If you haven’t seen any Europeans praising American hot dogs, free refills, or gas stations on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok recently, you have either been without your phone or are wise enough not to have any social media at all. But I would guess most of us have at least heard about it.

Some visitors from Europe, here for the FIFA World Cup tournament, have discovered Buc-ee’s. Others are amazed by our use of ice and the ability to get free drink refills. Some are delighted with the safety they feel, some with our friendliness, and some are just fascinated by the variety of choices at Walmart.

It sometimes seems funny to us because, well, yeah, of course we have that.

And honestly, that is probably the point.

Most of us don’t think much about convenience stores. We stop, use the restroom, buy a drink, and leave. We don’t stand there marveling at the snack choices, the ice machine, or the fact that we can drive hundreds of miles across the country on good roads and find another gas station every few miles.

We are used to it. The things we see every day rarely seem remarkable.

And as I have watched World Cup visitors react to life in America while our country prepares to celebrate its 250^th anniversary, I have been thinking about that. Not so much about the hot dogs but about the things we have stopped noticing.

We have inherited a country that has provided freedoms, opportunities, and stability that much of the world has spent centuries seeking. Because we have always lived with those things, it is easy to assume they are normal.

But they are not normal. There literally is no other country on earth that provides the stability and freedom that America offers.

And those things were given to and preserved for us by earlier generations of people that we for the most part will never meet. We inherited roads we did not build. Schools we did not establish. Communities we did not create. We inherited the freedom to worship openly, speak freely, vote, own property, start businesses, gather together, and pursue opportunities that the rest of the world only dreams about.

Not everything we have is perfect, but it is valuable. Most of us have never known what it is like to be unable to speak openly about our beliefs. Most of us have never known what it is like to need government permission to attend church. Most of us have never experienced war on our own soil. We have grown up with freedoms that seem normal simply because they have always been there.

But they did not appear by accident.

Someone built them. Someone protected them. Someone sacrificed for them.

Receiving an inheritance usually comes with responsibility. If someone leaves you a family Bible, you don’t just toss it in the trash. If they leave you a family farm, you do not immediately pave it over and forget about why it mattered.

You take care of it.

And eventually, you pass it on.

The same is true of a country. The Europeans making videos about gas stations is a good reminder to recognize the other things we take for granted. When we recognize something’s value, we don’t just celebrate it – we talk about it, we teach it, we refuse to take it for granted, and we preserve it so we can pass it along to others.  

As America 250 celebrations happen across the country – and even beyond – remind yourself of the blessings we have. Help teach the next generation not only what America is but how it got here.

Because one day this country will no longer be our inheritance.

It will be theirs.

And the question we should ask is not just whether we appreciate what we have been given but whether we are doing a good job passing it on.

The post An Inheritance 250 Years in the Making appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Mary Magdalene had just come with astonishing news: The stone had been rolled away, and the body of Jesus was gone.

The Race to the Empty Tomb

Peter and John immediately set out to see for themselves.

John, who wrote the account in his Gospel, includes an interesting detail:

So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

(John 20:4)

It is such a small note that it almost feels humorous. John makes sure the reader knows he got there first.

For centuries readers have smiled at that line. Even in the middle of the most important morning in history, a little bit of friendly rivalry seems to appear between the two men.

John was probably younger, and he outran Peter.

But when he reached the tomb, he stopped. He stooped down and looked inside, seeing the linen burial cloths lying there, yet he did not go in.

Moments later Peter arrived.

And Peter did what Peter often did.

He charged straight inside.

John records it simply:

Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

(John 20:6)

It is a scene that perfectly reflects the personalities we see throughout the Gospels. Peter was bold and impulsive. He was often the first to speak, the first to act, and sometimes the first to make a mistake. When he arrived at the tomb, hesitation did not seem to occur to him.

John, by contrast, appears more observant and reflective. He noticed details. He paused.

So the morning unfolds exactly as we might expect.

John runs faster. Peter walks straight in.

Yet the differences between the two disciples were about more than personality.

They also seem to have come from somewhat different social circles.

John appears to have had connections that Peter did not. Earlier in the Gospel accounts, when Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest’s house, John was known there and was able to enter the courtyard. Peter could not even get inside until John spoke to the servant girl at the door and brought him in (John 18:15-16).

They were different men – different temperaments, different backgrounds, perhaps even different social standing.

Yet on that morning, both of them stood in the same place.

The empty tomb of Jesus.

After Peter entered, John finally stepped inside as well.

Then he writes something simple and remarkable:

Then the other disciple . . . also went in. And he saw and believed.

(John 20:8)

That line is striking. John does not describe thunder or lightning. There is no dramatic speech. There are only the linen cloths lying where the body had been. Yet somehow in that moment, the truth began to dawn.

The tomb was empty.

And both of these very different men were beginning to believe.

The Easter resurrection story includes many dramatic moments, but it also includes small human ones like this.

Two friends running. A little rivalry along the way. Different personalities, different backgrounds.

