While no political pundits commented on it, I found myself fascinated with an unusual sight the day before Ted Cruz took first place in the Republican caucus vote in Iowa. At one of his final campaign stops, the senator from Texas was clad in blue jeans and a work-style shirt. Though his front-runner status quickly…
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Judging by the people I see walking down the street, ignoring their dates in restaurants, or interrupting conversations to check the “ping!” on their device, most everyone today lives on their smart phone. I could curse the darkness. Or, deliver a series of lectures about how rude it is to pay more attention to texts…
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I can’t help cheering over the news reports of late about independent bookstores thriving. Given the trend towards digital reading and ubiquitous cell phone usage, lately it has been easy for a traditional book lover to despair. However, the popular image of books vanishing may be more myth than reality. Take this recent story about…
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With the recent Powerball jackpot topping $1.5 billion, email scammers are going to have to upgrade their approach. Who cares about a measly 10 or 20 million bucks when the three Powerball winners are each knocking down $533 million? Of course, maybe if one of the scammers captured their share, they could afford to take…
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It’s been more than five years since Jamie Oliver’s Emmy-Award-winning Food Revolution aired on ABC, thrusting Huntington, West Virginia into the national spotlight. The series also prompted Winning the Food Fight, the book I helped Pastor Steve Willis (featured in two episodes) write. Although progress in the obesity battle is slow and often frustrating, this…
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Because of presidential politics, the topic of Obamacare will continue generating more heat than light during 2016. Yet this controversy often overlooks a bigger scandal: the enormous costs ladled on to our medical bills by the system’s bureaucratic jumble. I think back several years to the time my primary care doctor blessed me with about…
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The encounter occurred recently during my monthly two-hour volunteer stint with a community project. Although I hadn’t expected to strike up a conversation, I found myself in an extended discussion with a woman whose eyes sparkled as she discussed the miracle product that had changed her life. I don’t remember its name; I misplaced the…
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As one’s hair grays and withers away, the question becomes ever more common. “So, what’s your retirement plan?” In my estimation, others ask this with the unspoken assumption: “What are you going to do once you can sit around all day and no nothing?” Bad question. A better alternative: “If I stop doing what I’m…
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I’ve been on the leadership team for a spiritual retreat a number of times, but one from many years ago stands out in my mind. As an icebreaker for newcomers to the experience, the gathering begins with a “new best friend” activity. Men pair off and learn some tidbits about each other, such as family…
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At Christmas time most everyone tends to give gifts, regardless of race, religion, or any myriad of factors that distinguish one from another. Ironic, since even those who deny the reality of Jesus participate, lest they be accused of imitating Ebenezer Scrooge. While much of this has little to do with the Savior whose birth…
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