“What can we do to bring you out of hiding?” My extraverted friend said with an exaggerated sigh.
“I’m not hiding,” I said. “I just don’t like being the center of attention.”Continue Reading
Thanksgiving Trivia for You and Your Guests
Do you know the most disliked traditional Thanksgiving dishes? While many of you are busy shopping, cooking, and cleaning, I thought I’d share some Thanksgiving trivia and scriptures on giving thanks. Maybe it will be a good conversation starter around your table this year. You can use the list to create your own true or false trivia game. They are all true as far as I know.Continue Reading
The Power of Counting Our Blessings
Why am I so blessed? My conversation with a young prison inmate left me reminiscing over my childhood. My parents modeled right and wrong and loved my sister and me and each other—blessings I took for granted growing up. Spending time with those who’d never tasted those basics adjusted my thinking.
Gratitude comes more naturally for some than for others. But we can all learn to cultivate it. We don’t have to spend time with those who have less to recognize the gifts we’ve overlooked, but opening our eyes to other’s trials can make us aware of our blessings.
Larry’s parents owned and managed a small grocery store. They worked long hours and never had a lot to show for it. One day Larry, a typical teen, whined over not having the most popular brand of sports shoes. His dad invited him to join him on a ride. He walked with Larry down a street where the homeless of Phoenix lived. Larry saw a man navigating the sidewalk on a homemade skateboard. Stumps had replaced his legs. Larry felt the strength in his own legs, and name brand tennis shoes lost their luster.Continue Reading
Are You Missing the Benefits of Joy and Play?
We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
2020 has been one of the hardest years I can remember. I lost one of my best friends to cancer; several of my friends lost loved ones in unexpected tragedies; we’ve been isolated, experienced national chaos, and a worldwide pandemic. Under such circumstances to talk about fun may sound frivolous and out of touch. But I have good reason to believe joy is exactly what we need.
Research shows that fun can trigger the release of endorphins which promote an overall sense of well-being. And happy people have better relationships with others. The Bible supports turning on the joy even in challenging circumstances.Continue Reading