Why did God make flowers? I think to simply bless us—because He loves us. On Valentine’s Day we celebrate love with roses, the flower of love. Have you ever looked at a rose? I mean really looked? The perfection of the petals, its delicate folds, the colors, the fragrance—all reveal the awesomeness of our Creator. Yet when you pick up a rose, you must be careful. The stem has thorns! Perhaps roses portray human love—beautiful, wondrous—yet imperfect. Love can hurt, pricking us with disappointment and heartache. But God’s love is like a rose without thorns. He demonstrated His greatest love…
With holiday time in full swing, it’s interesting to consider the traditions associated with Christmas. What do decorated trees and wreaths, yule logs, Santa Claus, Christmas cookies, and jingle bells have to do with the birth of Christ? Answer: Nothing! What does December 25 have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ? Answer: Nothing! Research reveals that Jesus was actually born in the fall of the year. Almost all the customs of Christmas stem from ancient pagan festivals honoring other gods, and didn’t begin until some 300 years after Christ’s death. And although the Bible records details about the…
“We have a flat tire,” my husband R. said, as he carefully guided the family van onto the shoulder of the highway. We had just gotten onto the NY State Thruway when I heard an unmistakable POP, and seconds later a grating noise and THUD THUD THUD. It was Christmas morning and we were about sixty minutes in on our 2½ hour trip to my sister’s house. Awaiting us—if we got there—would be a delicious prime rib dinner and surely a delightful visit. As we all got out and surveyed the damage, thoughts quickly turned to the “what should we…