What do you want to accomplish in the year ahead? January is a great time to start a resolution – Time magazine says nearly half of us will. So use this week to start the resolution you made last week. Perhaps you have listed goals you would like to accomplish. The following list discusses Internet sites that may help. Space ManagementA sign in my office proclaims, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, what is the sign of an empty desk of?” For positive organizational steps, LifeOrganizers.com has tips by category, while Unclutterer.com and Organized Home […]

New Hampshire has two proposed laws dealing with same-sex marriage. “One (bill) would repeal the same-sex marriage law enacted last year,” said Kevin Smith, executive director of Cornerstone Action. “The other would put the question of a constitutional amendment to give the people of New Hampshire a chance to finally have their say on the issue.” There’s also a grassroots movement of people petitioning their local town governments to put the question on the ballot, according to Smith. “Now it would be non-binding, but it would certainly be significant and symbolic for the townspeople to go and vote on it […]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched “Hidden in Plain Sight,” an initiative aimed at educating people about human trafficking. Linda Smith, former congresswoman and president of Shared Hope International, said most people don’t realize middle-school children are being sold every day in the U.S. “These kids are hidden in plain view,” she said. “They are in our foster care system. And they’re in the strip club or the adult venues where they sell sex or produce pornography.” Billboards will be put up in 14 cities across the nation, with a toll-free number for people reporting possible trafficking victims. Smith […]

On Jan. 12, Gov. Bob Riley said he will not be hustled into believing video slot machines are the answer to state revenue problems. “I can’t imagine anyone who thinks the best way to help our economy is to have Alabamans lose billions of dollars gambling,” he said in his annual State of the State address. The Alabama Baptist Convention (ABC) held a News conference announcing a resolution against gambling legislation. The group spoke out against the continued push by out-of-state slot manufacturers trying to gain ground in local communities, and is asking the Legislature not to pass any laws […]

A school district in Tennessee has agreed to stop handing out Gideon Bibles to students during the school day, under threat of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union. The Tennessee chapter of the ACLU wrote Wilson County school officials in October, on behalf of the parents of a fifth-grade student. The parents objected to their daughter being pressured to come forward and take a Bible, along with fellow students. The parents, who were not identified by the ACLU, said their daughter was brought into a school gym with other fifth-graders during the school day for a presentation by […]

With Valentine’s Day approaching once again, it is time to think about how you will express your love to those around you. Whether you want to show a friend, partner, spouse or family member how much you love them, remember to be creative and to give something that has real meaning and is from the heart. Sentimental or handmade gifts don’t have to be expensive, and can be a true expression of your love. Move away from the traditional and robotic practice of buying flowers and a card, and read on for some quick gift ideas to show your love, […]

Did you know that when you go to bed angry with someone, you wake up a little less in love with that person? God’s Word addresses this dangerous sleeping pattern: “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Eph. 4:26, 27. When I was in college, I was impressed by the relationship between my English literature teacher, Dr. Evangeline Banta, and her husband. She invited me to spend a weekend at her home, where I got a closer look at a love […]

Ten years ago this month, Internet entrepreneur Jimmy Wales hired Larry Sanger to develop an online encyclopedia. You may have never heard of that project, titled “Nupedia,” but you’ve probably heard of the site that emerged from its ashes. Wikipedia is not only one of the most successful initiatives in the history of the Web, but also a shining example of the potential of human cooperation. Wikipedia sprouted in the fertile soil of freedom and possibility that characterized the early days of the Internet. Andrew Lih tells the story in The Wikipedia Revolution (2009). Wales, a principal of the technology […]

I have been a bookworm for almost as long as I can remember. Rarely have I met a good book that I didn’t want to read. I’ve enjoyed everything from pondering the writings of great theologians and thinkers to perusing something as mundane as the sports page. As time has crept by, however, I find that I enjoy nothing more than reading and meditating on God’s written word, the Bible. Why? I could write a separate, full-length article to answer that question. But here are just a few personal reasons. One, I want to know God’s heart more and more, […]

Emerson Eggerichs and his wife, Sarah, are bringing their Love & Respect marriage conference to Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 12–13. They will be offering couples a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day by investing time in their relationship. “We see people that are newly married attending the conference, as well as couples that have been married for decades,” Eggerichs says of the live two-day event, which also attracts singles who desire to learn more about marriage. The Eggerichs (pronounced Eggerich) have been married for more than three decades and have three children. The couple started hosting the conferences in 1999, […]