Rihanna has a tattoo that reads, “No failures, just lessons.” Given that it is her 13th tattoo, I’m gathering the “lesson” in this case was not the lesson I would have impressed upon my girls — namely, “Don’t get tattoos.” But different strokes … I love the message, though. A negative event in your life…
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Movies
True confession time: Tracie and Taylor have got me watching Hallmark mystery movies. In the beginning, I’ll admit, I thought maybe me watching four or five Mystery 101s would get me a family screening of Lawrence of Arabia. (The investment of time is roughly the same.) But I’ll admit, I actually enjoy the movies themselves. …
Preaching to myself
We are suspending worship services at the church building for the time being. It is a temporary measure to help halt the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, I spent all day Thursday and Friday preaching to a camera, trying to get two online sermons ready to drop on Sunday. They are not overly…
Complaints
When does a negative observation become whining? When does leaning on our brethren for comfort become burdening them with our problems? Is “venting” every once in a while an appropriate response to stress? I have no easy answers for such questions. If you do, please share. Perhaps asking yourself questions such as the following can…
Good Sushi + Bad Knife = Good Enough
The Hammonses are now sushi chefs. OK, that’s probably unfair. Tracie, Kylie and I assembled and ate food resembling sushi our own home. (Taylor doesn’t do sushi. She made some amazing Japanese dumplings instead.) We didn’t cook the rice. Otherwise, though, it was all us. Back pats all around. And the taste was, frankly, better…
Ponytail
Another anecdote from the fast-food establishment that continues to miss opportunities for free advertising in this space: I saw a worker walk to the edge of the food preparation area, turn 180 degrees, fix her ponytail, wash her hands, and return to work. First of all, I pay attention to things. I notice unusual behavior. …
The Patient Pizza Patron
When it comes to pizza places, some people like to stick with the tried and true; the more worldwide locations, the better. Me, I always want to try something new, something local. And thanks to my weakness for little children selling things door-to-door, I had a coupon for a place with a stellar reputation, located…
When in doubt, act like a GROWN-UP
The problem with our society today is not that we have adults who act like children. The problem is, we have adults who aspire to act like children. It is their goal in life. They hate the idea of acting like adults (although they absolutely insist upon being treated as adults). They do not just…
Feeding
Future East Hill gospel meeting preacher Terry Francis said recently on his podcast, “It’s difficult to eat when you are the one serving the meal.” I’ve seen many godly women demonstrate that principle in their dining rooms over the years. It’s far more about helping others than feeding yourself. I can relate as the one…
How to win an election (and lose in life)
Since I’ve already discussed spiritual applications from political matters such as primaries and debates, I thought I might as well complete the cycle and go all the way to election day this week. It serves little purpose to discuss why it is that Candidate X aspires to win a particular election. Ostensibly it is an…