Yet both of them standing together at the same empty tomb, slowly realizing that everything had changed.

These and the other witnesses to the first Easter were ordinary men and women with their own strengths, weaknesses, and differences.

But when they encountered the risen Christ, those differences did not matter at all compared to the truth they had come to see.

The tomb was empty.

And that truth is big enough for everyone to believe.

The post Why John Stopped at the Empty Tomb appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Walk into many churches on Easter morning and you will likely see them immediately – rows of Easter lilies with their tall stems, glossy leaves, and white trumpet-shaped blossoms arranged on the stage or near the pulpit.

Easter lilies have become such a familiar part of Easter Sunday that many people assume the tradition goes back to the early church and never ask: Why are Easter lilies used at Easter?

I remember thinking it had something to do with the “lily of the valley” mentioned in Scripture, but in reality, the story of why Easter lilies are used at Easter is a mix of symbolism, church tradition, and even a fascinating chapter of American farming history.

The Meaning of Easter Lilies in Christianity

The Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) has long been associated with themes that fit beautifully with the message of Easter.

Its pure white petals have traditionally symbolized purity, hope, and new life. The flower’s trumpet shape almost seems to announce good news – an image that fits well with the joy of resurrection morning.

Even the way the plant grows carries a meaningful picture. A lily grows from a bulb buried in the ground. For months nothing is visible above the soil. Then a stem suddenly pushes upward and bursts into bloom.

It’s a powerful reminder of the Easter story.

From the tomb came life.

Christ was buried, yet on the third day He rose again.

As Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die (John 11:25).

It was because of this symbolism that churches began using lilies as Easter altar flowers.

How Easter Lilies Became an Easter Tradition

Interestingly, the Easter lily is not native to the United States. It originally comes from islands in southern Japan.

In the late 1800s. plant collectors introduced the lily to Europe and North America, where it became a favorite with gardeners. By the early twentieth century, growers had learned how to carefully control temperature and light so the plants would bloom right around Easter Sunday.

Florists began selling them as “Easter lilies,” and churches embraced them as a natural picture of the resurrection. And within a few decades, the flower had become one of the most recognizable Easter decorations.

The Unexpected Oregon Story behind Easter Lilies

One of the most fascinating parts of the Easter lily story involves the American West Coast.

Before World War II, nearly all Easter lily bulbs used in the United States were imported from Japan. But when the war started, that supply suddenly disappeared.

American growers had to find another source.

Farmers along the southern Oregon coast and northern California coast began experimenting with growing the bulbs. The cool coastal climate – often foggy and mild – turned out to be perfect for lily production.

Soon hundreds of farmers were growing them. At one point more than 1,000 growers in the Brookings, Oregon area were producing Easter lily bulbs. Competition became so intense that locals jokingly called the boom the “Easter Lily War.”

Today the industry is smaller, but most Easter lily bulbs used in the United States still come from a narrow coastal region around Brookings, Oregon, and Smith River, California. Every spring millions of lilies grown from those bulbs are shipped across the country just in time for Easter.

One of the Hardest Flowers to Grow

Another surprising fact about Easter lilies is how much work goes into producing them.

Growing a single Easter lily bulb takes three to four years in the field before it is ready for commercial use. During that time farmers must carefully protect the plants from disease and harvest the bulbs at exactly the right moment.

After harvest, the bulbs are sent to greenhouse growers who control temperature and light so they bloom for Easter.

Because the date of Easter changes every year, growers must adjust their schedules constantly. If the lilies bloom too early or too late, they lose much of their value.

More Than Decoration

Easter lilies are more than a beautiful spring flower. From a bulb buried in the earth comes a flower bursting with life – a fitting picture of the resurrection Christians celebrate each Easter.

And every Easter morning, the same message is proclaimed again:

He is not here; for He is risen (Matthew 28:6).

The post Why Are Easter Lilies Everywhere at Easter? appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

But, do we know that the story of Jesus’ birth was a long awaited fulfillment that actually dates back to Genesis? A story that has redemption written all over it for us today. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God that opened the door to sin and death. God already had a plan that Jesus, His only son, would come to earth as both human and divine to settle the score with satan, and make all things right again.

Genesis 3:13-15

V13

And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

V14

So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.

V15

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

Verses 16-19 describe the curse of sin and death that entered into the world because of disobedience. Darkness fell upon the earth. Sorrow, sickness, and lawlessness entered into the most perfect Garden Paradise that God had created for His children. Outside of God’s perfect plan darkness still reigns. However, because of the promise of Jesus, Yeshua (Messiah, Savior) throughout the ages, God has provided a way of rescue for every person who believes and calls upon Him that they will be saved (John 3:16, Romans 10:9).

Humanity has lived in darkness since that time. Isaiah references the darkness of the peoples in multiple passages (5:20, 9:2, 59:1-15, 60:2). The darkness is not hopeless. Christmas is the story of HOPE!

Today, the world around us is swirling in darkness. Hope seems to be unavailable. What joy is there in a world full of sickness, drugs, addictions, human trafficking, lawlessness, and general hatred spread about.

