I have either been in churches, or have come across messages on podcasts in the past few years where it seems that evangelical pastors seem to shy away from using the name ‘Jesus’ – even some individuals who call themselves…
Continue reading the "December, 2017 – He Had Me at ‘Jesus’" »
Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” Ephesians 5.20
It is interesting to watch different behavioral patterns and how some people react to a given situation compared to others. What I have learned is, that behavior knows no socio-economic boundaries. For example –
Continue reading the "November, 2017 – Teach Me to be Thankful, Lord" »
Several years ago when I was teaching music at Central High School in Providence, RI, as usual per any day I headed to the main office to pick up my mail. In the teacher’s mail boxes would be stuffed certainly plenty of notices and important information, but also a fair share of ‘junk mail’ which promptly went into the waste basket. One day, however, one of the unsolicited fillers seemed to catch my eye, and I even took time to read it.
Continue reading the "October, 2017 – Elvira" »
I have called out to my God many times, but for the purpose of this writing, I vividly remember a life-changing time when I called out to Him back in February, 1974. Much like the Israelites, I didn’t’ call out until I was desperate with nowhere else to turn. The following is from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Psalm 107 – Continue reading the "September, 2017 – Call Out to God" »
“In Psalm 104, the psalmist celebrates God’s glory in His works of creation and providence teaching the dependence of all living creatures, and contrasting the happiness of those who praise Him with the awful end of the wicked.” (from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible)
Continue reading the "August, 2017 – Psalm 104" »
William Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Isn’t that the truth? But in the play Romeo and Juliet, I’m told that Shakespeare was referring to Juliet’s argument that it doesn’t matter that Romeo’s surname is ‘Montague’ from her family’s rival’s ‘house of Montague’. It made me think about my name – or, my ‘names’. I was born Dawn Ellen Bean, but have been known by variations of that name, or completely different names according to my relationship with others.
Continue reading the "July, 2017 – What is in a Name?" »
I would never have dreamt in a thousand years that I would be using this space this month for the following:
Jesse Diauto – Born January 21, 1977 – Died unexpectedly May 22, 2017
Continue reading the "June, 2017 – Tribute to a Young Friend" »
I always loved going home for the breaks during my college years. It was HOME! With all its familiarity, I could have navigated through our old New England colonial blindfolded. Nothing ever changed. Everything was right where it supposed to be. The butter and condiments were in the same cupboard. The towels right where they should be in the hall closet. The dog’s dish to the left of the kitchen stove. And my left over high school memoirs still right in the draw where they were first placed. Everything was the same. I loved it!
Continue reading the "May, 2017 – Jesus Loves Me This I Know" »
It is common knowledge that every major religion has a symbol. I’m sure that we all would recognize each one. My favorite television quiz program, Jeopardy has had a category more than once covering ‘world religions and their symbols’. I came across an article recently that put together these religions with their visual symbols in the following succinct manner –
Continue reading the "April, 2017 – The Cross" »
“Not everyone can say (it), but I count myself lucky to have a birth mother who loved me enough to know she wasn’t ready to be a mom. I’m lucky that I have wonderful parents who chose me. I often say adoption is a full-circle blessing and I truly believe it. Adopted children were not abandoned, we were chosen. – Kristen Chenoweth
Continue reading the "March, 2017 – The Fatherless" »