‘Love, a Tiara and a Cupcake’

‘Love, a Tiara and a Cupcake’

Susan Sparks has created a profound book of faith wrapped in humor with her latest publication, Love, a Tiara and a Cupcake. Melding her many talents as a lawyer, stand-up comedian and preacher (she is pastor of Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City), Sparks...
Why You Should Consider ‘Harvesting Life’

Why You Should Consider ‘Harvesting Life’

“Harvesting life” should be a focal point for us as we age, said retired pastor and bioethicist Bert Keller. “Harvesting a life means remembering, cherishing and telling the stories of one’s lifetime,” Keller explained. “Harvesting means accepting the role of elder in...
Our Words Hold the Power to Bring Life or Death

Our Words Hold the Power to Bring Life or Death

My friend said to his mother, “Don’t worry about it. They are just words.” In fact, she was right to worry. She was concerned about the wording changes in her church’s by-laws. Words that reeked of exclusion and fear. She had prayed fervently that the ugliness that...
Share, Record Your Family Stories This Holiday

Share, Record Your Family Stories This Holiday

A friend shared recently about how his grandfather and his pregnant wife escaped from Russia before the First World War. I asked him if he had written the story. Writing or recording your story is so important because stories connect us. If your story is not preserved...
How Long Does It Take to Be Nice?

How Long Does It Take to Be Nice?

How long does it take to be nice? When we launched the Say Something Nice Day movement almost 15 years ago, it never crossed my mind that the model for rudeness and insensitivity would be the president of the United States. How do you teach civility to young people...