Stress

Nobody likes to feel stress. Quite often. we find our jobs are a source of stress. At times, even family and friends can cause us stress. Even other pressures like the economy, politics or even the news can cause us to feel stress. The dictionary defines stress as a noun in two ways. The one we are familiar with is “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” Another is the “pressure or tension exerted on a material object.” It’s easy to see how the second definition lent itself to the first. Most of the...

More Than Enough Work

Monday is a holiday where I live. On this day we observe the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was a man of God and was also very influential in the American Civil Rights Movement. One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King is: “Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” I began to reflect on some other men of God whom I admire. In June, for example, I plan to teach a class about John Amos Comenius. Comenius was a theologian born in 1592 who brought about significant changes in education. One of...

A Clean Start

A new year is once again upon us. Many of us see this as an opportunity to make resolutions. A chance to make some changes that will perhaps improve the quality of our lives. We may promise ourselves to eat healthier foods or get more exercise or get enough sleep. When you get down to it, resolutions are about making a new start with a clean slate. What’s not to like about that? Unfortunately, we are flawed human beings. We may keep these promises for a few days or weeks, but then we easily lapse back into our old habits. We might even go as far as to promise ourselves...