America and Americans are going through a rough time in the history of our nation. There is a lot of turmoil and racial upheaval right now. Just this week, in July of 2016 a black man from a sniper position, shot and killed 5 white police officers in Dallas, Texas. Police officers who were protecting…
Tag: Challenges
From Candles To Soap
In 1879, Procter and Gamble’s best seller was candles. Yes, they made candles… But the company was in trouble. Thomas Edison had invented the lightbulb, and it looked as if candles would become obsolete. Their fears became reality when the market for candles plummeted since they were now sold only for-special occasions. The outlook appeared…
On Mining And Miners
History has demonstrated that mining has been going on nearly since man first existed on earth. Mining is not limited to coal, silver, gold and other valuable minerals, but those are most commonly associated with the thought of mining today and in the recent past. Mining can be associated with most everything man does that…
On Loads Give Us Traction
There are several ways that the word traction can be used, but the most common in this modern age is in respect to a tire on a road surface. The following story is one told by my youngest son at a church meeting in New York City—a story that he would never tell to his…
On Enough
Enough is a slippery word because it means something different to every individual. It is defined as: something occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations. The only problem with that definition is that enough is determined on an individual basis because your enough is not the same as my…
On Remorse
Remorse is commonly described as an emotional expression of personal regret felt by someone after they have committed an act which they have now realized was shameful, hurtful, or even violent. It is common with guilt and personal resentment. During a recent trip to England, we toured a beautiful old castle, and while we were…
On Comprehension
There is an interesting story about a young boy vacationing with his parents on a Lake Michigan beach near a sand dune called Mount Baldy. That young boy and a friend were racing to the top of the sand dune when he, all of a sudden, disappeared into the sand. People and rescue crews came…
On The Thorns of Life
I remember as a youth in Minnesota running through what we called “the woods,” a rather dense stand of trees behind our house and catching my arm on a thorny vine from a blackberry patch. Not only did it wound me, but a big hooked thorn was still in my arm. I remember how it…
On Hard Things
When Adam and Eve transgressed and were asked to leave the Garden of Eden, I wonder if either of them had any idea what the Father was saying to them. “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall…
On Taking Risks
When we think of risk and risk taking, we ordinarily don’t relate it to everyday activities. Yet when we think about it, almost everything that we do is, or can be risky. Ordinarily we go through life and never consider the choices we make and the things we do as being risky. Listening to the…