Search Results for: blog gods call

Why People Make New Year’s Resolutions

The custom of making a New Year’s resolution goes back farther than you might think! According to History.com, the ancient Babylonians are said to be the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, some 4,000 years ago. They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year, which, for them, began in mid-March when the crops were planted. There was a 12-day festival known as Akitu, when the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They also made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects … Continue reading →

Senior Pictures Have Come a Long Way

My Son Daniel (courtesy of “God’s Touch Photography”) Senior pictures sure have come a long way. When I was a senior you had your pictures taken at a photography studio, with a backdrop. If you were really bold, you chose some wild colors for your background. They consisted of head shots, your smiling face and never-to-be-forgotten 80’s hairstyle…or whatever decade you happen to be from. My senior pictures are a bit embarrassing as I went through this strange stage where I had really short, spiked hair…not very girly. My husband’s senior picture was the opposite; he had more hair than … Continue reading →

You Might Be Related to King Tut

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Scientists at iGENEA took a look at the DNA of King Tut, and made a fascinating discovery. Half of all European men are genetically related to the famous Pharaoh. If your family tree includes ancestors who were British, or who were from Western Europe, then perhaps you can count King Tut as your relative. Genealogy is the study of family. More and more often, this study is including scientific information that is gathered from DNA in order to identify family relationships. It is rather amazing what can be learned by investigating details about a particular person’s genetic makeup. Scientists at … Continue reading →

Thor’s Family Tree

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There is a brand new movie about Thor, and you can watch in 3D in some theaters. The Thor in this movie is based on the comic book superhero that appeared in Marvel Comics. The comic book character was loosely inspired by Thor, God of Thunder, from Norse mythology. How much do you know about the original Thor’s family tree? Norse mythology describes the gods and goddesses that people from Scandinavia believed in before Christianity was established. Scandinavia can refer to the Scandinavian Peninsula, which is located in the Northern part of Europe. It generally refers to countries like Norway … Continue reading →

Visiting Church

Visiting another church can be a fun and interesting time or it can turn into a nightmare. Last Sunday Mick and I were going to visit our son and his family in Sydney, so we wanted a church that was on the way. Our first step was finding one that was evangelical and at a convenient time. But it’s always a bit of a risk going to another church. Some churches are just not good at welcoming strangers. We know we‘ve encountered it before. Friendliness is something many people have commented on in regard to our church, so it’s something … Continue reading →

Guilt is the Worst Reason

Guilt is the worst reason for taking on any form of ministry in your church or community. Guilt is the also the worst reason for doing something you no longer have the passion and drive and commitment to do. Yet that’s what happens time and time again in churches. Christians seem to be past masters at laying guilt trips on others for what they should be doing. A friend who is a writer and has had a number of novels published, and yes they include Christian content, was criticized by her pastor husband’s congregation because she wasn’t doing the things … Continue reading →

The Unpaid Worker

The attitude of some churches concerns me. Sometimes it comes from the pastor or minister in charge and sometimes it can come from the congregation. Years ago friends of ours, where the husband was assistant minister, were criticized severely because his wife wanted to keep working and therefore didn’t have time to do the things the church expected her to do, things like running the ladies’ bible study. Their main objection seemed to be ‘but that’s what the assistant minister or minster’s wife has always done.’ That is without doubt the weakest reason to ever keep doing it. Just because … Continue reading →

Miyazaki: Master of Animation, Pt. 2

“Each cell of (Miyazaki’s) movies is a painting you’d want to hang on the wall.” –Kathleen Kennedy, Executive Producer, “Ponyo” English language version Today I’ll conclude my look at Miyazaki’s films, and consider what makes him such a great animator. Whisper of the Heart (1995; adapted by Miyazaki). Based on a comic by Aoi Hiragi, “Whisper of the Heart” is unique for Miyazaki in that it’s set in modern-day Tokyo and is not a fantasy. This is another coming of age story with some Germanic influences and a gorgeous violin soundtrack. It follows teens Shizuku and Seiji as they determine … Continue reading →

A Common Problem in Churches

In just about every church I’ve ever belonged to there is a common problem. Too much is left to too few people. But then it’s not just a problem with churches but a problem with any organization. What happens is a person become overcommitted, overworked and can end up burning out. So what is the solution? Maybe it’s as simple as learning to say ‘no.’ The whole problem is people can end up with a false sense of responsibility and think ‘but if I don’t do it, who will?’ No-one is indispensable. If one person does not do the job … Continue reading →

How to Conquer Fear

Fear can stop us achieving our potential. It can stop us trying new things. Now I admit even as I write this, I’m writing it to myself as much as anyone. I’m not the most fearless person out. There are some things I wouldn’t do because fear stops me. That’s okay, if they’re unimportant things. But what if it is something God is calling you do to and you let fear stop you? That’s an entirely different matter. The other day my husband and I were talking about before we moved. We’d put our house in Orange on the market … Continue reading →