Devotionals

Christmas is in a couple days and it’s common to refer to it as the “season of giving.” We give gifts to co-workers, family and friends—homemade goodies, clothes and toys for the young and old. There is no denying that it is a blessing to give to others, particularly those in need. The saying that “’Tis better to give than receive” is biblical. In [...]

Some people have been blessed with an extraordinary aptitude for gift giving. They seem to purchase the perfect gift for each person. For the rest of us it is one of the more stressful aspects of the Christmas season. As the giver, our bent is to look at things that we would like, but the best givers know what the receiver, in their heart [...]

Your dad said it to you, and you’ve said it to your kids. “You don’t need it, you want it. There’s a difference.” You were both right. The distinction between needs and wants is a lesson that all children must learn. A brightly colored, plastic toy conspicuously placed at a child’s eye level is not a need. Our pattern is to teach the child [...]

A term that has become a bit of a cultural buzzword is “sustainability.”  In fact, there is a School of Sustainability at Arizona State University.  You can earn a bachelor’s or even a master’s degree in the field.  Our culture’s idea of sustainability involves identifying ways to reduce current harmful effects that may compromise future generations.  That doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.  I’m all [...]

In Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore is famous for saying (in his characteristically miserable tone), “Thanks for noticing me.”  All of us know an Eeyore or two—people that couldn’t see the bright side of the sun on a cloudless day.  However, for the Christian that is entirely out of character.  It is illogical that one that has been reconciled to God while she was God’s enemy would [...]

You probably know this, but Thanksgiving is one week away.  For many people it is a week of eager anticipation, but for others it can be the cause of intense anxiety stemming from strained family relationships.  I don’t know who gets the credit, but the guy was spot on that said, “Ain’t no drama like family drama.”  The current President, money owed to dad, [...]