Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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The ball has dropped in New York. The confetti is cleaned up. Folks who drank too much are finally feeling better. Most unwanted Christmas gifts have been returned. Very few Christmas trees or light displays remain up. The credit card bills are in the mail. Children around the world have gone back to crying and pouting and are not being good for goodness sake. Why? I'm telling you why. Except for the Greek Orthodox, the holidays are over. The long, dark, bleak mid-winter January days are upon...
I am not one of those parents. For years proud parents have sent out Christmas letters (or posts) with updates on their family and all the accomplishments of their children. My sons are fine young men, but I know better than to brag about them. So I won't mention that my oldest son was one of the stars of his high school musical. Why would I even state that my younger son is one of the best players on his basketball team? Maybe I am a little like one of those parents. Imagine what Jesus'...
It is Christmas time in the city and the Cove. It seems like each year the season begins sooner. If the proper focus is on the Christmas holiday it is not necessarily a bad thing that we think of Jesus' birth for more than a few days. It is interesting to consider the various beings and people who were there for the Christmas story. Angels got to interpret dreams, give reassuring messages, and give a birth announcement like no other. Then there is the innkeeper. What Christmas pageant does not...
"I want it now!" You may or may not have said that statement aloud at some point. But you probably thought it; maybe many times. We live in a world where we want things conveniently and quickly. The issue was exemplified years ago in the film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." A spoiled girl who toured the factory with her wealthy father was awestruck by the goose who laid the golden egg. She wanted the goose for herself along with sweet treats that her eyes beheld. She was told she can...
It's beginning to look a lot like...Election Day. While some local elections just concluded the election I am talking about what takes place in one year. It is hard to believe but the countdown to the presidential election has begun. Are you ready? It is said that religion and politics don't mix. What about faith and politics? It is an important matter to consider as we are about to be inundated with messages and the murky waters of an important race that currently involves a long list of...
Around my house rarely does a day go by without some mention of practice. Whether it is basketball or baseball, musical or play practice, worship team or something else, on any given night at least one of us seems to be off to practice. They say practice makes perfect, but I have yet to accomplish that. The famous joke asks, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" Practice, practice, practice. I recently auditioned for an upcoming community theater's Christmas variety show. I was interested in doing...
I have written about and enjoyed God’s amazing grace for a long time. I can’t think of a bigger concept and fact in life. God loves me and demonstrated His grace through Jesus’ death and resurrection. I don’t deserve to be the Lord’s adopted child but am grateful for forgiveness and a place in Heaven. Grace is huge. But lately I have been thinking about small graces. There are those little things that we experience, do, or have done for us that remind us that God is so good. They can easily go u...
So there I was. It was a beautiful late summer evening and my son and I were on our way to the first high school football game which was about an hour away. He was driving since he has his permit and that's about all he wants to do. We were about 15 minutes into the trip and were talking when suddenly the car vibrated. I assumed he hit a rumble strip. He learned that from his Mother (or maybe from me). But when I looked closely at the road I saw that there were no rumble strips. It stopped...
Singing in church is an interesting thing. Some people feel that when one sings in church that they are worshipping. That should be the case, but it is a matter of the heart. Others think that singing is really the only way to worship God. They forget that prayer and giving and offering your life in service to God are also acts of worship. Some people chose a church in large part based on the music that the church typically is known for. Hymns are beloved by many, but it is not easy to find a...
It is hard to believe but just about every student is back to school. How many times have you recently heard people comment on how quickly summer flew by? Folks asked my sons if they were ready to go back to school. I reminded my eldest that it was his last first day. The years really do go by fast. I was reminded of my school years this week when my sister came across my high school yearbook from my senior year. I haven’t changed a bit! Well, maybe I look just a little older. In almost 40 years the styles have certainly changed. The culture h...
Recently my four siblings and our families had a 24-hour reunion trip to Pittsburgh. We took in some sights and did things most of us had never done, even though the majority of us live fairly close to the Steel City. We had a great time sharing old memories and creating new ones. One thing that was obvious was that everyone lives with deadlines. There was a checkout deadline. What time should we meet in the hotel lobby to start our adventure? She says 10 a.m. I offer 11 a.m. OK – 10:30 a.m. M...
Years ago Art Linkletter had a hit show called "Kids Say the Darndest Things." The premise was simple. Film a child or a small group of them as you ask questions. Their answers were sometimes profound, perhaps embarrassing to their family, and almost always cute and funny. There is no doubt that kids say interesting things at an early age. We recognize how quickly their minds and bodies develop. It is no wonder that Jesus blessed the children and did not want them pushed aside! I wish there was...
I had the opportunity last week to perform the wedding ceremony for a young woman who had been in my youth group. I saw her grow up. Her future husband and I last summer bonded over our love of baseball. It was a privilege to do their pre-marital counseling and then officiate the outdoor wedding at a horse farm in Roaring Spring. One thing stuck me leading up to the big event. Weddings are wonderful...and weird. I wish I could remember my own special day better, but it was 20 years ago. I would...
It was a beautiful late autumn day. I was probably 12 or 13 years old. My younger brother was 9 or 10. My parents were not home and I am not sure where my older brother and sister (Jack and Jill) were. My brother and I decided to go outside late that afternoon and burn stuff near our house. There was a large field on the hillside where we lived that separated our property from another house. Before long whatever we were burning caught the high grass on fire. I decided we should get a shovel...
