Be prepared to vote for a reason

April 22, 2014

In the last election cycle, I tried to convince citizens to register and vote as a way to show appreciation to our military service members and veterans. At that time, I stated that I would find it difficult to express gratitude to anyone in uniform if I did not vote. By not participating in the election process, would I be depreciating the service rendered by our military members?Indirectly, the recent history of our military gives me yet another reason to try to persuade readers to vote on or before Election Day (May 6 in Ohio and May 20 in Pennsylvania). Many news outlets have made us ...

Fear filled the day in between

April 18, 2014

''For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.'' (John 3:16, 17)Tomorrow is the day in between.About 3 p.m. on a day about 2,000 years ago, amid a huge storm, surrounded by an earthquake, townspeople - those who came to ridicule, those who came to weep, those who watched in laughter, those who watched the scene, their guts clenched in revulsion at the terrible sight - saw Jesus die on the cross.Few of the disciples had any idea ...

Only work, humility will lead to happiness

April 16, 2014

Perhaps the key to human happiness is waiting for you in your heart of hearts. Let's look all the way back to Adam and Eve's boys Cain and Abel for a clue into our species' weakness.If you are unfamiliar with the story, Cain and Abel were humanity's first children and both good workers. Things became dysfunctional after a good harvest when they presented their gifts to God as a sacrifice. God rewarded Abel's sacrifice, not Cain's. An infuriated Cain rebelled by slaying his brother Abel, while infamously denouncing brotherly love: ''Am I my brother's keeper?''Fast forward a few thousands ...

Millennials are hard to understand

April 11, 2014

If you have someone in your life younger than 30, and you find them confusing, frustrating or just plain weird, I want to assure you that you are not alone. Millennials (individuals born between 1980 and 2000) are a strange bunch.I should know. I am one.While millennials are without a doubt the most-written-about generation, I meet very few people who really understand them.This is a problem, because understanding what drives millennials, really clearly seeing what makes them "tick," will be what launches organizations, churches, nonprofits and businesses into enormous success.Of course, ...

The new meaning of fracturing

April 8, 2014

Have we read enough about hydraulic fracturing? For most of my life, "fracturing" was a word only used in reference to anatomy, as in "compound fracturing" sidelining an athlete. The dictionary still offers definitions for it by using words such as "break," "tear," and even "violate." However, as most northeast Ohioans and western Pennsylvanians know, fracturing is the process by which natural gas is being extracted from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations.A year ago, the battle lines were drawn, and proponents and opponents engaged in town hall meetings, debates, confrontations at ...

Deja vu all over again — play ball!

April 4, 2014

It's that time of year when those of us who have been waiting since October are gearing up, hoping for an exciting year of baseball.Who's my team? It is and always has been, the Cleveland Indians. I also like the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.I'm old enough to have been one of the kids playing backyard ball. I had the biggest backyard in the neighborhood so games were played at my house.Kids today typically don't know what backyard ball is because at about age 3, they're introduced to baseball on a tee, played on a peewee ball field. They may be getting skill, but they're missing out on ...