Exactly 203 years ago in 1821 one of humanity’s most deadly diseases was given a name: Diphtheria. The malady is named for a false membrane that the disease produces that covers the soft palette of the throat. The membrane looks like a piece of leather hide on the back of the throat so “leather” is …
One of the things I like about cruises is that you meet new people. The last cruise I went on didn’t really have this option as everyone was kept in a bubble for social distancing purposes. However, some years ago, we met another couple with which we enjoyed spending a good deal of time. One …
President Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” is a testament to the communications skills that many believe are the greatest words ever uttered by any Commander in Chief. Can any nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal long endure? Lincoln was inspired by an event that was eerily similar …
I think that this screenshot of a particular op-ed piece from the Washington Post probably captures the factional divide in our country better than anything I have read or heard. The Post writer blamed me for the shooting in Uvalde. She said former President Obama was right to cite me as “clinging to their guns …
One Christian martyr of the Twentieth Century was the great German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He is noted for authoring many Christian books such as “The Cost of Discipleship.” His central theme was for Christians not to fall for something he called “cheap grace.” Although we are saved by grace and not of works, Christ demands …
Have you ever wondered what you would do if your Bible and hymnal were ever taken away by circumstances beyond your control? I have. One such example is the American POW experience in North Vietnam. I read a memoir by a naval aviator who was shot down and held captive for seven years by the …
I love our flag of red, white, and blue. The flag guarantees freedom and liberty to all who live under its majesty. Flags tell the history of the country. “Old Glory” is the superior flag that is above all others as her pennant waves and snaps in the wind. Each star represents other flags that …
We all think back on our teachers from time to time. It seems that in retrospect we actually did learn important lessons during our school days. Some of the things we learned, particularly in elementaryschool, never appeared on our report cards. We learned how to line up and walk in a group, eat ourlunches in …
“Cher Ami” As Father Time marches on, we tend to lose stories that fade in our collective memories. Sometimes we repeat mistakes because we forgot why we don’t do something a certain way. For organizations, that is called “institutional knowledge” and remembering the past can save any entity an incalculable amount of damage. Sometimes simply …
There Are No Expiration Dates on Prayers This Thanksgiving season is a rough one considering the conflicts dominating the world. Communism and Radical Islamic Terrorism are striking the West around the clock. I am thankful for military forces who are holding the line in East Europe and the Middle East. As I prayed for our …
