My latest article on how I, as a Christian Scientist, find Christ Jesus relevant today — and not just on Christmas, but every day — published in the Dearborn Press and Guide. Here’s the link: Is Christ Jesus relevant today?
A new class of graduates is heading into summer and then very likely college or career. Here are two articles with some helpful ideas applying spiritual perspectives to this exciting time in their lives. Do our graduates know how to love? By Eric Nelson on Communities Digital News Excerpts: “In an era in which so
“A study by the Danish Aging Research Center is projecting that half of the babies born in the U.S. today are likely to live past 100” writes my colleague, Stormy Becker Falso from Georgia. Think of it – more than half of us living past 100! Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization,
Two older gentlemen were just coming off the 18th hole at the golf course as I and my playing partners walked to the clubhouse before beginning our round. The one closest to us shared that his playing partner, although a little older than him, had won the round – and, oh, by the way, his playing partner was 95 years old.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established Saturday, April 7, 2012 as World Health Day. The theme this year is: “Good health adds life to years”.
A study¹ published in The American Journal of Public Health in 1997 found that frequent religious attendance reduced mortality (adds years to life).
But the theme here is not to add years to life, but to add life to years. One very obvious and central way to add life to years (as well as to add years to life) is to achieve better health. But adding life to years involves much more than that.
Declaration of Independence courtesy of Flickr user kyteacher
Unalienable: not subject to being taken away and incapable of being given away.
Our Creator – God – gives us certain things – including life and liberty, happiness and health. And not only are these things not subject to being taken away, but they are actually incapable of being taken away, and even incapable of being given away! They’re ours.
We have the God-given right to be free from disease, free from sadness, free from anything and everything that would restrict our ability to live a happy and fulfilling life.
Our Forefathers declared their freedom. They wrote a declaration of independence. In it they declared that “…these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free…” They declared that they ARE free, and that they should therefore BE free. They gave their consent to this fact in their thought first and declared it and then it was brought to pass.
Mother and child from "egg on stilts"
This isn’t the easiest subject to talk about, but here’s something that got my attention recently and I hope it gets yours: Michigan is ranked 37th in the U.S. in terms of its infant mortality rate. Then consider that the U.S. is ranked 33rd in the world. Ouch! In the 1960’s the U.S. was ranked 19th in the world in infant mortality and then-President Lyndon Johnson called this appalling.
Of course, this isn’t about performing better than other states or other countries. It’s about doing better and better until a rate of zero is achieved. It’s about saving lives.
Christian Science has taught me that God loves everyone, and His will for all children, for new and expectant mothers – indeed, for all of us – is always good, always health and life.
Look at this comforting Scripture from Isaiah that conveys God’s mothering love:
“Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord” (66:9)
“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you” (66:13)
“…he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (40:11)
This video below showed me that the Christmas story can be told in the language of today’s Social Media and still share the same message.
So here’s a question: does something have to be new and popular to be relevant?
You really gotta check out this video:
(If the video above won’t play, click here to view it on YouTube).
That was Mary Margaret of Corinth Baptist Church telling the story of Jonah from the Bible. In her conclusion (at 8:05 in the video) in her words, God says, “My love is great.” “And it is for all my creatures.”