Author: vancecrains
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Embracing the Grey
I had a very random conversation with a complete stranger, yesterday. He said that the hot issue many counselors/therapists/psychotherapists are dealing with, lately, is how to help their clients deal with friends and family, with whom they have differing political views. His point was that, in our current political climate, friends…
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What Have We Lost?
Disclaimer: I don’t I have a nostalgic bone in my body. I don’t look back to my childhood, or any other era, as idyllic. Every day, month, year, or decade of human existence had its problems and challenges. Humans have never been perfect. Now. Onto today’s topic. Sabbath. I try…
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Amazing Grace – Just the Black Notes
I told a story at the 8:00 and 11:00 am services, this morning, at First Church Coral Springs, about the hymn Amazing Grace, which I discovered watching this video. It’s very moving. Enjoy. Bill & Gloria Gaither – Amazing Grace [Live]
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Restored Fortunes – the fourth sermon in a series called “Restoration,” preached on March 26, 2017 at First Church Coral Springs.
This is the fourth sermon in a series called, “Restoration.” The basic premise of the series is that God can take what is broken, worn-out, and seemingly beyond repair, and restore the broken pieces and parts into something new and beautiful. So far, we have talked about God restoring our…
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You are What You Love…
I started a new book yesterday, You are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, by James K.A. Smith. I am what I love? I certainly love my wife, kids, and family. I love my friends. I love to travel, ride my motorcycle, read books, grow bonsai trees. I love…
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Doing the Right Things for the Wrong Reasons…
I’ve been thinking a lot about motives lately – my motives, specifically. Sometimes, I do things because I’m paid to do them. It’s my job. Sometimes, I do things because I have to – like paying taxes Sometimes (too often), I do things out of selfish desires. Sometimes, I act on…
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Waiting for Signs of Growth
I grow bonsai trees. In South Florida, some kinds of trees grow year round. Some never lose their leaves or foliage. But, some, need an annual period of dormancy – typically, the winter (though, we don’t get much of a winter in South Florida!). During the holidays, I visited a…
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Halfway – Give or Take
Today, more or less, is the mid-point of Lent. Ash Wednesday was three weeks ago. Three weeks from tomorrow is Maundy Thursday. We’ve had three Sundays in Lent, so far, and, we have three more to go before Easter. At the start of this Lenten Season, I made the following…
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Unconscious Implicit Bias
To the best of my knowledge, my ancestry is predominantly British and Polish. I’m sure a DNA a test might reveal more diversity than that. But, I’m not aware of what that might be. I’ve been tempted to take a DNA test to find out. I’d love to discover that…
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