Life on earth is too short to spend it with negative events, places and even negative people. Many of us work hard at maintaining an optimistic view of life; it is very much like maintaining oneself physically and spiritually. We have to nourish all three in order to maintain a healthy being. We feed optimism…
Tag: Old Testament
On Gleaners and Givers
I remember well, reading about the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. We recently read the story again as a Sunday School assignment, and later we discussed it in our class. The story was about Ruth and her relationship with her mother-in-law, Naomi, but I am being drawn to think now only of the…
On Underdogs
Whether it is the smallest greyhound in the rabbit chase, or a fifth grade team playing a sixth grade team, it doesn’t seem to matter. Wherever a contest is about to take place, observ- ers are openly or quietly rooting for the underdog. This has always been an interesting phenomenon to me, but having observed…
On The Savior
What can one say about the Savior that hasn’t already been said many times? The only thing a person can say is what they personally feel about Him without any concern for what others may have expressed. The way one feels about the Savior is hard for most of us to describe or share publicly,…
On Because of Him
Many of us never take time to really think of Christ from a broader perspective than the routine and common. We know Him through Old Testament prophecy and think of Him as the one who was born of Mary, she who was His virgin mother. We may even think of the shepherds and the wise…
On The Doctrine of The Plan of Salvation
Family history, in its broader sense, may be correctly referred to as a mystery of the Gospel. Why? Because the doctrine is not simple, nor is it found all in one place, a place where just anyone can become easily acquainted with it in its entirety. You might say that most of the doctrine that…
On Death-“If A Man Die”
I remember reading a book years ago written by Gordon T. Allred, a Professor of Literature and a fellow educator at the university I spent thirty years serving. The name of the book was “If a Man Die.” It was a very thought provoking book and it, for the first time in my life, made…
On Obedience
My grandson serving a mission in South Africa emails home every week in response to his mother’s questions. Before starting that procedure, his emails were very short and limited in information, like three or four short paragraphs. When he is required to respond to questions, she is getting some serious dialogue from him. She recently…
On Shadows
“Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere nearby.” (Ruth Renkel) I walk our little dog every morning about 5:30 A.M. and in the Winter, it is usually dark. As we walk along the sidewalk and pass by street lamps, I cast a shadow in front of me. As I get further…
On the Chosen Seed
There are many stories in the Old Testament that provide wisdom to those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand. There are many stories, as well, that make one wonder how the Lord Jehovah could even tolerate the children of Israel with their murmuring and complaining. Regardless of how difficult they became…