This is exactly where Christmas Past intersects with Christmas Present. Christmas is God’s greatest LOVE GIFT ever given since Creation. God gave the gift of the cosmos to His children for their enjoyment and as a joint family relationship with Him.

When that relationship was broken and the beauty of creation was marred, God already had the rescue plan foreseen.

Jesus entered the earth as a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Jesus lived on earth without submitting to the lures of satan, and therefore secured the righteousness to redeem the family (humanity) that had been abducted through deceit and lies. Jesus as in the Genesis prophecy bruised satan’s head, while His heel was bruised on the cross.

Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection brought Joy to the World. When we believe and confess Jesus as God Himself, who came to earth to regather His children, we take Christmas beyond a prophecy or historic event. We bring Christmas into OUR today. Christ within us shatters the darkness that so wants to choke the life out of us.

Often Christmas may seem the darkest because you feel the loneliest. Don’t let the lies of satan deceive you like he did Eve. Let the songs of Christmas, the Christmas scriptures, and the Christmas lights draw you into the reality of Christmas today…and every day.

The post The Christmas Story is NOT of OLD, but For TODAY! appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Mary is often portrayed as calm, serene, and unshakeable, but Scripture gives us a more real – and more relatable – picture. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was “greatly troubled” and confused (Luke 1:29). She did not understand everything God was doing, and she certainly didn’t have many answers. Yet after hearing God’s plan for her life, she gave a response that still inspires today:

I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.

This one sentence shows us three beautiful ways to trust God this Christmas – or any time of the year.

1. Mary Trusted God Even When She Didn’t Understand the Path

Mary’s life was changed in an instant. She went from ordinary village girl to the mother of the Messiah. And not only did she have her own confusion, but she also undoubtedly thought of other people in her life. Despite her new position, she still had to walk through misunderstanding, raised eyebrows, and the everyday challenges of real life.

Mary didn’t know:

• how Joseph would respond,
• what her future would look like,
• or how God would work everything out.

But she trusted the One who did.

At Christmas, we celebrate God’s perfect plan, but we also feel the weight of our own uncertainties. Your family might not look the way you hoped. Your finances may feel stretched. You may be praying over a child’s choices or grieving someone who used to sit at the Christmas table.

Like Mary, you don’t have to understand everything to trust God with everything.

2. Mary Trusted God by Surrendering Her Own Expectations

Mary likely had dreams for her life – marrying Joseph, raising a family, living a quiet life. But God’s plan interrupted her expectations.

Her response was not, “Let it be the way I imagined,” but “Let it be to me according to your word.”

Christmas can highlight the gap between our expectations and reality. Sometimes the season brings the disappointments of fractured relationships, family tensions, or even health struggles.

Mary invites us to pray:

“Lord, I surrender my expectations and receive Your will.”

Surrender isn’t weakness – it is faith in God who writes better stories than we do.

3. Mary Trusted God Because She Believed His Promises

After Gabriel left, Mary didn’t have more clarity, but she did have God’s Word. And that was enough.

She clung to God’s promise that He was with her, that He would accomplish His purpose, and that His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation (Luke 1:50). That promise sustained her from the lowly birth of her Son, through every step of His life, even to the moment she watched Him die on a cross.

You, too, can cling to the promises of God:

• He is with you (Matthew 1:23)
• His peace is yours (John 14:27)
• His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• His plan is good (Romans 8:28)

God is faithful, and these verses are a Christmas reminder that God’s promises never fail.

Lord, You are our Christmas hope. Help me trust You like Mary did – not because I understand everything, but because You do.

The post Mary’s Christmas Lesson: How to Trust God in Every Season appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

I would guess that most pastors do not crave recognition. They carry quiet burdens, work long hours, make many sacrifices, and give deeply from the heart because they love the people God has placed in their care. Still, even the most faithful shepherds grow weary. They need encouragement that refreshes, not recognition that exhausts.

So, this October, what if we celebrated Pastor Appreciation Month a little differently – by offering rest instead of pressure?

1. Remember the Heart Behind It

Pastor Appreciation Month isn’t about throwing a party; it is about honoring the people God has called to lead His church. Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that our leaders keep watch over us as those who must give an account. That kind of responsibility is weighty.

When we take time to thank and encourage our pastors, we are not just being polite – we are strengthening the very people who help strengthen us. A thoughtful note, a quiet prayer, or a sincere “thank you for how you have blessed my family” can mean more than any big event ever could.

2. Look for Gentle Ways to Encourage

Your pastor doesn’t need a spotlight; they need space to breathe. Instead of another banquet or public recognition, consider smaller, more personal gestures that restore their energy:

• Pray specifically for their needs this month. Ask God to renew their strength, protect their family, and bring joy back into their ministry.
• Give the gift of time. Offer them a Sunday off or cover a week’s worth of meals so they can rest without guilt.
• Send encouragement privately. A handwritten note, a text with a favorite verse, or a card signed by the congregation can speak volumes.
• Care for the family. Remember the spouse and children who quietly support from behind the scenes. Baby sitting, grocery delivery, or gas cards can be a real help.

