I walked into the ornate facility and watched the faces of the crowd flooding in. There were vendors outside selling all types of merchandise. Some of those in the crowd had smiles on their faces and seemed pretty confident. Others were very distraught and anxious. Statues that had been immortalized were all around. As the […]
Wholly Healthy: Drug Allergies and Side Effects
“Are you allergic to any medications?” Physicians and nurses ask this question over and over. Everyone is more attuned to patient safety, particularly allergy issues. And it’s true whether we’re discussing food, drugs or environmental exposures. But what constitutes a drug allergy? There seems to be a lot of confusion about this, because not everyone […]
Comic Belief: Talking Heads
One little girl complained to her mother that she had a stomachache and didn’t feel like going to church. Her mother said, “Your stomach hurts because it’s empty. It will feel better when you put something in it.” They went to church, and, as they were leaving, the pastor mentioned that he had a headache. […]
Editor’s Word: Faithful to Christ Wherever
We are the largest non-Catholic denomination in the country. We have a number of megachurches. We … well, you get the picture. Even though the Southern Baptist Convention is declining in numbers, we are still big. But being big is not necessarily biblical; faithfully serving Christ is. The determination of where we will serve should […]
President’s Perspective: How to Prevent an Ugly Breakup
The pastor wanted to make some changes. There were some who were not happy. Frustration set in on both sides, then the pastor left for greener pastures elsewhere. Some form of this scenario happens frequently in our churches. Sometimes it is more acrimonious. Sometimes it is more the pastor’s fault, other times more the church’s […]
Mary Beth’s Kitchen: Stocking a Dry Pantry
Having a pantry is essential for eating healthy and is also important for getting real food on the table. It helps you stay on your budget and it takes the stress off because everything you need to make healthy meals is in your pantry. Each recipe I will be doing will be from this pantry, […]
Comic Belief: Ups and Downs of Life
Sometimes I get down — so low that I could play racquetball on the curb. It helps to understand why you’re down. It might even help change DOWN to UP. Let me explain. These things can bring you D.O.W.N.: DUMB ACTS — Wearing your baseball hat backwards to a job interview unless you want to […]
Outside the Walls: Lord, Make Me Uncomfortable
“Lord, please give me an opportunity to share with Barry,” I prayed as I walked up to my son’s ball game. I didn’t really want God to answer my prayer. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, and it was so hot I decided to sit in the visitors stands, in the shade. […]
Wholly Healthy: Pay Attention & Be Ready to Help
One of the unpleasant realities of working with the public (or just generally being in a public place) is that there are dangerous, violent people in the world. This is an ever-present reality of hospital emergency departments, but it’s also true of churches. The shooting at “Mother Emanuel” AME church in Charleston in 2015 was […]
Mary Beth’s Kitchen: Famous Brownies
Editor’s Note: With this month’s issue, we are pleased to welcome to our pages Mary Beth Oxendine, who will be familiar to some of our readers through her WGGS television program, “Cooking with Miss O.” She is the author of a cookbook, “Healthy, Simple, Southern Style Cooking on One Income,” and is a member of […]