Third Rate Cause

On a visit to America, former Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev was taken to a pro football game. Following the game, he was asked what he thought of American football. Khrushchev replied, “Never have I seen such first-class passion and energy wasted on a third-class cause.” Now, I don’t make it a habit of quoting Russian…

Apples

There’s a lot of incorrect thinking about . . . apples. For example, we often hear, “It’s as American as apple pie.” The problem with that is that the apple pie was created in England. And apples are native to Asia.  We hear that Adam and Eve ate an apple in the Garden. Of course,…

Royal Flush

The chance of drawing a royal flush is one in 649,740. That’s about the same odds as finding sexual sobriety on your own. And the odds of drawing any straight flush are one in 72,192. That’s about the same odds as keeping sexual sobriety on your own. And if you don’t know what a royal…

Prayer and Recovery

There is a close relationship between prayer and recovery. Dr. Rob Whitley, author and psychologist, writes, “New research indicates that regular prayer can have many mental health benefits.” A study completed by Harvard professor Tyler VanderWeele found that young adults who prayed daily tended to have fewer depressive symptoms, and higher levels of satisfaction and…

Things That Irritate Me

I think I’m becoming a cranky old guy. At least that’s what my neighbor’s kid said when I told him to get off my lawn. These are just a few of the things that drive me crazier than they probably should: A friend told me to loosen up. He said, “It’s not rocket surgery!” (That’s…

19 Years

According to the Cleveland Clinic, sexual addiction begins, on average, at age 18. But the typical addict doesn’t reach out for help until age 37. So they live in their addiction for 19 years before they seek help.  And that’s a shame. There are two problems with waiting 19 years to get help. The Bible…

How to Avoid Ice Cream

If you want to eat less ice cream, try this – don’t go into a store, buy a gallon of ice cream, take it home, and put it in your freezer, thinking you’ll never eat it.  If you think you can pull that off, well, you’re just goofy! There are three things you cannot do:…

Just One Step

“I have a mustard seed, and I know how to use it!”      – God Mustard seeds aren’t that impressive. They are just 0.1 inches in diameter. But mustard trees can reach heights of 30 feet, with branches 20 feet long. You know the verse: “If you have the faith the size of a mustard seed,…

Edison Needed Help

Let me shed some light on a fake understanding of history. Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb. At least, not on his own. In a book by Ernest Freeberg, we learn that the original light bulb reflected the work of many inventors, rather than Edison’s genius alone. The research and development culminated with…