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The history of the beginning of the celebration of Labor Day is not widely known. In the late nineteenth century, working conditions were far different from what we have today. In the industrial world, men were working six days each week, and the workday was usually ten hours. At first, there was opposition for the idea of giving workers an extra paid day each year where they were honored for the work they were doing. There were actually riots with…

The unexpected nature of life begins early. We speculate about the approximate date of a child’s birth and then, talk about the child as coming “early” or “late.” We know the day is coming, but the onset of labor is still a surprise. Paul spoke of the unexpected nature of the day of the Lord, saying it “will come…suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child…” (1 Thes. 5:3). The end of life is, likewise, unexpected. Even when we…

The phrase “A group of Americans from the church of Christ saved her life” is being heard in the village of Uman in Mexico. The reason why this phrase is being heard is because a two-year-old was brought to the clinic in the village in Uman where the Beltline members were conducting a medical clinic. The two-year-old girl was very sick and needed quick medical attention or she could lose her life. After the child was seen by the doctor…

Have you ever completed a project and then stepped back and admired what a good job you did on it? Perhaps it was a building project like a picnic table, a set of shelves for the stereo or a birdhouse. Maybe it was a quilt or a gardening project. It could even be the construction of your own house! There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment and seeing the results of all of your hard work. Usually, when we finish…

We truly live in the “information age”. The vast amount of knowledge we have available at our finger tips is truly astounding. It would seem that any question we might have can be answered with just a key punch, tap or swipe. In just the past few years the voice recognition technology has advanced such that we don’t have to type the question but just ask it out loud and we’ll get the answer. But as with any advancement of…

Obed was born just a week ago. He doesn’t know it yet, but he was born to bring so much happiness to a couple who could not have any children of their own. Not only happiness to that couple but to the rest of my family and to myself. The couple I am referring to is my youngest sister and her husband. She always wanted to have children of her own, but it was not possible. She always asked to…

On July 4th, 1776, the world was changed forever. The “Thirteen United States of America” came together to declare their independence from Great Britain, which launched the Revolutionary War. Fifty-six individuals signed their name to the document that has cemented itself as one of the most important writings in world history, the Declaration of Independence. Little did they know while signing that document, many were signing their own death warrant for King George. Throughout the Revolutionary War, over 20,000 Americans…

If you ask the captain of a ship what his next destination is, he will tell you in one sentence. He knows where he is going, how he will get there, and how long it will take. On the other hand, suppose a ship left port without a captain and crew and with no aim or direction, what do you think the chances are that it would reach the desired port? Which ship represents your life? What do you plan…

If school isn’t already out for you, it soon will be. For most who read this, formal “school” has been out for a long time! (Years? Decades?) But is school ever really out for a Christian? The very word “disciple” means a learner/follower. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be learning His will constantly. Paul told Titus that the Christians in Crete should “learn to maintain good works” (Titus 3:14). The same apostle told Timothy (in Ephesus) that the…

I believe there should be more than one “Memorial Day” each year. It seems that to most Americans it’s just another “Official Holiday,” the “unofficial start of summer,” the end of the school year, a cookout. Sure, there is the passing mention of those who have fallen in defense of our country. There are stories on the news programs and in the newspaper and more flags than usual might be seen. But it doesn’t seem like it is enough or…

When God made mothers He made a very special creature indeed. • The unconditional love God gave mothers for their children is probably the closest thing on earth to His incredible love for us. • The gentle tenderness a mother expresses in handling her newborn child is so reminiscent of the tender loving care God promises to the faithful. • The sincere sympathy mothers show for hurt elbows and hurt hearts is not unlike the compassion God has for us.…

One of the beauties of being the devil is that you don’t have to be logically consistent. To some, Satan whispers that they don’t need God, that they are sufficiently wise, capable, and righteous all by themselves. He tells others that they’re too rotten for God. They have done too much, wandered too far, sinned too greatly. Surely, if such a one as they started going to church, the Holy One would turn His nose up in disgust! The word…