emotions when he realized the wallet was missing; but, a few days later a package arrived containing the wallet and an extra $40.   The anonymous note explained that the person had found the wallet wedged between the seat and a wall on a different flight.   The extra $40 – the person explained that the added money would make the cash an even $100 with which to celebrate the return of the wallet.   The reason I share this story is two-fold:   First, it is a reminder that there are still good, honest people in the world.   The news, social media and water-cooler griping is filled with plenty of stories about how bad people have gotten, but the truth is that not everyone has become evil.   Second, it is reminder that we can make a major difference in people’s life by doing s...

          What do we do when people make fun of our beliefs?  Folks, I have to be honest that I don’t see a lot of the criticism the world seems to heap onto believers, but I am not going to belittle what others feel – and that leads us back to the original question.  When people make fun of us (or even show bias against us) because of our faith, how do we react?  Do we sulk and pout?  Do we launch a social media rampage against them?  Do we seek to get even (or even get ahead) by criticizing their beliefs?  While these options are available to us, none of them seem to be a mature response!           When many of the First Century Christians faced opposition because of their faith – is wasn’t merely people saying catty things about them, it also involved economic and physical abuse.  So, if they were going to face hardships, what were they supposed to do?  The New Testament o...

          Even though my family has roots in West Virginia I had never really been there until last week.   I had been to Harper’s Ferry (which is technically in West Virginia), but that’s as far as I’d gotten.   First of all, I must admit that I was quite taken by the mountains in West Virginia.   Having lived in the Rockies I was a bit of a “mountain snob”, but there are really neat vistas in the Appalachians.   Now, having said this, there was one thing that I noticed – it felt like it took forever to get out of the state!   I like driving, but it just seemed like I would never get home.   With the tenuous winter weather, the small towns, switchbacks, narrow roads, fog and hilly driving I was flat beat when I got home.   I was never really worried or scared that I couldn’t do it, it just wore me out.           As I thought about my trip back from the Mounta...

          A few years ago – in response to what some perceived as the commercialism of the Holiday Season – someone came up with what has come to be known as “Giving Tuesday”.  The concept is that on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (and the inevitable spending on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday) people should be reminded not to forget about philanthropy and giving to their special causes.  It is a day on which a lot of non-profits and social groups emphasize giving (and, in particular, giving to their cause).  If you have been looking for a chance to give a donation, today is a good day to do it.           I hope that organizations make a lot of money today, but in the hoopla of supporting groups, let’s remember that we also have a chance to give to others.  Yes, organizations need major gifts, but let’s not forget that our smaller gifts and donations can make a differe...

          I really like Thanksgiving Day, but I also enjoy the entire “Holiday Season” that runs from late November to about the day after Christmas.  There is something special about this month – not just because you can get a deal on just about anything you’d like to buy – but, because people seem to be better.  Some might chalk it up to trying to make it from the “Naughty List” to the “Nice List”, but I really think it has to do with a sense of religiousness in the season.   The presence of the reminder of the birth of Jesus tends to bring out a spiritual side in people.  There is more civility, more service, more generosity and more gentleness.  No, not everyone gets into the spirit of the season, but it is amazing to feel the change that exists.          I enjoy the break from the routine – and don’t mean to complain – but, this does seem to bring up the ...

Have you ever heard the phrase, “It’s not personal, it’s just business”?   Do you know where that comes from?   No, it has nothing to do with accounting or marketing – it comes from American mobsters.   According to several sources, Otto Berman was the one who coined the phrase.   While it does have a certain allure to it, we need to consider Berman’s fate.   If the quote did come from Berman, we should keep in mind that on October 23, 1935 Berman was killed in a gangland hit in an attempt on the life of Mafia boss Dutch Schultz. While few of us are apt to live by the code of organized crime, it is tempting to justify suspending our spirituality in the interest of things such as politics or business.   In essence, we attempt to excuse certain actions by claiming, “It’s not wrong to cheat someone, it’s just good business” or “It’s not wrong to support immorality, it’s just being political.”.   We might be able to justify this in our minds, but that d...

          While days of Thanksgiving had been celebrated around the nation for almost a century, it wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln sought to make it a national holiday.  In his proclamation, President Lincoln reflected on the gracious gifts from God, then stated, “ It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”  This statement, in-and-of-itself, is challenging; but it’s true power comes to light considering what was happening on the North American continent in 1863.  In the midst of an uncivil war, Americans wer...