My husband is no Shakespeare, but I love his poetry because it is original, corny, and heartfelt. Usually, I receive poems taped onto my wrapped birthday and Christmas gifts, the contents of which are often suggested by the theme of the poem. My favorite all-time poem is “Ode to Doggy Doo,” which was written the year I received the carpet cleaner. I’ll spare you the details. When we were dating, he decided to woo me with verses from the... Read more
Proverb 31 Is Not Just For Mother’s Day I realize this is the month of February, which is nowhere near Mother’s Day, but I’m going to deviate a little from the time frame for which Proverb 31 is usually read and discuss it now. Although Proverb 31 seems to be the “go-to” Scripture for Mother’s Day, it doesn’t directly pertain to motherhood, per se. It is actually “The Wife of Noble Character,” which could be used for any occasion, including... Read more
In Humor Break, I have mentioned that my body is a temple—a decrepit, crumbling ruin. I have also said that cleanliness is next to godliness as far as keeping this crumbling temple clean. Now I will address what goes into the temple, as in another Humor Break blog called “6 Reasons Why God Should Have Sent Chocolate Rather Than Manna.” I have always taken good care of my body with chocolate. However, some people don’t view what goes into the... Read more
The Bible says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Everyone knows that eating properly and regular exercise are essential for maintaining a healthy body. Studies have also confirmed that exercise is important for our spiritual health, as well. Still, having this knowledge and applying this knowledge are two different things. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the gym and lately, I’ve had a little voice in my head telling me I really need to... Read more
Does the Bible say, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness?” Actually, no. That expression is believed to have originated with John Wesley, co-founder of Methodism. Still, several books of the Bible record elaborate steps of ritual purification and cleansing before approaching a holy God, which is probably why a Saturday night bath was the routine when I was growing up. Somehow, though, I can’t seem to convey this “cleanliness is next to Godliness” message to my sons. Okay, maybe not... Read more
In our home, we have a strict rule that decorating for Christmas does not happen until after Thanksgiving. After the Thanksgiving dinner dishes have been washed and put away officially kicks off the start of the Christmas season. But technically, the days leading up to Christmas are Advent, which is the awaiting of Christ and Christmas. The true Christmas season is from December 25th until Epiphany on January 6th. Still, I don’t think I would enjoy the days leading up... Read more
The Christmas Newsletter Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope this year finds you healthy and happy and catching up with friends and family. One of our Christmas traditions is sending out a newsletter with our Christmas cards to update family and friends about our year. And I love getting letters along with cards so I can see what others are up to. This was especially true before I caved in... Read more
There is a sweet Christmas song called “The Friendly Beasts.” In the song, the animals describe the gifts they gave to Baby Jesus. The donkey, all shaggy and brown, carried his mother up hill and down, carrying Baby Jesus safely to Bethlehem town. The cow all white and red gave him her manger for a bed and a pillow for his head. The dove from the rafters high cooed him to sleep that he should not cry. The camel all... Read more
Where Did Christmas Songs Originate? I wonder how many people know the first Christmas song recorded in history. No, it isn’t Jingle Bells. It is “The Magnificat.” For those who are scratching their heads and saying, “Huh?”, this is the song Mary sang after the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Then I like to think “The First Noel” may have had some historical origins, as well, since supposedly it was the first song sung by angels to assure the frightened... Read more
Where Did the Idea of Christmas Gift-Giving Originate? I had always believed that the tradition of gift-giving on Christmas originated with the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. Much to my surprise, I discovered that gift-giving actually had pagan origins. Long before Jesus was born, pagans were giving gifts during Saturnalia, an ancient Roman pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn. The holiday, which occurred near the winter solstice, gave us many of the traditions we now associate with... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In