Devotionals

“Failure is not an option” is a phrase popularized by the movie Apollo 13. In the context of the real lunar mission, we are all grateful for the resolve of those who rescued the stranded astronauts. However, that kind of relentless determination is not always appropriate.  One of those ways is what’s known as “helicopter parenting.” According to one psychologist and children’s mental health [...]

You may be putting some New Year’s resolutions in motion today, but did you know that the practice has pagan roots?  About 4,000 years ago, the Babylonians recognized the new year in mid-March when crops were planted.  The event was marked by a weeklong celebration that involved reaffirming their loyalty to idols and a commitment to pay debts and return borrowed items.  It was [...]

In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss speculates on the reason for the Grinch’s sour attitude. “It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all, May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.” Dr. Seuss had a gift few [...]

My favorite fiction author is Charles Dickens. He was a master of satire, using it to comment on social injustices during the Victorian era. (He grew up in extreme poverty with a father in debtor’s prison.)  His parodies feature memorable characters such as Oliver Twist, Tiny Tim, and Uriah Heep, whose traits are often sharply exaggerated. Perhaps the most famous of these is the [...]

What Will Jimmy Wear? In the 90s sitcom, Seinfeld, there is a bit where a man named Jimmy is attracted to the show’s female lead, Elaine.  He expresses his interest in her, but the conversation quickly goes awry because he awkwardly refers to himself in the third person.  Alluding to himself, his first words to Elaine are, “Jimmy is pretty sweet on you,” leading [...]

In the 1960s, a field of study was born known as “observational learning.”  It focuses on the process of acquiring new behaviors by imitating others.  According to experts, the methodology involves four stages: attention (noticing the behavior), retention (remembering it), reproduction (replicating the behavior) and motivation (having a reason to do it).  With that in mind, I intend to draw your attention to six [...]