The rule of the fool

By Clare DeGraaf

Saint Francis of Assisi was one of the greatest blessings to Christianity. He once said this, then lived it out;

“I prefer you not talk to me about any other rule, nor recommend any other ideas or manner of life, than that which the Lord in his mercy has given to me. He told me I am to be a new kind of fool in this world.”

For auld lang syne?

By Brent Vawter

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Thanks in hard times

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,

A selfish reason for being thankful

By Robert J. Tamasy

Many of us spend weeks – for some, months – getting ready for the Christmas celebration. Buying trees and ornaments, putting up decorations, planning parties, purchasing gifts. And sometimes it seems as if we still don’t have enough time. What if we were to spend as much time getting ready for the annual Thanksgiving observance?

Optimism: a vital part of resilience

By John Thurman

“The sun will come out tomorrow!”
Little Orphan Annie

Optimism is a vital part of resilience. Without optimism it is difficult to move through tough time, particularly these past few months. I have been working from home since March 13, and my wife of 48 years and I still like each other at least 5 days out of the week.

How are you doing? Are you one of those folks who see the glass half-full or half-empty? Believe it or not, how you answer the question may reveal how resilient you are!

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

By Robert J. Tamasy

My friend Clarence recently offered a good reminder in a video he posted on Facebook. He said that despite all the anger and angst that seems to pervade society today, we should strive to find something for which we can be grateful.

Even though I sometimes get seduced by the prevailing negativity myself, I wholeheartedly agree. A little-known psychological fact – at least one that’s very under-appreciated – is the reality that circumstances and people don’t control our feelings and attitudes.

Poverty or abundance - which will it be?

By Inspiration Ministries

When you’re stressed or burdened by the circumstances of life, find comfort in knowing that God has given you a wonderful gift – the ability to look ahead. Even if your situation seems dark and cloudy, as a child of God, the future holds a promise of victory!

To embrace the promise of those brighter days, you must simply do what Jesus did — when faced with the ultimate horror of the crucifixion, Jesus lifted His head and focused His attention toward the joyous day that was ahead of Him: