Consider this

            “We cannot fix what is wrong on the inside of us by re-arranging what’s on the outside” - Rick Atchley.             Intellectually, most of us would agree with the truth of that statement.   It makes sense.   However, in practice, we do just the opposite.               I know lots of people who act on the principle that says, “If I just change… (fill in the blank)… then I will be happy” and sometimes they are right.   Sometimes one small change yields big results.   More often than not, though, if people are not happy where they are, then they will not be happy in another place.   Buying a new house, getting a new job, or moving across the country may provide a temporary distraction and something new to think about, but in the end you still end up with the one thing that has not changed; you!               Churches fall into this trap too.   Many think, “If we just … (fill in the blank)… then we will start to grow.”   Therefore, they throw out the pews and brin

            About a month ago, my buddy Jason said, “I am going to a conference in Dallas and you should come with me.”             “I would love to,” I replied, “but I can’t afford it.”             “That is the best part,” he said.   “Someone is paying for my flight down there and I am sure that they would be willing to pay for yours too.”             Then he said, “The other thing is that when I was booking my flights online last week, I had a problem with my credit card, so I ended up calling the airline and booking my seats that way.   However, when I looked at my credit card statement today, I realized that the first transaction actually went through, so now I have booked two seats on each flight.   I will get the airline to take my name off one of the tickets and put your name on it.   Everything else is covered.”             So I went to Dallas.             Notice, though, that I had absolutely nothing to do with making this trip happen.   I could not pay for it

            By now we all know about the terrible and horrific events that unfolded on Parliament Hill and at the National War Memorial on October 22 nd .   What you may have missed is the role that Barbara Winters played on that day.             Winters, a lawyer and a former member of the Canadian Forces Naval reserve, was walking to her office near the Canada Revenue Agency building when she heard the unmistakable sound of gun fire.   She began to run, not towards safety, but toward Cpl. Nathan Cirillo.             When she arrived, several others were tending to his wounds, so she did the one thing she could do: she held his head and began talking to him saying, “You are a good man.   You are a brave man.   You are loved.”   She told him to remember that he was doing something good by serving his country and standing guard.   “Your family loves you.   Your parents are proud of you.   Your military family loves you.”   She kept repeating these words until Cpl. Cirillo passe