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Would Jesus Wear a Mask?
SARS-CoV-2 hit the US over a year ago. Despite the worldwide scourge, many still felt that the pandemic was a hoax or another attempt at government control. Some nations took it seriously. Others did not. But this coronavirus plays no favorites. It does not respect politics or religion. It follows the rules of basic biology. Whether this pandemic started with a laboratory leak or wet market, no one can argue that we’ve lost too many lives because of it. And for the survivors, many still deal with long-haul symptoms months after infection. And then there’s the mask debate. (Insert eyeroll.) Do we really need to wear them? Do they even…
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What Could Responses to Mask Wearing Tell Us About Ourselves?
Masks[1] were used in the 1600’s plague by doctors[2]and in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic by the public.[3] Meriam-Webster defines a mask as-a protective covering for the face; a comparable device to prevent exhalation of infectious material. Masks have been around for a long time. With COVID-19, the wearing of masks has resurfaced and has become a divisive topic among church goers. Both sides seem passionate about their choice. I have been a Christian for about 40 years and I have not witnessed a division like this before. Admittedly, school choices, hymn versus choruses, and vaccinations have caused some divisions. These topics might have been as divisive, but with time…
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Freedom to Do What?
Another celebration of our country’s freedoms will occur in just a few days.[1] The focus is generally on friends, food, and fireworks. Our country’s freedoms somehow seem to get lost in the celebrations each year. This is a sad reality, but an even sadder reality occurs in our everyday life concerning freedoms. I tend to forget these freedoms and spent some time recently reminding myself of them. These freedoms seem to come on the flip side of some things I am naturally bound to do. With the occurrence of COVID-19, I am more aware of my seemingly loss of personal freedoms during 2020. I am naturally bound to want to…
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Tips for Teaching #2
I believe that today’s tip can help us better prepare our children for the difficulties of standing strong in their faith Tip number two: Encourage children to embrace their struggles. According to Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, by Tim Keller., our culture is one of the few around the world that believes that suffering is to be avoided at any cost. Most cultures see suffering as a normal part of life and essential for becoming healthy productive adults. Though suffering is uncomfortable, and scary, it is also unavoidable. Our task is to help our children see past the difficulties. Suffering is a gift to help us grow in our…
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No More Masks
As the days grow shorter and golden leaves fall from trees, we pack up Halloween decorations in preparation for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although a few costumes may linger in photos on the fridge, everything else is set aside for another year. However, there’s one thing that few of us ever put away: the everyday masks we live behind. We all have masks of one sort or another. Reasons vary. For some, our masks protect us from going too deep or being too real. For others, masks allow us to live more boldly as the alter ego we espouse. Still others crave physical and…
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In•ter•sec•tion
In•ter•sec•tion –the place or point where two or more things come together, especially the place where two or more streets meet or cross each other. Roads intersect and people intersect. We are wired for connections. We are wired for people intersections because we are created in the image of God Genesis 1:27. God is a relational and He created us with a need to belong, to be known, to intersect with others. If connection is part of the soul’s architecture then why do we resist intimacy? Because we experience the consequences of the fall we have this default mechanism of hiding. Humans have gone from leaves to masks to sophisticated…
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Halloween 101: Community Building and Factories of Courage
A child hid her face in her hands, “Mommy who would put such a scary mask on display?” “Boo!” Out of the shadows jumped Mr. Incredible hoping to steal some candy from his unsuspecting sister. “What an awesome batman mask!” said a father brandishing his camera. Love or hate them, one thing is true: a simple, plastic mask evokes strong emotions. Some of us may stay as far away from them as possible, shunning anything that even reminds us of evil in the world. Others join in the merry making with hardly a care in the world. Either way, we can’t completely hide from Halloween, which brings me to an…
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Kill the mask and keep it real
I seldom cook "home-cooked" meals anymore. There, I've said it. Now you can classify me as a terrible wife and an ungodly Christian woman. I've even been attracted to men who aren't my husband, even though I've loved being married to my husband for almost forty-one years. And I don't iron much anymore either. Still, my husband and I have worked out ways to eat healthy, our clothes aren't overly wrinkled, and we cherish our vows and love life together. But we don't look like the perfect Christian couple, and if you are married and honest, you probably don't either. It's time to shatter the stereotypes. The world is…
