I was recently reminded of a lesson that I was taught since childhood. Sometimes we have to wait a lifetime to see the reason we are going through a particular hardship but in my case last week, it just lasted three days.
The Florida Senate is easing back on a plan to shutter and demolish four state prisons, agreeing Wednesday to a proposal that would close a single, 1,500-bed correctional institution by Dec. 31.
Spending taxpayers’ dollars at any level is a decision sure to spark a reaction. We all have our own perspectives on what government – at all levels – should and should not spend money on.
Florida continues to lead the nation in the number of people taking advantage of a special enrollment period for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, with 146,250 people obtaining health insurance between Feb. 15 and March 31.
There are a few unique words and expressions in the Bible that have made their way into common English speech.
One of those words is “shibboleth,” which refers to a word, a mannerism, or a mode of dress that is peculiar to a group. It comes from an incident recorded in Judges 12, a conflict between two Israelite tribes, the Ephraimites and the Gileadites.
This past Sunday, a small group from Compass Community Church (compassefca.org), where I am the pastor, gathered before dawn at a picnic pavilion alongside Santa Rosa Sound for a sunrise service.
Our huddled group greeted one another with a subdued, “Happy Easter!” or “Christ is risen!” and the response, “He is risen indeed!” It was early and it was cold.
Earlier this year, I got a summons in the mail indicating that I’d been selected to serve as a juror in a federal court trial.
It’s hard to find the right word to describe my reaction. “Thrilled” doesn’t resonate. Neither does “honored” or “eager.”