Article by Dr. Les Hollon, Pastor, St. Matthews Baptist Church

To the believers in Galatia, Paul wrote, “You are all sons (children) of God through faith in Christ Jesus, … If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  

That word “children” applies to all of us and calls us to live in an awareness of how God sacrifices for us. Jesus Christ gave his life so that we might live.

The vows we speak in our American weddings are words of clarifying equal worth and equal commitment.  When married couples become parents, they are to be the leaders in the family through love and moral living.  Parents are to help empower the children by encouraging them to grow in Christ and make moral decisions.  This way of parenting forms a covenant with your child based on love and respect.  Truly loving each other, truly respecting each other and truly working on each other’s behalf are meant to be the family way for Christians.

Every child deserves four blessings - whether born, adopted, befriended, or baptized into a family called parent/s, grandparent/s, or church.  Blessings are biblical ways of giving power to another.

1. Mixing joy into the child’s life enables the children to feel their importance.  The joy of knowing we matter to God and God’s people lays a secure foundation for all of one’s life.

2. Molding memories worth keeping enables us to feel our worth to God and helps us to make our way through life by having reference points which show us what to do and how to do it.

3. Modeling growth for children grants gives them security in knowing there is a way to go forward.

4. Making eternal life a normal topic of conversation which enables children to know that God doesn’t abandon us - ever.  To show another how to live is to show that person how to die in the assurance that God has a home called heaven for everyone who “knows the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Pastor Les Hollon

“Children are not soul-less, unguided creatures made for adults to manipulate like chattel.  They are spirited beings, complete at every given moment and age.  They have differentiated minds, specialized abilities and unique gifts that give testimony to themselves and their Creator. Children look to us for guidance. And they see us as symbols of love …”
-Anthony Gregorc  

This article was written by Les Hollon, Pastor of St. Matthews Baptist Church.  For more information about parenting, St. Matthews Baptist Church, or to contact Dr. Hollon, click over to St. Matthews Baptist Church.

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Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Derrick Torrens

Scrolling through the channels trying to find something to watch I have discovered that, among other things, I am morbidly obese and my sense of fashion is terribly outdated.  Everything I watch seems to be about something I need to do differently.

But I have come to realize it is not just me.  It’s a trend that the media is gearing towards us all.  You got acne?  Use this product.  You want to wow him in the bedroom?  Buy this.  You want to know where the wealthy shop?  Then go here and buy these items when you get there … because “you need them.”

I like to watch the show “What Not to Wear.”  On the show someone close to you decides you don’t have a clue what you look like in your day-to-day life and that you need a makeover.  So now your friends secretly videotape your wears and send it in to the show.  Hopefully it convinces the producers to come and throw away everything in your closet.  It’s supposed to be funny because evidently everyone but you hates your orange parachute pants and your rhinestone covered leather jacket. 

So there you are … living your life feeling carefree in your tennis shoes … and all the while you are being examined and told how and what you need to change. Read More »

Article and Photograph by Make The Days Count Contributor Ann Wilkinson

I am not ashamed to admit I love hotels.  I love the luxurious feeling of being pampered by lying in a bed I don’t have to make, towels I can use once and leave to be washed by someone else, and the sheer laziness of being able to order room service and leave the cooking to others, too.  And, I’m not alone in this love of being taken care of.  Recently, I had a chat with a woman at a hotel in Connecticut who told me she had opted to stay in a hotel for a night rather than at a friend’s house simply because she loves experiencing hotels.

Imagine the perfect scenario in which you are greeted warmly at the reception desk with a smile and friendly hello, and someone helps you carry your bags to your room. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Jennifer Snelling

Christmas is the season of giving, love and miracles.  We all need all three in our lives.  The question is, are you a miracle worker to someone? 

Helen Keller was a child lost in darkness and silence when Anne Sullivan became her teacher, and did the seemingly impossible by communicating with her in the language of people who could see and hear.  For the rest of her life, whatever obstacles or opportunities arose, Anne Sullivan was with Helen Keller as a teacher and a friend.  When Helen Keller went to college, Anne Sullivan sat with her in class, busily scribbling the words of the professors into Helen Keller’s hands so that she could learn the same lessons as everyone else.  Anne Sullivan appeared in shows with Helen Keller, showing the world her abilities and proving to everyone that she could be a star, too.  Helen Keller became an inspiration to not only the disabled, but all people; and Anne Sullivan was named a “Miracle Worker.”

When Helen Keller was given an honorary degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, she said, Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Blake Cothron

When you imagine holiday meals, what comes to mind?  Is it hot, dressed ham, piles of mashed potatoes, ruby red cranberry sauce, eggnog and pumpkin pie?  Or do you focus more on the cookies, fudge and hard eggnog?  This holiday season, we can create memories of delicious, healthier traditional meals, while still fitting into the pants and belts we wore yesterday!

The holidays are a great time to reconnect with relatives, neighbors, and traditions going back hundreds of years or more.  This is also a great excuse to get other people involved in the food preparation process!  Put on some festive holiday music and get others involved.  This will make it fun to create abundant healthy meals for a crowd. 

We’ll be focusing on using whole foods to co-create amazing holiday delights.  When we use pre-packaged mixes, we miss out big time on flavor and nutrition.  Plus, by skipping the pre-packaged mixes we can miss out on the big doses of things like hidden trans fats, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors. Read More »