Beech Tree News Network

When my husband, Garey, and I were younger—much, much younger—we would take the occasional ski trip.  I’ve never been much of an athlete, but skiing came easier for me than other sports.  Garey is naturally athletic, so he caught on rather quickly.  Neither of us skied well enough to be considered anything past novice, but we had a great deal of fun on the slopes.  There was one trip, however, that eclipsed all the others.

As We Honor Our Veterans This Memorial Day, General Assembly Continues to Work to Help and Remember Our Military Men and Women-"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." – President George Washington.

Four times in New Testament Scripture we read about the written statement that Pilate wrote and placed above Christ when He hung on the cross. (Matt. 27:37; Mk. 15:26; Lk. 23:38; Jn. 19:19). The statement over Him declared that it was “The King of the Jews” being crucified that day. While the chief priests protested this statement, demanding that Pilate instead write, “This man said, I am the King of the Jews”, Pilate stood firm saying, “What I have written, I have written” (Jn. 19:21-22).

The television show The Office closes its doors Thursday night after nine seasons. Most fans (me included) think the show should’ve ended after the seventh season (the final for star Steve Carrell).

I don’t know about you, but occasionally I get aggravated. To me, aggravation means an annoyance or an action that makes a problem worse. Although events affect each of us differently, many will acknowledge that they feel annoyed by specific situations or people.

If I ever run off the road while I’m driving, it will be in the spring.  At that time of year, I’m so excited to see everything come back to life, and that includes people, as well as vegetation and wildlife.  There’s so much to see in the spring.  My neighbors are mowing their yards, turtles are crossing the road, squirrels are jumping from tree to tree, rabbits are playing dodge tire with passing motorists (and mostly losing), and everything is blooming or leafing out.

Becoming a mother was not easy for me. We endured trials and heartache along that journey. I wanted a child so badly, yet it felt like I was the only person who wasn't getting my desire. And then one day....God gave me my hearts desire. And then four years later He blessed us with another child.
To say that when the child is laid in our arms, we suddenly have all the answers....well, a big fat no is the answer. Mother's instinct is very real. But knowing all the answers and how to manage everything without any mistakes is not real.

A song I grew up singing had the above title. In every verse, after naming various things we might see and enjoy in this life, the writer declares that when we face difficulties in life, we must ask, “Where could I go but to the Lord?” This is a good question that demands a response from all of us. Where could I go but to the Lord? Truly, there is no one else who loves us like He does. There is no one else who is interested in saving us from sin. There is no one else who cares for us (I Pet. 5:8). Where could I go but to the Lord?

A few weeks ago, I was watching the TBS comedy Man At Work.  The main characters write for a magazine.  One of the characters wrote a story in an attempt to determine if nice guys finished last.  I found this to be an interesting premise, so I decided to do a little digging.

Do you have legacies from your grandmother or mother? As Mother’s Day approaches, I think of the things my grandmothers and mother have taught me – their legacy to me.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines legacy as “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.” One of the examples given was: “He left his children a legacy of love and respect” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legacy). In this instance, the legacy was not material but was an attitude or feeling.