These quiet, thoughtful acts often communicate love more clearly than a crowded schedule of events.

3. Guard against Burnout

Many pastors won’t admit when they are tired. But ministry can be draining – emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If you notice your pastor seems weary, resist the urge to expect “business as usual.” Offer compassion instead of criticism.

Galatians 6:9 says, Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Your gentle encouragement might be the reminder that helps your pastor keep going through a difficult season.

4. Focus on Rest and Renewal

True appreciation happens when the shepherd feels seen, cared for, and restored. Some practical ideas are to offer childcare, update his office, or do some tasks for his family. Rake the leaves, power wash the deck, catalog his books – something that would take something off his plate, even if it is only for this month. And if you don’t already, serve somewhere in the church. Having adequate volunteers is always a blessing.

A Final Thought

Pastor Appreciation Month 2025 isn’t about adding one more thing to your church calendar – it’s about lightening the load for someone who carries a lot. You don’t have to organize a banquet or buy a gift basket. Just let your pastor know they are seen, valued, and prayed for.

Because when we honor those who serve faithfully, we reflect the heart of the One who said, Well done, good and faithful servant. And that is worth celebrating – not just in October, but all year long.

The post How to Celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month without Overwhelming Your Pastor appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Definitions

• a coming into place, view, or being; arrival
• the coming of Christ into the world
• the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas
• second coming

Synonyms

• Arrival
• Coming
• Onset
• Appearance
• Approach
• Entrance
• Incoming

Often advent is relegated to the “religious” realm. But, we always have advent occurring in our lives. Anticipation of births, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, retirement, and many other events.

Israel was in advent waiting for the Messiah. There was 400 years of silence. Advent implies hope or expectation or an arrival of a joyous occasion.

We are often waiting, “adventing” for some distant event or opportunity, when God wants us to advent (anticipate) His presence today. Lamentations 3:22-23 declares, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your [God’s] faithfulness.” Do we have that daily anticipation of meeting with God in a scheduled quiet time? We anticipate seeing friends and family, why do we not have the same anticipation to meet with God?

Do we anticipate seeing God demonstrate His realness in our daily lives by a “God wink?” The times you whisper or think of a need, and the solution appears…those are God winks. The sound of laughter or a beautiful sunset is a God wink. Are we “adventing” the answers to long held prayers of healing or salvation for loved ones, or have we given up anticipating an answer?

I’d say, our daily routines distract us from anticipating good things to happen in our lives. Often the world as it is makes us callus and cynical.

The antidote is daily washing ourselves in God’s word and EXPECTING (adventing, anticipating) His fresh response. A song from my childhood that has stuck with me these many years encourages me to anticipate God’s daily presence and His move on my behalf.

Don’t let advent only come once a year before Christmas. Begin a tradition of advent for each and every day. Establish a desire and anticipation to experience the fullness of God, right here, right now, and not in some distant future that lessens our joy and hope of His present reality.

The post Advent All Year Long appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

The Second of July.

The Continental Congress voted to declare independence from England on July 2, 1776, but the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted two days later, after all the edits and changes were made. John Adams, later the second President, believed that July 2 should be the day to celebrate “the great anniversary festival.” In fact, he believed it so strongly that he protested by turning down invitations to events on the 4^th.

Food and Fireworks.

That same John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, that the day “ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” I don’t know that we Americans have kept up with the devotion to God part, but we have with the festivals and “illuminations.”  The very first anniversary of Independence Day in Philadelphia in 1777 included a fireworks show, a dinner, and even a parade. Now, New York City hosts the biggest fireworks display, but many other cities and even small towns put on fireworks shows for their residents. This year, Americans are expected to spend $9.9 billion on food for Independence Day and over $2 billion on fireworks.

Not a Good Day for Presidents.

Three Presidents of the United States, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe, all died on the Fourth of July. Adams and Jefferson, who were both signers of the Declaration of Independence, died on the same day, the 50^th anniversary of Independence Day, and Monroe died five years later.

Liberty Bell Still Rings.

No one could ever know the real numbers, but there are tens to hundreds of thousands of descendants of the signers of the Declaration living now. Each year, a few children who are in those family lines are given the opportunity to ceremonially ring the Liberty Bell on the fourth of July. They tap the bell thirteen times at 2 p.m. every Independence Day to honor the original thirteen states.

If you’ve learned anything from reading this, share it with others. Celebrate this Fourth of July safely and gratefully.

The post 4 Fascinating Facts About the 4th of July appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

But what always got me about that story is that those little kids walked over a mile and a half to get to that cemetery! No school now would even think about doing such a thing, but this would have been in the late 1930s, and times were a little different. The parents of those students would have fought in or been directly affected by the First World War, and unfortunately, an even bigger war was just around the corner.

For the most part today, we aren’t as directly connected to someone who was killed in battle, so Memorial Day and its observances just don’t seem as important, and it would not be hard to come up with reasons why we shouldn’t participate this year–or any year. Have you used or can see yourself using any of these excuses?

1. Outside at the end of May, it could be really hot. Or rainy. Or cold.

2. It might run long, and the kids will be so bored.

3. I really don’t know any of the soldiers who have died.

4. I have a Memorial Day party planned, and I need that time to get ready for it.

5. I have already thanked a veteran and bought a poppy.

I know I have thought some of these, and you may have as well, but perhaps a better understanding of the day will help us rethink some of our excuses. Very soon after the ending of the Civil War, a powerful group of Union veterans issued an act establishing Memorial Day as the day the whole nation would remember the soldiers killed in battle and decorate their graves, and May 30 was chosen to ensure an ample supply of spring flowers. Women, especially in the South, had already been putting flowers and wreaths on graves, but this made it more universal.

The day, then and now, is not intended to thank or celebrate living veterans but those killed in battle. In fact, some veterans are offended when any focus is put on them that day. It is important to remember those no longer here, young people who never got a chance to do whatever it is you are planning or enjoying today. We think we’ll remember, but God knew we humans very easily forget. Several times God told the Israelites to set stones up as a memorial—as a visual reminder of what He had done for them. And going to look at the tombstones is a very good way to remember and be grateful for what those men and women did for us.

One of the points of the original Memorial Day orders was that cemeteries were to have “pleasant paths” to enable visitors and mourners access to prove to the present and coming generations that we have not “forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.” So if you really can’t attend a service, maybe you can help clean up a gravesite or put down some flowers on the grave of someone who no longer has anyone to care, as a way of helping not just you, but others remember the cost.

The post Five Reasons Not to Attend a Memorial Day Event appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

I don’t think that is just a kid thing. When an event or occasion you have been planning for and working toward for days, weeks, or even months is just suddenly over, there is a natural let-down. Your mind and body have been busy thinking and planning and baking and shopping and wrapping and worshipping and visiting. But then it stops. The Christmas music stops, the parties are over, the people go home, and there is nothing to do.

For some people, that may be an amazing feeling. I’m done. I can relax and rest for a season. But for others, that same tired feeling leads to depression. And more than physical exhaustion, what if, despite you putting all your energy (and possibly too much money) into making the holiday time the best you could, you still had unmet expectations and things just didn’t go as you had hoped?

Sometimes, just getting back into your pre-holiday routine can do wonders for you. Eating healthier food, getting more sleep, and, if possible, spending time walking or other activities outdoors will help restore your energy and a sense of balance. If you did make family or financial mistakes, take the time to rationally think about ways to avoid that the next time the holidays roll around.

But if your sadness is a little more, if it really can’t be fixed by putting the cookies away, I want you to try to remember one thing. The same Emmanuel, the same “God with us” that you put so much energy and time into celebrating in December is still here in January. We might feel different, but He doesn’t. He didn’t change, and He is still there wanting to listen to and help you. And the good news that He brought when He came to earth is still the most amazing news of all. We who were condemned to die now can live forever. And that is something to celebrate even on the coldest, darkest, and saddest day.

If you are having trouble remembering that, get yourself some reminders. Read and think about God’s Word, listen to the encouraging reminders in the music of Hope 100.7 or the messages of 93.7 The Light – not just in the car on the way to work but at home when you can use some help. And make sure you are heading to church. There is no better way to get your mind off your own struggles and be reminded that the news of Christmas is a year-round joy than to be in the presence of God and fellow worshippers.

The post Where Is God In January? Post-Holiday Blues appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

However, when I notice the seasons flying by I like to go back and reread Ecclesiastes.  Solomon gave us the original  “Seasons in the Sun” stating, “Whatever has happened before will happen again.  Whatever has been done before will be done again.  There is nothing new under the sun.  Can you say that anything is new?  It has already been here long before us. Nothing from the past is remembered.  Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).  Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 also gives more of Solomon’s musing of the cycles of time. 

When I reread Ecclesiastes I often find that people want to take Solomon’s melancholy reference of the meaninglessness of life as what God has said.  Did you ever realize that his melancholy and sadness is because of his self-centeredness and loss of focus on God?  Solomon was given the greatest gift of wisdom from God.  Along with that wisdom came the riches, came curiosity, a constant seeking, an effort that became very futile and blocked the depth and the joy of life that God had really intended.  As we go through the changes of the seasons, not only every year but even the seasons in our lives, have we missed or lost the true purpose of enjoying God?

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

“Question: What is the chief aim of man?

Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

Westminster Catechism

If we are always looking at trying to find the joy of the season, the joy of the Fall (Autumn), the pumpkins, the falling leaves, and everything that Fall can bring us…the beautiful holidays, the smells of the kitchen, the desserts and the family gatherings, do we often after they’re all over feel hollow? 

I’ve made my effort over time to not be like Solomon and become disillusioned because I don’t get the same satisfaction and joy in everything I do.  Have you ever noticed that the first time you try to do anything, whether it’s to drive, whether it’s to roller skate, whether it’s to dance, or something; there’s an excitement and a newness in whatever the activity might be?  Do you notice that over time as we repeat the activity it becomes such a routine and we don’t even have to think about it?  We miss the very excitement and joy that brought us into wanting to do that activity in the first place. 

That’s why I’m encouraging all of us to make sure that our number one priority is seeking first the Kingdom of God, His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).  That was Solomon’s original seeking, the Kingdom and subsequently, God gave him all the other things.  However, all the things became a clutter in his mind and his life and it became a distraction that led him away from the number one priority, seeking God.  Let’s not fall into the trap and miss living in the presence of God.  Psalm 16:11 states, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Joy is from the heart, it’s not from the circumstances that are around us.  Let us press on to the mark of the High Calling (Philippians 3:14) of Him who set before us a plan, a purpose, a desire to know him (Jeremiah 29:11)…and in knowing Him he will provide all of the other things that we need and help our hearts stay focused so that we do not become bitter and disillusioned like Solomon.  The world around us is dark, very negative, very discouraging; but through Christ in us there is hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). 

Let us renew that childlike excitement as the seasons change and have an anticipation of a glorious season whether it’s this Fall that’s coming upon us or whether it is Winter, Spring, Summer, and then we start all over again.  Let’s make an effort to not get into a monotonous routine and forget what God has done for us.  Let’s not forget also that when we are in the cycles of life speeding by from childhood, to adolescence, to an adult, and to being in later stages of our life; to not be weary and become disillusioned.  God has a great plan and purpose for us no matter what season we are in, but we must seek Him first and He will provide for us all that we need because He’s such a loving father.  He loves to give good gifts to his children.  Things that we didn’t even expect or see coming, He wants to bless us abundantly above all we could ask or think.  Let’s anticipate this change of season, whatever it might be for you, as an opportunity to receive the presence and the gift of God into our lives for today.

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                But there is a well-known story in the Bible that takes place after Jesus’s death and resurrection in which His disciples were at one point “overjoyed,” but it seems that was not enough to conquer their fear and doubt. The story is the one we refer to as “Doubting Thomas.” On the evening of the day Jesus rose from the dead, most of His disciples were together in a locked room. The doors were locked because they were afraid the Jews would find them and take them away as they did Jesus. But that night, Jesus came in the room and showed them His hands and side, which filled the disciples with joy. Their teacher was alive!

                But the next week, the disciples were again gathered together in a locked room, apparently still afraid. This time Thomas was with them. He got his nickname because when the disciples who had been at the first meeting told him that they had seen Jesus, Thomas, perhaps thinking they had seen a ghost, said he would not believe until he put his finger where the nails were and his hand into Jesus’s side.

                As you probably know, Jesus again came into the locked room, told them to be at peace, and then spoke directly to Thomas: Put your finger in My hands and your hand in My side. Stop doubting and believe.

He Got It

Thomas no longer needed to touch Jesus. He immediately said, My Lord and my God! Yes, their teacher was no longer dead, but now the disciples, at least Thomas, saw that Jesus was not just a teacher, their rabbi, but God Himself. He was known as a doubter, but he was apparently the first person to understand that Jesus was deity. He was God.

The disciples had thought Jesus was bringing the kingdom, but He had been killed instead. Now they had seen the risen Jesus – they had joy but not hope. They were confused and scared. They had seen Him alive again, but He still wasn’t challenging the Romans. Who was this man they had followed for years? Did His resurrection make any difference to them?

But Doubting Thomas got it. Jesus was God, and that changed things. The disciples no longer needed to be afraid of the Jews or anyone else. In just a few weeks, instead of hiding in a locked room, they were all speaking in public to thousands, preaching to the very people who had killed Jesus. Almost all the apostles would eventually be beaten, jailed, and murdered for the name of Jesus. Back in the locked room, Jesus replied to Thomas, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. That’s us, you and me. We’re blessed because we have the joy and the hope. We would have doubted too, but we have the Bible which put it all together for us and the Spirit, whom Jesus sent when He returned to the Father. Knowing who Jesus is and that we will be resurrected too, changes us. We no longer need to hide in a locked room but can live and speak without fear, with joy and hope, just as the disciples did.

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What Is Lent?

is meant to commemorate the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, so some Lenten traditions do include self-sacrifice and special acts of charity during this time. Most involve confession and repentance. But for all religious traditions, Lent is a time to prepare for Easter, a time to actively prepare ourselves through Scripture, prayer, and repentance. We know there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor and His love, but I think the very idea that we can do nothing, that it was all the work of God, sometimes causes us to take it all for granted.

Because we were, through God’s grace, crucified and buried with Christ – with no pain and suffering on our part – it seems easy. And it is:

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.

Acts 16:31

But if we don’t remember what that gift cost, we can also forget its value. We perhaps forget what sinners we were, how desperate our need was, and how great a sacrifice Jesus made for us, not just in His death, but in His very life here on earth.

