At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments.
Ease is the greatest threat to progress.
Denzel Washington (born 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous awards for his acting performances, including two Academy Awards.
From Isaiah 35:10: “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Facing constant waves
Overwhelming despair
Father seeking to save
Eternal grace cares
Bethlehem manger
Looking beyond today
Savior, joy’s game changer
Mercy’s light conveys
Hope breathes, Son of Man
King of Kings, Prince of Peace
God opens His divine plan
Joy’s new centerpiece
Angels’ choir deploys
Always singing above
Reflections full of joy
Peace filling with love
Scaling highest slopes
Locating lasting peace
Rebuilding life’s new hope
Joy shall never cease
Peace restored, anew
Joy’s steady, beating drum
Tomorrow’s hope accrues
Salvation to come
With lyrics composed by renowned English hymn writer, Issac Watts, “Joy to the World” has become the most published Christmas hymn in North America. These verses were penned in 1719, and they share an interpretation from Psalm 98. In this Advent season, the hymn holds a special place with its emphasis on the joy we have been patiently waiting for.
Here is the humble confidence of faith–that what God begins shall not miscarry and those whom He leads shall not be lost.
From Mark 10:43-45: “But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.”
John Newton (1725-1807) was an English pastor who also was a writer of several hymns, including the beloved “Amazing Grace.” His early life is filled with contrasts, when compared to his later life. He served as a ship’s captain during the slave trade, but later renounced his work after his conversion to Christianity. He became an outspoken opponent of the slave trade later in his life.
Opened in 1927, the LeVeque Tower was the tallest skyscraper between New York City and Chicago. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this impressive Art Deco building still highlights the skyline of the city.
At a height of 555 feet (intentionally designed to be five inches taller than the Washington Monument), the tower contains 47 stories. At the time of its completion, it was the fifth tallest building in the United States. Built upon a series of underground caissons, the foundation of the building is secured in the bedrock far below the city streets.
The LeVeque Tower has been called many names over the years. Its original name was the American Insurance Union Citadel. However, during the Great Depression years, the company went bankrupt. In the 1930s, the tower was nicknamed the “IOU Tower” because of the financial challenges it faced.
In 1946, the tower acquired a new name of Lincoln-LeVeque Tower, which reflected its new owners, Leslie LeVeque and John Lincoln. In 1977, the building’s name was shortened to LeVeque Tower.
The tower remained the tallest building in Columbus until 1974 when the Rhodes State Office Tower (624 feet tall) was completed. The tower still stands as the second tallest building in the city.
In 1989, floodlights were added to illuminate the upper floors of the tower. The lights are used 6-8 times per year for special events such as: pink for Susan G. Komen For the Cure; red, white, and blue for Independence Day; and red and green for the Christmas season.
Today, the LeVeque Tower is a mixed-use building. It contains a hotel, condominiums, offices, and restaurant. The adjacent Palace Theater’s marquee and lobby are part of the tower.
This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing. You are invited to participate with the opening question.
What could you put in a 50-pound barrel of oil to make it weigh less than 50 pounds?
(answer found at the end of this post)
In North America’s animal kingdom, one of the smallest and most dangerous creatures is the tiny tick. Having eight legs, they are arachnids (related to spiders).
Here are a few interesting facts about the tick:
Known as “black measles,” Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever came to the forefront when it cast its dark shadow over the Bitterroot Valley in western Montana. Early settlers in the valley contracted a mysterious disease. Scientific research began in the early 1900s and culminated in the beginning of the Rocky Mountain Labs research. The lab would research and refine treatments for the dreaded spotted fever, which scientists had discovered was carried by the tiny tick.
A hole.
Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.
It’s good to do uncomfortable things. It’s weight training for life.
Anne Lamott (born 1954) is a American novelist and non-fiction writer.
God’s
Magnificent creation
Praising every sunrise
Worshipping His blessed peace
Sustaining
God’s
Sustaining spirit
Sunset never closes
Reaching for tomorrow’s hope
Awakening
God’s
Awakening message
Endless joy sings
Mercy delivers His love
Forgiving
This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.
Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness.
From Psalm 55:22: “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.”
One’s love of the game sharing
Encouraging life’s new vision
One more summer of baseball
Boys answering their final call
Autumn’s sandlot football days
In field’s dirt, drawing up plays
Collecting each baseball card
Keeping all, never will discard
Playing catch with dad each night
Pitching finds home plate in moonlight
Playing high school football games
Friday nights bringing lasting fame
Playing one final season
Retirement waits in postseason
Wrapped up in competition
Respecting each sport’s traditions
Memories of each game played
Never allowing time to fade
Dreaming of playing again
Competing in life’s senior lane
Remembering each mentor
Always open, each coach’s door
Enduring fabric of sports
Our love of the game playing out
Every locked door has a key. Every problem has a solution.
Embellish your flaws. They will turn into your assets.
Marie Lu (born 1984) is a Chinese-born author. Many of her novels appeal to young adult readers. She has lived in the United States since 1989 when her family left China during the Tiananmen Square Protest.
Big Sky Buckeye 