Encourage The Faithful
The church I attend honored one of its secretaries recently for her 30 years of service. It is fitting that those who serve God's church in so many different ways be encouraged in their faith and faithfulness.
Souls And Stars
How many stars are there in the vast expanse of the sky? With the help of telescopes, astronomers have discovered galaxies upon galaxies, and clusters of giant stars that make our planet seem like a speck of dust by comparison. At times, that knowledge can overwhelm us with a sense of utter insignificance.
Caught And Cleaned
There's a little church in the mountains west of Boise, Idaho, that recently celebrated its centennial. One part of the celebration was an enactment of the history of their church. Townspeople dressed in period costume portrayed the pastors who served their church over the years.
'No God, No Potatoes'
It's been said that in the former Soviet Union the peasant farmers often enjoyed telling a humorous story to lighten their dreary lives.
Unconditional Love
Unconditional love—how refreshing to see it in action! A doctor recounted how moved he was by a young husband's response to his wife after her facial surgery. To remove a tumor, the surgeon had to sever a nerve that controlled the muscles of her mouth.
Divider Of People
The Boston Red Sox were battling the rival New York Yankees for the division title during the 2001 baseball season—and the race was tight. So when Boston lost six games out of eight, the manager was abruptly fired and his job was given to the pitching coach. Some players and fans applauded the move; others felt it was a terrible mistake. Both sides were very vocal with their opinions.
Memory Impaired?
In a world of cell phones and speed dialing, our ability to remember may be short-circuited by reliance on technological gadgets. A Los Angeles Times article says that in years past, as we dialed phone numbers, the "repetition . . . slowly etched them in long-term memory." Daily use provided constant review. I used to know all the numbers for family and friends, but today all I need to do is press a button.
Crisis Of Faith
Millions of people are afraid to travel by air. Many of them know very well what the statistics say—that they are safer in an airplane than in the family car, or even in the bathtub. But that doesn't matter. Researchers say that a conscious fear of crashing is usually not the problem. The real root of their anxiety is the fear that they will lose control of their lives once they leave the ground.
One Body
Feuds are as old as the human race and as widespread as the common cold. Like the cold, once they start they infect others. It is insidious how easily feuds begin, how long they can last, and the damage they can do. In the late 1800s, two families, one in Kentucky and another in West Virginia, fought for nearly 20 years, and 12 were killed.