In a recent conversation with someone from my church, he mentioned how people need peace. I have certainly seen that as a hospice chaplain. It is usually obvious when a person lives in peace and when they don't. It saddens me when someone dies and people say "Rest in Peace." Apart from God, no one does. So what is peace and what does the Bible say about it? Peace is a huge topic in the Bible, with some form of the word used over 400 times. It has the idea of tranquility, harmony, security and we...
If I were to ask the average Christian why they pray, I may get answers like...prayer changes things and the Bible tells us we should. People can probably quote a number of prayer-related verses. Folks could tell of times they saw God work in their lives through prayer. Most believers also relate prayer to guilt because we never feel like we pray enough. Today I want to consider why we should pray. I am not an expert on prayer, nor am I satisfied with my prayer life. It is such a big topic that...
Can you keep a secret? The ability to keep a secret is usually seen as a good thing. We never want to break a confidence. However, sometimes secrets can be a problem. It is no secret that I want to consider that topic. Last week I went to a Russ Taff concert. You may remember him from the Imperials. Many know him because of his work with the Gaithers. He has performed for over four decades and won a number of Grammy awards. His voice is incredible. So is his story. For a long time, he had...
Have you ever longed for "the good old days"? I thought so. Me too! Did you know that the phrase "good old days" comes directly from the Scriptures? Have you ever thought about why we wish we could return to a previous, perhaps more simple time? Do you realize that a lot of people in the good old days also longed for the good old days? Obviously as most people enter the second half of life there is a natural decline in various ways. However, that does not mean that younger is better. To...
I have a question. I know you can’t answer me because you are reading this in the paper. But I wonder, what do you think about questions? What do you think about asking God questions in prayer? Do you consider it wrong to “question” the Lord? Many people do because they have told me…”I know we are not supposed to question God.” How do we know that? Years ago one could go to Radio Shack to buy a CB radio, walkie talkies, digital watch, calculator, a transistor radio, or a TV antenna. Back then they had a slogan – “You’ve Got Questions, We’ve...
I love it when a plan comes together. Things working out as they are supposed to is always preferred. God is the master planner. As Easter approaches I am reminded of Christmas and the genealogy presented in Matthew 1. As the royal line of Jesus is listed we find two familiar names – Boaz and Ruth. That brings us to the final chapter of the book of Ruth. We realize that God is working but are uncertain of what will happen. Boaz must see if the closer relative wants to be the kinsman-redeemer f...
I have had the privilege of being in over 40 states and eight countries. I have seen amazing cities and beautiful rural landscapes. The mountains and the beach are attractive to me. Getting away is something I really enjoy. Seeing new places and people of different cultures is wonderful. Although I was not very impressed with Kansas, I must agree with Dorothy after her trip to Oz. There is no place like home! I remember as a kid that my friends in the neighborhood would invite me to play ball,...
When we last left Naomi she was bitterly back in Bethlehem but the barley harvest began. The culture and customs would have been new to Ruth, but her focus was on being a support to her mother-in-law. Since God is always working, we should be prepared for what He has for us next. It just so happened that the sovereign Lord had a plan for Naomi and Ruth. The Bible states that a relative of Naomi's deceased husband named Boaz was "wealthy and influential" (Ruth 2:1). Sometimes being wealthy and...
The book of Ruth is only four chapters long and named after the star of the story. It is easy to overlook the truths of the book or relegate it to a ladies Bible study. I thought it might be worthwhile to devote a few columns to this amazing story that has tragedy, romance, and historical value. It does not start well because there is a severe famine in the land. I like to eat pretty often. The fact that I have never faced a famine makes me grateful. Not only due people suffer during famines,...
Last week I approached a woman. When she saw me she said, "You look wonderful." Of course I liked the sound of that. Then she added, "I love you." I was not expecting that! She was not my wife. Hopefully you are still reading. The lady with the kind words was a patient of mine. On a few previous occasions we had good conversations, but typically she is too tired or weak to talk. One time when I told her I was the chaplain she simply said, "I am Lutheran," and closed her eyes. I guess I don't...
Are you ready for the big day? Groundhog Day is right around the corner! The idea of the Punxsy prognosticator predicting the future has me thinking about the weather. Weather is one of the most common topics of conversation that people have. That is not surprising because it is something we all have in common. I visit with people who will never be outside again. They still like to discuss the weather. Weather does not discriminate. When was the last time you checked the forecast? How often do...
Months ago when the Steelers were playing well (remember that?) I was in a nursing home where they were raffling off two tickets to the final home game. The money went to a good cause and I thought that would be a big game and the tickets would be very valuable. They had a system where you just bought the raffle tickets and placed them in a bag. When I peeked in I liked my chances. So I bought 20 tickets for a $10 donation. On the day of the drawing I waited for my phone to ring informing me that I was a winner. I was a month away from going...
Since this column is appearing on my birthday, I thought I would share my birthday wish. World peace would be nice, but that’s not looking very promising. A cure for cancer would be great, also. Hopefully we are getting closer to that. The Pirates winning the World Series is one of my wishes, but I have to be realistic. I wish the Christmas spirit could last 12 months. Christians celebrating who Jesus is all year would be amazing. Even those who are apart from the faith seem more cheerful a...
Often when I hear the song “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” I think back to my seminary Hebrew studies. I must admit that not much of it stuck with me, nor do I use what I learned very often. However, I do remember that Bethlehem means “house of bread.” I have been to Bethlehem (Pennsylvania and Israel). The place where Jesus was born still isn’t much to text home about. But it is no coincidence that our Lord took on human flesh there. The wondrous Gift was given! The Bread of Life provides us with what we need. I like bread and eat a lot of it...
