I remember when duck tail haircuts were all the rage among teenage boys. I even remember wearing a duck tail. For readers younger than 65, a duck tail required hair long enough to be combed straight back and then parted vertically down the back of the head. It required a lot of Brylcreem to keep … Continue reading Why do young people today look so weird?
Who is the victim here?
A young mother comes into the coffee shop with her three-year-old daughter. - Do you want a doughnut? - No. I want to go home. - Mommy can buy you a chocolate milk. - No. I want to go home. Mommy sees some friends at one of the tables and goes to talk to them. … Continue reading Who is the victim here?
Courtesy
Courtesy and courtship are derived from the same root word and both convey the idea of trying to please someone else. All other things being equal, the business that will thrive is the one that greets and serves its customers with genuine warmhearted courtesy. On a trip some years ago, we stopped for gas around … Continue reading Courtesy
A flower that could not be burned
[The following account is found in the Martyrs Mirror, pages 420-421. The English translation is from 1886, I have done some slight editing.] When the believers greatly increased under persecution and the cross, there was in Bavaria a learned priest of the mass named Leonhard Keyser. He examined the writings of Zwingli and Luther and … Continue reading A flower that could not be burned
Humanism versus humanity
If anyone is wondering what is happening to our society, a little time spent reading the Humanist Manifesto of 1933 will provide considerable illumination. Here are some excerpts: Religious humanism maintains that all associations and institutions exist for the fulfillment of human life. The intelligent evaluation, transformation, control, and direction of such associations and institutions … Continue reading Humanism versus humanity
Things that I know about mental illness
1. I know that mental illness sometimes has external causes. One common example would be SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) a usually mild form of seasonal depression caused by reduced hours of sunshine in winter. In the area where I live there are 17 hours between sunrise and sunset at the summer solstice and only 7 … Continue reading Things that I know about mental illness
Self-esteem versus reality
I think of this topic every time I look for a birthday card for one of my grandchildren. It is difficult to find a suitable card, most are full of language stoking the little darling’s self-esteem. I would rather choose a goofy card than one that tells them how special, unique and wonderful they are. … Continue reading Self-esteem versus reality
Cluttered desk = genius?
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” - Albert EinsteinI have been finding comfort in this quote from Einstein for a whole lot of years. A clean desk is something to which I have never been able to attain, thus I grasp … Continue reading Cluttered desk = genius?
Vinnie and Minnie are asked a question
[This is part of a larger story, which hasn't been written yet. So I ask you, my dear readers, is it worth writing more of the saga of Vinnie and Minnie?] Vinnie and Minnie had been faithful members of the Coulee Bend Assembly of Spirit-Filled Conservative Christians for several years now. When brother Harmon began … Continue reading Vinnie and Minnie are asked a question
Heat: physical and spiritual
We are sweltering in a heat wave here, with temperatures up to 32° with a humidex of 35°. (That translates into 90° & 95° for those still using Fahrenheit.) I realize that many readers might even consider those temperatures cool for this time of year. But I live in Saskatchewan where we haven't had a … Continue reading Heat: physical and spiritual
