Living in light of eternity

  At our birth, we join a family. We are part of a social group, and totally dependent on it.    Our parents take care of our every need. As we grow, we branch out and make friends.   Many find a mate and start a family of their own.   We all live in the context of the relationships we develop. There are extremely few hermits in this world. We leave this world much as we entered it. Once again, dependent on friends and family. They gather around to say their goodbyes.   From birth to death, we are constantly aware of this primal question, "Where do I belong?" This need for a sense of belonging is universal.   Throughout history and across cultures, humans have typically lived in various size social groupings. Smaller ones such as immediate family, close friends, and colleagues may make up a person's inner circle. Research and studies on social relationships suggest that a common size for a person's inner circle typically ranges from about 5 to 15 ind...

I'll bet I could write a survey that would give me a pretty good picture of who you are. Let me try…  Name, Age, Gender, Race, Height, Weight, Eye Color, Hair Color- that would get us started.   Next, I might ask… Single, Married, or Divorced, Number of Children or Grandchildren.   I might also want to know... Number of years of education completed, Current Job, and Yearly Income.   I would also be interested in… Place of birth, Current Hometown, Number of years at Current Address.   So, If I were asking "Who are you?" I could get a good picture.   So, how close would I be to truly knowing your identity?   Not very close.   You are so much more than a few facts and figures. You have a story to tell.   So do I…   I was the first of three children born to a father who was a dentist and a mother who was a physical therapist. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.   I was from German and Scotch-Irish decent. I was always sma...

  The question of our purpose in life is both hard and simple.  Hard if you are asking for particulars, simple if you are looking at the big picture.  Fortunately, it's important to start with the big picture before you address the particulars. There is an old saying that goes like this… "The most important thing is that the most important thing remains the most important thing."  If we want to know what type of job I should get, who I should marry, or where to live, the answers don't come easy.  If we want to know what my ultimate purpose should be, the answer becomes clear.  So why do I say it comes clear?  Because I am making a very important assumption.  I am looking into the Bible to get the answers I need.  I decided a long time ago that I was not very good at answering the hard questions on my own.  I wanted to go to a source of wisdom that was greater than my own.  If possible, I wanted to hear what God had to say about the ...

 I suppose the question "Why am I here?" is either the best biggest question we could ask, or the most stupid.   I prefer to think it is the best.   Many would rather not ask it, because it can be so unsettling.   I guess it depends on your worldview. If you prefer a secular atheistic worldview, it really doesn't matter why you are here.   You exist, and there is no ultimate meaning behind your existence.   I am coming from a Judeo- Christian worldview. I believe in a Creator who had a purpose and a plan behind my existence.   In that case, I would like to know what it is. Another key question we may ask is "Who am I"?   Both questions lay the foundation for all other questions we have about life.   And whatever your worldview, these two questions will haunt us.   We have one life to live, apparently, and we must make some sense of it.   We have decisions to make, goals to set, and time to invest.   We need some definition...