I wondered to myself, where does the phrase above—“Tis the season to be jolly”—originate? I went to my source for helpful information, AI Overview. Here is what I discovered - “The phrase originates from the popular Christmas carol “Deck the Halls,” with English lyrics written by Thomas Oliphant 1862.” According to my quick online research, one of the key ideas of the phrase and song, “refers to the festive, Christmas season.” Good enough for me. I am all about having a festi

Snow is still on the ground from earlier in the week. It is making for frigid temperatures. Old timers would say, “One snow sticks around, waiting for another snow.” All signs are pointing toward Christmas. Shoppers scramble to find the final, perfect gift under the tree. Delivery drivers have boxes stacked to the ceiling. The calendar tells us, Christmas Eve is now just twenty days away.  As Christmas music plays in the background, everywhere — everyone is aware, what’s next

“A businessman from Wisconsin went on a business trip to Louisiana. Upon arrival and check-in, he grabbed his laptop, sending an email and quick note to his wife = JENNIFER JOHNSON. Her email address:  JennJohn@world.net    Unfortunately, in his haste he mistyped a single letter and his email was misdirected to JeanJohn@world.net  .  Jean Johnson was in Duluth, Georgia and the wife of preacher who had passed away a couple days earlier. In fact she had just returned home after

Since 1941 the fourth Thursday each year is our national holiday of Thanksgiving, which means the date of the holiday shifts every year. The earliest Thanksgiving can occur is November 22nd; the latest is November 28th. This year Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 27th.    In just a few days families will gather, sharing food, blessings, and expressing  gratefulness for life and abundance.  “Shout praises to the LORD! You are his servants, so praise his name. All who serve i

Who hasn’t thought, “Well, I’ve seen it all now!” Sometimes people get a crazy idea which backfires. We begin running away from our mistakes. We run like our hair is on fire. What’s the most outrageous, funniest thing you’ve seen recently? What has made you laugh?   Connie is always watching hilarious animal videos online. She has favorites with voice overs of people speaking as dogs and cats. She will sit in the recliner laughing out loud. Her laughing often is funnier than

If we were having coffee right now, and I asked, “What’s your favorite movie?” What would you say?  Or, “What is your favorite book?” What if I asked you to declare, “Your favorite sports team?” I am sure there would be quick responses for a list of our favorites. We all have favorites, which is a good thing. This weekend at Journey Community Christian Church-Cynthiana we’re in a fall/winter series from Romans in the Bible. I am really excited about this specific message. Thi

Tomorrow is October 31st. The forecast is improving; rain is winding down today. Trick or Treat will be enjoyed by many families in our local community. As we always, say, “It’s nice to be nice.” Journey Church has given away FREE pizza slices downtown on Main Street for 7-8 years in a row.  Years ago, we decided to help families with children; grab a bite to eat before candy give-away begins. This year we will distribute over 500 slices of pizza downtown on Main Street in fr

A few weeks ago I brought a large, bright yellow mum and placed it by our Journey Church front door. You would not believe the number of people who commented, “Wow, it really is beautiful!” God has given us our eyes to see more. In Kentucky we can see bright, brilliant fall colors everywhere. For my colorblind friends, trust me, this is an amazing time of year filled with fall colors to enjoy. In a similar way, we notice people which grab our attention. Little children and ba

Connie and I enjoy eating out for an occasional date night in new locations. However, trying a new menu brings potential challenges. Sometimes the writing on the menu is too small. Or the room is dimly lit. In either case, I can’t make a wise selection. Often, I end up grabbing a pair of reading glasses out of the car. Or, in a hurry, I ask Connie to read the menu for me. Eating out in new places is like traveling to new places. Small towns with a few stoplights and one major

“A mother was trying to teach her young son, Jack, about personal hygiene. For his Christmas stocking, she gave him a stick of deodorant....