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Women and the abortion issue will decide the 2024 election outcome
A woman has never told me she felt good about her abortion. For 39 years I served in pastoral roles in different places. I had numerous women tell me they felt like they had no choice. Some said they felt pressured to abort. Many were medical emergency situations and it was life or death for…
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‘Coal Miner’s Son’
People occasionally will ask about my upbringing, family life and Appalachian roots. So, here is my song that I wrote and recorded titled “Coal Miner’s Son.” Maybe you can relate to some parts of the following lyrics.Daddy slept all day, worked all nightGot home early by dawn’s daylight.Mommy made gravy, biscuits and eggsFried apples, we…
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Are you beginning 2024 a little fatter?
2024 is here and congratulations – you are here to celebrate! This is the time of the year when people are making New Year’s resolutions. Typically, the most common is to lose a few pounds. I suspect you want to lose a couple of pounds. Maybe you need to lose a lot of pounds. Many…
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Will you face 2024 with fear or fearlessness?
Wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. The cost of groceries, fast food, building materials and most anything you can name has increased dramatically. Millions of Americans are Social Security recipients. The modest increase coming in January will feel like a drop in the bucket. Every little bit helps—and it will truly…
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Christmas is God’s extraordinary opportunity
Christmas was bleak when I was 14 years old. My father had fallen off the roof of our barn while trying to make a repair. He was severely injured. His hospital and home recovery took months. As a coal mining family, we lived financially tight in the best of times, although farming and gardening often…
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The most significant part of your Christmas story
We often reflect on past Christmases. We look back to the past because we have experienced the past. We haven’t experienced the future. We have hopes and dreams for the future, but we don’t know what the future will bring. Each day we create new memories. What you will remember next Christmas is happening now.…
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Dealing with the challenges of Christmas
Christmas is a joyful season but always has some challenges. The place of Christmas is often a question. Mary and Joseph ended up in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. They had gone there to pay taxes. Paying taxes is never fun, but we have to do it. The place they ended up when Jesus was…
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Be a winner and give thanks
Here are some tips for Thanksgiving. Be thankful. Thanksgiving season is a good time to say thanks, but we need to make it a lifestyle. An attitude of thanksgiving is a good way to live. When you are daily thankful for your food, shelter and the simplest things, it elevates your sense of well-being. We…
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Your loan is between you and your bank
Many years ago I took out a second mortgage on my home. The house had grown in value and had at least $30,000 of equity. At that time, I had multiple reasons. The second mortgage added a second monthly payment to my already very tight budget. I made both the original payment and the second…
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Forgive and forget? Not in this world
Some people try to forgive, but they never forget. The people of Israel will never forget the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas, which barbarically took the lives of over 1400 people. The goal of Israel now is to eliminate Hamas by whatever means it takes. In the process of Israel now avenging their rage, innocent…
Category: Uncommon Sense
