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“A man and a woman are walking up to a building. The man notices the woman and runs ahead to open and hold the door for her. As she walks in, she turns to the man and asks ‘Are you holding this door because I am a woman?’ He responds: ‘No. I am holding it because I am a gentleman.’” I’ve heard this anecdote hundreds of times from a good friend of mine who is a pastor. He tells it frequently to make the same point: It’s wise to act based on your identity, not based on the situation you f...
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the first day of was is often called Holy Week. In the account of Palm Sunday, Jesus is arriving in Jerusalem for passover. At this point in the story, he has amassed a large following and a huge reputation. As he approached the city, folks gathered and cut palm branches from the trees to lay in his path. They cheered and praised him as he went. In the ancient world, this was not an insignificant act. It was the sort of thing a city did when a conquering hero...
My younger brother sent me an article written by a prominent millionaire outlining the 12 things that folks need to attend to in order to live a fulfilled life. The interesting thing is that the individual went through a nasty divorce recently after scandals came out about his philandering. I read the article, thought it was interesting and the advice it contained was worth noting. He advised things like: “Do things your way” and “Take risks” and “Work hard your whole life” among other thing...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: America has been a land of plenty for much of its history and some believe our nation can never fall. Are we in danger of going the way of other great and powerful nations? A: Fifteen hundred years ago the people of imperial Rome were living in luxury, ease, and prosperity. The Romans laughed at the rugged barbarians of the north. They had a far lower standard of living than the Romans did. They could not possibly conquer Rome—great imperial Rome. But they did. Those illiterate barbarians conquered...
I just returned from a real vacation. You know the kind that energizes you while you’re gone. The kind of vacation that when you get home you don’t need to take a vacation to recover from your vacation. But, let’s face it, it isn’t pretty here, yet. It’s still gray. There is blue sky and sunshine, but no flowers, and although the trees are starting to bud, no vivid green. Harriet Ann Jacobs says, “The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” Nothing gives me a better lift then the...
I do a bit of marriage counseling as a part of pastoring. Sometimes this is with individuals, other times it’s with couples. I’ve read dozens of books on the subject of marital harmony, taken classes on the subject, and worked hard to improve my own marriage. There are so many fantastic resources out there for improving relationships. However, I think the one bit of advice I would give to any individual who is trying to make things better at home is this: look at the teachings and example of...
Q: I grew up in a volatile home environment. Is anger inherited or learned? Didn’t God show anger? A: Every human being is capable of demonstrating anger. Think of a tiny baby who exhibits fits of temper before they can even talk. A toddler can fly into a fit of anger and upset the entire household. Husbands and wives react out of anger before giving any thought to the issue that triggers such a response. Anger breeds remorse in the heart, discord in the home; bitterness in the community and confusion in the state. Homes are often destroyed b...
I had a friend in Indiana who competed in off-road bicycle racing. He and his wife owned a bicycle store, and he spent an absurd amount of time riding and training for races, many of which were on dangerous courses that required a high degree of skill to ride on safely. After riding competitively for several years, he had a terrible accident and broke his neck at one of the races he entered. I saw him not long after. He was wearing one of the neck cages to keep his head in place while he...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: Is it true that Queen Victoria believed in Jesus Christ? A: In the biography of Queen Victoria there is a heart-warming story told. She went into the slums of London and visited the home of an elderly lady. When the queen rose to leave, she asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?” The woman said, “Yes, ma’am, Your Majesty, you can meet me in Heaven.” The queen turned to her and said softly, “Yes. I’ll be there, but only because of the blood that was shed on the cross for you and for me.” Queen V...
I’m sitting under a temperate rain forest tree and remembering this year’s Montana Winter. I have always loved moss growing on trees, so sitting by a carpet of moss lifted my spirits. Many of the trees are still bare, but they are almost ready to burst, buds ready to pop their leaves or their flowers. Here, in Oregon, it looks like the blossoms come first, before the leaves. It’s 67 degrees out and if you aren’t in the shade, its hot. The path we walked yesterday was “muddy”—not Montana muddy, but you did pick up some red clay and dead leaves o...
Editor’s Note: The Mountaineer approached Tucker Taylor, Big Sandy High School teacher of the 12th grade Government, 11th grade U. S. History, and World History about having his students writing essays on current issues. Each student is required to look at both sides of the issue in their essay. Occasionally, an essay will be published in the Mountaineer. This week Tyler Schwarzbach was selected. His comment after researching this issue was, “it’s difficult to just find facts without opinions added”. A Nation Divided By Tyler Schwarz...
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…” This quote from Theodore Roosevelt came up in conversation between my brother and I regularly as we discuss our various endeavors and hobbies. Roosevelt essentially argues that the thing that matters most isn’t the response of others to the work you are doing, but rather that you endeavor to...
