Think About It

Uncertainty:  is it exciting or scary?  When you look into the future, how do you feel – exhilarated or anxious?  The answer to each of these questions probably rests on our perspective.  For some people, when they look at what could happen, they are prone to see the problems and pitfalls.  They imagine the worst that could happen and feel a sense of inability to overcome it.  Yet, there are others who embrace the uncertainty of the future.  They see the challenges and confront them with a sese of adventure.  They may not know what will happen, but believe that no matter what happens, they will develop the skills they need to win the day.  For some, this is enhanced by a faith that the God who got them through all the yesterdays will prepare them for the tomorrows. Some who struggle with an optimistic future do so because of pessimism and others may have an emotional glitch in their thought process, but maybe we can all learn from those who l...

          I haven’t followed the Jeffry Epstein mess close enough to know much about it, but what I do know is that scandals like this irritate me – not just that some prominent people took advantage of others, but because of what it can do to a lot of innocent people.  Several years ago, more than one famous preacher admitted to inappropriate relationships and while it impacted their careers, I also believe it made it harder for others of us to feel comfortable doing our jobs.  I hope that these sordid stories don’t negatively impact good people doing good things, but I have to admit it can make me feel uneasy.           One struggle in dealing with something like this is combating negative accusations about something you didn’t do.  How can you prove you are innocent?  I don’t know that you can do that, but what we can do is live lives that make it harder for people to accuse you and even ha...

Over the last few weeks something incredible happened.  Across our nation, there were thousands of people negatively impacted by tough economic times.  Either directly or through a “trickle down effect” a lot of people were left in the lurch.  Yet, as the needs became known, people came to the rescue.  When some people faced challenges, a lot of other people made donations.  When people missed a paycheck, others anonymously stopped by their houses and dropped off food.  I am sure there were people who actually did suffer because of the hard times, but many others had at least some of their needs filled by good-hearted, well-meaning people.  I wish I could say that the hard times were over, but in all honesty, as long as there are people, there will be challenges.  That is why it is important that those of us who can continue to help those in need keep doing it.  There will always be people who don’t have enough; but, through neighborly love, ...

Over the last few weeks there have been some pretty public feuds that have had negative impacts on people – not just those primarily involved, but collateral damage as well.   The government shutdown put a lot of public servants in a financial bind and negatively impacted those who needed access to government services.   To a lesser degree, a spat between two media giants caused the disruption of programming for people who pay good money to be entertained.   I am sure that if you were to ask those directly involved, they could make a case for their reactions – but that doesn’t help those who were caught in the crossfire.   I was hoping we were passed the point of buyer beware – now I am not so sure. While it easy to get frustrated with “big business”, have you thought about how our private arguments can influence bystanders?   When we have a family disagreement and children can’t see their extended family, what good does that do?   When we get crossways w...

The other night Jeane and I were watching a movie and came across a phrase neither of us had ever heard – listicle.   The characters in the show used the word several times so we finally decided that we needed to figure out what they were talking about.   Come to find out, a listicle is a piece of writing or other content presented in the form of a list.   (And who said watching the rom-coms on Great American Family or Hallmark Movie Channels aren’t educational!).   Now, I don’t know who coined the phrase, but it appears that it began to become popular in the mid-2000s.   Let me rephrase that – the word became popular in that decade; the literary device is much older.   As I reflected on listicles, I thought of the Apostle Paul pretty quickly.   One of his notable writing techniques is listing.   There are times when he could have painted word pictures to describe a concept; but, instead, chose to list connecting words to present his point. ...

Have you ever thought about the irony of “In God We Trust” being printed on our money?  In the mid-19 th Century, a push began to take place to put this inscription on some forms of U. S. currency.  By the mid-1950s the inscription was commonly found on our money.  Now, before I attempt to make my point, let me go on record as saying that I am not morally or religiously opposed to some national claim of acknowledging God; but I do find it ironic that the very thing that is often at odds with trusting God professes a faith in Him.  There are several things that can tend to degrade our belief that God can and will care for us, but one of the most compelling is materialism.  It is way too easy to place our faith in our funds rather than in our Father.  By pursuing our desire to accumulate stuff here on earth, we are tempted to neglect the spirit that can lead us to heaven. I realize that fewer and fewer people actually use cash in today’s society, but I encou...

          Most of us are familiar with the adage, “once bitten, twice shy”.  This is a pretty good piece of advice that reminds us to learn from our mistakes.  Yet, the other day, I was struck by a similar sounding gem, “once bitter, twice shy”.  Just as past mistakes and misjudgments should be a guide to better living; by realizing the impact bitterness has on us and our relationships we can do better and feel better in the future.  Bitterness and resentment aren’t “one and done” … they are feelings that keep regenerating and provide a continual emotional undertow.  When we live with bitterness, it doesn’t just impact one relationship it has the ability to suck the joy and contentment out of so much of our lives.           Years ago, the Apostle Paul warned, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind ...