27Aug 2012 by CJ

The porch light used to be an interesting form of communicating

Life & Living
The porch light. Today the porch light has a single purpose - to illuminate seasonal wreaths hanging on front doors or aiding homeowners while fumbling for a keyhole in the darkness. But when I was growing up the porch light had another purpose, one that is rarely if ever used today. If you look around your neighbors, isn’t it strange that you never really see kids outside playing anymore? The birth rate in American hasn’t declined any so where are they all? Growing up we were always outside playing or exploring with our imagination in hand – even when it was raining or snowing sometimes. And when darkness fell and I saw the illumination of our porch light from wherever I was on the block, I knew it was time…
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19Aug 2012 by CJ

Unless it’s urgent, make Sunday a day of peace and relaxation

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
It’s often been said that Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. Yes, Saturday is often the day when you hear lawn mowers buzzing and people fluttering about taking care of household chores they simply couldn’t find time to take care of during the week. But Sunday, yes Sunday is supposed to be a time of relaxation – a time to recharge from a hectic work week and personal schedules to enjoy quality time with family and friends. There’s nothing I love more than a lazy Sunday whether it’s watching old movies, having company for afternoon dinners or just sitting outside enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature before another hectic week begins. But sadly, depending on where you live, Sunday serenity can be hard to achieve when…
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09Aug 2012 by CJ

The New Jersey shore was like taking a trip back in time

Life & Living, Youth
I recently took a trip down to the New Jersey shore – a rare occurrence over the last few years. You see as a child that was where my entire extended family vacationed. It was inexpensive and close to home, which made it an ideal choice for a modest family to escape the chaos of life. Stepping foot on the Seaside Heights boardwalk at the New Jersey shore was like stepping back in time. Truthfully it had been some twenty-five years since I last walked up and down the strip, and now at 37 years old, I could see that while much had changed, so much more had stayed the same. Thousands of deck boards, which lined the pathway, seemed as though they hadn’t been touched since they were installed…
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06Aug 2012 by CJ

Keeping your faith alive can be difficult to do

Life & Living
“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith.” ~Author Unknown Those closest to me know all too well that I’m often holding on by the handle of anxiety – worrying and many times obsessing about situations I usually have no control over. I want to be the kind of human being that can turn to the handle of faith and feel guarded from the harsh realities of life, but it never works out that way. Maybe my expectations are too high - believing that some divine miracle will swoop down like a superhero and suddenly make all my troubles vaporize before me. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that many times when we turn…
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31Jul 2012 by CJ

Chores should not be about gender but respect

Life & Living
“The Rose Bowl is the only bowl I've ever seen that I didn't have to clean.” ~Erma Bombeck I don’t know many people that enjoy doing housework. It’s one of those things you know needs to get done, but finding the motivation to do it can be a challenge. Like most households, my wife and I both work full time jobs therefore the preconceived notion that housework and laundry are woman’s chores is no longer fair. Over our eleven year marriage, my wife and I have successfully split household chores down the middle. Inside she does the cooking, shopping and laundry and I do the dusting, vacuuming and cleaning of the bathrooms; outside she does all the pruning and gardening, while I cut the grass and pull the weeds. It’s…
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