PARENTS . . . ACCEPT DEATH AS PART OF YOUR FUTURE
As a teenager, I came across an odd “record.” It was the size of a 45, but it was colored, flexible plastic instead of the customary hard, black disc. Curious, I asked Mom about it. She smiled mysteriously and said, “Play it.” What I heard was my dad’s voice . . . not the one [...]
WHO DECIDES WHEN WE TAKE OUR LAST BREATH?
WHO DECIDES--THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY? The mission of the medical community is to save lives. For them, death is a defeat against which they work tirelessly. How can we not applaud them for the diseases they have defeated, the accident victims they have saved, and the health care most Americans enjoy? When we are sick, we [...]
4 WAYS TO START WRITING YOUR STORY
1. CHOOSE YOUR AUDIENCE AND THUS YOUR VOICE: My brother, Brian Wilson, tells riveting adventure stories. Family gatherings often bring forth still another yarn, and I gleefully request that he write it down. I am collecting a sizable file! What fun it will be to edit his tall tales one day. His voice is the [...]
A DAY WITHOUT DEATH
A day without death was the wish of Clavius Aquila Valerius Niger, the fictitious Tribune whose encounters with Jesus of Nazareth are chronicled in the movie, Risen. Although he wielded much authority, Clavius’ job was basically that of an executioner. He oversaw the crucifixions in Jerusalem and quelled uprisings with the superior force of [...]
JESUS KNEW
JESUS KNEW he was going to die as revealed by Luke 9:51-53. When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people [...]
30 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS MOVIES–WHAT A GIFT!
My technically savvy father left us the precious gift of time travel—a DVD of Christmas movies covering almost 30 years! For two hours we laugh and cry our way forward from the late 1950’s in California to the mid 1980’s in Oregon. It is a joy to watch my brothers and me grow up around [...]
6 QUESTIONS FOR A GOOD OLD AGE
Question #1: How do you speak of your death? Jesus did not experience the aging process, but he faced death. From his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and several discussions with his disciples, it is apparent that he knew the hour and details of his coming crucifixion. Surprisingly, Jesus does not speak of death [...]
AFFORDABLE, AVAILABLE, EFFECTIVE STRESS RELIEF
What form of stress relief . . . . . . . . . . . . is ECONOMICALLY advantageous? No gym membership is needed. It requires no special equipment or expensive clothing. It can be done [...]
INTENTIONALITY ABOUT THE 2ND HALF
If we receive God’s blessing of long life, we will age. How we age, however, seems to be surprisingly dependent upon us. Please observe the huge disparity between those who are positive about the second half of life and those who are not. This attitudinal difference is crucial to one’s outcome. Will we intentionally treasure [...]
ONE SOLUTION TO THE EXERCISE RESOLUTION
WE KNOW THAT . . . Exercise speeds up our metabolism. Exercise produces sweat to release harmful toxins. Exercise produces muscle that burn calories more efficiently. Exercise lowers blood pressure and cholesterol over time. Exercise increases energy, strength, balance, and improves agility. Exercise firms and shapes our bodies, improves our appearance. Exercise burns fat so [...]