As you have probably noticed, holidays are important in my life and in the life of my family. I’ve invested a good amount of time to find creative and memorable ways to mark these annual faith-based days on the calendar because they have roots in the Bible’s story and therefore are important to our faith today. […]
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This Thursday, May 18, 2023, marks 40 days since Resurrection Sunday. That historical moment is called Ascension Day, the day Jesus left the earth for heaven. But for most followers of Christ, Ascension Day is uncelebrated, unnoticed, even unknown. As one reader told us, “I was not even aware of a celebration of Ascension Day until […]
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All six of our children had adjustments and challenges with their in-laws. Everyone does. We did too. My mother-in-law and I could not have been more different. It seemed we had nothing in common. Her favorite hobby was fishing. She loved watching golf on TV. Both activities were foreign and of zero interest to me. […]
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Why is it that one of life’s most difficult relationships is often between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law? Or sometimes a son-in-law? Most of us have high hopes for these relationships before they become official. We imagine getting along, spending time together, and liking each other. And yet all too soon individual relationships suffer from […]
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by Samuel Rainey What’s the first thought or feeling that comes up for you when you hear the word “conflict”? Fear? Panic? Memories of fights in the home growing up? An urge that says, “It’s time to start running”? For most people that I interact with in my counseling office, conflict brings up some pretty […]
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by Samuel Rainey Amy came to me for counseling several years ago to get help with the growing disconnect in her marriage. She came alone because her husband refused to come with her. She described his reasoning pretty simply: “Steve had an affair eight years ago. We never talked about it then, and we’re not […]
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Introduction In the historical church, the season between Easter Sunday and Pentecost is called Eastertide, a festive season for celebrating the risen Christ. Historically it lasted 40 days until Ascension Day, also called Holy Thursday, to mark the 40 days Jesus remained on earth before returning to heaven. In recent years, some church traditions have […]
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Laura is my youngest child, and from the time she was four or five she woke up before dawn on Christmas day. Her excitement and anticipation made it difficult to sleep. As she got older, this sleepless pattern extended to include the nights before tryouts or before big events like the high school prom or […]
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I was working outside on a glorious spring day when out of nowhere I started thinking of the words to an old Easter song by Irving Berlin that I remember from my childhood: “In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.” And then I […]
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To celebrate well, we must plan to celebrate. Weddings, birthday parties, graduations; baby or building dedications, grand openings, awards ceremonies; all require weeks or months of planning. We brainstorm, research, make reservations, recruit friends to help or hire event planners. Easter is next month! Would you be willing to do some planning to make your […]
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