Q: I am a young mother with four children under 10 years old. My friends at church criticize me because I do not work outside the home or attend their women’s Bible studies and help with their various ministries. They tell me I should be working as they do. I do try to be available to my neighbors when they are in need but feel that my first responsibility is to my children. Am I wrong by declining other opportunities for service? A: Alan Redpath, the great preacher and pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago, had a plaque on the wall of his s...
Eight years ago, about a year after my daughter was born, I was working at a job I loved. I was the chaplain at a mental health facility for young people. The problem was, that the work was so demanding that I often would only see her first thing in the morning or after she had gone to bed when I came home from work. For years, my wife and I had conflict over the fact that I often came home from work later than planned or picked up extra shifts on holidays. I justified it to myself because my...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I dread nighttime because going to sleep is not pleasant—it is a chore. Why can’t I turn my mind off and rest? A: Many people have trouble falling asleep at night. Some take over-the-counter drugs or sleeping pills; others require prescription medication to sleep. Often sleeplessness is a restless spirit and not a chemical imbalance that keeps us from what our bodies and minds need. It is good for us to remember that the Bible instructs us to lay down in sleep and dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). One of...
Before ships had engines to power their forward movement, they relied on sails and wind to move across the large bodies of water. Occasionally, they would hit stretches where no wind blew to help them move. When this happened, they would employ a ‘kedge’ to move to windier stretches of water. A kedge is an anchor. Sailors would carry the kedge ahead of the ship, drop the anchor, then the sailors aboard the ship would pull it to the anchor. The process would be repeated over and over until the...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I have been a Christian most of my life but I do not feel like one. What is my problem? A: The Bible says to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). God will show us where we are wrong and what is blocking the joy we should experience as Christians. It may be malice, spite, jealousy, or hatred. We may carry a grudge against someone and have unforgiving attitudes. Perhaps we are too easily offended or may be puffed up with pride. Dishonesty, gossiping, criticism, worry, lustful thoughts, unbelief,...
Over the last few weeks, I have read about several prominent pastors who lost their jobs after accusations of abuse of power and improper behavior were made and verified. As a guy who works in ministry, these sorts of things are disheartening to me. For starters, one of the pastors is a guy I really respect. Seeing fellow believers fall is heart-breaking as well because I believe it when the scriptures describe fellow believers as God’s family. If my brother ruined his life with a pattern of b...
Aesop, the great storyteller of ancient Greece, was once mocked by a fellow Athenian because he spent his life telling stories to children, which he called a waste of time. Aesop’s response was to un-string a bow, lay the bowstring at the man’s feet, and ask what the significance of unstrung bow was. The man considered it and couldn’t figure out the message. Aesop explained that the wooden bow would eventually wear out and break if it was strung tight for too long a time. Resting the wood was n...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham Q: I read a lot of books and many Christian authors write about the fact that we should not be fearful. I know the Bible says over and over again, “Fear not,” but it also says to “fear God.” Isn’t this a contradiction? A: The Bible certainly does not contradict itself. There can be many different meanings to one word. In the case of the word “fear” it can mean “to be afraid, have a feeling of terror,” etc. But there is also a wonderful definition to this word and that is “to have reverence or respec...
From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Why is it that Christians say we have to believe their way or miss Heaven? Isn’t this a little narrow, maybe even arrogant? A: Christians do make up a religion—Christians believe God’s every word. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Who doesn’t want to be saved? Some years ago a man’s plane crashed into the ocean. He survived the crash, but had blood on his forehead which attracted the sharks, and he...
Mark Twain once said: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” The reason being that no-one wants to eat a frog. Putting off eating it until later in the day may seem tempting, but it will give you opportunity to put it off again and again until you don’t do it altogether. This is essentially the heart of all procrastination. We look at a task that we don’t want to do and come...
A few weeks ago, my 5-year old son was playing with a girl from his class. I gave them snacks, a plate of chips each. My boy eyed up the plates and went to grab the one that appeared to be larger. I stopped him and asked if he was forgetting something. He smiled sheepishly and replied: “Oh yeah, ladies first.” When I asked him why he was going to let his lady friend pick first he replied with a line we say every day: “Because that’s what gentlemen do.” We repeat that line several times a d...
The human soul transcends earthly value Q: Our friends have two teenagers with severe behavioral problems and claim that it is due to mental illness, but neither child has been diagnosed with any particular disorder. Having been close with this family through the years, the problem to me seems simple—the parents don’t discipline them and lets them have their own way. Doesn’t this seem dangerous that their children will never be able to appropriately assimilate into society? A: Mental illness is a general term used to cover a wide range of psych...
On Monday, I had an early doctor’s appointment that required me to be in town early. As a result, I wasn’t able to get to the gym first thing in the morning. It’s the first time in 2 months that I haven’t exercised first thing in the morning. It is a habit that I have maintained most days of the week for nearly 18 months. Missing my morning gym time felt weird, like skipping my morning coffee or shower. It’s become a normal part of my routine. It’s a habit. Missing it felt awkward. I have been...