It’s the most famous reveal in movie history. Dorothy and her three friends enter the chamber of Oz, The Great And Powerful’s – fire and smoke exploding around his throne. Their hopes are dashed when the curtain is pulled back, revealing Oz is no wizard. He’s just a man, pulling levers in a desperat
Final speeches are different than last words. Last words are often private or unexpected – given in whisper. But when a figure knows that this will be their parting message to their audience and the world, it’s interesting to hear what they consider to be the most important thing to say.In 399 BC, S
We’ve seen it in movies a thousand times. The great coach shows up to evaluate his new team, only to discover that they’re a bunch of misfits and losers. They don’t know their fundamentals. They squabble with each other. There’s no chance they’ll win a series, let alone a championship. The Mighty Du
The men of Thyatira regularly dined in restaurants whose entertainments were far worse than a tableside cultural dance.Thyatira was a manufacturing city where unions were prevalent & powerful. They called them trade guilds. Membership in a guild was mandatory. You were not allowed to work without me
This week’s prophecy update is brought to you by Costco.I’m not saying Costco is the Antichrist – although it might have felt that way this past Christmas.What’s happening there is worth paying attention to.Costco, like many major retailers, is rolling out new digital systems:In some stores, they’re
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! It’s the 28th, so we’re right in the middle. Three days from Christmas, three days till New Year. Whether you’re a New Years resolutions person or not, at the close of December we tend reflect on the year behind and anticipate the year ahead.And the truth is, that
What are your Christmas plans? I’m sure someone has asked you and you’ve asked someone that question. Christmastime has a high concentration of plans. Where are we going to go? What will we buy? Which events will we attend? What side dish are we bringing to Aunt Blanche’s house?Christmas travel plan
Who here has had or needs to have cataract surgery? It’s a common experience as we age. One of every five Americans over 65 will develop cataracts. And 50% of those 80 and older will.[1]A cataract is a clouding of the lens on your eye. The lens is the clear layer inside the eye that focuses light. W
How many packages were delivered to your house this week? If you don’t do online shopping, think about how often a delivery truck drove down your street in the last few days.During the Christmas season, UPS delivers 32 million packages a day.[1] USPS does another 23 million. Plus all those Amazon de
What’s the worst thing you ever forgot to pack? Whether for a vacation or just an errand? Usually it’s something that’s not that big of a deal – a toothbrush or a bathing suit or a phone charger.I forget to pack work gloves when I need them. “We’re gonna bring a bunch of rusty garbage and broken gla
Which is harder: To live for Jesus or to die for Him?Sadhu Sundar Singh is credited as the first missionary to cross the Himalayan Mountains to take the Gospel to Nepal and Tibet. It was no beginners loop. He was known as “the apostle with the bleeding feet.”At thirty-six years of age, he left for w
Here is what just happened in the Department of Energy.“The Department of Energy has unveiled a national initiative to redefine the future of scientific discovery in America. It will unite the nation’s most powerful supercomputers, decades of scientific data, breakthrough AI systems, and cutting-edg
Speech is silver, but silence is…golden. The first recorded use of this proverb in English is in an 1833 novel written by Thomas Carlyle. He attributed it to the Swiss. Others say it came from the Germans or the Dutch. Still others find a version of this maxim in ancient Arabic writings. At least on
O Little Town Of Bethlehem is one of my favorite Christmas carols. In its final stanza we sing the line, “We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell.”The story of Christmas is full of angelic activity. In fact, there are at least six different moments when angels arrived with a message
In 2019, a world record was set when a 74 year old Indian woman named Mangayamma Yaramati gave birth to twins.[1] She had already gone through menopause but was able to become pregnant through IVF, using a donated egg.When asked why she would go through such a difficult and potentially dangerous pro
Who here considers themselves a dog person? I also love my dog. What’s not to love – other than all the problems and expenses she introduces to my life?But, I must say, our society may have gone a little crazy when it comes to how we treat our canine friends. Did you know 64% of dog owners cook thei
You would not want your legal name to be John Doe. Just ask John Doe, the 40 year old computer programmer living in New York City. Airport security grills him whenever he flies. “I have to sit in the office,” he said. “Every time.” Landlords, officials, even ladies he tries to date all ask him the s
We’re officially in tradition season. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, our national and personal traditions make our celebrations what they are. Think for a moment of the one thing you wouldn’t be willing to give up. Whether it’s a certain activity or special food, there’s something you do every year
Can you ID this jingle?Hint: Their slogan was The Mark of a Man.It’s Old Spice, from the 1960s. In a TV ad, off-camera the narrator approaches a handsome, debonair gentleman, three piece suit, having a Scotch, smoking a cigarette. In other words, a real man. He asks him, “Dave, what are your reasons
When is the last time you didn’t recognize someone you should’ve known? It’s never a good feeling and often leads to an uncomfortable conversation. But sometimes, once you get past the awkwardness, it can be a fun moment.Recently, a lucky couple had their wedding in New Zealand, on the Shire set fro
What do you do when Hannibal invades your borders with his army? Many in Rome’s government believed the answer was obvious: Meet him head on with aggressive military action. But Quintus Fabius, the man elected as dictator in 217 B.C., had a different plan. Step one: Get right with the gods. Step two
It’s time to take a look at one of the “one another” commands. There are about 60 of them, given directly to Christians so we can know how to properly relate to each other in the Church. Healthy church life doesn’t happen by accident, it doesn’t happen on its own, it happens as we – together – follo
Have you ever had to deal with an 800 pound gorilla in the room? How about a 16,000 pound whale on your beach? In 1970, a dead whale carcass washed up on shore near Florence, Oregon. It had been so long since the last beached whale, no one could remember how to get rid of it.They weighed their optio
In 1975, Steven Sasson was a young engineer working for the Kodak corporation. He spent his time on an unusual project. It wasn’t secret, it’s just that no one really cared about what he was creating.When his prototype was finally ready, he showed it to his bosses and then to their bosses. He made p