But the other part of the story, the reason why Lent has an end, is because we were not only crucified and buried with Jesus, forgiven and made righteous, but we were also resurrected with Him into eternal life.

I Can

Attending this new church forced me to think about Lent. Whatever it was in my mind before or maybe what it is for others, it did not have to be for me. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the most important events in the history of the world. Believers, hopefully, are always mindful of this, but it is not wrong to spend a little extra time focusing on Jesus, the cross, His love and sacrifice for us that allows us to experience the amazing unearned and unending joy of Easter morning.

By the time you read this, Lent this year will have already begun, but the number of days doesn’t matter. Use whatever time you can to reflect on what a selfless gift Jesus gave us. The reflection, meditation, and prayer of the days of Lent can lead us to appreciate and value even more Christ’s sacrificial death for us.

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

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Christmas Events in Dayton and surrounding areas

1. The North Pole Express (Lebanon)

A must-do event for children and the young at heart! From the beautifully decorated train station to the lights and cheer inside the train car, this is an experience sure to boost your Christmas spirit! On your one hour journey, Santa and his elves will visit each family and gift each passenger with a souvenir bell and prepackaged cookie. Cost ranges from $22-$39 each.

2. The Gift of Lights at the Christmas Ranch (Morrow)

The Christmas Ranch has an amazing display with 1 million lights synchronized with holiday music for a festive drive-thru experience. Also on the property: six Christmas shops, Santa’s Bakery & Cafe, pictures with Santa, and train and wagon rides. Reservations are required for admission, and cost ranges from $20-$30 per vehicle. 

3. The Christmas Glow (Middletown)

Come celebrate the season at The Christmas Glow, over 3.8 million lights at the 2-mile long Christmas Around the World drive-thru experience, visit Santa at the Christmas Village Santa Workshop, shop for your loved ones at the shops, enjoy the petting zoo, or just take in the majestic lights of the 45-foot Christmas Tree as you and yours warm by the gas fire pits. Cost is $7 per person.

Christmas Events in Cincinnati and surrounding areas

1. Downtown Dazzle at Fountain Square (Cincinnati)

This event is held on Saturdays between November 27- December 18. Music and festivities start at 6:30 pm, and then the Downtown Dazzle show begins at 7:00 pm. Join in on one of the biggest highlights of the Christmas season, where you can enjoy seeing Santa rappel from a Cincinnati skyrise, fabulous fireworks, nearby ice skating, and great food and drink everywhere you turn! (cost depends on your activities.)

2. Christmas in Loveland!

Be swept back in time while visiting Old Historic Loveland on this special day. You can enjoy Jolly Ole’ St. Nick and Mrs. Claus at the North Pole, a live Nativity scene, a Winter Wonderland, and great food and drinks from the many top-notch businesses in historic Loveland. (cost depends on your activities.)

3. Trains & Traditions, A Cincinnati Holiday at Krohn Conservatory

Enjoy a tapestry of colorful poinsettias, charming garden railways and beautiful replicas of Cincinnati landmarks created out of “Botanical Architecture” by local artisans all while staying toasty warm in the tropical climate of the conservatory! Cost is $10 per adult, $7 per child.

Christmas Events in Columbus and surrounding areas

1. Home For The Holidays with CJO

The Columbus Jazz Orchestra’s annual Home for the Holidays concerts are always festive, heart-warming, and totally swingin’. A holiday musical treat featuring Nashville-based singer-songwriter Vanessa Campagna. Cost ranges between  $10-$68

2. Fly-A-Way Farm (Delaware, OH)

Make some great memories together as you enjoy a hay ride out to the tree field, pick out the perfect Christmas tree and cut it down yourself (precut available as well), then warm up with free hot chocolate and homemade sugar cookies around a wood fire. Well-behaved pets are welcome. Photo sessions can be scheduled for a fee year-round except select dates. 

3. Easton Holiday Lighting Grand Illumination

Want that perfect Hallmark-esque Christmas event? Here you have it! The Grand Illumination checks all the boxes: millions of twinkling lights, shopping, a 50 foot tree with a 5 foot star, a North Pole-bound train and much more. The fun begins at 6PM, with the holiday lights turning on everywhere around Easton at 7PM.

And an extra special experience…

Reindeer Ridge (Guilford, IN)

Road trip! Reindeer Ridge is an unforgettable experience for people of all ages. While visiting Reindeer Ridge you will meet and learn all about reindeer, have photo opportunities in a real sleigh and in front of the Christmas tree, shop for festive treasures in our Holiday Barn, visit with Santa, and more!

Do you plan to visit any of these places? Share some of your favorite Christmas events and traditions with us below and have a Merry Christmas!

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post Where To Celebrate Christmas appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

1. Thanksgiving Basket

Let’s get the most obvious option out of the way first! If your church or community center is accepting donations to put together Thanksgiving dinner baskets to give to families in need, you could donate or volunteer to help assemble the baskets, or deliver them to families. This provides a much-needed help to people who don’t have the extra money for a big holiday meal. If you’d like to do something different, or in addition, read on!

