The Cross and Pen

                       America is a consumer nation. As the holiday season approaches, one need look no further than Black Friday for an example. Years ago, the day following Thanksgiving was the best and busiest day for holiday shopping. Families flocked to malls, shopping centers, and local stores in order to get the best prices. Retailers reveled in the sales surge that accounted for the bulk of their annual revenue. Looking back to the days that marked my childhood, I recall Black Friday being a somewhat fun adventure replete with family and friends. It was a time that ushered in the Christmas season and its enduring spirit. But things changed. Stores began to open earlier and earlier, competing with one another. Instead of sitting on the sofa and watching football with a loose belt to allow for easy digestion of the day’s feast, consumers headed out to wait in line, sometimes all night, in order...

As I was reading an article for one of my graduate classes, I fell into my customary practice of subconsciously editing the material.   I found several grammatical errors in the beginning paragraphs and continued to read with a dismissive air, attributing little credit to the author.   Several pages later, I read a paragraph dealing with Christian leadership in a secular society.   One of the key points was that Christian leaders need to be habitually prayerful if they are going to be successful.   This principle was based on the example set forth by Jesus.   He prayed often and fervently.        It was at this point that I stopped abruptly.   Here I had been reading along with a critical eye, not giving much due to the author, when I realized that I had become spiritually lazy.   Some weeks ago, I had been ordained as an elder in my church.   Upon the laying-on of hands I truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. ...

     I swat at the alarm clock at oh-dark-thirty each morning.   I have grown accustomed to fooling myself each day (as many of us have) by hitting the snooze bar, thereby delaying my actual wake-up time by twenty minutes or so.   After my second reprieve from consciousness, I sit up, turn off my alarm clock and snuggle with the dog for a few moments before I head off to the shower to begin my daily routine, which has been well rehearsed over the years.   Even if I get up on time and move swiftly, it seems as though I leave for work at the same time everyday with very little change to my routine.   I’m normally running a bit late by the end of the week for some reason.   It’s certainly not due to hard work!      The only bad part about my morning routine is that it does not allow much time for God.   I try to squeeze in a quick devotional and a short prayer, in which I thank God for His blessings and ask him to c...