2. Cook

Of course, Thanksgiving is a food-centered holiday, so there are lots of opportunities to use your gift of cooking, should you desire to. Maybe you could:

a. Invite friends who don’t have family nearby to your dinner. 
b. Get together a few friends to cook a whole Thanksgiving dinner for a family in financial trouble. 
c. Make pies for your neighbors.
d. Participate in a dinner for local homeless people.

3. For The Non-Cooking Ones

If you’re more of the order-in type of person, there are ways you can help, too! You could send an anonymous grocery store gift card to a family in your neighborhood, or order a fully cooked Thanksgiving dinner from a local grocery store, restaurant, or Bob Evans. Or, if you’re going to a restaurant for your Thanksgiving dinner, you could invite people to come along with you!

4. Other Types of Help

Maybe you know someone who is overwhelmed, stressed, or just plain struggling. You could offer to watch their kids to give them a little alone time, or help them clean their house if it’s company-related stress they’re experiencing. Another idea could be to do their grocery shopping to give them a little margin in their schedule. 

We’d love to hear from you! What are some ways you can think of to help people in your life this Thanksgiving?

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

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Happy Mother’s Day

If you’re part of the first group and Mother’s Day is a happy celebration, take some time to think about how you can honor other people in your life on Mother’s Day in addition to your own mother. Are there women in your life who may not have their own children but who have loved and supported you? Do you know a woman longing for a child that you can encourage with flowers, a card, or a phone call? 

“…now that I am a mother, I understand what Mother’s Day is about: it’s about looking through our lives and recognizing the act of mothering everywhere we see it, and more than that, recognizing that when any of us mother– when we listen, nurture, nourish, protect–we’re doing sacred work.”

Shauna Niequist

Filling The Void

If you’re part of the second group, where Mother’s Day has been a day of sadness, anger, or pain, maybe it’s time for some new traditions. Think of some ways to redeem the day. There are probably other people in your life struggling in the same way you are, and your effort to change your perspective could be healing to them as well. In the same way, single ladies sometimes celebrate “Galentine’s Day” on February 14. You could use the day in a more untraditional way. You could celebrate the mother-figures you know by delivering flowers, have lunch with another woman longing for a baby for prayer together, or go someplace special and remember the good things about your Mom. Your new tradition should address the longing you feel. Pray about it and let God show you where your heart needs healing. 

The Act of Mothering

Perhaps you’re not a mother yet, or you’re past the age when you can bear your own children. Look around at the people in your life- do you see anyone hungry for a mother? This could be someone of any age…a child who needs attention, guidance, love…or an adult who needs advice, support, or encouragement. Small acts of kindness and just being there to talk make a bigger difference than you could imagine. If you don’t know anyone personally who you could help in this way, you could look into volunteer opportunities, such as churches, schools, hospitals, etc. 

Titus gives us a beautiful picture of older women mentoring younger women. Many young women in our churches need a mother figure to help them through the journey of being a Christian woman, a wife, and/or a mother, and if you have experience in any of those areas, you have the wisdom to pass on!

 “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”

Titus 2.3-5

This Mother’s Day, let’s all look a little further than our immediate circle. Life has been hard, and for some holidays feel like a personal insult. What can you do to make the day easier for someone in your life? Let us know in the comments if you have other ideas to make Mother’s Day better for someone.

The post When Mother’s Day Doesn’t Feel Like A Celebration appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

1. Virtual cooking/dinner date
   Why just eat together on Zoom? Plan ahead for a specific recipe and cook it together for a really memorable experience! Bonus points if you use family recipes

Or a fun alternative could be having a pizza sent to your loved one’s house and surprising them with a video call movie and pizza date! That would be especially helpful if they’ve already told you they don’t know what to make for dinner!

2. Scavenger Hunt
   Send a nature scavenger hunt via email and instruct your loved ones to text you a photo of themselves with each item as they find it! You can find a list online or make one up using things that have special meaning. For example: ask for a leaf from a tree in the neighborhood where you’ve walked together, or a piece of grass from the side yard where you had a picnic together…you get the idea.

3. If you’re going to be away from children you love, send them a package with coloring books and crayons, and buy yourself the same things. Set up a video call and color the same pages together. Date and display them so when you are able to be together physically, you’ll see them and be reminded of the fun time you had! Another idea in the same vein is virtual cookie baking. Send a package with all the ingredients for your favorite cookie recipe and set up a time to bake them at the same time. 

4. Buy 2 Advent calendars, send one to your loved one, then spend a few minutes each day in December to open together. There are lots of different kinds of Advent calendars these days, so you can choose a theme that is meaningful to you both. 

I hope these ideas have sparked some ideas for you to still feel close to the people you love, even if you don’t get to be together this year. Have you thought of other creative ways to connect during these unusual times? Share them in the comments and you might just inspire someone else! Merry Christmas and may your New Year be bright!

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